Free Agency Frenzy

[BigBlue]

If there is anything that deserves a thread of its own its this Tuesdays looming bidding wars.

Lets start with 3Down Nation's top 5 negotiations for our Blue:

http://3downnation.com/2017/02/12/top-five-free-agent-targets-bombers/

1. DL Jabar Westerman, B.C. Lions

2. LB Winston Venable, Montreal Alouettes

3. RB Kienan Lafrance, Ottawa Redblacks

4. DL Drake Nevis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

5. DB Jovon Johnson, Montreal Alouettes

I like the idea of what a 2nd Westerman would do for our D_line for years to come. Getting Venerable could mean a road to the Grey Cup so I would break the bank with whatever we have left and spend it on those two.

[Goalie]

Jovon Johnson?  Yeah unless it's to sign a 1 Day contract and retire 

I think Westerman Nevis and LaFrance are legit options but I get the feeling that we will be very quiet this time around. 1 or 2 guys at most 

Edited February 12, 2017 by Goalie

[Floyd]

Not sure how Jovon helps this team...  Chris Randle already provides all the leadership you need, although I think he might be a surprise cut.

Keep spending on DL - all of our DBs will wear down unless Richie Hall has four super-studs on his DL

[TBURGESS]

I think that Lafrance is the only one on that list that we'll actually sign.

[BigBlue]

6 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

I think that Lafrance is the only one on that list that we'll actually sign.

You think Walters has no cash to spend?

 

[Stickem]

I think Winston Venable/Westerman are definitely on our fa radar...Adding either one will definitely improve the d line and Lafrance is a no-brainer...Jovon (lol) will not return and there's an outside chance on Nevis ...We shall see Tues.

[wbbfan]

33 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Jovon Johnson?  Yeah unless it's to sign a 1 Day contract and retire 

I think Westerman Nevis and LaFrance are legit options but I get the feeling that we will be very quiet this time around. 1 or 2 guys at most 

took the words out of my mouth on JJ. 

Lafrance would be a nice pick up. Wouldnt want to pay too much but would be a nice high up side young NI to back up. Would be nice if he was more of a teams guy / pass catcher. 

Venable would be a monster pick up. If we add him and the front 7 doesnt instantly perform a ton better firings are a foot. 

Westerman 2.0 is too much his last name and passport. Id take him if cheap but not a guy who would be much of a priority target. More of a rotational piece. I dont think he and jake are both starters but between the two you could have  a pretty effective rotation. 

 

 

[TBURGESS]

21 minutes ago, BigBlue said:

You think Walters has no cash to spend?

Not much left since he's already spent on Stafford and Okpalaugo and re-signed Nichols, Adams, Bryant, Medlock, Davis, Remple and Sheppard. I expect our DT's to be made up of Jake Thomas and a draft pick and a cheaper scouted guy. Knox seems to already be penciled in at MLB and JJ is just not needed.

[Floyd]

6 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Not much left since he's already spent on Stafford and Okpalaugo and re-signed Nichols, Adams, Bryant, Medlock, Davis, Remple and Sheppard. I expect our DT's to be made up of Jake Thomas and a draft pick and a cheaper scouted guy. Knox seems to already be penciled in at MLB and JJ is just not needed.

The signings you list shouldn't be putting us up against the cap.  Stafford's probably close to league minimum...?  Sholo's $$ just swapped for Okpo...

Davis, Remple and Sheppard are all economy signings...  who know maybe Bryant and Medlock took paycuts - stranger things have happened

I think Walters has a ton of cap space.  But he's probably expecting to pay his two first round picks and Chungh big $$

[Rich]

17 minutes ago, Floyd said:

The signings you list shouldn't be putting us up against the cap.  Stafford's probably close to league minimum...?  Sholo's $$ just swapped for Okpo...

Davis, Remple and Sheppard are all economy signings...  who know maybe Bryant and Medlock took paycuts - stranger things have happened

I think Walters has a ton of cap space.  But he's probably expecting to pay his two first round picks and Chungh big $$

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/same-old-blue-and-gold-413371123.html

Quote

"If we can find a guy at any position that we think is a solid football player that fits in financially with what we’re doing, then certainly we’ll make a play at that," said Walters. "I just don’t see us going after any of the high-end guys."

 

Even then, Walters said it wouldn’t be until the second or third day before he’d consider testing the open market. And when he does, it would likely only be to find Canadian depth and guys to help on special teams.

This doesn't sound like someone with a ton of cap space.

[Floyd]

I know what it sounds like... but I think he wants a DT and knows the market is saturated - he's sounding more Buono these days... less post-Mack desperate.

Here's my predictions:

LaFrance and Westerman - Day 1 signings, maybe already inked

Two of:  Nevis, Elsworth, Omara, Minter, Cummings (feel like he might test the waters and come back)

Denmark signs in Montreal, Bass in BC, Kohlert to Calgary

[TBURGESS]

IMO Walters has way less cap space than every other year he's been here. He had to renegotiate both Medlock and Bryant's salaries last year, effectively putting some of their salaries into this years SMS instead of last years. You don't do that if you have any SMS space left. He has always signed players to extensions to use up the last of the SMS space until last  year. Another indication that he hasn't got a lot of SMS space available. Because he didn't sign players to extensions using last year's SMS, all the extensions come out of this years SMS. 

 

[rebusrankin]

I think we're low key. Likely a DT who doesn't get signed on day 1 or 2 and depth NI (a wr like Bailey etc).

[M.O.A.B.]

I think Walters will offer contracts to the free-agents they like but will not go on to a bidding war for them. 

[Goalie]

1 or 2 guys maybe 3 max. And I don't expect any of them to be "big" names. 

LaFrance being 1 of the 3. I feel those are the types of players we sign aka depth guys. Rotational type guys. 

[bustamente]

Get us a run stuffing defensive tackle and a back up national running back and lets call it a day.

[Fatty Liver]

3 minutes ago, Goalie said:

1 or 2 guys maybe 3 max. And I don't expect any of them to be "big" names. 

LaFrance being 1 of the 3. I feel those are the types of players we sign aka depth guys. Rotational type guys. 

That's pretty much what Walters said he would do a few days ago, adding Westerman or Nevis is pipe dreaming at this point.  I expect Sask. will probably be spending wildly and picking up some big name players as their current roster has gaping holes to fill.

[Brandon]

The club really doesn't need to sign anyone. Anyone we sign is just gravy this year. 

[Tracker]

I just hope Knox is the answer at MLB, or we're going to be in much the same position as last year on defence.

[M.O.A.B.]

I know size is not really makes a stud MLB... but I like a good tackler and bigger MLB .. kinda like same build as Bear Woods.

[Floyd]

Denmark's tweets make it seem like he's going FA...  still think that's super lame.

[Brandon]

2 hours ago, Floyd said:

Denmark's tweets make it seem like he's going FA...  still think that's super lame.

It's not like teams were banging on the door for his services last season. 

[SpeedFlex27]

5 hours ago, Goalie said:

Jovon Johnson?  Yeah unless it's to sign a 1 Day contract and retire 

I think Westerman Nevis and LaFrance are legit options but I get the feeling that we will be very quiet this time around. 1 or 2 guys at most 

Up against the cap but Walters may surprise us.

[Dr. Blue]

I don't expect us to sign a FA DT, Walters said that last year they decided to spend their money on DT in FA and let their scouting team fill the DE position. They've decided to flip that this year and have spent on the DE and are letting the scouting department fill the open DT spot.

We've had to spend a lot in free agency the last couple of years because we didn't really have a good core. We now have that core and need to fill a few spots. It's now time for or scouting department to step up and fill those gaps, free agency is not sustainable and too expensive.

If we are going to spend in FA, I believe it's going to be on Nat. ST depth.

[Taynted_Fayth]

if the price is right I'd like to kick tires on Venable,   the LB core of Venable/Wild/Leggett  sounds good to me

 

**edit: although truth be told I'd have prefered Bass over Venable

Edited February 13, 2017 by Taynted_Fayth