Around The League: 2018 Offseason

[Colin Unger]

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/04/24/dyakowski-hecht-among-4-riders-cuts/

Riders cut 4 players including Hecht and Dyakowski.  At the right price I could see both players providing benefit to Winnipeg. Since we  lost out on Muamba and Westerman we need all the depth we can get at our Canadian starting positions. Nuefeld is not somebody you can pencil in for 18 games without getting injured. So assuming that Chung and Goosen will be healthy we are likely still looking at starting Couture for a period of time with completely unproven depth behind him. Would love to see Dyakowski brought in to compete against Nuefeld. He played 18 games last season and has been pretty durable. Would also be interested in have Hecht backup Taylor Loffler at safety.  Thoughts?

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, JCon said:

Don't worry, Carter will keep everyone level-headed. He's matured with all his legal troubles. 

 

4 hours ago, JCon said:

Don't worry, Carter will keep everyone level-headed. He's matured with all his legal troubles. 

Like a dead raccoon matures on the roadside.

[Mark H.]

1 hour ago, Colin Unger said:

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/04/24/dyakowski-hecht-among-4-riders-cuts/

Riders cut 4 players including Hecht and Dyakowski.  At the right price I could see both players providing benefit to Winnipeg. Since we  lost out on Muamba and Westerman we need all the depth we can get at our Canadian starting positions. Nuefeld is not somebody you can pencil in for 18 games without getting injured. So assuming that Chung and Goosen will be healthy we are likely still looking at starting Couture for a period of time with completely unproven depth behind him. Would love to see Dyakowski brought in to compete against Nuefeld. He played 18 games last season and has been pretty durable. Would also be interested in have Hecht backup Taylor Loffler at safety.  Thoughts?

I think Dyakowski would be worth considering.  Lots of bodies on OL, but as many if not more question marks??

The question of how well they will perform with Bond missing from what was a lockdown left side remains to seen.  But all things considered, they really couldn't afford to start an American at guard again. 

[Mike]

Zero interest on either guy.

[Booch]

agreed...tired of hearing too how Neuf WONT last 18 games

[Mark H.]

54 minutes ago, Booch said:

agreed...tired of hearing too how Neuf WONT last 18 games

History may fatigue you - but it doesn’t change. 

[rebusrankin]

Even if Neuf doesn't last all 18, Couture has looked good when pressed into action the past two years and I believe he'd do fine if need be. Heck he might beat out Neuf this year for the starting spot. Then you'd have Spooner at the 6th or 7th  OL and you could go Foketti if need be and do a ratio tweek elsewhere. That also leaves out Gray (Cleveland has 11 other OL on their roster and the draft is this weekend) and whomever we draft this year.

[Bigblue204]

I'm not sure we don't already have the depth behind neuf. Or couldn't find somewhere else to put a cnd if needed for a game or two.

And I'm not worried about his play as a starter. He played well as a guard last year.

This team isn't about to get rid of Neuf for someone who might be a little better, which I honestly don't think Dyakowski is. The OLine is still a tight group. Keep them all together as long as possible. Unless an upgrade which you can't ignore becomes available.

[mbrg]

46 roster spots.  If Dyakowski goes on, who comes off?  Spooner isn't going to hang up the phone the next time another team calls if he feels like he can't play his way off the PR.  Gray could be part of the equation this year; that's hard to predict.  Less difficult is the Bombers taking an Olineman with one of their first two picks.  Where does he end up?  And while I know nothing at all about Speller, I will at least allow for the possibility that he might be good.  Crazy talk, I know.

 

It feels like with certain people here every time they mention that Neufeld has had some injuries they get to count that as another injury...the more it's said the truer it gets?

[JuranBoldenRules]

I wonder if Fantuz still wants to play.  He's a type of receiver we don't really have.

[Colin Unger]

30 minutes ago, mbrg said:

46 roster spots.  If Dyakowski goes on, who comes off?  Spooner isn't going to hang up the phone the next time another team calls if he feels like he can't play his way off the PR.  Gray could be part of the equation this year; that's hard to predict.  Less difficult is the Bombers taking an Olineman with one of their first two picks.  Where does he end up?  And while I know nothing at all about Speller, I will at least allow for the possibility that he might be good.  Crazy talk, I know.

 

It feels like with certain people here every time they mention that Neufeld has had some injuries they get to count that as another injury...the more it's said the truer it gets?

What’s the most number of games he’s ever started in a season?   Spooner can stay on the dev roster until an injury happens. I just don’t trust injuries not to happen.  We need depth. 

[rebusrankin]

1 minute ago, Colin Unger said:

What’s the most number of games he’s ever started in a season?   Spooner can stay on the dev roster until an injury happens. I just don’t trust injuries not to happen.  We need depth. 

So let's say we sign Dyakowski, you have to put him on the 46. So you have Bryant, Chungh, Goossen, Neufeld, Hardrick, Couture and Dyakowski on the 46. That means you have to put Foketti on the PR and you risk losing him. You also have to put Spooner on the PR and risk losing him and that's before we get into any draft picks this year. Is Dyakowski worth that?

[wpgallday1960]

28 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I wonder if Fantuz still wants to play.  He's a type of receiver we don't really have.

I would rather Wolitarsky get playing time.  Not a lot different size wise from Fantuz.

[DR. CFL]

You can’t have too much National depth on your roster

[wpgallday1960]

5 minutes ago, DR. CFL said:

You can’t have too much National depth on your roster

At what price?  Doubt Fantuz would come cheap.

[WBBFanWest]

9 minutes ago, DR. CFL said:

You can’t have too much National depth on your roster

Actually, you can.  It's about quality not quantity.  

[Floyd]

Always love when a sarcastic remark sparks a discussion about that topic...  Andy!!! Come on down!!!!

[Goalie]

I dont think Dyakowski or Hecht are good. I think both are wayyy past their prime. Pass on both. 

[Zontar]

Fantuz will play only if its comfortable. No farther than OTT I should think.

[Zontar]

Internet buffoon Rod Pederson says BLV is mentally weak. A recovering addict using mental weakness as currency in football commentary on another player. Hes got guts I'll give him that.

And since hes so inextricably linked with the Riders, ensured of such thanks to Rod, he just gave CAL a seasons worth of bulletin board material.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Zontar

[17to85]

10 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

What’s the most number of games he’s ever started in a season?   Spooner can stay on the dev roster until an injury happens. I just don’t trust injuries not to happen.  We need depth. 

If we don't have depth to play 3 canadians on the OL when Walters has drafted so many so high why is he even employed? 

[mbrg]

10 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

What’s the most number of games he’s ever started in a season?   Spooner can stay on the dev roster until an injury happens. I just don’t trust injuries not to happen.  We need depth. 

It's football, we'd better be planning that injuries will happen.  At every spot.  That doesn't mean Dyakowski should be signed.  Can we get the same level of play from Couture and save $60,000 in the process?

The way people talk here, it seems like Neufeld is the only player to get injured in his career.  What I remember in 2017 is he started all the games he was asked to when Bond got injured.  Bond, that guy some people still are really hung up on losing.  Does that count as irony?  My recollection is that Goossen and Chungh were the only starters on the Oline to not miss any starts last year, and Chungh was playing pretty injured for a few games.

My point is Neufeld is a forum whipping boy - maybe it's the red hair?  Someone should check if he was a stepchild.  Sometimes it needs to be dialed back to an objective look at reality.  He has missed more games than average for his position.  Has he had more injuries than average or have his injuries just been more severe?  Injury prone?  Just unfortunate?

He's going to get a physical before camp.  The doctors are going to check his knees, for example.  They might be normal knees for an Olineman who has played pro ball for more than 5 years (not great).  They might be in rough shape for an Olineman who has played 5 years (not much life left).  Or they might be in bad shape for an Olineman (will need a lift assist in his house within 20 years).  And unless he doesn't pass his physical, we won't know the results of it.  It could be he has the best set of knees on the team and this "luck of the Irish" isn't a real thing.

And what does any of that have to do with Dyakowski?  Nothing really.  There is still limited space on the roster, and the plans the Bombers have for the players they have been developing may not allow for one more non-starter.  Goossen, Chungh, Neufeld and Couture are on the 44, as well as Bryant and Hardwick.  Foketi as the perpetual healthy scratch.  Spooner on the 1-game IR all year?  6 game?  Back to the PR?  Gray?  Speller?  DraftedOlineman#1?  DraftedOlineman#2?

For that matter, my recollection is also that Dyakowski has had a few injuries of his own during his time in Hamilton.

 

 

Did you know someone had the gall to say something nice about Lankford yesterday?  And they didn't even put it in a criticism sandwich?  You know, where you say something bad about his skill level, quickly make a non-committal half-hearted compliment about something he did well, then insult his work ethic.  We might need to take that poster aside and remind him that kind of independent thinking is not going to be well received here.

[blue_gold_84]

2 hours ago, Zontar said:

Internet buffoon Rod Pederson says BLV is mentally weak. A recovering addict using mental weakness as currency in football commentary on another player. Hes got guts I'll give him that.

And since hes so inextricably linked with the Riders, ensured of such thanks to Rod, he just gave CAL a seasons worth of bulletin board material.

Does he, though? Not sure if it takes guts to be a petulant, hateful, biased homer on social media. And the fact he's reacted in such a way to a player on an opposing team deactivating a Twitter account tells me he's the one who's mentally weak and that Mitchell gets to live rent-free in his green-soaked cranium.

Rod Pedersen is such a turd. He represents Rider Nation well.

Edited April 25, 2018 by blue_gold_84

[Booch]

Neufeld was more a victim of injuries that lingered and nagged because he was pressed into duty here because we had no depth..or options..none.

And playing the last time before he was shelved was an injury brought on by playing not 100 percent.

Healthy the last few years..but still stayed injury free in games he got in and started. Played what..last 5..6 games last year (including playoff)

This notion he is going to get hurt as a given is just plain stupid..anyone can..and will get hurt. 

I have no issues with him starting and Couture as backup..he is ready and won't hurt us whatsoever.

[Atomic]

We will also likely draft an OL with our first pick