So who won free agency?

[Mark H.]

We DID have a problem at running back. Anyone can see that Harris cannot take as much wear and tear as he took last year.  When Adams and Flanders were both out, teams were able to key on Harris and he really took a pounding. They now have more talent to take some of the pressure off Harris. Also, the players brought in on O and the plan to start 3 Canadians on the OL, gives them the ratio flexibility to shore up the D. 

[Floyd]

19 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

We DID have a problem at running back. Anyone can see that Harris cannot take as much wear and tear as he took last year.  When Adams and Flanders were both out, teams were able to key on Harris and he really took a pounding. They now have more talent to take some of the pressure off Harris. Also, the players brought in on O and the plan to start 3 Canadians on the OL, gives them the ratio flexibility to shore up the D. 

I cannot wait until Lapo schemes Harris-Lafrance-Demski all in the backfield pre-snap with the D unable to key in on which one is actually the RB

[17to85]

I say the OL made the biggest difference when Bond went in, but it was less about Bond himself and nore about removing the weakest link and making it stronger across the board. They have progressed though since then and we saw them do very well without Bond at the end of last year so I ain't worried. Some good american tackles on each end and then we should have the required Canadians inside now ater drafting and developing the position Walters entire time here. 

[Jimmy Pop]

@TrueBlue4ever.  I was raised to hate the Riders & I'll die hating the Riders.   So for that part, you can go fly a kite. 

Otherwise.... I don't know, I'm actually kinda with you.   Others far more football-savvy than I seem pretty sure our oline won't skip a beat w/o Bond, so I'll trust their judgement.  

LB in general still seems like a weakness to me, but what a difference one FA can make.  I'd be nervous if our play is to insert a new recruit in the middle, rather than someone with CFL exp - at least from camp or 2.  Too many guys come up here with unreal gamefilm and never materialize to anything. 

Other than that... on paper we have to be as good as anyone?  Assuming we can stay relatively healthy, but that applies to everyone 

 

 

[Noeller]

While I'm not sure we're any better today than we were at the end of last year, I'm pretty confident we're no worse....soooo.....there's that.

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

While I'm not sure we're any better today than we were at the end of last year, I'm pretty confident we're no worse....soooo.....there's that.

Whoa. I suggest that Demski, Durant, LaFrance and Bowman make us significantly better. If we acquire a good MLB, we're laughing.

[Noeller]

Demski gotta stay healthy, LaFrance hasn't proved much and might not play much, Durant HOPEFULLY won't play much....and Bowman COULD play well and do a lot, but he's also coming off an injury, and you don't know how much he has left in the tank. There's a lotta "Well, maybe...if everything goes right..." rather than sure things.....and we lost some guys who we know are sure things. So, I'm just saying "I'm not sure" we're better.....

[WBBFanWest]

1 minute ago, Noeller said:

Demski gotta stay healthy, LaFrance hasn't proved much and might not play much, Durant HOPEFULLY won't play much....and Bowman COULD play well and do a lot, but he's also coming off an injury, and you don't know how much he has left in the tank. There's a lotta "Well, maybe...if everything goes right..." rather than sure things.....and we lost some guys who we know are sure things. So, I'm just saying "I'm not sure" we're better.....

I hate to break it to you, but that's the case every year.  There's always the "past performance does not guarantee future results" issue at play with every player, not to mention that with the new economics, we can expect to lose good players every year.  There ain't no sure things in football.

[Mark H.]

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Demski gotta stay healthy, LaFrance hasn't proved much and might not play much, Durant HOPEFULLY won't play much....and Bowman COULD play well and do a lot, but he's also coming off an injury, and you don't know how much he has left in the tank. There's a lotta "Well, maybe...if everything goes right..." rather than sure things.....and we lost some guys who we know are sure things. So, I'm just saying "I'm not sure" we're better.....

There is less of 'maybe if everything goes right' this year.  Just one example: what happened when Adams or Dressler went down last year?  This year we have Bowman in the mix, so that will help.  With three receivers who can consistently be difference makers, there is a very good chance that at least two of them will be available every game.  

 

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, Floyd said:

I cannot wait until Lapo schemes Harris-Lafrance-Demski all in the backfield pre-snap with the D unable to key in on which one is actually the RB

And then neglects the run game entirely for the next 2 quarters of football. 

But seriously if we deploy that properly, two back with harris and lafrance and  use demski in the jet sweep stuff, with dressler, adams and bowman to stretch the field length wise, forget about it. That is an OCs wet dream for offensive weapons. 

[Mark F]

7 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

 

But seriously if we deploy that properly, two back with harris and lafrance and  use demski in the jet sweep stuff, with dressler, adams and bowman to stretch the field length wise, forget about it. That is an OCs wet dream for offensive weapons. 

This sums it up really well.

I liked the play that Toronto ran last season, with their big fullback/tight end Declan Cross running across the middle  just over the line after other players were down field. Got a lot of yards with that play.

Edited February 16, 2018 by Mark F

[wbbfan]

4 minutes ago, Mark F said:

This sums it up really well.

Plop must be breathing into a brown paper bag right now. Over loaded with excitement at what can be done. Stretch the field side line to side line, break Ds with runs up the gut, stretch the ball down field, catch and run guys this offense is filthy. Depth at qb to boot. On paper this offense rivals the best weve put together in a hell of a long time. 

Edited February 16, 2018 by wbbfan

[rebusrankin]

I'm calling it now, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20-0 and we kick somebody's ass in the Grey Cup. Then we all party hard till Christmas and this board melts down while Ridernation loses their collective ****.

[blueingreenland]

50 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

I'm calling it now, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20-0 and we kick somebody's ass in the Grey Cup. 

Yeah, but if we lose even one of our two pre-season games some on this board will still be calling for Lapo/O'Shea to be fired.

[johnzo]

This thread is ridiculous.  Asking "who won free agency" in February is silly. 

You could sign every great CFL free agent for zero dollars each and still have a disaster season if the fates are against you.

Like, what if Bond disappears into another dimension, Fenner gets nerve-tonic gigantism, Lirim H. gets cut for non-regulation sideburns, Alex Bazzie decides he's a chicken,  and Demski gets a season-ending concussion fighting SamCanadian at a Winnipeg bar?

There are no guarantees. We can decide who won free agency in November.

Edited February 16, 2018 by johnzo

[wbbfan]

8 minutes ago, johnzo said:

This thread is ridiculous.  Asking "who won free agency" in February is silly. 

You could sign every great CFL free agent for zero dollars each and still have a disaster season if the fates are against you.

Like, what if Bond disappears into another dimension, Fenner gets nerve-tonic gigantism, Lirim H. gets cut for non-regulation sideburns, Alex Bazzie decides he's a chicken,  and Demski gets a season-ending concussion after fighting SamCanadian at a Winnipeg bar?

There are no guarantees. We can decide who won free agency in November.

Bond is going to be moved over to tackle. We know there isnt a better guard in the cfl, tackle is a whole other game. Its like the green twilight zone of cfl fa. 

[Floyd]

14 minutes ago, johnzo said:

This thread is ridiculous.  Asking "who won free agency" in February is silly. 

You could sign every great CFL free agent for zero dollars each and still have a disaster season if the fates are against you.

Like, what if Bond disappears into another dimension, Fenner gets nerve-tonic gigantism, Lirim H. gets cut for non-regulation sideburns, Alex Bazzie decides he's a chicken,  and Demski gets a season-ending concussion fighting SamCanadian at a Winnipeg bar?

There are no guarantees. We can decide who won free agency in November.

 

[brett_c_b]

8 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Bond is going to be moved over to tackle. We know there isnt a better guard in the cfl, tackle is a whole other game. Its like the green twilight zone of cfl fa. 

didn't bond tweet something like he wasn't going anywhere to play tackle?

[MC]

The real question is who wins the offseason recruiting.  Free agents generally create headlines and then disappoint on the field.  Not always true, but it happens more often than not.

The team that won free agency last year was Toronto and they looked like a dumpster fire at this time last year.  Then they signed their coach and GM, picked up players from all over the map and won a championship.

I like some of the signings now, but I really hope their are some game changers who emerge in Training Camp and over the first half of the season from the offseason recruiting efforts.

[blue_gold_84]

http://3downnation.com/2018/02/16/every-cfl-team-free-agency-ranked/

1. WPG
2. OTT
3. HAM
4. EDM
5. TOR
6. CAL
7. SSK
8. BC
9. MTL

[Atomic]

13 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

http://3downnation.com/2018/02/16/every-cfl-team-free-agency-ranked/

1. WPG
2. OTT
3. HAM
4. EDM
5. TOR
6. CAL
7. SSK
8. BC
9. MTL

I couldn't care less about 3down's rankings but I love how upset the Riderfans will be with this.

[Booch]

oh my...another conspiracy against the Riders...Im sure Riderfan's is all up in arms

[blue_gold_84]

3 minutes ago, Atomic said:

I couldn't care less about 3down's rankings but I love how upset the Riderfans will be with this.

Exactly why I posted it.

[do or die]

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

I couldn't care less about 3down's rankings but I love how upset the Riderfans will be with this.

Should of been an online poll.............

Edited February 16, 2018 by do or die

[HardCoreBlue]

3 hours ago, Atomic said:

I couldn't care less about 3down's rankings but I love how upset the Riderfans will be with this.

7th? That's favorable.