2021/22 - CFL Offseason - Non-Back-to-Back Grey Cup Champion Thread

[Mark H.]

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Sure, Of course there are star IMPs that make just as much as NATs. The comparable is a low/mid tier IMP to a low/mid tier NAT. The difference in salary is pretty staggering. If Bryant was a NAT he is likely 50-60k a year richer than he is now

Oh absolutely. A left tackle of Bryant's calibre, with a Canadian passport, would be pure gold for any CFL team

However, we're seeing hardly any Canadians at the OT positions anymore, and certainly none in the Bryant ballpark

[SpeedFlex27]

9 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Oh absolutely. A left tackle of Bryant's calibre, with a Canadian passport, would be pure gold for any CFL team

However, we're seeing hardly any Canadians at the OT positions anymore, and certainly none in the Bryant ballpark

The Canadian Tackles can't match the speed of the defensive linemen coming out of the NCAA today. They just don't play against guys like that in U Sports. They're years behind in development. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

One of the biigest problems the CFL has is using the OL for the ratio. It's killing offenses as Canadians just can't play up to the level needed to be successful. Now the Bombers are the exception to the norm as our guys do play & play well. But we've also seen teams struggle like the Riders & the Lions. Bad OL play is one of the main reasons that scoring is down. Blocking on the line is at times atrocious & qbs are getting injured. The 7 starters need to be spread out all over the roster not just on the line.

This all started with Edmonton in the 1980's being able to field an All Canadian OL & winning a Grey Cup. Every team tried to emulate them. It's continued until today. The game is changing. American players coming up here are bigger & faster. Canadian OL struggle. We all see it. Some of these players shouldn't be on a CFL roster. Yet, because of their birth certificate they are & spend years playing lousy football for whatever team they're on.

Canadian OL shouldn't be paid more than Americans at the same positions nor should they be starting if they aren't good enough to do so. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[TrueBlue4ever]

Remember too that the ratio in the 1980’s was higher, 11 starting Canadians required. The standard set up was an all-Canadian o-line, 2 slotbacks, fullback on offence, kicker, punter, and then safety and two interior d-linemen as Canadians. And the o-line and d-lines were so much smaller than they are today, the skill and size required were just a different level than now. 

[rebusrankin]

Those extra DIs which tend to be used on defense don't help either. The NFL having 4 extra teams than it did in the 80s and early 90s, plus their embrace of smaller mobile QBs has hurt too.

[bryan35]

10 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The Canadian Tackles can't match the speed of the defensive linemen coming out of the NCAA today. They just don't play against guys like that in U Sports. They're years behind in development. 

So is it the coaching at the minor football level that needs to improve? If that's the case is there the money available to provide the training?

Other countries have closed the gap in the hockey talent level. How was that accomplished?

[Bigblue204]

I've said it before, out of the top 3 OLs in the league last year did they have more Americans or CNDs? Obviously we know WPG had more CNDs. I'm honestly not sure about the others.

[SpeedFlex27]

10 hours ago, bryan35 said:

So is it the coaching at the minor football level that needs to improve? If that's the case is there the money available to provide the training?

Other countries have closed the gap in the hockey talent level. How was that accomplished?

Population mainly. The talent pool down there is larger. For every one good OL we produce, there are 30 that are as good or better in the US. We do have talented linemen yes but they want to play in the NFL. Some make their way back here but it takes years. Others play their entire career in the NFL & we never see them.  The ones that stay here take a long time to develop as they can't block guys like Jefferson. Yet teams keep stubbornly trying to slot them in like a round peg in a square hole because of that damned ratio. The CFL would be much better served if they developed more Canadians to be starting linebackers, receivers & backs. 

Amazing how we could have stars back in the 60's. 70's & 80's like Gerry James, Joe Pop, Ken Nielsen,  Jerry Campbell. Tom Forzani, Bob LaRose, Pete Ribbins, Steve Molnar, Rob McLaren, Joe Forzani, Bob Toogood, Larry Wruck, Doug Strong, Neal Beaumont, Gordie Rowland, Ed Learn, Larry Robinson & others but now Canadians don't play certain positions anymore because coaches want to slot in inferior Canadians on the OL so they don't have to play them anywhere else & Americans have taken over. Fans & media are wondering what's happened to the offense?? C'mon. 

Sorry if I'm preaching but it's frustrating that the CFL play guys they shouldn't play as starters & overpays a lot of them. Some Canadians do a great job blocking & deserve to be paid but the number of real quality linemen isn't much. Luckily, we have a few on our OL now. But just remember what we went through from 2012 to 2016. 

Edited March 26, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[GCn20]

On 2022-03-25 at 1:17 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

One of the biigest problems the CFL has is using the OL for the ratio. It's killing offenses as Canadians just can't play up to the level needed to be successful. Now the Bombers are the exception to the norm as our guys do play & play well. But we've also seen teams struggle like the Riders & the Lions. Bad OL play is one of the main reasons that scoring is down. Blocking on the line is at times atrocious & qbs are getting injured. The 7 starters need to be spread out all over the roster not just on the line.

This all started with Edmonton in the 1980's being able to field an All Canadian OL & winning a Grey Cup. Every team tried to emulate them. It's continued until today. The game is changing. American players coming up here are bigger & faster. Canadian OL struggle. We all see it. Some of these players shouldn't be on a CFL roster. Yet, because of their birth certificate they are & spend years playing lousy football for whatever team they're on.

Canadian OL shouldn't be paid more than Americans at the same positions nor should they be starting if they aren't good enough to do so. 

I agree. You take a look at a team like the RIders who will be rolling out 4 pretty unremarkable NAT OLs and it is quite likely going to be a main reason they will lose in the first round of the playoffs AGAIN. They could easily have passed on the expensive but really quite average NAT OT but chose to take him anyway and kill any chance they have of improving a very poor OL. If they go with a good IMP OT instead they might be able to hide some of the deficiencies of their 3 NAT OL and allow their OTs to play on an island so that Clark can double team and help out hapless Ferland or Johnson who is vastly overmatched against guys like Richardson, or Micah. Instead they will ask Dan Clark to actually block one on one and have to get Johnson to help out his shiny new NAT OT if possible. All in the name of ratio. What really baffles me is that they have enough NAT talent in their roster that they could make ratio without going 4 NAT OL and choose to do so anyway. Weird.

[wbbfan]

On 2022-03-25 at 5:19 PM, Bigblue204 said:

I've said it before, out of the top 3 OLs in the league last year did they have more Americans or CNDs? Obviously we know WPG had more CNDs. I'm honestly not sure about the others.

More nis. I don't think any one went 3 imps for the year.

If I had to hide bad ni talent levels I'd start 3 ni wrs before 3 Ni ol. Run ni dt an ni wil 2 ni ol c and guard 3 wrs or 1 rb 2 wrs. 

Lots of guys around the league not getting the reps to develop at wr rb and lber. 

[Noeller]

spicy spicy..... now that's who I'd like as Collaros' back-up....

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Noeller

[JCon]

3 minutes ago, Noeller said:

spicy spicy..... now that's who I'd like as Collaros' back-up....

 

 

What a clown show. 

[wbbfan]

2 hours ago, JCon said:

What a clown show. 

He's an excellent prospect but really? Those people gotta put the koolaid down. 

 The elk do have a crowded QB back field. Tate, corny, JT, and arbuckle is a pretty good bit of depth. I'm not surprised they'd like to move some one, but the smart way to do it would be slowly and in pieces. None of those guys are going to bring a premium before TC cuts. They'd be best of bringing them all to camp, letting the position play it self out, then hiding guys and waiting as long as possible to trade them. If tate, or JT see serious reps this year the elk are going to be in horrible shape. Corny and arbuckle dont assure any level of success, but they give you a chance. 

[CodyT]

3 hours ago, Noeller said:

spicy spicy..... now that's who I'd like as Collaros' back-up....

 

 

It just feels like to me that Jones is out of his mind. Somehow he usually finds a way to field a decent team but he gives sooo many head scratchers 

[17to85]

Who the **** did Arbuckle piss off to be passed around like this?

[Bubba Zanetti]

Even though its April Fool's, im still leaning towards true in this case.

Edmonton Elks sign Ricky Ray, will convert him to linebacker - 3DownNation

[Bigblue204]

On 2022-03-30 at 6:08 PM, 17to85 said:

Who the **** did Arbuckle piss off to be passed around like this?

no one, he's just not as good as the media hyped him up to be. Franklin 2.0

[17to85]

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

no one, he's just not as good as the media hyped him up to be. Franklin 2.0

But be that as it may, there are worse qbs out there.

[MOBomberFan]

Apparently Jones added Barrett to their neg list all the way back in 2014, how could he possibly pass up the chance to prove what a genius he is by starting Barrett and dealing Arbuckle

[Brandon]

5 hours ago, Bigblue204 said:

no one, he's just not as good as the media hyped him up to be. Franklin 2.0

Arbuckle has shown far more then Franklin ever did.    

[Noeller]

ehhhhhhhhh....how quickly we forget that there was a time when Franklin looked like Warren Moon 2.0....

[17to85]

16 minutes ago, Noeller said:

ehhhhhhhhh....how quickly we forget that there was a time when Franklin looked like Warren Moon 2.0....

When was that?

[Goldkobra]

8 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

When was that?

I guess in 2015. He started and looked good in 2 games. All downhill from there.

[Tracker]

41 minutes ago, Noeller said:

ehhhhhhhhh....how quickly we forget that there was a time when Franklin looked like Warren Moon 2.0....

Looks ain't everything. Sooner or later you gotta have a steak to go with the sizzle.

[Noeller]

He had like half a season where he looked just ridiculous...can't even remember how long ago that was, but it was with Edmonton. Then he just fizzled and could never seem to replicate it. Shame...so much potential.