2022/2023 Off-Season (League/Non-Bombers-specific News)

[JohnnyAbonny]

I don’t know dudes, I wouldn’t say “optimistic and slightly concerned” is negative. Don’t forget, all the nitpicking comes with the fact that Bombers are the class of the CFL. 

I’m a little concerned about a couple of spots. My worst case is something like, maybe we don’t make the Grey Cup again. Not like I think the wheels are gonna fall off. 

[GCn20]

12 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Is it me or do Godber and Blake seem like meh ol signing for the Riders?

Howsare is a nice add for the Stamps.

Godber and Blake are a couple of journeyman linemen. Absolutely no shot being all stars, but an upgrade...although Godber at C upgrade is only that he is younger than P.Clark ...P is for pylon.

[Bigblue204]

36 minutes ago, Mike said:

Baloney why?

The only thing we've done this offseason is add someone we subtracted a year ago and then lost a whole bunch of other players (none of which I'm too torn up about) but it's not as if there's been an overall improvement to this roster. We're not better than we were when we won our last Grey Cup, but we're a whole lot older.

Bryant and Jeffcoat can barely practice, Bighill falls off a cliff in October ... we're going to have to get younger in a few spots for sure and I have no doubt that our front office can scout some difference makers, I just don't like the approach that we've taken of essentially just hoping and praying that our older guys keep it together for one more year. Somebody posted up above that they think we have a better DL than Toronto, which is laughable to me. Their entire defence as a whole is stronger than ours and it starts right up front. Willie and Jeffcoat are still impact players but if the answer to take some of the pressure off them is to trot out Jake Thomas and Ricky Walker up the middle, we're in trouble. Bighill/Darby/Kyrie doesn't strike me as a unit that can play 18 games or more.

Do I think we're a contender? Absolutely. Top two team in the CFL and it's not particularly close at this point but I don't think we're #1. And people can talk about the difference in QB talent all they want, it's valid and certainly evident but let's not forget - Collaros has been pretty bad in November each of the last two seasons. He's the MOP that has brought us to the show but he certainly hasn't been a game changer when we get there. What's he at in the last two West Finals / Grey Cups? 4 TD / 7 INT? Something like that? It hasn't been great.

Mark me down as optimistic yet slightly worried.

Yes.

I get the concern about the age, I'm not entirely sold on it being valid. I suppose time will tell. If they had gone 10-8 and just gotten into the playoffs. I'd probably feel the same. But we saw the best win record in team history last year. That should leave reason for optimism in and of itself. 

To the bolded part - I think a lot of people really don't understand what that team was. I fully believe had a full season been played they would hold the best record in franchise history. Anyone who expects that type of team AGAIN...will forever be disappointed. I fully believe that team (especially the Defence) was a once in a lifetime thing. The Bombers and the CFL won't see something like that for decades. I'm obviously a homer...but the stats speak for themselves. There isn't a team right now that will even come close to doing what that Defence did. So if being better than arguably the best defence of all time is your metric, I can understand why you're disappointed.

[GCn20]

5 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

I don’t know dudes, I wouldn’t say “optimistic and slightly concerned” is negative. Don’t forget, all the nitpicking comes with the fact that Bombers are the class of the CFL. 

I’m a little concerned about a couple of spots. My worst case is something like, maybe we don’t make the Grey Cup again. Not like I think the wheels are gonna fall off. 

We are head and shoulder above every other team right now. The team that represented the biggest threat to us is getting their roster absolutely gutted. Any given Sunday we could lose to anyone, but I would bet a million dollars that there is no team in this league that can win the season series against us right now barring some incredibly bad luck on the injury front. Anyone who knows my history as a poster knows that if anything I tend to worry too much....but I really like our team right now.

The age thing is overstated. I don't worry one bit about players aging out except in skill positions. The trenches are usually do not see a drastic decline in play as players age. You see their bodies break down. We have a young receiving corps, and young backfield. We have some aging at MLB, and two spots in the secondary. This would be my only concern with aging for this year.

Edited February 14, 2023 by GCn20

[Tracker]

The only thing stopping the Blue from bragging rights even before the season starts is the lack of a dominant nose tackle. Once that is resolved, we can start booking Grey Cup tickets.

[Geebrr]

 

At that price tag he damn well better. Don’t you think, @DTonOB? That is DMOP cash for a six sack player + a subjective statistic  like “pressures”

[GCn20]

1 minute ago, Geebrr said:

 

At that price tag he damn well better. Don’t you think, @DTonOB? That is DMOP cash for a six sack player + a subjective statistic  like “pressures”

Yea I have a real problem with that stat as well. However Orimolade is a gooder.

[Brandon]

What's with all the bickering?  Toronto is a good team and contray to what Mike says the Bombers are the best team in the league until proven otherwise.  Yes some guys are getting older and falling from their prime... other guys like Brady , Lawler,  Schoen,  are on the upswing and are entering their prime.      Also Walters has a fantastic track record for drafting/recruiting so we have no idea on what we have with the new guys who are coming in.  

Also O'Shea best coach in the league.    

So don't feed the troll and also don't crap on Bluto because they have improved and are coming off a cup win.   Lets talk about the Riders signing cast offs instead. 

[Geebrr]

He could be, but has he earned that pay? No. 
 

MOS always says you sign for what you will do not what you’ve done. He better have a hell of a year. 

[greenrider55]

Godber and Blake are better than Evan Johnson and the ghost of Na’Ty Rodgers.

Personally, any new OLineman are welcome after the last two years. The outrage I’m seeing for signing a “potential replacement for Dan Clark” is hilarious.

[Bigblue204]

1 minute ago, Geebrr said:

 

At that price tag he damn well better. Don’t you think, @DTonOB? That is DMOP cash for a six sack player + a subjective statistic  like “pressures”

Orimolade is a very very good DE. Will he be worth the money...? I'm betting yes honestly. And I'm sorry but you can't "6 sack player + a subjective stat like pressures" As if sacks themselves aren't also subjective. Pressures can be just as good if not better than a sack. It's absolutely an important stat and I'll remind everyone that we talked about Jefferson's ability to get pressure on the QB and that it was used as a reason why it was ok he wasn't piling up the stats last year. As in, "He's not getting the sacks, but he's moving the pocket, getting in their face" etc etc.

Right now, I'd have a hard time ignoring a straight up DL for DL trade with the argos.

[Geebrr]

Blake is 37 and Godber is less than average

[GCn20]

3 minutes ago, Brandon said:

What's with all the bickering?  Toronto is a good team and contray to what Mike says the Bombers are the best team in the league until proven otherwise.  Yes some guys are getting older and falling from their prime... other guys like Brady , Lawler,  Schoen,  are on the upswing and are entering their prime.      Also Walters has a fantastic track record for drafting/recruiting so we have no idea on what we have with the new guys who are coming in.  

Also O'Shea best coach in the league.    

So don't feed the troll and also don't crap on Bluto because they have improved and are coming off a cup win.   Lets talk about the Riders signing cast offs instead. 

Fair enough. Godber from Clark is a lateral move, and Blake is ancient.

2 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Orimolade is a very very good DE. Will he be worth the money...? I'm betting yes honestly. And I'm sorry but you can't "6 sack player + a subjective stat like pressures" As if sacks themselves aren't also subjective. Pressures can be just as good if not better than a sack. It's absolutely an important stat and I'll remind everyone that we talked about Jefferson's ability to get pressure on the QB and that it was used as a reason why it was ok he wasn't piling up the stats last year. As in, "He's not getting the sacks, but he's moving the pocket, getting in their face" etc etc.

Right now, I'd have a hard time ignoring a straight up DL for DL trade with the argos.

Orimolade is a very good DE. No doubt about it but QB pressures is absolutely a subjective stat. Completely arbitrary.

5 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

Godber and Blake are better than Evan Johnson and the ghost of Na’Ty Rodgers.

Personally, any new OLineman are welcome after the last two years. The outrage I’m seeing for signing a “potential replacement for Dan Clark” is hilarious.

Godber is signed as a C. Johnson is still your pylon at RG.

[Geebrr]

2 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Orimolade is a very very good DE. Will he be worth the money...? I'm betting yes honestly. And I'm sorry but you can't "6 sack player + a subjective stat like pressures" As if sacks themselves aren't also subjective. Pressures can be just as good if not better than a sack. It's absolutely an important stat and I'll remind everyone that we talked about Jefferson's ability to get pressure on the QB and that it was used as a reason why it was ok he wasn't piling up the stats last year. As in, "He's not getting the sacks, but he's moving the pocket, getting in their face" etc etc.

Right now, I'd have a hard time ignoring a straight up DL for DL trade with the argos.

I never said pressures weren’t important. I said they were subjective. You and I can look at the same play and have different opinions on what a pressure is. Sacks are objective. It is an official statistic from the league. 
 

I also never said he wasn’t a good player- I said he has to be DMOP level at that price. 

[greenrider55]

1 minute ago, Geebrr said:

Blake is 37 and Godber is less than average

Blake is 37 yes, but didn’t start playing pro football until he was 28.

Ideally he plays on the inside, he was not good as a LT.

[GCn20]

6 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

Godber and Blake are better than Evan Johnson and the ghost of Na’Ty Rodgers.

Personally, any new OLineman are welcome after the last two years. The outrage I’m seeing for signing a “potential replacement for Dan Clark” is hilarious.

I do agree that Clark needed to go. Godber is a mid tier replacement but at least he is a lot younger.

[Bigblue204]

3 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Orimolade is a very good DE. No doubt about it but QB pressures is absolutely a subjective stat. Completely arbitrary.

Agreed. My point was...so are sacks. I don't think saying basically "he only got 6 sacks" and then following it up with basically "Highest amount of QB pressures in league isnt as important because pressures are subjective" is an effective argument. Especially when we basically all sat here saying the opposite about Jefferson last year.

[GCn20]

Just now, greenrider55 said:

Blake is 37 yes, but didn’t start playing pro football until he was 28.

Ideally he plays on the inside, he was not good as a LT.

The amount of football he has played is irrelevant. He is not the future of the franchise. Stop gap at best.

[Bigblue204]

2 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

I never said pressures weren’t important. I said they were subjective. You and I can look at the same play and have different opinions on what a pressure is. Sacks are objective. It is an official statistic from the league. 
 

I also never said he wasn’t a good player- I said he has to be DMOP level at that price. 

fair enough. I'll say he was on a DL with the league leader in sacks as well. My point about sacks being subjective is that as a player you can rack them up, and that could be a result of another player bringing a lot of pressure.

[GCn20]

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

Agreed. My point was...so are sacks. I don't think saying basically "he only got 6 sacks" and then following it up with basically "Highest amount of QB pressures in league isnt as important because pressures are subjective" is an effective argument. Especially when we basically all sat here saying the opposite about Jefferson last year.

I agree. His sack totals last year are not subjective, but they can very easily be a red herring as well. Last year we were not playing WIllie for sacks, we were using him to confuse defences. 

[Jesse]

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

fair enough. I'll say he was on a DL with the league leader in sacks as well. My point about sacks being subjective is that as a player you can rack them up, and that could be a result of another player bringing a lot of pressure.

I know, people bringing up this guy's  sacks as a negative while also championing Jefferson who only has 7 the past couple of years.

Obviously there are other elements to consider.

[Geebrr]

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

Agreed. My point was...so are sacks. I don't think saying basically "he only got 6 sacks" and then following it up with basically "Highest amount of QB pressures in league isnt as important because pressures are subjective" is an effective argument. Especially when we basically all sat here saying the opposite about Jefferson last year.

I didn’t say “only 6 sacks” or that “pressures aren’t important”. 

Sacks are objective , pressures are subjective, and he is getting paid to be the DMOP so he better be. 

[GCn20]

3 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

fair enough. I'll say he was on a DL with the league leader in sacks as well. My point about sacks being subjective is that as a player you can rack them up, and that could be a result of another player bringing a lot of pressure.

Thing is that all sacks and pressures could be a result of another player being disruptive. Sacks are quantitive, and pressures are interpretive. Orimolade was a disruptor. That is the eyeball test for me.

7 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

Blake is 37 yes, but didn’t start playing pro football until he was 28.

Ideally he plays on the inside, he was not good as a LT.

He was not particularly great at OG either. 

Edited February 14, 2023 by GCn20

[Bigblue204]

Just now, Geebrr said:

I didn’t say “only 6 sacks” or that “pressures aren’t important”. 

Sacks are objective , pressures are subjective, and he is getting paid to be the DMOP so he better be. 

Which is why I said, you basically said it. I know you didn't say those exact things. But you'd be dishonest to say you weren't using that number as a slight on him.

[Geebrr]

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

Which is why I said, you basically said it. I know you didn't say those exact things. But you'd be dishonest to say you weren't using that number as a slight on him.

I’m saying pressures is meaningless to bring up because there is no standard. Nobody knows DT’s pressures criteria besides him. Throwing it out there like it is something quantifiable (like sacks) is misleading. That was really my point.