2023/2024 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread (BRADY’S BACK! DALTON’S BACK!)

[Jesse]

5 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

Hasn't always been.  We literally have nobody in the Eli/Dobson spots from a year ago.  Major gamble that rookie will be able to play right away.  No one in the queue like we've had before to cover off for guys missing most of seasons and limited space to add in terms of $$$.  An issue.

We'll have one of Eli/Dobson and then yeah, probably a rookie as the second depth spot for the three interior positions. 

I certainly don't see this as a gamble. You can't expect to have experienced depth on you bench 2 spots deep for multiple years. 

[GCn20]

18 minutes ago, Jesse said:

We'll have one of Eli/Dobson and then yeah, probably a rookie as the second depth spot for the three interior positions. 

I certainly don't see this as a gamble. You can't expect to have experienced depth on you bench 2 spots deep for multiple years. 

I am hoping we get a good hog in the draft or else I am in agreement with JBR. However, there are quite a few journey man OL that would be serviceable that we could pick up in a pinch too.

Edited March 1 by GCn20

[rebusrankin]

Right now its less depth than we've had but I suspect we draft an OL and/or bring in a cheap vet.

[GCn20]

3 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Right now its less depth than we've had but I suspect we draft an OL and/or bring in a cheap vet.

If we ran into injury problems, Geoff Gray is still a FA. We could very likely go that route unless he is picked up before the season.

[17to85]

We got enough Canadians that in a pinch they can go 3 Americans on the ol

[Noeller]

18 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

We got enough Canadians that in a pinch they can go 3 Americans on the ol

this was my other thought, too... we could add an American on the OL and easily run a Canadian somewhere else if needed...

[Booch]

Best bet...and best roster utilization is to only dress 6 oline guys anyway, so we are set up fairly well for that as it stands.....I sure we will pick up a kid in draft, and this yr hopefully we keep a brawler import who can play gaurd on the PR as opposed to some of the wasted space we carried last yr....If we were to sustain an injury to one of our 4 Canadians we don't have to replace them with another Canadian really...our ratio can be altered quite easily

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

this was my other thought, too... we could add an American on the OL and easily run a Canadian somewhere else if needed...

yes....this...

[Mike]

3 hours ago, Noeller said:

this was my other thought, too... we could add an American on the OL and easily run a Canadian somewhere else if needed...

We don’t even need to run a Canadian somewhere else

[JuranBoldenRules]

6 hours ago, Jesse said:

We'll have one of Eli/Dobson and then yeah, probably a rookie as the second depth spot for the three interior positions. 

I certainly don't see this as a gamble. You can't expect to have experienced depth on you bench 2 spots deep for multiple years. 

I'm not talking experienced depth.  I'm talking anything to show from the past two drafts.  It's a total departure from how they've steadily built the OL during this entire regime going on a decade having depth ready to play when they've needed it.

[Mike]

1 hour ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I'm not talking experienced depth.  I'm talking anything to show from the past two drafts.  It's a total departure from how they've steadily built the OL during this entire regime going on a decade having depth ready to play when they've needed it.

In fairness the last two drafts have been abysmal for OL

[Jesse]

11 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

I'm not talking experienced depth.  I'm talking anything to show from the past two drafts.  It's a total departure from how they've steadily built the OL during this entire regime going on a decade having depth ready to play when they've needed it.

Well, you’re not wrong about that. Our drafts since 2019 have been pretty disappointing.

[wbbfan]

On 2024-03-01 at 2:17 PM, rebusrankin said:

Right now its less depth than we've had but I suspect we draft an OL and/or bring in a cheap vet.

Likely both imo. The good OL bodies will be long term gambles. We likely go to the replacement level pile for another guy like kola. At this point, Likely some one worse than gray or gray him self. But I don't think they have interest in moving gray to guard and want to roll with eli/dobson inside. 

[Mark H.]

Our recent OLs have been incredibly durable, especially the tackles 

[JuranBoldenRules]

19 hours ago, Mike said:

In fairness the last two drafts have been abysmal for OL

Agreed.

But we've got very little out of the drafts in general.  I'm not as confident in the ability to run 3 imports on the OL and not force a significant drop off on D if needed.  They'll have to really hit a couple home runs in this upcoming draft.  It's deep but also deep in guys that might take awhile to get here.

[Fatty Liver]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Likely both imo. The good OL bodies will be long term gambles. We likely go to the replacement level pile for another guy like kola. At this point, Likely some one worse than gray or gray him self. But I don't think they have interest in moving gray to guard and want to roll with eli/dobson inside. 

I don't think Gray is coming back at a bargain price for any team, he's pursuing his engineering career in Wpg. and doesn't need to sell himself short to play football.

[Booch]

Save for the first pick...or 2...our draft strategy has been crap ..and almost pointless in developing a true position depth roster...we need to do a 180 from this ST mindset...any pro can play teams...any draft pick has a good chance at teams..minimal draft picks save from the obvious have a sure path to being productive rotation/depth guys

[kelownabomberfan]

2 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Our recent OLs have been incredibly durable, especially the tackles 

yes still remember how we'd start Matt Sheridan and three plays in he'd be lying on the field grasping his leg/groin/whatever and be out of the game already, and I'd just be like "can't we find someone who doesn't get hurt every game to play on the OL?"

[Mark H.]

22 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

yes still remember how we'd start Matt Sheridan and three plays in he'd be lying on the field grasping his leg/groin/whatever and be out of the game already, and I'd just be like "can't we find someone who doesn't get hurt every game to play on the OL?"

Or have 2 OL go down and Oosterhois goes in at guard. But the beer sure was cold...

[kelownabomberfan]

58 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

Or have 2 OL go down and Oosterhois goes in at guard. But the beer sure was cold...

I thought I remembered that they pulled a DL to play guard and Oost came in to play on the D line....ineffectively rushing and easily being blocked.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/calvillo-leads-charge-as-montreal-romps/article18167432/

Mike Quinn, another failed Winnipeg QB.

Edited March 3 by kelownabomberfan

[Mark H.]

12 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

I thought I remembered that they pulled a DL to play guard and Oost came in to play on the D line....ineffectively rushing and easily being blocked.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/calvillo-leads-charge-as-montreal-romps/article18167432/

Mike Quinn, another failed Winnipeg QB.

FortheW?

[wbbfan]

23 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

I don't think Gray is coming back at a bargain price for any team, he's pursuing his engineering career in Wpg. and doesn't need to sell himself short to play football.

Maybe, but if he isn’t taking a bargain deal he isn’t playing again. And that is a heavy weight that just gets heavier. 
 

23 hours ago, Booch said:

Save for the first pick...or 2...our draft strategy has been crap ..and almost pointless in developing a true position depth roster...we need to do a 180 from this ST mindset...any pro can play teams...any draft pick has a good chance at teams..minimal draft picks save from the obvious have a sure path to being productive rotation/depth guys

yeah, we’ve been picking guys hoping they would insert right away on teams and develop into rotational players or better. And missed on damn near all of them. 
 We aim low and still don’t get value. Our depth problems are damn near all chalked up to drafting poorly. We got guys starting that shouldn’t and back ups that are fringe last guy on the roster types. 
 I’m hopeful that we will improve that this year. If we’re just going for teams guys we should look to trade 4th or lower for guys who are in the league. Some thing. 
 I think we will see a run on linemen and wrs in this draft from the bombers. 
 

22 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

yes still remember how we'd start Matt Sheridan and three plays in he'd be lying on the field grasping his leg/groin/whatever and be out of the game already, and I'd just be like "can't we find someone who doesn't get hurt every game to play on the OL?"

Eric Wilson went both ways for us as well. 

[Booch]

14 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Maybe, but if he isn’t taking a bargain deal he isn’t playing again. And that is a heavy weight that just gets heavier. 
 

yeah, we’ve been picking guys hoping they would insert right away on teams and develop into rotational players or better. And missed on damn near all of them. 
 We aim low and still don’t get value. Our depth problems are damn near all chalked up to drafting poorly. We got guys starting that shouldn’t and back ups that are fringe last guy on the roster types. 
 I’m hopeful that we will improve that this year. If we’re just going for teams guys we should look to trade 4th or lower for guys who are in the league. Some thing. 
 I think we will see a run on linemen and wrs in this draft from the bombers. 
 

Eric Wilson went both ways for us as well. 

exactly...we have really done a piss poor job with Canadian depth that actually can contribute on a high level outside of teams....

further to that....nobody has picked up the SEAL and nobody is going to...and just further cements what a laughable and totally useless waste of a roster spot that was all damn yr long...all those reps and game day roster spots could have been used developing an actual talent....likely one who would come into 2024 playing lights out in yr 2....nothing like stagnating and blocking talent and development due o a Coaches stunnorness and boner 

Edited March 4 by Booch

[MOBomberFan]

Still?!?

[GCn20]

On 2024-03-02 at 6:21 PM, Fatty Liver said:

I don't think Gray is coming back at a bargain price for any team, he's pursuing his engineering career in Wpg. and doesn't need to sell himself short to play football.

I agree. However, if we were to lose a Neuf/Eli/Dobson early in the season to a season ender. I could see Gray coming back at a salary in line with our SMS savings from the 6 game, or us making room in the SMS elsewhere because Gray becomes more of a priority. The fact that no one else has signed Gray is comforting because I can see him as a safety net to the reduction in our depth right now.

[Booch]

5 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

Still?!?

effin right...I will beat the drum of stupidity and inept moves till no more Oxygen in my lungs...U dont like it...u know what to do