Free Agency Day - Bombers Moves

[Mike]

4 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

O-line depth has gone from deep to shallow, I imagine Tui takes over from Gray and Dobson remains the 6th man.  More than one critical injury and they're down to using a CFL rookie to protect Zach.  I can see Walters addressing this situation later in FA with a cheap if not great pickup.

Don’t forget, we have three picks in the top 20 of the draft and unlike last year, it’s a pretty good year for OL. 
 

Couple other things working for us: we’ll have the flexibility to go three Americans on the OL if we absolutely need to AND a number of the free agents on the OL call Manitoba their home so maybe they won’t be too far away if there’s an absolute emergency. Sean Jamieson would be a guy I absolutely wouldn’t mind seeing us bring in … can’t imagine he’d cost much and if the medical comes back clean, he might be a good option. Tough couple years due to injury but timing could be right to catch him as he’s finally fully healed up and if you’re not asking anymore than spot duty out of him then I don’t think he’d be a bad option.

[Bigblue204]

The team has lost Olineman every year for several years. This isn't the first time and won't be the last. I have zero concerns about it right now.

[blue85gold]

Can't keep the whole gang together forever. Got to be a youth movement at some point. 

More than 1 injury in any positional group is going to mean a rookie stepping in.  This is the CFL, should be expecting some 1st year players to make big impacts. Without that, can't stay on top. 

Look at Montreal last year. They didn't just win the Cup based on their FA signings. Ento and Mack were a huge part of it. 

Looking forward to the competition in camp this year.

[Fatty Liver]

15 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

Nobody wanted Kolankowski and I bet most of the other teams would love to have him now. 

I’m  not worried about the OL. 

That's the most baffling aspect, kept Kola who plays at the edge of his abilities and lost Gray who has unlimited physical abilities plus versatility.

[Mike]

8 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

The team has lost Olineman every year for several years. This isn't the first time and won't be the last. I have zero concerns about it right now.

We won’t get the top available linemen this year but at 8, we may find ourselves in a position to get the top unavailable (for now) lineman. 
 

I think the guys like Hergel, Nkanu and maybe even Manu (he reminds me of Dontae Bull from last year, the NFL isn’t going to touch him IMO) may go in the first 5-6 picks. Hergel would be the dream for us but I just think the vibe on him right now is that he walks the line right between “too good for the CFL” and “good enough for the NFL” so I think he ends up in camp. 
 

The guy I’d like to see with the Bombers is Gabe Wallace. That’s my February opinion, anyways. 

[GCJenks]

Damian Jackson seems little like an "unmoveable force", maybe he can be switched from D-Line to O-Line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, Yes I am trolling my own fan base...

[Fatty Liver]

BOLO signs with the Ti-Cats who also recently signed Luther Hakunavanhu from the Stamps.

[Mike]

Hate to see BOLO go but I legit have no idea what Hamilton is doing 

[DTonOB]

19 hours ago, WinnipegGordo said:

DT was incorrect on the Huddle.

The extra roster spot (45th player) can be either a Global OR National.

Oooh, good catch. Thanks for that. 

[rebusrankin]

Hamilton seems to be signing everybody they can and sorting it out later? Surprised Tim White is still teamless. 

[Colin Unger]

29 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

That's the most baffling aspect, kept Kola who plays at the edge of his abilities and lost Gray who has unlimited physical abilities plus versatility.

Without seeing salary demands it’s hard to comment. Also perhaps Gray after being here this long was told he would have to compete for a starting job here and decided to move on based on that alone.  All other things being equal Gray might have made more sense then kola. 

[greenrider55]

2 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Hamilton seems to be signing everybody they can and sorting it out later? Surprised Tim White is still teamless. 

White is reportedly still pushing for $300k too

[Bigblue204]

31 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

That's the most baffling aspect, kept Kola who plays at the edge of his abilities and lost Gray who has unlimited physical abilities plus versatility.

Gray with all his hype has never lived up to it IMO. He was one of the most overrated players on our team. Don't get me wrong, I'd take him back on a heart beat. But I'm not convinced he's some MOOL in waiting or that he would have succeeded as a T. He has all the talent in the world, or so we're told ...but he can't seem to put it all together.

[Mike]

Just now, Bigblue204 said:

Gray with all his hype has never lived up to it IMO. He was one of the most overrated players on our team. Don't get me wrong, I'd take him back on a heart beat. But I'm not convinced he's some MOOL in waiting or that he would have succeeded as a T. He has all the talent in the world, or so we're told ...but he can't seem to put it all together.

Genuinely feel like Dobson should’ve taken his job last year.

[JCon]

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

Gray with all his hype has never lived up to it IMO. He was one of the most overrated players on our team. Don't get me wrong, I'd take him back on a heart beat. But I'm not convinced he's some MOOL in waiting or that he would have succeeded as a T. He has all the talent in the world, or so we're told ...but he can't seem to put it all together.

Given the hype, I have to agree. It never seemed as though he really took anyone's job. For a first-rounder and NFL prospect, he didn't do much. 

Edited February 14 by JCon

[GCn20]

15 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Gray with all his hype has never lived up to it IMO. He was one of the most overrated players on our team. Don't get me wrong, I'd take him back on a heart beat. But I'm not convinced he's some MOOL in waiting or that he would have succeeded as a T. He has all the talent in the world, or so we're told ...but he can't seem to put it all together.

Gray was OK. Nothing special but he didn't hurt us. I feel like we pretty much had to open a spot for Dobson or Eli and Gray was the logical odd man out based on his probable salary expectations. Hate to say it but where Gray will hurt us the most is in the depth department, I feel our starting 5 got better with Dobson/Eli in place of him.

Edited February 14 by GCn20

[Geebrr]

Put Streveler at Tackle 

[GCn20]

1 hour ago, rebusrankin said:

Suspected this would be what happened with SHEED AND Rose but Gray is a surprise.

It's mildly surprising because of what it does to our overall depth, but Gray was adequate nothing more, as a starter and we got a couple blue chippers that we just can't hold back anymore.

2 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

Put Streveler at Tackle 

I know you are joking, but I could see it. Guys a beast,

Edited February 14 by GCn20

[wbbfan]

32 minutes ago, Mike said:

Hate to see BOLO go but I legit have no idea what Hamilton is doing 

Neither does Hamilton lol. 
 

16 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

White is reportedly still pushing for $300k too

Dudes gonna be pushing against that wall till the cows come home. 
 

did I miss it, is gray signed else where? Every one is talking like he’s gone. Personally I think if he’s playing football next year it’ll be here. If he’s back I think he’d have an inside track at RT. Which as some one said previously being next to neuf will be an asset. A lot can be said about him, in far from his biggest fan, but you aren’t gonna swim in side the rt and split neuf and any one.  Plus he can make the adjustments and help the tackle assignment/pick up wise. 
 
I’m still hoping we see Eli, Dobson and gray all win spots out of camp. That said if it’s an imp Tackle and gray / kola as 6th man that’s pretty good too. 
 I think it’s a good time for change on the ol. We have the young guys with upside who have as much seasoning as you can get with out starting every game. We have the picks and a draft to restock the cupboard. 
 We struggled in pass pro last year, especially with speed rushes. And we struggled with some guys getting down field with the ball instead of pile cruising after yards are gained. 

[17to85]

Gray was valuable for his versatility and I'd have been curious to see how he did at tackle.  But as an interior guy yeah he left something to be desired.

[Fatty Liver]

10 minutes ago, Mike said:

Genuinely feel like Dobson should’ve taken his job last year.

Based on what?  Have they ever put Dobson in at Guard?  Dobson is a bulldog but I don't know how well he would do in pass protection as he's only 6'2".  When Neufeld was out Tui took his place.

[wbbfan]

5 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Gray was OK. Nothing special but he didn't hurt us. I feel like we pretty much had to open a spot for Dobson or Eli and Gray was the logical odd man out based on his probable salary expectations. Hate to say it but where Gray will hurt us the most is in the depth department, I feel our starting 5 got better with Dobson/Eli in place of him.

Imo gray is just not cut out to be a guard. It’s odd, but it does happen. Yoshi was the same way. He was much worse at guard before he became entrenched at rt here. 

[GCn20]

Just now, wbbfan said:

Imo gray is just not cut out to be a guard. It’s odd, but it does happen. Yoshi was the same way. He was much worse at guard before he became entrenched at rt here. 

I was hoping Gray would get a shot at OT, but I'm guessing that our coaches didn't see it happening. We will need to draft an OL for sure with one of our top picks this year and probably need to sign a veteran insurance policy for the OL as well.

[wbbfan]

1 minute ago, 17to85 said:

Gray was valuable for his versatility and I'd have been curious to see how he did at tackle.  But as an interior guy yeah he left something to be desired.

Guard is a funny position. It’s way more about grit, nastiness, and low to the ground leverage than the finesse required at T C. 
 

 I’ll also add that I think it was the side by side combo of gray and kola that was bad. Previously gray next to other centres was a much better guard. You can have 1 guy on the line you cover for. Can’t have two. Damn sure can’t have them side by side. 
 Couture made a lot of guys alot better. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Hardrick when he was still a pylon in Regina. Not a ton of concern there.

Good point.

 

So... does Yosh morph back into a pylon this year?