Blue Bombers - 2024 Regular Season - Discussion Thread

[JuranBoldenRules]

34 minutes ago, BBlink said:

What is getting bleeped out here. 😂

Yeah I'm not sure about Myron Mitchell as a returner. The fumble was awful. Besides that he looked unspectacular. Seems to follow his blocks well enough.

*******

27 minutes ago, 3rdand1.5 said:

I know you have been consistently high on Ford, but I was not impressed with him so far. I hope your optimism of him turns out to be much more accurate than my skepticism of him.

Ford needs to play a lot more.  I think that's the big issue for him.  Too bad he punted on last season, set himself back.  I wouldn't be starting him (aka giving him all the reps at a corner spot) but I'd be getting his feet wet on D.

[JohnnyAbonny]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

When was the last time we lost a season / home opener? Also 19. But that was an insane weather game with a true rookie qb starting. 

Only 1 got any touches in the pre season. We roster managed our way into a KR nightmare, and possibly a RB nightmare. In reality, I expect brady to play sub 100% rather than any of the pretty bad alternatives. 

 

They should be flying Rosery back here right now. I get and love the upside of MCI, but he doesn't have a chance to be playable right now and rosery does a lot well. 

That would only happen if we prioritized on field production over soft skills. Should've, but wasn't going to. Honestly I would've put mci on the pr, kept augustine and rostered rosery as a back up wr as well, then maybe dropped augustine. Brady hasn't been healthy all camp and we cut the imps. Should be air lifting in imp rbs right now. 

In reality, 1 dt, 1 db spot, 1 wr spot, 1 kr spot. They didn't have a competition for loftons spot, and dobson was penned in as the guard. Same with Habba. 

That was 18 wasn’t it? 
19 was a 5-0 start. IIRC they’ve lost 3 openers under O’Shea including this year, a home loss to Montreal in one of Willys last starts, a 3 point loss to Edmonton in a rainstorm (Strev’s first start) 

Edited June 10 by JohnnyAbonny

[Mike]

The practice roster is what makes me more frustrated than anything, to be honest. The use of it is just horrendous. Historically, here have been the past couple years looking at our American PR

August 2022: OL Witt, OL Lofton, K Mourtada, DL Wilcots, WR Harrison, DL Mack, DB Holm

October 2022 (post expanded PR): OL Witt, OL Lofton, OL Fornadel, OL Muljo, K Mourtada, WR Harrison, WR Heiligh, DL Adams, DL Massie, DB Texada

July 2023: OL Ivy, OL Richmond, DB Muhammad, DB McGhee, DL Fox, LB Cole, WR Jones, FB Jackson

October 2023: OL Richmond, DL Haba, DL Garbutt, DL Fox, WR Alston, DB Lawrence, DB McGhee

We’ve been carrying a ton of OL on the practice roster since 2022 and it’s netted us absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, we’ve carried literally one linebacker, zero running backs, no receivers who have amounted to anything (mostly due to not ever getting an opportunity), a kicker that was absolute trash, a fullback and usually a DB or two. 
 

Obviously these are just snapshots, but the formula isn’t working. Look at the turnover and look what it’s amounted to. This is not how we should be using this part of our roster at all.

 

 

 

 

 

[wbbfan]

3 minutes ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

That was 18 wasn’t it? 
19 was a 5-0 start. IIRC they’ve lost 3 openers under O’Shea including this year, a home loss to Montreal in one of Willys last starts, a 3 point loss to Edmonton in a rainstorm and now this year. 

Oops you’re right it was 18!

[WildPath]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

[Mike]

1 minute ago, WildPath said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

You are correct.

[Rex_Banner]

5 hours ago, voodoochylde said:

The only solace that I take from this is that it's not how you start a season but how you finish it.  I'd rather us limp out of the gate and be healthy down the home stretch.

The thing that concerns me is the lack of drive and hunger.  It's a team that looks "fat and lazy" right now.

Yep, rolling through the season, and finishing it off with a stretch of meaningless games hasn’t worked for them the last 2 years.   Rather see them get on a roll towards the end of the season and pick up in the playoffs like 2019. 

[Super Duper Negatron]

20 minutes ago, WildPath said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

The cracks that began showing last year, and even a bit the year before, are becoming chasms.

Last year was the almost more frustrating for me, because everybody could see this year coming and we did nothing to prepare for it.

Of course if we pull out of this, I knew we could do it all along! 

[Pete]

35 minutes ago, WildPath said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

 I can't remember when we last cut a vet that was under contract, if we do move anyone its cause we cant afford the cap hit.

Every other team takes stock and decides to move on  ie Calgary Titus Wall, BC Sayles, Edmonton Bailey Jones, Sask FIne. Lenius, etc. We seem to be striving to remain status quo, which only works for a short time.  ( not to mention the cost of retaining vets keeps going up). I know O'Shea has a lot of loyalty to his vet players, but a good managed team has to strive for improvement.

[Fatty Liver]

50 minutes ago, WildPath said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

Here's a list of vets who lost their spots in the off-season.

Gray

Bailey

Rose

Grant

Jeffcoat

Clements

Funny thing is with the exception of Rose none lost their jobs directly to better players.

[Mike]

1 minute ago, Fatty Liver said:

Here's a list of vets who lost their spots in the off-season.

Gray

Bailey

Rose

Grant

Jeffcoat

Clements

Funny thing is with the exception of Rose none lost their jobs directly to better players.

I can appreciate that, but until it comes in the form of competition, I don’t think it’s equal. 

[Stickem]

14 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Here's a list of vets who lost their spots in the off-season.

Gray

Bailey

Rose

Grant

Jeffcoat

Clements

Funny thing is with the exception of Rose none lost their jobs directly to better players.

Bailey was a money issue....not because of competition for his spot....Could've been the same thing with Janarion....Rose and Jeffcoat were done.....Gray is still hanging around.....BoLo....don't know if he was money issue???

Edited June 10 by Stickem

[Fatty Liver]

10 minutes ago, Stickem said:

Bailey was a money issue....not because of competition for his spot....Could've been the same thing with Janarion....Rose and Jeffcoat were done.....Gray is still hanging around.....BoLo....don't know if he was money issue???

They were all money issues, Kyle blew his wad early and had nothing left to offer them above minimum pay-grade.

[17to85]

26 minutes ago, Mike said:

I can appreciate that, but until it comes in the form of competition, I don’t think it’s equal. 

Really not equal because I suspect if the salary cap weren't a thing some of those guys would have been back anyway.

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, WildPath said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at our training camp cuts and depth chart, I don't think one vet lost a spot to another player. Not one cut and not one demoted to a backup role. That seems problematic to me. Not one person that jumped off the chart to gain a spot or a vet that declined to lose a spot (other than those not re-signed)? Not even something somewhat surprising like Eli jumping ahead of Kolankowski or Lofton losing the starting RT spot he was basically assigned when he joined our team? Augustine losing his spot to Rosery?

Perhaps that will change as the season rolls along, but I don't take it as a good sign that we could have penciled in the depth chart other than which rookies grabbed the spots not contested by vets.

Excellent point. Old boys club lives on. If Walter’s doesn’t end their time here, or they leave vis free agency, only injury costs vets Jobs here still. 
 Most of the teams in the league have made a move this year to elevate a new guy above a rook. Meanwhile we get older and less durable. 
 

 

32 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Here's a list of vets who lost their spots in the off-season.

Gray

Bailey

Rose

Grant

Jeffcoat

Clements

Funny thing is with the exception of Rose none lost their jobs directly to better players.

none of whom Walter’s resigned. 
 

 

4 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Really not equal because I suspect if the salary cap weren't a thing some of those guys would have been back anyway.

If mos was the gm, I think they’d all be back. 

8 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

They were all money issues, Kyle blew his wad early and had nothing left to offer them above minimum pay-grade.

They weren’t. Walter’s said we needed to get younger. Guys were offered deals. No one else grabbed jj or gray. 

[Booch]

2 hours ago, Mike said:

I really just wished they didn’t treat the 45 man roster and the practice roster as if they are two separate entities.

The gameday depth chart should not be our week to week depth chart. We should not be using JA as anything beyond a gameday backup to Brady, if Brady can’t go one week then there should be a player on the practice roster ready to fill that role as a starter. Same with Gauthier, Ford, etc. I swear if Jake Thomas got hurt, we’d be starting Kyle Samson the next week.

This is not the way the team should be operating. Our practice roster use continues to be so frustrating, we should be employing players who can develop their skills so that when they are called to play, there’s a shot you may have an immediate impact player not just some ham and egger who can do enough to get by.

kind of like what other teams do....and we used to do...before 

[wbbfan]

38 minutes ago, Mike said:

I can appreciate that, but until it comes in the form of competition, I don’t think it’s equal. 

Has that ever happened here under mos though? All I can recall is us letting guys go in FA like drake to go to stove. 

[Booch]

30 minutes ago, Stickem said:

Bailey was a money issue....not because of competition for his spot....Could've been the same thing with Janarion....Rose and Jeffcoat were done.....Gray is still hanging around.....BoLo....don't know if he was money issue???

Janarion could have been back...Remove Thomas and his salary and the portion above minimum would help off-set Grant....You could fill Thomas roster spot with a entrty level Canadian salary

BOLO...was more he said eff this crap and left....sure he was due a bump but not a huge one and his standing on the sideline all gret cup with zero reps while 3 other recievers could barely run was the final straw...Woli almost left for same reason but was talked out of it....

Our PR use the last 3..4 yrs has been crap....a guy goes down...nobody was there to plug in and develop...or was developing.....we preferrred to use slugs who were already here....and not good enough to start...some whom had zero potential to ever start let alone be a viable replacement for the short term....and it just keeps going.

If WJ had got knicked last season....especially when JJ was out....we would have been screwed....still are really....Garbutt is our best all around end...but he is on the shelf...and in our wise wisdom....have nobody to step in for the meantime....unless you consider guys playing out of positipn

Bennett is there for the taking...serves several purposes...vet...Canadian...can be in rotation, but from what I understand...as long as we carrying Thomas there no room...forward thinking would be....who would be your better option for this yr...2025 and beyond...Thomas for limited reps...and no use on teams....and limited usefulness in those reps...and a complete non-factor for 2025...Or Bennett...very usefull for more than limited reps...can play on cover teams....is local....and has at lest 5 good to great yrs ahead of him???....I know what a smart and logical coach would do.....do any of you?

And there are other instances of this...again..

[Mike]

The way we see the team being run right now, we would’ve kept Harris over Brady.

[Pete]

most of the posts point to vets that have been cut in the off season,  Have we cut a vet in season or even at the end of training camp? Its either a testament to poor scouting or stubbornness

 

Edited June 10 by Pete

[WildPath]

13 minutes ago, Pete said:

most of the posts point to vets that have been cut in the off season,  Have we cut a vet in season or even at the end of training camp? Its either a testament to poor scouting or stubbornness

 

Even vets losing their jobs mid-season when talent under them in the depth chart has proven to be better. I can think of Winston Rose and Alden Darby last year and I guess that is good. Hopefully we can see some of that, but to see the depth chart really unchanged throughout training camp and nobody cut or even bumped is disappointing, especially when we did see some obvious deficiencies at the end of last season.

Not sure if it is indicative of poor scouting and weak players brought in or just a stubbornness to have a vet lose a job. My hope is that, with all the changes from guys not re-signed, O'Shea didn't want too much change at one time and the top talent will eventually be allowed to start.

[JohnnyAbonny]

50 minutes ago, Pete said:

most of the posts point to vets that have been cut in the off season,  Have we cut a vet in season or even at the end of training camp? Its either a testament to poor scouting or stubbornness

 

It’s stubbornness, or misguided loyalty. The scouting dept has brought in guys that can play. 
 

Tre Thomas made play after play in the preseason games, nothing. They stick with Wilson who hasn’t been the same since his injury in 2021. 

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

The way we see the team being run right now, we would’ve kept Harris over Brady.

If he was a bit more healthy and doing his off season stuff with a better attitude I think we would’ve lost Brady to the remnants of Harris. 
 

58 minutes ago, WildPath said:

Even vets losing their jobs mid-season when talent under them in the depth chart has proven to be better. I can think of Winston Rose and Alden Darby last year and I guess that is good. Hopefully we can see some of that, but to see the depth chart really unchanged throughout training camp and nobody cut or even bumped is disappointing, especially when we did see some obvious deficiencies at the end of last season.

Not sure if it is indicative of poor scouting and weak players brought in or just a stubbornness to have a vet lose a job. My hope is that, with all the changes from guys not re-signed, O'Shea didn't want too much change at one time and the top talent will eventually be allowed to start.

Both got banged up too though. Darby they let walk once before as well. 
 Rose is I think the closest, but i think that was injury related. 
 

If you go back I’d say maybe mo? But he was related to recovering from injury as well. 

[JohnnyAbonny]

15 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

If he was a bit more healthy and doing his off season stuff with a better attitude I think we would’ve lost Brady to the remnants of Harris. 
 

Both got banged up too though. Darby they let walk once before as well. 
 Rose is I think the closest, but i think that was injury related. 
 

If you go back I’d say maybe mo? But he was related to recovering from injury as well. 

Without getting into the guys personal details,  I have to push back against the AH bad attitude narrative. 
In hindsight, it was still the right move, but I mean, the guy was going through a really nasty divorce. 

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, JohnnyAbonny said:

Without getting into the guys personal details,  I have to push back against the AH bad attitude narrative. 
In hindsight, it was still the right move, but I mean, the guy was going through a really nasty divorce. 

Yeah I mean it’s really how things soured quickly and how he responded to the bombers wanting accountability and a reasonable contract. Bad attitude and stuff I think is a bit over blown. He’s a great guy and player I have a lot of love for him. I don’t think he was a fifo problem while under contract here. I think he expected us to be happy with him no matter what and he clearly was not physically up to it any more. 
 

zachs interview on bonfire sports makes me feel sick. Had the guys and the looks felt good felt ready just missed some times you miss. 
 Idk what to expect him to say but that isn’t it. He really needs to have a big game vs ott to take the taste out of people’s mouthes or it’s gonna get ugly quick.