2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[pw13]

29 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Just doing the math on the salary cap of $6.06,000,000 on a 45 man roster that works out to an average of $134,667.00. Of course, except the Bombers who are taking the cautious approach & still waiting any day now for the PA to change its mind & divert that $400,000 salary cap increase into pension money.

Players on the one-game injury list and players who serve less than a full six games on the six-game list are also charged against the cap, and I assume practice roster expenses are also charged against the cap. So the average spent per player will be below that amount. I did a study of the Argo roster in 2023 -- they had an average of 5.2 guys on the one-game injury list each game, meaning that they were paying 51.2 guys a game cheque each week. Plus a few of the six-gamed guys got pulled off before six games were up, adding their game cheques to the total as well. If in fact the PR is also part of the cap, it's probably safe to assume that the cap gets divided among about 52-55 players.      

[bigg jay]

1 hour ago, pw13 said:

Players on the one-game injury list and players who serve less than a full six games on the six-game list are also charged against the cap, and I assume practice roster expenses are also charged against the cap. So the average spent per player will be below that amount. I did a study of the Argo roster in 2023 -- they had an average of 5.2 guys on the one-game injury list each game, meaning that they were paying 51.2 guys a game cheque each week. Plus a few of the six-gamed guys got pulled off before six games were up, adding their game cheques to the total as well. If in fact the PR is also part of the cap, it's probably safe to assume that the cap gets divided among about 52-55 players.      

Correct - PR salaries come out of the cap just like active roster salaries.  Given the info here (https://cfldb.ca/faq/compensation/), the average is $108,250‬ per player based on 56 players.

Quote

The CFL has a $6.062 million salary cap for the 2025 season (with an additional $110,000 minimum amount required on non-football services) and a roster size of 56 players 

 

[Colin Unger]

We should really assume a minimum salary for the practice roster players and calculate the average salary of a rostered player.

[pw13]

56 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Correct - PR salaries come out of the cap just like active roster salaries.  Given the info here (https://cfldb.ca/faq/compensation/), the average is $108,250‬ per player based on 56 players.

 

I'm guessing the "roster size" quoted there is 46 active + 10 PR, without including injured list. So the number is likely closer to 60+ on average over the course of a season. 

[Brandon]

21 hours ago, wbbfan said:

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/17/3downnation-cfl-power-rankings-elks-off-season-splash-creates-ripple-but-doesnt-moisten-podium/

By soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It’s is trash, and 3dn the dump. Arise, fair 3dn, kill readers brain cells and pander harder. 

 

“We can already hear the accusations of pandering to Rider Nation from fans across the league, but the reality is Saskatchewan didn’t need to do a lot in free agency to climb our rankings. The culture created in Corey Mace’s outstanding first season as head coach made sure virtually every player of importance was re-signed, including veteran difference-makers”

One of 6 teams last year with 9 wins or more. Yet they hop soo hard on the nuts of the 9-8-1 riders who got slapped around in the wf. 

 

3downnation is bold choosing Saskatchewan and Ottawa in the top 3 for their power rankings.... 

[B140]

23 hours ago, Mark H. said:

IMO and with all due respect, as I don't mind their articles when they are just info, but this is a new low for 3DN.  I mean, at least mention the possibility that teams could still fill holes via scouting and recruitment. Rider bias aside, to rank a team with track record of the Argos that low, is a fool's errand at best. 

Honestly, I was surprised the arblows aren’t dead last. Given that they’ve lost basically their entire starting D aside from Toothpicks.

[ShyGuy]

One thing that needs to be mentioned about the Riders is... they were a 9-8-1 team (so effectively .500) with a +26 (!!!!!!) TO Ratio. 

A team with that kind of Ratio you would expect up above 13 wins, so they WAY underperformed their TO Rate. You have to think that Ratio comes down this year... even if they end up at an Above Average of say... +10, how much worse would their record have been at that Ratio?

[Fatty Liver]

1 hour ago, ShyGuy said:

One thing that needs to be mentioned about the Riders is... they were a 9-8-1 team (so effectively .500) with a +26 (!!!!!!) TO Ratio. 

A team with that kind of Ratio you would expect up above 13 wins, so they WAY underperformed their TO Rate. You have to think that Ratio comes down this year... even if they end up at an Above Average of say... +10, how much worse would their record have been at that Ratio?

And from that rotten tree, the Bombers decide to pluck Shea Patterson.

[rebusrankin]

Patterson wasn't a particularly good passer in college either.

[Colin Unger]

1 hour ago, Fatty Liver said:

And from that rotten tree, the Bombers decide to pluck Shea Patterson.

I view him as a guy being brought in to create depth.  When he and Dolegala get cut we have a couple guys who won’t find work elsewhere who know our system if we face and injury later on in the season. 

[Noeller]

Not particularly sad about this....

 

 

[ShyGuy]

2 hours ago, Fatty Liver said:

And from that rotten tree, the Bombers decide to pluck Shea Patterson.

I mean if at any point in the season the Bombers are trotting out someone like Patterson at QB they are ******, and it doesn't have anything to do with the fact Patterson is on the roster.

 

It's not a new phenomenon that GMs in sports have a "but I can fix him!" attitude either 

[SpeedFlex27]

4 hours ago, ShyGuy said:

One thing that needs to be mentioned about the Riders is... they were a 9-8-1 team (so effectively .500) with a +26 (!!!!!!) TO Ratio. 

A team with that kind of Ratio you would expect up above 13 wins, so they WAY underperformed their TO Rate. You have to think that Ratio comes down this year... even if they end up at an Above Average of say... +10, how much worse would their record have been at that Ratio?

Or things balance themselves out. They maintain that ratio & win 14 games. 

[SpeedFlex27]

9 hours ago, bigg jay said:

Correct - PR salaries come out of the cap just like active roster salaries.  Given the info here (https://cfldb.ca/faq/compensation/), the average is $108,250‬ per player based on 56 players.

 

Just musing here but also wondering how much of the "Trump Effect" will have on the growth of the CFL? At least in the short term as we don't know where things will go politically between the US & our nation. Will a good percentage of Canadian fans abandon their NFL teams in favour of watching the CFL because it is Canadian? Will fans begin to come back to the league because the 3 down version is truly our game? Meaning more fans in the stands, better tv ratings & increased revenues for teams & advertisers? 

[SpeedFlex27]

11 hours ago, pw13 said:

Players on the one-game injury list and players who serve less than a full six games on the six-game list are also charged against the cap, and I assume practice roster expenses are also charged against the cap. So the average spent per player will be below that amount. I did a study of the Argo roster in 2023 -- they had an average of 5.2 guys on the one-game injury list each game, meaning that they were paying 51.2 guys a game cheque each week. Plus a few of the six-gamed guys got pulled off before six games were up, adding their game cheques to the total as well. If in fact the PR is also part of the cap, it's probably safe to assume that the cap gets divided among about 52-55 players.      

I divided the new salary cap by 55 players. it still worked out to  $110,182 average salary. However, we do know that some players like Zach & Brady Oliveira make more money than others so that skews things even more as each team has different players being paid big & small salaries. No doubt though things are better than they were a few years ago. Let's hope this growth continues as it's only a good thing for the CFL. 

[17to85]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

Not particularly sad about this....

 

 

Oh no! Anyway....

[Mike]

In other former Bomber news, Hamilton signed Chris Smith. 
 

we signed DB Javaris Davis

[Arnold_Palmer]

21 minutes ago, Mike said:

In other former Bomber news, Hamilton signed Chris Smith. 
 

we signed DB Javaris Davis

Good pedigree. Played for Auburn and made SEC all freshman team. A little small at 5’8 but stuck around the NFL for a few seasons. Might be a good fit up here if he comes motivated. 

[rebusrankin]

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Or things balance themselves out. They maintain that ratio & win 14 games. 

What are the odds they're +26 again?

[wbbfan]

30 minutes ago, Arnold_Palmer said:

Good pedigree. Played for Auburn and made SEC all freshman team. A little small at 5’8 but stuck around the NFL for a few seasons. Might be a good fit up here if he comes motivated. 

Yep plus great athleticism, high 4.3 40 with tremendous acceleration. Great football iq, good reliable wrap and tackle guy with great ball skills. Great competitive dog mentality too. 
 Projects as a defensive half, and could likely play any spot in the back end. Definitely a blue chip prospect. 

[Mark H.]

6 hours ago, ShyGuy said:

One thing that needs to be mentioned about the Riders is... they were a 9-8-1 team (so effectively .500) with a +26 (!!!!!!) TO Ratio. 

A team with that kind of Ratio you would expect up above 13 wins, so they WAY underperformed their TO Rate. You have to think that Ratio comes down this year... even if they end up at an Above Average of say... +10, how much worse would their record have been at that Ratio?

That is pretty much what you get with Trevor Harris.

[wbbfan]

7 minutes ago, Mark H. said:

That is pretty much what you get with Trevor Harris.

Yuuuuuppp. 

+/- tds for/against they were +3. The bombers despite massive offensive problems and injuries were +8. Edmonton was +2. 

[WinnipegGordo]

7 hours ago, Mike said:

In other former Bomber news, Hamilton signed Chris Smith. 
 

we signed DB Javaris Davis

and the Riders signed Kerfalla Exumé.

[Bigblue204]

13 hours ago, Noeller said:

Not particularly sad about this....

 

 

I'm interested to see if he's improved any. Doubtful, but you never know.

[bigg jay]

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

I'm interested to see if he's improved any. Doubtful, but you never know.

I wonder why nobody thought he was worth bringing in for a look last year?  Even Faith Ekakitie was picked up (also by Montreal oddly enough) shortly after we cut him loose.