2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[Mike]

7 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Who have we struggled to retain outside of leaving to the NFL?

Chungh, Couture, Richardson, Sayles, Lawler, Janarion are all names off the top of my head.

Ford looks like he’s on his way out. Houston is another one, although I’m glad we didn’t keep him and I think that was one the team was OK with.

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around.

[17to85]

22 minutes ago, Mike said:

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around

Jackson Jeffcoat probably counts. They retained him forever. Nichols I'll throw in as well.... when you get into the niche of impactful, home grown not born within a stone's throw then you're shrinking the pool of available options. 

Overall I'd say their ability to retain players is fine... but we're probably in a point where some turnover needs to happen. Now let's all argue about which turnover.

[Arnold_Palmer]

31 minutes ago, Mike said:

Chungh, Couture, Richardson, Sayles, Lawler, Janarion are all names off the top of my head.

Ford looks like he’s on his way out. Houston is another one, although I’m glad we didn’t keep him and I think that was one the team was OK with.

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around.

They’ve done a fine job of retaining. Chungh left 6 years ago to go home and became the highest paid guard in the league, Couture was a pretty good Center who got injured and lost his job, Richardson was a huge loss but with his injury issues he never really played much after leaving winnipeg, Sayles was a rotation player for us before taking a big contract in Hamilton. Admittedly he ended up being a good football player, Lawler took the money but came back, and ill give you Grant, that one stings but in the end of the day you’re not going to be able to keep everybody in the one year contract era, especially when you’ve had five grey cup appearances in a row. People want to get theirs, but I think Walters has done a good job mostly of retaining who he can.

[Bigblue204]

52 minutes ago, Mike said:

Chungh, Couture, Richardson, Sayles, Lawler, Janarion are all names off the top of my head.

Ford looks like he’s on his way out. Houston is another one, although I’m glad we didn’t keep him and I think that was one the team was OK with.

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around.

Bryant, Nuef, Gray, Hardrick, Nichols, Holms, Rose, Jefferson, Jeffcoat, Alexander, Biggie, Kramdi (debatable about impact i guess), Wolly, Schoen.

The guys you have listed there. Janarion was essentially let go a mistake no doubt, but he didn't take another offer over the bombers. Bombers just didn't offer. Richardson was kind of the same. Walters knew what it would take to keep him and he chose (wrongly again) not to compete. Sayles is overrated imo and is much like Houston. Chunghs replacement was in house already. So that leaves Lawler who came back and admitted he should have never left and Couture.

[Super Duper Negatron]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Chungh, Couture, Richardson, Sayles, Lawler, Janarion are all names off the top of my head.

Ford looks like he’s on his way out. Houston is another one, although I’m glad we didn’t keep him and I think that was one the team was OK with.

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around.

Collaros.

[Fatty Liver]

3 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Bryant, Nuef, Gray, Hardrick, Nichols, Holms, Rose, Jefferson, Jeffcoat, Alexander, Biggie, Kramdi (debatable about impact i guess), Wolly, Schoen.

The guys you have listed there. Janarion was essentially let go a mistake no doubt, but he didn't take another offer over the bombers. Bombers just didn't offer. Richardson was kind of the same. Walters knew what it would take to keep him and he chose (wrongly again) not to compete. Sayles is overrated imo and is much like Houston. Chunghs replacement was in house already. So that leaves Lawler who came back and admitted he should have never left and Couture.

Grant is a FA once again, Walters has a chance to make up for fumbling his file last season.  There will likely be stiff competition to pay him what he's worth, as every GM knows he is the best.

[Mike]

20 minutes ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

Collaros.

Yeah touché on that one. The rest of the ones in the post above, not many of those guys in their prime which is what my point was to begin with.

[bluto]

35 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Grant is a FA once again, Walters has a chance to make up for fumbling his file last season.  There will likely be stiff competition to pay him what he's worth, as every GM knows he is the best.

Not for about 12 days, he isn't.

[coach17]

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Chungh, Couture, Richardson, Sayles, Lawler, Janarion are all names off the top of my head.

Ford looks like he’s on his way out. Houston is another one, although I’m glad we didn’t keep him and I think that was one the team was OK with.

Let me flip the question: what impactful player in their prime who isn’t from MB or ND have we kept in the past 2-3 years? Schoen is really the only one that comes to mind off the top of my head and we locked him up for one year after he strongly considered the market and quite possibly may walk this time around.

I'm drawing a blank on Richardson. Only Richardson in recent memory of the Bombers I can think of is Michael. Do I not remember someone impactful 

[Fatty Liver]

Just now, coach17 said:

I'm drawing a blank on Richardson. Only Richardson in recent memory of the Bombers I can think of is Michael. Do I not remember someone impactful 

Stove.

[wbbfan]

4 hours ago, Mike said:

I’m starting to get a weird feeling we’re going to see a bunch of guys leaving.

I know people are gonna start up with the “how come we can afford Jake but can’t afford Schoen” even though that’s nowhere near how it works, my concern is that we really struggling to be retaining any prime of their career talent who literally wasn’t born within 3 hours of here.

 

I can see teams structuring some really unique contracts for him to give him some assurances despite the low price tag he’s likely going to command this year.

It feels like we’ve seen an exodus for a while. Guys we want to stay or come back from the nfl going else where and guys that are what ever coming back on really strong Money. 
 

We’ve lost soo much from the 19/21 team in terms of young guys still playing front office guys. 

2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

I don't think that any player needs to convince their GM to throw the kitchen sink at Schoen. Teams will go after him hard if he makes it to FA. 

Who have we struggled to retain outside of leaving to the NFL?

Grant, exhume, Hansen, Bailey, couture, desjarlais, brown, sayles, stove, lawler first time and Sergio too. 
 That’s just guys we struggled on and lost. Not including guys we struggled on an over paid. 

1 hour ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

Collaros.

Collaros was here in his prime? 

[Noeller]

5 minutes ago, Fatty Liver said:

Stove.

How quickly we forget....

[wbbfan]

1 hour ago, Bigblue204 said:

Bryant, Nuef, Gray, Hardrick, Nichols, Holms, Rose, Jefferson, Jeffcoat, Alexander, Biggie, Kramdi (debatable about impact i guess), Wolly, Schoen.

The guys you have listed there. Janarion was essentially let go a mistake no doubt, but he didn't take another offer over the bombers. Bombers just didn't offer. Richardson was kind of the same. Walters knew what it would take to keep him and he chose (wrongly again) not to compete. Sayles is overrated imo and is much like Houston. Chunghs replacement was in house already. So that leaves Lawler who came back and admitted he should have never left and Couture.

Bryant and neuf have been here through the worst. It would be insane if they left in fa. 
 

gray wasn’t a starter but we paid him like one, hardrick did end up chasing dollars, holm rose and Kramdi got among the highest pay for dbs in the cfl when they signed.  Rose was toast and the only one who wasn’t a clear over pay the moment the deal was signed. 
 

we did have offers to stove and grant. This was openly commented on when they left. 
 

marcus sayles was excellent when he left. Casey sayles is probably the best 3 tech in the league. 

[Goalie]

14 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

It feels like we’ve seen an exodus for a while. Guys we want to stay or come back from the nfl going else where and guys that are what ever coming back on really strong Money. 
 

We’ve lost soo much from the 19/21 team in terms of young guys still playing front office guys. 

Grant, exhume, Hansen, Bailey, couture, desjarlais, brown, sayles, stove, lawler first time and Sergio too. 
 That’s just guys we struggled on and lost. Not including guys we struggled on an over paid. 

Collaros was here in his prime? 

Yes. I think we did get prime collaros here. We got a healthy rested collaros. Dude was destroyed in his “prime” years but the argument could be made his best years have been here so as a QB I’d say he was in his prime here. At the same time there’s only 9 teams so options limited for the QBs. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Goalie

[greenrider55]

I wonder how much/if Schoen’s impact will be impacted by his knee injury when he comes back… he’s so good on the waggle. @Booch any knowledge?

[wbbfan]

35 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Yes. I think we did get prime collaros here. We got a healthy rested collaros. Dude was destroyed in his “prime” years but the argument could be made his best years have been here so as a QB I’d say he was in his prime here. At the same time there’s only 9 teams so options limited for the QBs. 

I hadn't really considered it before. I'm not sure. We certainly got the best performance from his career. But would late 20s zach have been better with our 19/21 and forward team? I kind of think so. 

[Goalie]

5 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

I hadn't really considered it before. I'm not sure. We certainly got the best performance from his career. But would late 20s zach have been better with our 19/21 and forward team? I kind of think so. 

Sure. But we were a **** show for 20 years. 

[Booch]

6 hours ago, Mike said:

oh well, sucks to lose a Canadian but let’s be realistic here, we probably would not love the price tag he’s going to command. Hopefully this allows us to keep a few more guys. 

WE would have been sinking 550 k into 4 db's...thats insane and stupid...even without Ford we are sinking a heck of a lot when we shouldnt have to.....good luck to him elsewhere as he a baller, but we dont need a canadian corner to make ratio

 

5 hours ago, Mike said:

I’m starting to get a weird feeling we’re going to see a bunch of guys leaving.

I know people are gonna start up with the “how come we can afford Jake but can’t afford Schoen” even though that’s nowhere near how it works, my concern is that we really struggling to be retaining any prime of their career talent who literally wasn’t born within 3 hours of here.

 

I can see teams structuring some really unique contracts for him to give him some assurances despite the low price tag he’s likely going to command this year.

we've allowed our depth and where we allocate our money to erode and handcuff our roster...been going on for a few yrs now...and hate to harp on the reason but its the HC love for old aged vets and his reluctance to be like a guy like Bouno or Mathews...even Cal and move on before it cripples your roster and asset management...or ability to manage it fluidily

 

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

I don't think that any player needs to convince their GM to throw the kitchen sink at Schoen. Teams will go after him hard if he makes it to FA. 

Who have we struggled to retain outside of leaving to the NFL?

not always who have we lost...but who we have missed out on also clinging to guys who's upside had passed them by...where oft injured or looking forward shoudnt have been in teams plans in 2 yrs or so...

 

As ro the Schoen issue...who knows what he will be able to do when he healthy, him and Lawler offer 2 excellent skill sets....But Lawler offers that something other that not many do...Schoen included...and Schoen the last seson and his coule games in 2024 shown to have a bit of the droppsies...part of which is he is a bit leary of all the pounding he takes after catch...have never seen an elite receiver take the shots he does repeatedly...has to be a reason for it

Lawler miseed with injury last yr...yr prior was that suspension...2019 he didnt get on roster until week 4...broke a collar bone in edm making an elite catch....**** happens....I like Schoen but he is more replaceable with good recruiting

 

[17to85]

1 minute ago, Booch said:

repeatedly...has to be a reason for it

Qb forcing the ball to his security blanket and defence teeing off. Plain and simple. 

[Booch]

3 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Jackson Jeffcoat probably counts. They retained him forever. Nichols I'll throw in as well.... when you get into the niche of impactful, home grown not born within a stone's throw then you're shrinking the pool of available options. 

Overall I'd say their ability to retain players is fine... but we're probably in a point where some turnover needs to happen. Now let's all argue about which turnover.

then we low balled him...and he retired....and injury issues was a reason but we kept resigning Biggie..Wilson...Hallett... and still havnt replaced his production

 

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Yeah touché on that one. The rest of the ones in the post above, not many of those guys in their prime which is what my point was to begin with.

yeah....in theirfading yrs for most part....or on the start of downside with no capable replacement to push or groom...tho Osh doesnt allow a gy to push

25 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

I wonder how much/if Schoen’s impact will be impacted by his knee injury when he comes back… he’s so good on the waggle. @Booch any knowledge?

he not around so hard to know...and dont really have contacts with him or guys close to him...but I do know from experience that even when deemed helthy..some guys still take months to get back...when was he hurt even as I dont recall

 

 

[Pete Catan's Ghost]

In my fantasy world, Jeffcoat has recovered from that nagging hip issue and has called Kyle with a proposal.

[Colin Unger]

Any interest in Alexander Hollins who was just released by BC?  

[rebusrankin]

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

I hadn't really considered it before. I'm not sure. We certainly got the best performance from his career. But would late 20s zach have been better with our 19/21 and forward team? I kind of think so. 

2015 Zach would have slayed (as the kids say) with the 19/21 roster.

Can't argue that we have lost a lot of talent since 21.

[WinnipegGordo]

 

 

[Mike]

1 minute ago, WinnipegGordo said:

 

 

Love this