2024/2025 Blue Bombers Off-Season Thread

[GCn20]

20 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

My concern would be that re-engaging with players who already signed an agreement with another team and have informed the Bombers that they are moving on would not fall within "the way we do things". 

No one has signed anything, and this pre-FA window is set up so that players and teams can do exactly that. They are not signed by their new team until they advise the CFL one hour prior to FA that they accept the offer that was made.

This week before FA, is about players being able to test their worth on the market and for GMs to have an idea what that worth is. Nobody has moved teams yet. All CFL teams have an exclusive 48 hour window prior to 10am on FA opener in order to secure their own FA's that have accepted or not accepted other offers. It is literally what this week is for. No one should pencil in any player to any team until the gun goes off on FA. If we were to hypothetically go back to Lawler and say we will match Hammy's offer and he decides to stay, that is EXACTLY how this week is supposed to work and why it was implemented.

Edited 8 hours ago by GCn20

[bigg jay]

8 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

No one has signed anything, and this pre-FA window is set up so that players and teams can do exactly that. They are not signed by their new team until they advise the CFL one hour prior to FA that they accept the offer that was made.

They have 2 hours to decide but otherwise that's correct.

Quote

Pending free agents will then have from 10 a.m to noon ET on Feb. 11 to accept any offers that have been made to them by any club. If the player chooses to not accept any of those offers, they officially become free agents at 12:01 p.m. ET on Feb. 11.

Free Agency Communication Window opens February 2 - CFL.ca

Edited 8 hours ago by bigg jay

[GCn20]

6 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

They have 2 hours to decide but otherwise that's correct.

Free Agency Communication Window opens February 2 - CFL.ca

My bad...2 hours...but we have the last 48 hours as an exclusive negotiating time with any of our pending FAs prior to that. It is my understanding that accepted terms with another team means that they may leave if they can't get their former team to sign them at the terms they want. Undoubtedly some players have no interest in returning to their former clubs, but I think a few will definitely pick up the phone for their former teams and see if there has been movement. I would almost guarantee that if Walters picks up the phone in that window and says "Kenny we found some extra SMS and will match Hammy's offer" that Kenny will say send me over the contract. Conversely, I could definitely see a few guys phoning the league at 10 am on FA day and saying never mind I'm going to try out FA now.

Edited 8 hours ago by GCn20

[Goalie]

5 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

My bad...2 hours...but we have the last 48 hours as an exclusive negotiating time with any of our pending FAs prior to that. It is my understanding that accepted terms with another team means that they may leave if they can't get their former team to sign them at the terms they want. Undoubtedly some players have no interest in returning to their former clubs, but I think a few will definitely pick up the phone for their former teams and see if there has been movement. I would almost guarantee that if Walters picks up the phone in that window and says "Kenny we found some extra SMS and will match Hammy's offer" that Kenny will say send me over the contract.

But 275k for Kenny is still an overpayment. 

[Mike]

I doubt this changes anything … if it did, I’m sure Dunk/Naylor/Farhan would’ve had some kind of comment from “sources” (front offices, agents) by now

I’m still skeptical teams didn’t know until today. Seems incredibly difficult to believe, how could guys like Schoen or McManis not get super frustrated about that if it were the case? 

[GCn20]

Just now, Goalie said:

But 275k for Kenny is still an overpayment. 

Yesterday it was. Today? I'm not as sure on that.

[bigg jay]

6 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

My bad...2 hours...but we have the last 48 hours as an exclusive negotiating time with any of our pending FAs prior to that. It is my understanding that accepted terms with another team means that they may leave if they can't get their former team to sign them at the terms they want. Undoubtedly some players have no interest in returning to their former clubs, but I think a few will definitely pick up the phone for their former teams and see if there has been movement. I would almost guarantee that if Walters picks up the phone in that window and says "Kenny we found some extra SMS and will match Hammy's offer" that Kenny will say send me over the contract.

Makes me wonder if they regret cutting Woli now?  No getting him back since he wasn't a pending FA but that extra room could have made the difference in keeping him or letting him go (assuming salary was the reason for that move).

[GCn20]

3 minutes ago, Mike said:

I doubt this changes anything … if it did, I’m sure Dunk/Naylor/Farhan would’ve had some kind of comment from “sources” (front offices, agents) by now

I’m still skeptical teams didn’t know until today. Seems incredibly difficult to believe, how could guys like Schoen or McManis not get super frustrated about that if it were the case? 

It is all very strange and hard to believe for sure. Whether GMs knew or didn't know the timing of the announcement is super weird. I just don't get why today?

Edited 8 hours ago by GCn20

[Fatty Liver]

3 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Makes me wonder if they regret cutting Woli now?  No getting him back since he wasn't a pending FA but that extra room could have made the difference in keeping him or letting him go (assuming salary was the reason for that move).

Cutting Woli. is exactly what many people want them to do every year, once they had Clercius up to speed, they moved on to the younger and cheaper player.  There was no justification to ask Woli to stick around as a backup, so they set him free so he could find a new team to extend his career.  Win/win it worked out for both sides.

[Goalie]

34 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Yesterday it was. Today? I'm not as sure on that.

It still is. Dude just can’t stay healthy. 

[Noeller]

40 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Makes me wonder if they regret cutting Woli now?  No getting him back since he wasn't a pending FA but that extra room could have made the difference in keeping him or letting him go (assuming salary was the reason for that move).

This is my only "concern". Lawler I'm fine with... Dobson too... But if there was all of a sudden a chance to bring him home......

[Booch]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

If what Friesen is peddling is true, and teams have an exclusive negotiating window the last 48 hours before FA officially begins, I could see some players getting offers from their former team that might bring them back.

but also wouldnt the team that offerd the big pile....offer even more tho?...I dunno....but I think there was knowledge....if not a concrete number that it was gonna have abump over and above the norm....but then again..who knows eh?

1 hour ago, Colin Unger said:

My concern would be that re-engaging with players who already signed an agreement with another team and have informed the Bombers that they are moving on would not fall within "the way we do things". 

sometimes you need to change how you do things to continue success...we are due for some changes

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

No one has signed anything, and this pre-FA window is set up so that players and teams can do exactly that. They are not signed by their new team until they advise the CFL one hour prior to FA that they accept the offer that was made.

This week before FA, is about players being able to test their worth on the market and for GMs to have an idea what that worth is. Nobody has moved teams yet. All CFL teams have an exclusive 48 hour window prior to 10am on FA opener in order to secure their own FA's that have accepted or not accepted other offers. It is literally what this week is for. No one should pencil in any player to any team until the gun goes off on FA. If we were to hypothetically go back to Lawler and say we will match Hammy's offer and he decides to stay, that is EXACTLY how this week is supposed to work and why it was implemented.

exactly....all they are currently is offer sheets they agreed to....their own teams still get their  exclusivity window after that.....if they decide they don't want to match/top...the offering team is obligated to make the deal

55 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

They have 2 hours to decide but otherwise that's correct.

Free Agency Communication Window opens February 2 - CFL.ca

no...2 hours....4 mins and 38 secs....lol

[wbbfan]

53 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Yesterday it was. Today? I'm not as sure on that.

250 was an over pay 250 is still an over pay

[Goalie]

Hey Kenny what have you done for me lately. 
 

https://www.bluebombers.com/players/kenny-lawler/163693/

 

not go over 1000 yards in a few years now  and ppl will say but injuries or but suspension but 275k means you should be putting up 1000 yards every year not once every 4  

What would milt be worth if Kenny getting 275k and he hasn’t put up 1000 yards in a few years. 500k? 

Edited 7 hours ago by Goalie

[rebusrankin]

Come on man, rumour is Milt still has $ leftover from his rookie deal in 1995.

[Mike]

8 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Hey Kenny what have you done for me lately. 
 

https://www.bluebombers.com/players/kenny-lawler/163693/

 

not go over 1000 yards in a few years now  and ppl will say but injuries or but suspension but 275k means you should be putting up 1000 yards every year not once every 4  

What would milt be worth if Kenny getting 275k and he hasn’t put up 1000 yards in a few years. 500k? 

This is just silly box score scouting. 275k doesn’t mean you should put up 1000 yards, 275k means you should be an impact player when you’re on the field and he is. You don’t win games in the stat sheet, you win them on the field and Lawler is a player that helps you win on the field. 

[GCn20]

40 minutes ago, Booch said:

but also wouldnt the team that offerd the big pile....offer even more tho?...I dunno....but I think there was knowledge....if not a concrete number that it was gonna have abump over and above the norm....but then again..who knows eh?

sometimes you need to change how you do things to continue success...we are due for some changes

exactly....all they are currently is offer sheets they agreed to....their own teams still get their  exclusivity window after that.....if they decide they don't want to match/top...the offering team is obligated to make the deal

no...2 hours....4 mins and 38 secs....lol

Let's say Lawler gets a call from Walter's and he matches Hammy's offer in the 48 hour window. Hamilton CANNOT talk to Lawler again unless he opts to become a FA.

[bigg jay]

6 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Let's say Lawler gets a call from Walter's and he matches Hammy's offer in the 48 hour window. Hamilton CANNOT talk to Lawler again unless he opts to become a FA.

Yep, other teams have until the 9th to put forward their best offer.  The Bombers would then have from the 9th to 11th to try to work out a better deal.

That's assuming the other teams follow the rules but we know GM's are talking to players/agents when they aren't supposed to.  The tampering window was supposed to get rid of that but it's just more of the same in the CFL.

[Goalie]

25 minutes ago, Mike said:

This is just silly box score scouting. 275k doesn’t mean you should put up 1000 yards, 275k means you should be an impact player when you’re on the field and he is. You don’t win games in the stat sheet, you win them on the field and Lawler is a player that helps you win on the field. 

Since when? Did he help Edmonton win? 

[Mike]

12 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Let's say Lawler gets a call from Walter's and he matches Hammy's offer in the 48 hour window. Hamilton CANNOT talk to Lawler again unless he opts to become a FA.

Sure, but let’s be realistic. Lawler doesn’t have to talk to us and I’d be surprised if he does. We can “match” all we want, he doesn’t have to do anything 

[Noeller]

And also, if we can bump the number then the other teams are going to bump THEIR number. Regardless of what the overall pot is at, it's all about percentages of that pot. So, if we said we'd bump 10% above what Ham offered Woogie, then I'm sure Ham is willing to also bump 10% beyond that...

[Goalie]

Lawlers agent told Walters he was moving on. He’s gone. 

[Mike]

18 minutes ago, Noeller said:

And also, if we can bump the number then the other teams are going to bump THEIR number. Regardless of what the overall pot is at, it's all about percentages of that pot. So, if we said we'd bump 10% above what Ham offered Woogie, then I'm sure Ham is willing to also bump 10% beyond that...

Dunk said on the 3DN podcast that the general consensus around the league is that the fairest way to do this is just to give every single player across the league a raise and truthfully, I agree.

[Goalie]

Revenue sharing aka you’re welcome from the Winnipeg fan base who sell out every game. 

[Booch]

35 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

Yep, other teams have until the 9th to put forward their best offer.  The Bombers would then have from the 9th to 11th to try to work out a better deal.

That's assuming the other teams follow the rules but we know GM's are talking to players/agents when they aren't supposed to.  The tampering window was supposed to get rid of that but it's just more of the same in the CFL.

the contract offer has to be filed with the league ho....so they cant "adjust" it after the players former team gets their exclusivity

33 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Since when? Did he help Edmonton win? 

thats an even lamer rebutal...edm was a complete disaster when he was there

 

2 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Revenue sharing aka you’re welcome from the Winnipeg fan base who sell out every game. 

wasnt from league attendences...was new revenue streams coming into play