OT: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2023 Season - Another terrible disappointment. NEXT: Tough Decisions on How to Rebuild.

[bustamente]

I wonder if they expect to be able to convert him to tackle for that amount.

Doubt it he is short in height with a short wingspan, he is more of a mauler road grader type.

 

[None]

Doubt it he is short in height with a short wingspan, he is more of a mauler road grader type.

Yeah, just trying to justify how anyone could possibly think that 300k for an interior lineman is the key to success. 5.4% of the cap on a single player better have a huge impact.

 

[bustamente]

Yeah, just trying to justify how anyone could possibly think that 300k for an interior lineman is the key to success. 5.4% of the cap on a single player better have a huge impact.

It's not it's crazy money for a O linemen, Bombers supposedly gave him a hard number and he declined

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Hearing 300k

Not quite that high. Still became the highest paid OL in CFL.



Last years highest, IIRC, was Edmonton Center/Guard Mark Korte somewhere in the 230k range.

 

[bustamente]

Not quite that high. Still became the highest paid OL in CFL.

Still way to high for a guard, no way the Bombers could go that high

 

[gojetsgo]

re-signed janarion grant

 

[gojetsgo]

darby is back

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I had Darby as a guy they'd almost assuredly let walk, so I'm shocked but not upset. Decent enough piece. Nothing to write home about, but can't have superstars at every position, sometimes you just need a solid guy.

 

[gojetsgo]

 

[snowkiddin]

Super duper like. Goated in the sauce, like the kids say

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Still think Bombers take a swing at WR. Schoen/FA/Demski/Wolitarsky(orBOLO)/Agudosi(or a rookie) is a good WR corps.

I honestly think Geno Lewis is a perfect fit and I think BB take a run at it.
1)Lewis
2)Lawler
3)Ellingson
is order I'd target.

Bombers will have a little bit cap to play with with Coutures money off the books.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Phew. Glad we got Demski signed. Now to get that #1 receiver.

 

[snowkiddin]

Still think Bombers take a swing at WR. Schoen/FA/Demski/Wolitarsky(orBOLO)/Agudosi(or a rookie) is a good WR corps.

I honestly think Geno Lewis is a perfect fit and I think BB take a run at it.
1)Lewis
2)Lawler
3)Ellingson
is order I'd target.

Bombers will have a little bit cap to play with with Coutures money off the books.

Yeah, heard a rumour (admittedly from Joe Blow on Facebook) that the Bombers have interest in Lewis.

Schoen has until the end of the day on the 14th to sign in the NFL. He’s already locked up for next year here. Worked out for the Vikes before Christmas and for the Bengals in early January but everything has been quiet since. Seemingly more and more likely that he’s back, fingers crossed.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Yeah, heard a rumour (admittedly from Joe Blow on Facebook) that the Bombers have interest in Lewis.

Schoen has until the end of the day on the 14th to sign in the NFL. He’s already locked up for next year here. Worked out for the Vikes before Christmas and for the Bengals in early January but everything has been quiet since. Seemingly more and more likely that he’s back, fingers crossed.

If Schoen was gonna sign down south I think it'd be done by now. Just my opinion but I think he's a lock to return at this point.

 

[snowkiddin]

If Schoen was gonna sign down south I think it'd be done by now. Just my opinion but I think he's a lock to return at this point.

I agree I just don’t like hatching chickens before I count

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Hopefully Demski signed for a similar amount to Gittens in Toronto. No need to go higher than that given GIttens is also a Canadian receiver and put up better numbers than Demski.

 

[snowkiddin]

Just hoping for Bailey and Prukop next.

Who else is left?

Greg Ellingson: Can use the salary elsewhere. Either go younger or take a shot at a guy like Geno or Lawler (like Holden said)

Michael Couture: We have a good replacement, and have Canadian depth with Eli back. Can use his money elsewhere (like Holden said)

Casey Sayles: Decent, but replaceable IMO

Keion Adams: Decent, but replaceable IMO

Jesse Briggs: I can take him or leave him.

Les Maruo: Same as Briggs, but maybe being a Global he has more value?

Nick Taylor: Probably retiring, ancient for a coverage guy.

Mercy Maston: Can’t see him playing again. Back-to-back Achilles injuries and the COVID gap year means he hasn’t played in three and a half years. He had terrible luck but I doubt he’s back.

I’d be looking for a good receiver and some more defensive line help in free agency. Also, at least bring in some competition at kicker. Seems the Bombers might be going back to Legghio but I can’t see there being much appetite for that. The dude was being booed during the first home game last year, and while he didn’t cost us the Grey Cup, casuals think he did, and he was a big part of why we lost. I just think if he’s back the leash is very short.

With Rourke going to Jacksonville and Calgary deciding on Maier, the West, and in fact the league, is pretty wide open again. Winnipeg should be the overwhelming favourite so let’s see if we can avenge last year.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Just hoping for Bailey and Prukop next.

Who else is left?

Greg Ellingson: Can use the salary elsewhere. Either go younger or take a shot at a guy like Geno or Lawler (like Holden said)

Michael Couture: We have a good replacement, and have Canadian depth with Eli back. Can use his money elsewhere (like Holden said)

Casey Sayles: Decent, but replaceable IMO

Keion Adams: Decent, but replaceable IMO

Jesse Briggs: I can take him or leave him.

Les Maruo: Same as Briggs, but maybe being a Global he has more value?

Nick Taylor: Probably retiring, ancient for a coverage guy.

Mercy Maston: Can’t see him playing again. Back-to-back Achilles injuries and the COVID gap year means he hasn’t played in three and a half years. He had terrible luck but I doubt he’s back.

I’d be looking for a good receiver and some more defensive line help in free agency. Also, at least bring in some competition at kicker. Seems the Bombers might be going back to Legghio but I can’t see there being much appetite for that. The dude was being booed during the first home game last year, and while he didn’t cost us the Grey Cup, casuals think he did, and he was a big part of why we lost. I just think if he’s back the leash is very short.

With Rourke going to Jacksonville and Calgary deciding on Maier, the West, and in fact the league, is pretty wide open again. Winnipeg should be the overwhelming favourite so let’s see if we can avenge last year.

Maruo will be back, IMO. Maruo is a quality STer, all you really need out of Global. Still fairly young. Clearly loves the game as he went to Japan after Grey Cup and played for a bit with a Japanese team, winning the championship. Gotta admire that work ethic, even starting seeing the field on occasion at LB when it was obvious passing situations (I think they like his pass coverage as an LB).

Agree on Sayles, Adams, Taylor, Maston.

Briggs is fairly quality Canadian STer and backup LB, but might get a real good offer from a team with a starting Canadian LB, such as Calgary), with Gauthier and hopefully Maruo no huge loss.

I have this feeling Bailey won't be back. He was a solid last year, but the expectation was, IMO, that he'd step into a starring role as the #1. That never materialized as Ellingson then Schoen just took over targets. Even a guy like Agudosi stepped into the lineup and almost immediately starting seeing more targets than him. He's a solid #2, excellent #3 and adds alot in intangibles such as blocking, but I think he'll want more of a chance to breakout somewhere.

Then again I was recently very wrong on Grant (thought he'd wait until May again to re-sign) and Darby (thought he'd test FA again) so what do I know? Haha.

By my count let's say it goes how we think here I think they'll be a few dollars in FA and we target.
1. #1/2 WR
2. Starting DT
3. Starting DB (preferably versatile HB/CB type, if not certainly HB)
4. Depth WR
5. Depth DE, preferably Canadian

Rookies and journeymen will obviously also be brought in for pushing everyone. They'll probably target DL and LB/ST guys in draft as well. It's a very deep DL class.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Blue Bombers working to bring star receiver Kenny Lawler back to Winnipeg - 3DownNation

If this article is accurate i think Lawler is going to be disappointed. I doubt anyone is going to pay him 1mil over 3 years, that's 333K a year, a 10% increase on his already ludicrous salary from last year. Not sure the Bombers could even do 750K/3year. Be interesting to see how Lewis/Lawler pan out here. IMO those are the two most impactful versatile WR's in the CFL, but I don't think going above 250K for a WR is ever really a smart move.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Montreal is being gutted.
QB Trevor Harris -> Rumour has it he's already signed in Sask (can't sign officially until Feb 14)
WR Geno Lewis -> Has made it clear he is not returning
WR Jake Weineke -> Already announced he's signing in Sask Feb 14
Other names that remain unsigned
HB/SLB Adarius Pickett, CB Mike Jones, WR Reggie White Jr, WR Hergy Mayala, RB Walter Fletcher, S/ST Kerfalla Exume, DL Thomas Costigan, LB Micah Awe

These are big big names for Montreal. They are losing pretty much their entire starting WR corps, much of their secondary and a bunch of depth. Cause ownership is a mess. I kinda feel bad for them but then I remember 20 years of Calvillo and Cahoon and screw them

 

[snowkiddin]

Montreal is being gutted.
QB Trevor Harris -> Rumour has it he's already signed in Sask (can't sign officially until Feb 14)
WR Geno Lewis -> Has made it clear he is not returning
WR Jake Weineke -> Already announced he's signing in Sask Feb 14
Other names that remain unsigned
HB/SLB Adarius Pickett, CB Mike Jones, WR Reggie White Jr, WR Hergy Mayala, RB Walter Fletcher, S/ST Kerfalla Exume, DL Thomas Costigan, LB Micah Awe

These are big big names for Montreal. They are losing pretty much their entire starting WR corps, much of their secondary and a bunch of depth. Cause ownership is a mess. I kinda feel bad for them but then I remember 20 years of Calvillo and Cahoon and screw them

Any bad news to report for Suckskatchewan and Toronto?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Any bad news to report for Suckskatchewan and Toronto?

Sask has an even longer FA list, but alot of names that were "starters" only cause they were in Sask last year (ie Josiah St John). They are also on track to lose a bunch of WR, but already had Weineke in and it's not like anyone outside of Schaffer-Baker or Evans was any good last year anyways. They apparently told Dan Clark they are looking to move on, I'm thinking they are taking a run a Couture.

Toronto has alot of big names set to hit FA, but most are WELL past their prime (J'Gared Davis, Eric Rogers, Brandon Banks) or big name with no production (Shane Ray). That makeshift outfit that fluked out an incredibly fluky win doesn't scare me at all in any case.

CFL's official FA tracker: Official 2023 Free Agent Tracker - CFL.ca

 

[None]

Montreal is being gutted.
QB Trevor Harris -> Rumour has it he's already signed in Sask (can't sign officially until Feb 14)
WR Geno Lewis -> Has made it clear he is not returning
WR Jake Weineke -> Already announced he's signing in Sask Feb 14
Other names that remain unsigned
HB/SLB Adarius Pickett, CB Mike Jones, WR Reggie White Jr, WR Hergy Mayala, RB Walter Fletcher, S/ST Kerfalla Exume, DL Thomas Costigan, LB Micah Awe

These are big big names for Montreal. They are losing pretty much their entire starting WR corps, much of their secondary and a bunch of depth. Cause ownership is a mess. I kinda feel bad for them but then I remember 20 years of Calvillo and Cahoon and screw them

I wonder if it's worse in Montreal than has leaked out.

 

[Benny27]

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I'm guessing 450-475k for the two years.