This is a good interview with Farhan Lalji and Mike O'Shea on the philosophy of the Blue Bombers and where the team stands...
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/2026/01/14/oshea-dismisses-the-idea-of-a-rebuild-in-winnipeg/
Humorous. We have 2 OL, 5 receivers, 3 DL, 1 DB, 1 LB, 1 QB and both kickers as potential free agents. We've released 2 starters from 2025.
Now I expect we'll get back most of those potential free agents. However for the moment, we can't say we aren't in a major re-build unless we re-sign some of them.
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 15, 2026, 07:24:32 PMHumorous. We have 2 OL, 5 receivers, 3 DL, 1 DB, 1 LB, 1 QB and both kickers as potential free agents. We've released 2 starters from 2025.
Now I expect we'll get back most of those potential free agents. However for the moment, we can't say we aren't in a major re-build unless we re-sign some of them.
It is equally possible some of those "potential free agents" are already signed but not yet announced.
Quote from: ModAdmin on January 15, 2026, 07:33:46 PMIt is equally possible some of those "potential free agents" are already signed but not yet announced.
Sure and probable as well. That said there is usually roster turnover of about 25%. However we know we have at least 1 change on the OL & DL even if it's a 2nd or 3rd year player. Our # 2 QB is most certainly changing. One new DB starter changing. Vaval returning is a question mark.
It's been a few years since we've had so many older players where the team has to make decisions based on succession plans, SMS and possible new candidates.
We've deleted PR depth: Weitz, Adams, Logan, Kornelson and Echols. I have 13 players on my list I don't expect to re-sign noting I could be wrong about many.
For that matter we could just as easily move on from some on the list of 10 players I expect to re-sign.
I'm not being negative, just voicing an opinion. Change is not necessarily a bad thing. A team can go from 1st to last in an off season free agency.
Bombers like to delay their announcements but it's really slowed down.
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 15, 2026, 08:36:26 PMSure and probable as well. That said there is usually roster turnover of about 25%. However we know we have at least 1 change on the OL & DL even if it's a 2nd or 3rd year player. Our # 2 QB is most certainly changing. One new DB starter changing. Vaval returning is a question mark.
It's been a few years since we've had so many older players where the team has to make decisions based on succession plans, SMS and possible new candidates.
We've deleted PR depth: Weitz, Adams, Logan, Kornelson and Echols. I have 13 players on my list I don't expect to re-sign noting I could be wrong about many.
For that matter we could just as easily move on from some on the list of 10 players I expect to re-sign.
I'm not being negative, just voicing an opinion. Change is not necessarily a bad thing. A team can go from 1st to last in an off season free agency.
Bombers like to delay their announcements but it's really slowed down.
You are not being negative. I just think we are too early to say the team will rejig or rebuild. Right now everything O'Shea says indicates no rebuild. I do believe he recognizes mistakes were made last year but he clearly believes in the "core". We will know more after FA.
Quote from: ModAdmin on January 15, 2026, 09:52:48 PMYou are not being negative. I just think we are too early to say the team will rejig or rebuild. Right now everything O'Shea says indicates no rebuild. I do believe he recognizes mistakes were made last year but he clearly believes in the "core". We will know more after FA.
O'Shea is very evasive so I take that with a huge grain of salt. I'm not sure where I'd draw a line on rejig compared to re-build. It really comes down more to the ultimate success level than the number of players changed. He sugar coats his messaging.
Regardless of what he says, IMO this a re-building year process. New OC and DL coaches and still no QB coach or dual roles announced. Player issues with long potential free agent list and some serious injuries not clarified.
IDK if 2024 was a rejig in O'Shea's mind but it was clear what needed to be done was not done before the 1st game was played.
A lot can be accomplished with free agency acquisitions. Finding starters is a re-build. Signing marginal depth is a rejig.
History has repeated itself for the last 3 seasons. Mostly status quo.
I've mentioned that I think we'll re-sign the key players that are potential free agents. That in itself is not an improvement per se.
We'll see what new acquisitions look like. We'll find a few good new rookies and some 2025 players will improve.
Walters addressed this earlier, he talked about how in the cfl with all the one year contracts its easier to address issues
Its difficult to label cause so many people have different ideas of what a rebuild is.
I'm hoping that we address at least 3 o4 4 openings in free agency, while adding in 3 o4 4 rookies, If thats a rebuild so be it
Good interview more or less. On the rebuild thing it's largely just your own definition of what it means.
O'Shea figures they work hard enough to never be in a rebuild and to some extent he's correct, especially if you associate being really bad with "rebuild". We've been pretty good for a long time.
However, and this definitely is mine, I think we're smack dab in the middle of a rebuild which is going to take two seasons. If you look at the 2024 Grey Cup team roster and compare it what it's going to have to look like in 2027, it's effectively a rebuild over two year seasons.
Quote from: Sir Blue and Gold on January 15, 2026, 11:28:36 PMGood interview more or less. On the rebuild thing it's largely just your own definition of what it means.
O'Shea figures they work hard enough to never be in a rebuild and to some extent he's correct, especially if you associate being really bad with "rebuild". We've been pretty good for a long time.
However, and this definitely is mine, I think we're smack dab in the middle of a rebuild which is going to take two seasons. If you look at the 2024 Grey Cup team roster and compare it what it's going to have to look like in 2027, it's effectively a rebuild over two year seasons.
I tend to agree with what MOS said that it's not a "rebuild". He seems to have defined as a full tear down after a disaster season. A lot of core remains intact and we're signing them for 2 and 3 year deals. We've already been turning over the roster over the last couple years (Bighill, Alexander, Harris, etc) and it will continue to happen each year with certain veteran guys moving on each season.
But Walters has already stated that he and MOS agreed that this off season is different in the sense that the results were not good enough and this is the first time they've been in the situation to "re-tool" a team since they originally built it up from scratch.
Sport "life" is so much different than just about any other profession. The average length of time professional football players actually play the game is under 3 1/2 years so turnover in personnel is ongoing and crucial to monitor. It's how coaches and management handle that turnover - timing primarily - that dictates the success of a team or the lack thereof. As Kenny Rogers used to say, "Know when to hold them, know when to fold them".
Quote from: ModAdmin on Today at 12:24:29 AMSport "life" is so much different than just about any other profession. The average length of time professional football players actually play the game is under 3 1/2 years so turnover in personnel is ongoing and crucial to monitor. It's how coaches and management handle that turnover - timing primarily - that dictates the success of a team or the lack thereof. As Kenny Rogers used to say, "Know when to hold them, know when to fold them".
Seems the key to having a successful franchise is finding as many players as possible that have longer playng careers than the average, as most of the best players have careers between 5-10 years. The players that wash out in 3 1/2 years are usually those who's career ended with injury or those were never able to establish themselves.
Re-tool is in the cards.
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 15, 2026, 10:21:04 PMO'Shea is very evasive so I take that with a huge grain of salt. I'm not sure where I'd draw a line on rejig compared to re-build. It really comes down more to the ultimate success level than the number of players changed. He sugar coats his messaging.
Regardless of what he says, IMO this a re-building year process. New OC and DL coaches and still no QB coach or dual roles announced. Player issues with long potential free agent list and some serious injuries not clarified.
IDK if 2024 was a rejig in O'Shea's mind but it was clear what needed to be done was not done before the 1st game was played.
A lot can be accomplished with free agency acquisitions. Finding starters is a re-build. Signing marginal depth is a rejig.
History has repeated itself for the last 3 seasons. Mostly status quo.
I've mentioned that I think we'll re-sign the key players that are potential free agents. That in itself is not an improvement per se.
We'll see what new acquisitions look like. We'll find a few good new rookies and some 2025 players will improve.
It was announced that Condell will also be the QB coach.
https://x.com/JohnDHodge/status/2010789238070211021
Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on Today at 12:48:40 AMSeems the key to having a successful franchise is finding as many players as possible that have longer playng careers than the average
I think the key to success in the CFL is striking gold with your IMP ELC scouting, and to a lesser extent DPing. You simply will not win if you don't have 2-3 top tier gems on ELC.
Since ELC is 2 years you need to strike quickly with your success when you have this advantage. Or, if you have a hidden star who dev'd under the radar for 2 on ELC you can re-sign them for 1-2 more years on the cheap/sly, and reap their superstardom in their 3rd & 4th years.
The perfect example of this is MTL '23-'25. Or WPG '19-'23. SSK may buck the trend a little bit, but even '25 SSK had a couple of ELC gems (from DP, etc).
You simply have so much advantage if you have a $200k level guy stuck on a $80k contract. Then you fill out the rest of your roster with known-quantity expensive guys.
In this sense, maybe the scouts are the most critical part of a team...
The reason I think your idea of "longer playing careers" isn't as important is that the top guys will usually leave for big $$ in FA. The longer their career, the more likely they are to leave. So their career length doesn't help you at all. The only way it does is if you find a really loyal guy, or a homer, or the 1-2 guys you make the face of your team (Walby, Milt, Brady, etc).
Quote from: Jesse on Today at 12:04:17 AMI tend to agree with what MOS said that it's not a "rebuild".
I think most of us agree that a "blow it all up" rebuild isn't necessary right now. However, some may say we kind of need a rebuild of certain units. Like OL & DL.
Quote from: Jesse on Today at 12:04:17 AMBut Walters has already stated that he and MOS agreed that this off season is different in the sense that the results were not good enough and this is the first time they've been in the situation to "re-tool" a team since they originally built it up from scratch.
I'm not sure about "since they originally built it" (i.e. 2012)... Since 2016 or so, ya. Since Biggie, AH, Nichols arrived they have been in (my oft-said) "puzzle piece" mode. What MOS/KW may be hinting at is we have regressed so much in '25 that a simple "puzzle piece" (or 2, 3) is not going to fix our problems. In that sense, it is a "rebuild" of sorts compared to our normal standard.
For instance, I don't see how we sit by with just 1 change on OL. Normally our OL would suffer 1 big FA$$ loss to a sniper -- not us actually send a heretofore starter packing. Normally we'd already have our replacements in-house as NAT DP backups. None of this is true this FA. We're going to have to FA or scout/draft some major OL pieces -- AND they will have to be better than what we let walk in Ko-man and what we might let walk in Rand/Vant. Not to mention the probably-never-starter Eli and maybe-never-starter bad-round-DP Viebert.
This topic of a rebuild is BS.
Teams turnover many of their players for various reasons.
Most serious Bomber fans can tell when the changes are needed.
The Bombers are way too old. Football players have a shelf life from 20-30. (Give or take a few years.) hanging on to some guys is great for sentimental reasons. Not so much for being the best players at their positions.
I sentimentally still think big Stan and Neuf? I think they Can still be adequate.
What about Brady? How about that volleyball player? Eh I mean D E ? Three sacks?! That is embarrassing.
Oh well Walter's,Danny and OShea do well with what they have..and Wade resurrected the sinking ship. Now he should be the next commish
Agree with Techno on the OL and DL, critical for us to improve and think long term success and continuity with these units. OL worries me, DL will sort itself out hopefully.