Positional Preview #5: Offensive Line

ModAdmin · April 27, 2024, 07:28:57 PM

Positional Preview #5: Offensive Line

"....They (the Oline) did their thing once again in 2023 as Brady Oliveira led the Canadian Football League in rushing, as Zach Collaros topped the loop in touchdown passes and Buck Pierce's offence rolled over defences to lead the league in scoring.

That's about to change in 2024, however, with the super-group seeing the departure of Hardrick to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in free agency – he became the league's highest-paid American O-lineman in the process – while Gray was another caught in the salary-cap squeeze and remains unsigned by any CFL team...."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/04/26/positional-preview-5-offensive-line-2/

Blueforlife · April 29, 2024, 03:46:25 PM

Key area to solidify

Our success will be defined by our OL strength

theaardvark · April 29, 2024, 05:58:04 PM

RT - competition, lots of beef coming to camp, whoever adapts to the CFL quickest can win the spot.
RG - Neufeld
OC - Kolankowsky
LG - Dobson
LT - Sir Stanley

6th - Eli

Will have a NAT draft pick or two labouring on the PR, as well as an American OT.

80% of the line back, plus the 6th man (I truly think Dobson earned the starting spot ahead of Gray, but not enough so that Gray started due to seniority). Should be a strength this year.

BomberFan73 · April 29, 2024, 07:05:25 PM

Gray hasn't signed anywhere, right? I wonder if he'll come back? We were able to dress all 5 NAT linemen for most games lastyear
We will need a young guy to draft too, but I don't think we go there RND 1

theaardvark · April 29, 2024, 07:36:47 PM

Quote from: BomberFan73 on April 29, 2024, 07:05:25 PMGray hasn't signed anywhere, right? I wonder if he'll come back? We were able to dress all 5 NAT linemen for most games lastyear
We will need a young guy to draft too, but I don't think we go there RND 1

Gray is local, and I believe he has good post career prospects here. I don't think we "need" him enough to make it worth his while to go through the abuse of another season. And i don't think he wants to move away for a season for what he will command on the open market, otherwise he'd already be gone. If we have some injuries in preseason, God forbid, I can see Walters making a phone call. TC is not pleasant for OLinemen, if he can skip that and slot in to play, it might be worthwhile to him then.

BomberFan73 · April 29, 2024, 09:11:23 PM

Quote from: theaardvark on April 29, 2024, 07:36:47 PMGray is local, and I believe he has good post career prospects here. I don't think we "need" him enough to make it worth his while to go through the abuse of another season. And i don't think he wants to move away for a season for what he will command on the open market, otherwise he'd already be gone. If we have some injuries in preseason, God forbid, I can see Walters making a phone call. TC is not pleasant for OLinemen, if he can skip that and slot in to play, it might be worthwhile to him then.

That's kinda what I'm thinking, more along the lines of insurance. I wonder if other teams have called, or if he's just thinking about moving on?

theaardvark · April 29, 2024, 09:45:45 PM

Quote from: BomberFan73 on April 29, 2024, 09:11:23 PMThat's kinda what I'm thinking, more along the lines of insurance. I wonder if other teams have called, or if he's just thinking about moving on?

I have no doubt other teams have called. I'm guessing its going to take quite an offer for him to move, and other teams won't give him Chung/Goossen/Hardrick numbers...