Blue Bombers Transactions - October 5

[Blue In BC]

Picture this, Houston, Parker and Nichols all get season-enders in week 18.  Trade deadline has past.  If Lawrence and ADS have the ability to negotiate a new contract rather than have to be forced into re-upping the old contract, are you telling me a savvy PR guy wouldn't hold the team hostage for all he thinks he could reasonably get?

They know the system, they are decent to good replacements, they're already here.  Sure, that would be seen as being a holes, but if a player didn't feel a huge loyalty to the team, was expecting to be cut in FA, and was bitter about being PR'd to begin with, what's to keep them from looking out for #1?  Even if you were the nicest guy, you'd wink at KW and say you need a little bump.

Again, trades aren't possible, so it's the PR guys or you're looking at couch guys who may not have played all season, or some never-played-CFL raw recruit from the USA.  None of those will help you win you a playoff.

That's why I can't believe the existing contract doesn't come into play to limit the options of the PR player in this scenario.  We all know all the CFL contracts are structured to heavily favor the teams, not the players.  Why would the team owners / GMs leave this little vulnerability in there?  Makes no sense.

I think this says it all.

https://as2.ftcdn.net/v2/jpg/03/57/95/21/1000_F_357952137_w9KpDmwYHwOz9dEgsEYbXAY8v4v17oIu.jpg

[theaardvark]

Picture this, Houston, Parker and Nichols all get season-enders in week 18.  Trade deadline has past.  If Lawrence and ADS have the ability to negotiate a new contract rather than have to be forced into re-upping the old contract, are you telling me a savvy PR guy wouldn't hold the team hostage for all he thinks he could reasonably get?

They know the system, they are decent to good replacements, they're already here.  Sure, that would be seen as being a holes, but if a player didn't feel a huge loyalty to the team, was expecting to be cut in FA, and was bitter about being PR'd to begin with, what's to keep them from looking out for #1?  Even if you were the nicest guy, you'd wink at KW and say you need a little bump.

Again, trades aren't possible, so it's the PR guys or you're looking at couch guys who may not have played all season, or some never-played-CFL raw recruit from the USA.  None of those will help you win you a playoff.

That's why I can't believe the existing contract doesn't come into play to limit the options of the PR player in this scenario.  We all know all the CFL contracts are structured to heavily favor the teams, not the players.  Why would the team owners / GMs leave this little vulnerability in there?  Makes no sense.

On the PR you are basically a free agent getting a minimal salary for working on the taxi squad. 

In your case, ANY DB on a PR anywhere has the same negotiating power.  And yes, putting a player on the PR is taking a chance that someone may scoop him, or that you may have to reactivate him at an increased cost (for the playoffs, where players get no salary, just playoff money?)  Ok, give him a contract for $300k/yr for the playoffs.

Might there be undated but signed contracts in the drawer for re-activation?   Most likely.  Are those valid and binding?  Nope.  But if they are reasonable, no reason for either side not to date and sign them.  If player/agent or team thinks the situation has changed, any are free to negotiate what is essentially a new contract/deal.

First guy to "ask for the world" in coming off the PR gets an apple and a roadmap in Bomberland, and probably most teams.

ADS is a free agent right now, not on the PR.  Can he "asl for the world"?  You bet.  And Walters will make a judgement as to how much that specific player's value is, and will sign or pass.

Is ADS still in town, on our special double secret PR?  Who knows.  I'd probably bring him back to the AR over Lawrence, McGhee or Karamoko.  We know what he's about.  The one thing we do not know is how he has been handling his demotion, and how much effort he has been putting in.  These are both big MOS needs, and getting cut from the PR might suggest that he has fallen in managements eyes.  Or, that he wanted his freedom to explore other avenues (see: Muhammed in Edm) but remain on Walters speed dial.  Its not like PR money makes a big difference.

One year deals signed today have almost no value or $SMS implications.   So, have at it.  "Ask for the world".

[Blue In BC]

I've heard suggestions that Neufled wasn't replaced on the AR due to SMS restrictions. I mentioned we only had 1 Canadian left on the PR and that was Schmekel. Overall I doubt SMS had anything to do with any of this.

We saved some money with Lawler not being able to dress for the 1st 6 games. Wilson and Rose missed 6 games. Gauthier has missed 11 games and Miller has missed all 15. The players that replaced them were essentially on ELC's.  We've had very few players on the 1 game IR which counts against the SMS.

I can't imagine the team accounted for long term IR ( savings ) and such a minimal 1 game IR ( benefit ) when planning out the SMS.

The last few seasons when the standing have been decided, the team activated 5 - 6 players from the PR. Just a rough estimate but that's perhaps an increase from a $1K salary to $4K game salary. $3K X 6 = $18K extra cost which you'd think they do plan for in the overall picture.  That said the Bombers exceeded the 2022 SMS by $55K?  I can't remember if we had a bad year with cost on 1 game IR?

In any case: if the standing are settled before we play again or for our last game, I would expect to see 5 - 6 PR players dress so some veterans can heal a bit. It will depend somewhat on additional injuries. I could imagine dressing 2 DL, 1 or 2 receivers and 1 or 2 OL for our last game unless it's a must win day.

[TecnoGenius]

On the PR you are basically a free agent getting a minimal salary for working on the taxi squad. 

Then now I finally understand why Gaitor got so upset and threw a hissy fit.  I always wondered why these guys got so angry late in the season with roster shuffles.  I never realized how crappy the PR was.  It's a huge snub, both reputation-wise and financially, for any non-ELC or vet contracted guy.

[TecnoGenius]

In any case: if the standing are settled before we play again or for our last game, I would expect to see 5 - 6 PR players dress so some veterans can heal a bit. It will depend somewhat on additional injuries. I could imagine dressing 2 DL, 1 or 2 receivers and 1 or 2 OL for our last game unless it's a must win day.

That would be the smart play, IMHO.  Rest up, rest even more than TOR has been.  Don't risk the "big guns" to injury.

As I said before, the BC games all occur before our games, both inter- and intra-week.  In a perfect world BC will lose their first (best), or second (ok) game and we get 2 weeks of resting guys, then another week to rest everyone on semi-final week.

However, BC losing their first game would also mean BC can rest everyone in their final game.  We may prefer they have to play hard in that game to get beat up?  Meh, I'd rather have the WDF home date set in stone as early as possible as you never know what the barrel-bottom teams will do as potential spoilers.

In any event BC gets that very convenient final week bye so they do get a rest for the WSF.

[Blue In BC]

That would be the smart play, IMHO.  Rest up, rest even more than TOR has been.  Don't risk the "big guns" to injury.

As I said before, the BC games all occur before our games, both inter- and intra-week.  In a perfect world BC will lose their first (best), or second (ok) game and we get 2 weeks of resting guys, then another week to rest everyone on semi-final week.

However, BC losing their first game would also mean BC can rest everyone in their final game.  We may prefer they have to play hard in that game to get beat up?  Meh, I'd rather have the WDF home date set in stone as early as possible as you never know what the barrel-bottom teams will do as potential spoilers.

In any event BC gets that very convenient final week bye so they do get a rest for the WSF.

It's a slippery slope from a financial point of view. What ever we spend extra by 1 gaming some starters adds to the SMS. Even if we are under the cap, it takes away money that could be used up before free agency as signing bonus's applied to the 2023 cap.

As I suggested it probably adds a net increase of activating a player from PR while 1 game IR'ing a starter. I think we should to that but I understand there are possible downside / considerations as well.

If Lions lose at least 1 game before we play, I expect the best decision is resting some starters. We'd also see players like Augustine, BOO, Cole, Clements, Dobson, Eli get more reps than normal.

EDIT: Quick check across all rosters ( not always the most current info ). I show 52 Canadians on IR and 27 left on PR's. Just over 137 players on all the IR lists combined.

[blue_gold_84]

Argos sign AMER WR Agudosi: https://www.argonauts.ca/2023/10/10/argos-add-american-wr-carlton-agudosi/

[Jesse]

Argos sign AMER WR Agudosi: https://www.argonauts.ca/2023/10/10/argos-add-american-wr-carlton-agudosi/

Oh, screw them, lol.

[Waffler]

People will deny it and say it does not help to do a "playbook" signing but was pretty sure they were set at receiver. so...

[theaardvark]

Agudosi has potential, if he could get out of the tub.  Would have thought they'd sign ADS for that purpose... but whatever.  Pinball being Pinball... signing our injured...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Agudosi has potential, if he could get out of the tub.  Would have thought they'd sign ADS for that purpose... but whatever.  Pinball being Pinball... signing our injured...

Agudosi has been healthy since Lawler came back, clearly no chance to get him back in the lineup without injury to a starter. 

[Blue In BC]

People will deny it and say it does not help to do a "playbook" signing but was pretty sure they were set at receiver. so...

They have injuries at receiver and they didn't have the top group in the 1st place. Besides every team has been looking at some extra bodies on their PR's.

[Blue In BC]

Agudosi has potential, if he could get out of the tub.  Would have thought they'd sign ADS for that purpose... but whatever.  Pinball being Pinball... signing our injured...

Riders signed ADS. I'm still a little surprised we cut him before some newer players on the PR. Maybe he wanted out.  Riders have some issues in their secondary and I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the AR.  They have 3 starters on IR including 2 on 6 game IR. Also 1 back up on IR so they are thin and look at what Hamilton did to them this weekend. Gave up over 400 yards passing.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Riders signed ADS. I'm still a little surprised we cut him before some newer players on the PR. Maybe he wanted out.  Riders have some issues in their secondary and I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the AR.  They have 3 starters on IR including 2 on 6 game IR. Also 1 back up on IR so they are thin and look at what Hamilton did to them this weekend. Gave up over 400 yards passing.

Good move by the Riders, I predict he's a fixture in their secondary next season.

[Blue In BC]

Good move by the Riders, I predict he's a fixture in their secondary next season.

Quite probably he gets brought in for TC at the very least. Lower SMS hit and Riders have some older players that will not be back.