OLine solutions...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Yes, that appears to be the need for this draft.  TE/FB, unless we find a FA castoff NAT who will work for near-ELC...

I can't think of a FB who got 100, but maybe one of those teams that throws the trick play to the FB/TE more often than usual?  Who was that the last couple of years: BC, MTL?  Don't remember.  That play seemed to disappear in 2023, but was more common 2021-22?

The best example of a FB/TE type player in the league is Milanovic-Litre who's been all around the league, but just moved from Ottawa to Hamilton.

[Jesse]

The best example of a FB/TE type player in the league is Milanovic-Litre who's been all around the league, but just moved from Ottawa to Hamilton.

I think with the bigger CFL fields, having a TE is kind of wasted. We'd rather just have the extra receiver on the field.

[LXTSN]

I think with the bigger CFL fields, having a TE is kind of wasted. We'd rather just have the extra receiver on the field.

I would say the closest thing to a NAT TE in this league would be Jevon Cottoy. I think that type of WR/TE would be a better fit to replace Bailey, rather than fit them into a FB position.

Leadblocking and and special teams play would be the most important skills for a new fullback. I thought Burtenshaw was decent, is he still available?

[CrazyCanuck89]

I think with the bigger CFL fields, having a TE is kind of wasted. We'd rather just have the extra receiver on the field.

Tighends and bigger and faster than the Dalla Riva and Gabriel days.  They should be a mismatch for any CFL linebacker.

[theaardvark]

But when's the last time we started week 1 with a rookie ELC IMP OL OT?  Never?  Not since I've been paying attention.  Heck, our OL success run with Yoshi/Stan was literally built on sniping established tackles from other teams.

Why all of a sudden do we think that either a) import rookie Jesus shows up TC and can start week 1, or b) one of our own existing "dev" IMP OT will be good enough?  That would be relying on something the Mafia has literally never done before.

I think (a) is a pipe dream, foggettaboutit.  (b) Is more to our MO (at other positions), but is still a moonshot.

Maybe we still snipe an existing, established FA.  So many out there, some may take peanuts to keep working, and play for the best, GC-bound team.  If I had to place bets, this would be my bet.

If come week 1 it's Neufeld @ RT, then we know we were in "no other options" mode.  Maybe he'll rise to the challenge, who knows.  He wasn't bad when there; just not Yoshi level.  I'd say Neuf @ RT is at least as good as Rice.

SO, I guess Lofton makes us a GC champ again?

[LXTSN]

Great to have added competition. Lofton, Ivy and Vanderpoole should be what everyone has their eyes on in training camp!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I would say the closest thing to a NAT TE in this league would be Jevon Cottoy. I think that type of WR/TE would be a better fit to replace Bailey, rather than fit them into a FB position.

Leadblocking and and special teams play would be the most important skills for a new fullback. I thought Burtenshaw was decent, is he still available?

Both Cottoy and Bailey are SB's, FB/TE is a different position altogether often used to extend the O-line. Cottoy may have the size to play that position but they've never played him there, whereas Milanovic-Litre has played that position his entire career, Argo Declan Cross was also a good example.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Lofton is a known commodity with CFL experience. He's important either as an early season starter or depth piece. Both are important. Richmond was clearly our succession plan but it didn't crumble for us the right way. Hopefully we'll find an American tackle in training camp who can be a good option by Labour Day but at least we're not automatically penciling in a rookie day 1. Gotta protect to be able to use all the money tied up in our receivers.

[Blueforlife]

Our OL will take time to gel.  We will find a couple new decent pieces.  We have been spoiled rotten with our group and agree with that those see potential / have in names, coaches and management.

Now if we get a couple key injuries, I'm worried.  We have also been lucky with that.  Normally lose a couple big guys in camp or along the way.  Hopefully we are healthy and find a couple new faces to develop.  I'm excited for the season, will be another good one that's for sure.

To me a good OL isn't made it's developed.  We are in transition and if we can build consistency in our group it will be the backbone of the club as it has been in the past.  Big shoes to fill.

[DM83]

What the jell is wrong with you guys?
Gray was the worst player in the line.  He was the first to miss his block and run downfield to the third level, and miss a second block in the secondary,  he was very tall.

Hardwick was a good bet to miss a block every game.  He was lucky that
 Our QB got rid. Of the ball fast, or escaped contain.  Hardwick was obviously given the. o lineman award, because it was getting embarrassing for Stanley to win it again.

Those two guys won't be missed

True they do have to get two new guys to play.  But we all knew change was evident.
We need to get Castillo signed same with Grant.

[TecnoGenius]

SO, I guess Lofton makes us a GC champ again?

Haha, ya.  Reading my post again I think I nailed it: we know we need a vet(ish) at RT.  But surely many others on the FA list were better bets?  Or maybe Lofton is the only one who'd take our pittan$e?  Anyone we bring up on ELC will just be the next IMP dev guy.  (Ivy's kind of in a weird middle ground.)

Reading Yoshi's "guilty" presser, surely there was some way we could have met him in the middle?  I bet if we came within $50k of SSK we could have kept him.  Argh, aggravating.

Here's how I see it: if we had a readymade solution in a PR guy who we know can do it, or a cast-off who we know can do it and know we can get, or an already-here NAT we know can do it... then you let Yoshi walk.  If you don't have one of those things, and the alternative is panic chaos and sackfest, then why oh why don't you find the cheapest price you can keep Yoshi for?

Now I'm wondering about Richmond... what occurred first?  Did Richmond retire or did Yoshi agree to terms with SSK?  If Richmond retired after Yoshi's decision, then I'm calling shenanigans.  If Mafia had Richmond set as the solution then this is one big cluster.  If that happened, KW is fuming.

As for Lofton... I'm not sure Rice wouldn't be a better RT choice, though once again this may hint that money is critically low...

[TecnoGenius]

Gray was the worst player in the line.  He was the first to miss his block and run downfield to the third level, and miss a second block in the secondary,  he was very tall.

Hardwick was a good bet to miss a block every game.  He was lucky that
 Our QB got rid. Of the ball fast, or escaped contain.  Hardwick was obviously given the. o lineman award, because it was getting embarrassing for Stanley to win it again.

Those two guys won't be missed

They will be missed if the replacements are worse.  And it's very easy to be worse than allstar Yoshi and pretty-good Gray.

As we see across the league, finding good IMP RTs (let alone great ones!) is very, very difficult.  I don't know why, but it just is.  How often are we laughing at the pathetic OLs other (bad) teams put together?  That could be us now.

You're right that Gray sometimes blew his run blocks.  But I wouldn't say it was horrible.  Same with Hardrick, if he lets a guy blow by once a game, great, that's better than 90% of the other RTs.  He's a superb run blocker, washer, sealer.

If we field a meh RT, just watch to see what happens to Brady's run game.  All that money might mean nothing if we can't get those seals and blocks.  Half of Brady's success is just our OL.

[TecnoGenius]

I've decided not to panic for one simple reason: The Canadian Mafia has always bailed us out of catastrophic-looking OL problems.

Remember when Chungh left?  Freaking out was pointless, the next guy (Neufeld?) stepped in and we didn't even miss him.

Remember when Bond left?  We finally filled the G spot with a NAT and we didn't miss him.

Remember when Goosen suddenly retired ("pulled a Richmond" haha), Couture (I think) stepped in and was even better.

Couture, in turn, leaves, and Ko-man steps up and is nearly as good.

Desjar leaves and it's panic time: Gray steps in and while not as good, was good enough to keep our OL top-3 in league.

Speller, Spooner, etc, guys who were in the pipe and signed elsewhere.  Not missed.

This current panic seems a bit worse because it's a OT, not an interior guy, but since they always come up with magic, I'll defer my panic... until Zach takes 6 sacks in week 1, because The Mafia has always shown they'll find a way.  So far.

[Jesse]

Haha, ya.  Reading my post again I think I nailed it: we know we need a vet(ish) at RT.  But surely many others on the FA list were better bets?  Or maybe Lofton is the only one who'd take our pittan$e?  Anyone we bring up on ELC will just be the next IMP dev guy.  (Ivy's kind of in a weird middle ground.)

Reading Yoshi's "guilty" presser, surely there was some way we could have met him in the middle?  I bet if we came within $50k of SSK we could have kept him.  Argh, aggravating.

Here's how I see it: if we had a readymade solution in a PR guy who we know can do it, or a cast-off who we know can do it and know we can get, or an already-here NAT we know can do it... then you let Yoshi walk.  If you don't have one of those things, and the alternative is panic chaos and sackfest, then why oh why don't you find the cheapest price you can keep Yoshi for?

Now I'm wondering about Richmond... what occurred first?  Did Richmond retire or did Yoshi agree to terms with SSK?  If Richmond retired after Yoshi's decision, then I'm calling shenanigans.  If Mafia had Richmond set as the solution then this is one big cluster.  If that happened, KW is fuming.

As for Lofton... I'm not sure Rice wouldn't be a better RT choice, though once again this may hint that money is critically low...

They knew Richmond was talking retirement after the season ended. He talked about it in his exit interviews. Bob Irving claims we wanted Yoshi to stay, and I'm sure he'd rather of stayed, the only conclusion I can draw is that Sask's offer was far and away better than what we could offer (if we were even able to make an offer becasue we were still working things out with Brady and Dalton).

[theaardvark]

Haha, ya.  Reading my post again I think I nailed it: we know we need a vet(ish) at RT.  But surely many others on the FA list were better bets?  Or maybe Lofton is the only one who'd take our pittan$e?  Anyone we bring up on ELC will just be the next IMP dev guy.  (Ivy's kind of in a weird middle ground.)

Reading Yoshi's "guilty" presser, surely there was some way we could have met him in the middle?  I bet if we came within $50k of SSK we could have kept him.  Argh, aggravating.

Here's how I see it: if we had a readymade solution in a PR guy who we know can do it, or a cast-off who we know can do it and know we can get, or an already-here NAT we know can do it... then you let Yoshi walk.  If you don't have one of those things, and the alternative is panic chaos and sackfest, then why oh why don't you find the cheapest price you can keep Yoshi for?

Now I'm wondering about Richmond... what occurred first?  Did Richmond retire or did Yoshi agree to terms with SSK?  If Richmond retired after Yoshi's decision, then I'm calling shenanigans.  If Mafia had Richmond set as the solution then this is one big cluster.  If that happened, KW is fuming.

As for Lofton... I'm not sure Rice wouldn't be a better RT choice, though once again this may hint that money is critically low...

Which of Oliviera or Schoen do you give up to sign Hardrick?  Just curious...