Bomber Free Agents

[Blue In BC]

Not surprised by T Ford getting an NFL tryout.

I wont be surprised if he gets a job there.

IMO it's still a long shot. The catch is that this time, if he returns he is no longer under contract with the Bombers. Potentially returning mid season makes fitting him into a CFL roster SMS will be more difficult. It's not impossible but not every team will be able to achieve that.

Ford will be turning 27 in March and is only 5'11". He's not exactly the kind of player the NFL likes at CB. IIRC wasn't he tried out more as an inside safety player in 2023?

Either way, there will be dozens of NFL draft choices which will have an edge.

From a Bomber perspective, he has longer to decide on any NFL opportunities since he becomes a complete free agent in February. In that sense, the Bombers may need to move on with other choices including CFL free agency etc etc.

I'd like him back and understand his NFL wish, but at some point we'll have a spot to fill in the secondary.

[theaardvark]

 don't think the WFC needs to make any drastic choices to cover for his potential sticking in the NFL.  We always have "next man up" in the DB's, and have already signed a couple potential replacements.

If he sticks, we will be fine.  If he doesn't, we should have space to bring him back...

[Blue In BC]

don't think the WFC needs to make any drastic choices to cover for his potential sticking in the NFL.  We always have "next man up" in the DB's, and have already signed a couple potential replacements.

If he sticks, we will be fine.  If he doesn't, we should have space to bring him back...

We've had success finding new DB's. Having SMS space and needing to compete with other CFL teams provides no certainty he'd be back.

Obviously we've speculated that he'll be looking for $150K-$200K ( too much IMO ) but that's a side question.

[theaardvark]

We've had success finding new DB's. Having SMS space and needing to compete with other CFL teams provides no certainty he'd be back.

Obviously we've speculated that he'll be looking for $150K-$200K ( too much IMO ) but that's a side question.

Miller will be waiving $SMS concerns this year, I have no doubt.

Making Ford the highest paid DB in the league is fine with me.

There will be space on the roster as anyone we bring in to fight for his spot can be PR'd.

Don't sign a high profile FA to fill his spot, is all I'm saying,  Make some ELC rooks fight for it, and if he comes back, his space (roster and cap) are there.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

IMO it's still a long shot. The catch is that this time, if he returns he is no longer under contract with the Bombers. Potentially returning mid season makes fitting him into a CFL roster SMS will be more difficult. It's not impossible but not every team will be able to achieve that.

Ford will be turning 27 in March and is only 5'11". He's not exactly the kind of player the NFL likes at CB. IIRC wasn't he tried out more as an inside safety player in 2023?

Either way, there will be dozens of NFL draft choices which will have an edge.

From a Bomber perspective, he has longer to decide on any NFL opportunities since he becomes a complete free agent in February. In that sense, the Bombers may need to move on with other choices including CFL free agency etc etc.

I'd like him back and understand his NFL wish, but at some point we'll have a spot to fill in the secondary.

I would focus on re-signing Holm asap while Ford hems and haws on his direction as he's likely to string that decision out as long as possible like he's done before.  They lost Alford to the NFL in 2021 and didn't skip a beat.

[Blue In BC]

Miller will be waiving $SMS concerns this year, I have no doubt.

Making Ford the highest paid DB in the league is fine with me.

There will be space on the roster as anyone we bring in to fight for his spot can be PR'd.

Don't sign a high profile FA to fill his spot, is all I'm saying,  Make some ELC rooks fight for it, and if he comes back, his space (roster and cap) are there.

You keep spinning the idea that the Bombers will have no regard for the SMS. I disagree and think this is just another of your tin hat ideas. Class organizations don't do that.

I also don't think Ford is worth being the highest paid DB in the CFL.

Suggesting we just wait until he returns is not a smart idea since it's possible he may not return at all. It's not usual for the Bombers to look to sign high profile free agent, but it's not impossible.

Preferably we spend some SMS on the DL which has been an issue.

[Blue In BC]

I would focus on re-signing Holm asap while Ford hems and haws on his direction as he's likely to string that decision out as long as possible like he's done before.  They lost Alford to the NFL in 2021 and didn't skip a beat.

Fair assessment. The Bombers will have a pretty good idea about whether Ford will sit out the 2025 CFl looking towards the NFL. If he's just going to see how things look in the short term, the Bombers should know whether he'll look to the CFL for 2025.

All this will suggest they'd know what his interest in the Bombers and SMS demand will be going forward. At best he likely explores CFL free agency. That may or may not be a significant barrier for his return.

If he hasn't re-signed in Winnipeg by 1 week after free agency opens, I think we will have moved forward. If Ento reaches free agency and we haven't signed Ford, then we should see what his demand will be.

In the meantime we need to lock down Holm so we don't have 2 potential spots in the secondary to deal with going into 2025.  There is a reasonable chance that we may look to replace Alexander as well.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

You keep spinning the idea that the Bombers will have no regard for the SMS. I disagree and think this is just another of your tin hat ideas. Class organizations don't do that.

Walters confirmed they wouldn't change their approach to the budget for a home GC year just last week.

[theaardvark]

Walters won't make a conscious attempt to change the $SMS protocol, but if it comes to a point where a player we need means spending more than budgeted, I bet Miller steps in and says "open the wallet".

Of course you cay you're not overspending, that just opes you up for being held up in contract talks. Overbidding won't be the rule, but matching sure will be on the table.  We're not letting a top player walk for $15k this year.

[Blue In BC]

Walters won't make a conscious attempt to change the $SMS protocol, but if it comes to a point where a player we need means spending more than budgeted, I bet Miller steps in and says "open the wallet".

Of course you cay you're not overspending, that just opes you up for being held up in contract talks. Overbidding won't be the rule, but matching sure will be on the table.  We're not letting a top player walk for $15k this year.

He did exactly that in 2024 letting Hardrick, Grant, Gray, Bailey, Jeffcoat and Houston depart. In 2023 we let Sayles leave.

The bigger issue with Ford is when he might be available. The wallet only stays open so long before the SMS is spent. It's an advantage that he's Canadian but it's not a critical need for the ratio.

[theaardvark]

Whenever he becomes available, I am sure Miller will tell Walters to make it happen...  not at more than his brother, though, unless he changes to QB... lol.

Meanwhile, will be interesting with all the coaching/management changes where QBs end up...

[TecnoGenius]

Whenever he becomes available, I am sure Miller will tell Walters to make it happen...

Ya, WM has shown he will step in when warranted, and he may have different ideas from KW vis a vis the cap.  And they can jawbone about whatever they want, doesn't mean they won't do something else.

When the Lions $300k overage is revealed, people's mindset may change.  And if it's clear BC is overspending again in '25... all bets are off.

[TecnoGenius]

If he hasn't re-signed in Winnipeg by 1 week after free agency opens, I think we will have moved forward. If Ento reaches free agency and we haven't signed Ford, then we should see what his demand will be.

Ento would be nice, but we haven't made splash FA for DB since Heath (FWIR).  DB is one of those units we insist on finding guys, whether cheap rookies we scout or overlooked gems cut by other teams, and dev'ing them.  And it's worked pretty well.

Ento is miles away the best DB and should be paid as such.  CFL precedent hints that he'll get insane money going to a barrel-bottom team.

[TecnoGenius]

From a Bomber perspective, he has longer to decide on any NFL opportunities since he becomes a complete free agent in February. In that sense, the Bombers may need to move on with other choices including CFL free agency etc etc.

BC set the precedent... So let Ford go chase the NFL again, and when he comes back in week 9 let's make it work by paying him whatever we need to keep him on our team.

I'm assuming Ford has a bit of team loyalty and brotherhood and actually wants to be here.  If he really wants to be elsewhere, then let him walk.

Bonus is he'll only cost a half year of SMS.

Any guy we dress until then can just go back to the PR, unless we strike gold again.

[Pete]

Ya, WM has shown he will step in when warranted, and he may have different ideas from KW vis a vis the cap.  And they can jawbone about whatever they want, doesn't mean they won't do something else.

When the Lions $300k overage is revealed, people's mindset may change.  And if it's clear BC is overspending again in '25... all bets are off.

What people forget is that with bringing in Rourke that put them over the cap significantly, but it was a unique situation in that it meant giving up their first round pick but they knew that they could then turn around and trade Adams after the season and get back a first round pick or close.
So basically its going to cost them in dollars but not in picks. |We wouldn't have that luxury