2024-2025 CFL (non-Bomber) off-season discussion

[J5V]

Walters comment on Bighill from last weeks Jeff Hamilton FP article.

4) Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea, when asked about Adam Bighill's future in Winnipeg, noted some of those conversations might still need to be had. I've been told that Bighill won't be offered a contract ahead of free agency, putting his CFL future in a bit of doubt. Bighill has been a staple on Winnipeg's defence, spending half of his 12 CFL seasons with the Blue and Gold, winning two of his three Most Outstanding Defensive Player awards (2019,2021) on the Prairies. Bighill is 36 and is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in the Labour Day Classic. The Bombers have also signed Tony Jones, who played admirably in relief of Bighill last season. Bighill vowed to return to playing when asked during Grey Cup week, so we'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

Very interesting. Absolutely loved his contribution to the Bombers over the years but surely Biggie is at the end of his professional playing career. Great athleticism to go along with a great motor and work ethic. If this is the end for Biggie I wish him all the best. The man was a beast!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Very interesting. Absolutely loved his contribution to the Bombers over the years but surely Biggie is at the end of his professional playing career. Great athleticism to go along with a great motor and work ethic. If this is the end for Biggie I wish him all the best. The man was a beast!

Keep in mind Bighill will not be ready for the start of the season, so Walters has no pressure to get a deal done before TC and has time to make Bighill a delayed offer if he wants as long as no other team takes a flyer on him in FA.

[The Fresh Prince Of Belair, MB]

And just like that, Rider Nation becomes fans of Andrew Harris.

This is gross.

A few heads will definitely explode, Harris getting busted for PEDs was the best thing that happened to Rider fans since their last Grey Cup win all the way back in 2013 

[Waffler]

Jeff Hamilton writing about Harris in the Free Press..

Harris noted a few times during his media conference the Riders were
the ones to offer him a job, adding he had spoken to a few teams in
the process. What he didn't say was he attempted to contact the
Bombers but his calls were not returned.

It's unclear why the Bombers were seemingly uninterested in adding
to their coaching staff someone as decorated as Harris...

Part of it would certainly be that the Bombers already have a quality
running backs coach in Jason Hogan, who has done an admirable job with
Harris's replacement, Brady Oliveira. Oliveira, who has talked
glowingly about his relationship with Hogan...

Part of it could be a lack of trust between Harris and Bombers head
coach Mike O'Shea that first arose when Harris showed up to training
camp out of shape ahead of the 2021 season. With Oliveira ready to
take on a bigger role the following year, the transition from one
Winnipeg-born tailback to another led to a messy breakup between the
Bombers and Harris, who was given a low-ball offer at the 11th hour
before eventually signing with the Argos.

[Ridermania]

Lions Bo Lokombo retires.

https://3downnation.com/2025/01/21/canadian-lb-bo-lokombo-retires-after-10-seasons-in-cfl/

[blue_gold_84]

Part of it would certainly be that the Bombers already have a quality
running backs coach in Jason Hogan, who has done an admirable job with
Harris's replacement, Brady Oliveira. Oliveira, who has talked
glowingly about his relationship with Hogan...

This has to be (or should be) the main reason. Hogan's an excellent RB coach.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Jeff Hamilton writing about Harris in the Free Press..

Harris noted a few times during his media conference the Riders were
the ones to offer him a job, adding he had spoken to a few teams in
the process. What he didn't say was he attempted to contact the
Bombers but his calls were not returned.

It's unclear why the Bombers were seemingly uninterested in adding
to their coaching staff someone as decorated as Harris...

Part of it would certainly be that the Bombers already have a quality
running backs coach in Jason Hogan, who has done an admirable job with
Harris's replacement, Brady Oliveira. Oliveira, who has talked
glowingly about his relationship with Hogan...

Part of it could be a lack of trust between Harris and Bombers head
coach Mike O'Shea that first arose when Harris showed up to training
camp out of shape ahead of the 2021 season. With Oliveira ready to
take on a bigger role the following year, the transition from one
Winnipeg-born tailback to another led to a messy breakup between the
Bombers and Harris, who was given a low-ball offer at the 11th hour
before eventually signing with the Argos.

Without an OC in place the Bombers shouldn't be hiring assistants for him.  Love Harris but the next two players in line to be offered entry level coaching positions should be Biggie and BA, if they're interested in pursuing that career option.

[gordo]

Jeff Hamilton writing about Harris in the Free Press..

 he attempted to contact the
Bombers but his calls were not returned.

Was surprised to read that this morning. Calling back with a polite "no thank-you we have no position for you at the moment" would be proper business etiquette, especially for a high profile Bomber alum like Harris. 

Not returning his calls?  I'm skeptical.  The Bombers don't operate that way.

Or there's more to the break-up story and their relationship with Harris then we have been privy to.

 
 

[theaardvark]

Wow.

We are the river city, and have so many bridges here, but AH33 seems intent of burning them all. 

Not sure how many coaches are hired after "attempting to make contact" with a team.  Pretty sure its unsurprisingly near zero.

Like when he chose to not come in for a physical in order to get a contract offer. 

If he wanted a job with the Bombers, waiting for a phone call to be returned is probably not the optimal way to go about it. He knows where the office is, how about dropping in with a resume?

But, like Pinball, the Riders saw an opportunity and took it, and I have no doubt if Ouilette is the RB, he should be a good fit. 

AH33 is proud and passionate, and I get that his ego can be easily bruised.  I'd just prefer if he didn't bash the Bombers so much.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Was surprised to read that this morning. Calling back with a polite "no thank-you we have no position for you at the moment" would be proper business etiquette, especially for a high profile Bomber alum like Harris. 

Not returning his calls?  I'm skeptical.  The Bombers don't operate that way.

Or there's more to the break-up story and their relationship with Harris then we have been privy to.

Unfortunately they do, it's been well documented in the past few years they don't do a good enough job communicating with players entering free agency keeping them informed of their status in the broad picture, which leads to miscommunication and frustration on behalf of the players. 

[dd]

Jeff Hamilton writing about Harris in the Free Press..

Harris noted a few times during his media conference the Riders were
the ones to offer him a job, adding he had spoken to a few teams in
the process. What he didn't say was he attempted to contact the
Bombers but his calls were not returned.

It's unclear why the Bombers were seemingly uninterested in adding
to their coaching staff someone as decorated as Harris...

Part of it would certainly be that the Bombers already have a quality
running backs coach in Jason Hogan, who has done an admirable job with
Harris's replacement, Brady Oliveira. Oliveira, who has talked
glowingly about his relationship with Hogan...

Part of it could be a lack of trust between Harris and Bombers head
coach Mike O'Shea that first arose when Harris showed up to training
camp out of shape ahead of the 2021 season. With Oliveira ready to
take on a bigger role the following year, the transition from one
Winnipeg-born tailback to another led to a messy breakup between the
Bombers and Harris, who was given a low-ball offer at the 11th hour
before eventually signing with the Argos.

I can understand why the Bombers didn't return his call for a number of reasons, the Bombers are set at that coaching position and why rock the boat. Sad it couldn't have ended better for him, but he made his own bed on this one.

[Jesse]

Unfortunately they do, it's been well documented in the past few years they don't do a good enough job communicating with players entering free agency keeping them informed of their status in the broad picture, which leads to miscommunication and frustration on behalf of the players. 

Well documented by the players who have been moved on from, perhaps.

I take these comments with a grain of salt.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well documented by the players who have been moved on from, perhaps.

I take these comments with a grain of salt.

Definitely, Harris, Jeffcoat and Bailey come to mind, also failing to get hold of Janarion Grant can't be forgiven.

[dd]

Definitely, Harris, Jeffcoat and Bailey come to mind, also failing to get hold of Janarion Grant can't be forgiven.

I think it was Grant who wasn't returning phone calls on that one. I can understand the Bailey scenario, but not the Jeffcoat one, why we didn't offer him a contract and went ahead with the slugs we had at DE is beyond me.

[markf]

Wpg sun... Jeffcoat interview

It took him a while to get there, though, including one very dark day when he first realized that after 10 years as a pro and six seasons with the Bombers, it was over.

"Yesterday I was really in shock," is how he put it. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to move. I just wanted to sleep. I couldn't. I just tried to process it all."

"It all began with silence from the Bombers.

No doubt they had bigger potential free-agent fish to fry this off-season, but Jeffcoat would have at least liked to hear something.

"I don't think it was handled right," he said. "I understand it's business, nothing personal. But in business there's communication. And there wasn't any communication, really."