Canadians on Bomber roster

[Blue In BC]

Ok, somewhat of a re-hash. Somewhat just rhetorical babbling in the early morning.

In theory we probably see 2024 OL draft choices Ethan Kalra and Michael Vlahogiannis get added before TC. If we have a good opportunity to draft an OL, we may see that happen as well, although a chance that he returns to college for 1 more season. In that sense no impact to the final roster for 2025 per se.

Either way, depending on whether we change the ratio on the OL, I'd expect 1 of the two from 2024 end up on the Ar and the other on the PR.

Interested to see how Cobb and Gassama look in TC. Both are little in stature but could have some upside. Very likely we see 1 on the AR and 1 on the PR. Not sure either could play on coverage teams. Gassama might have the edge as an in game replacement at RB and receiver over Cobb who may only be receiver depth.

We lost 2 Canadian DB's in Ford and Hallett but added Makonzo and Hagerty. Both seem to have upside and at the moment I think both end up on the AR. That may change if we draft a DB. There appear to be some quality players available if they don't get NFL tryouts or picked before we do.

I think I spoke about DL earlier but the ranking seem to indicate that may be the strongest area of this years draft. IF a bunch don't get NFL tryouts, that might be what we do with an early pick.

Leroux probably ends up on the PR. He's probably the future going into 2026?

Since we don't know who we draft or at what position, it's not easy to determine what players might be at risk. I have a few ideas, but no point in naming names in an open conversation. That's more something done in a DM format.

The only certainty is that there are going to be some changes.

At the moment, I am looking forward to what some of the current new faces might bring to our roster and how it adjusts ratio decisions.

TC can't come soon enough.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Former Bomber third-round CFL draft pick Jeremy Murphy retires at age 25.

https://3downnation.com/2025/03/27/former-third-round-cfl-draft-pick-jeremy-murphy-retires-at-age-25/

He played three games over two seasons with the Bombers but never registered a reception during the regular season.  Probably could have re-signed him as depth if they wanted to.

[TecnoGenius]

I think we restock OL as highest priority.  Whether that's previous-year picks or current-year picks.  We may have a pretty packed dev cupboard going into week 1.  If we get lucky we will find a year-1 starter who can take over for Randolph (my projected starter) mid-season.

However, I said the same thing last draft and we drafted no OL in the early rounds!

Boy, it would sure be nice to find a NAT OT who could eventually replace Bryant when he retires...

[Blue In BC]

We're going to have some good talent in TC that will force some tough decisions across the roster. Losing 2 Canadian starters means how we employ the ratio is still a TBD.

I'm hoping we don't need to use a 3 import OL but if we do either short term or long term, so be it.

Looking forward to the draft to see if it gives an idea of what direction we're taking. It's possible that our 1st pick might be fighting to be a starter at some point in 2025.

[theaardvark]

I think we restock OL as highest priority.  Whether that's previous-year picks or current-year picks.  We may have a pretty packed dev cupboard going into week 1.  If we get lucky we will find a year-1 starter who can take over for Randolph (my projected starter) mid-season.

However, I said the same thing last draft and we drafted no OL in the early rounds!

Boy, it would sure be nice to find a NAT OT who could eventually replace Bryant when he retires...

Not sure why you are fixated on Randoph as the starter over Wallace.  I am quite confident Wallace comes to camp ready to start.

Yes, Oline is always a concern, short and long term.  Which is why we have 10 on the roster for camp, and more coming in DP's and late TC adds. 

Randolph/Vanterpool seem heir apparent for Sir Stanley's spot.  Unless someone new makes an impression. 

Finding a NAT OT is not a concern at all, especially due to the cap hit one would command.  Our "skilled player" Nat depth is more than enough to even allow a 2 Nat Oline, let alone a 4 Nat...

[TecnoGenius]

It would also be nice to start finding & dev'ing the next Demski.  He's starting to get up there in age too.  If the top NAT REC don't blossom until year 2-5, need to get started soon.

We've had many years of Demski/Woli being legit threats instead of just mostly-useless NAT placeholders.  It would be nice for that to continue.

[Jesse]

Not sure why you are fixated on Randoph as the starter over Wallace.  I am quite confident Wallace comes to camp ready to start.

Yes, Oline is always a concern, short and long term.  Which is why we have 10 on the roster for camp, and more coming in DP's and late TC adds. 

Randolph/Vanterpool seem heir apparent for Sir Stanley's spot.  Unless someone new makes an impression. 

Finding a NAT OT is not a concern at all, especially due to the cap hit one would command.  Our "skilled player" Nat depth is more than enough to even allow a 2 Nat Oline, let alone a 4 Nat...

He says right in his post that it's his projected starter. His guess is as good as anyone's right now.

[Pete]

Personally I think stocking the offensive line with majority of canadians is due for a change. In the past teams have done this because of a lack of cdn talent at the so called skill positions. Its also an area which is going up dramatically in salary. (look at Desjaurlais at 250k and even Dobson at over 200k)
What is the difference if you find a starting cdn at wr and go with 3 instead of 2?
 The overall starting ratio can stay the same. A lot of this cdn down linemen is simply coaches/gms doing it that way because that's how its been done in the past. 
As cdn players develope esp at db, recr and even lineback options open up

 

[markf]

Personally I think stocking the offensive line with majority of canadians is due for a change. In the past teams have done this because of a lack of cdn talent at the so called skill positions. Its also an area which is going up dramatically in salary. (look at Desjaurlais at 250k and even Dobson at over 200k)
What is the difference if you find a starting cdn at wr and go with 3 instead of 2?
 The overall starting ratio can stay the same. A lot of this cdn down linemen is simply coaches/gms doing it that way because that's how its been done in the past. 
As cdn players develope esp at db, recr and even lineback options open up

 

I think you're right about this.

particularly when you have an aging, non mobile quarterback, and you are in a lot of trouble if he's injured.

If a receiver drops a pass, you get to try again. If a lineman blows a block, your season might be over.

Even moreso  given the dirt that is basically allowed in the CFL against quarterbacks. 

Fifteen yard penalty for knocking the two time mvp out of the game is a huge win.

[Jesse]

Personally I think stocking the offensive line with majority of canadians is due for a change. In the past teams have done this because of a lack of cdn talent at the so called skill positions. Its also an area which is going up dramatically in salary. (look at Desjaurlais at 250k and even Dobson at over 200k)
What is the difference if you find a starting cdn at wr and go with 3 instead of 2?
 The overall starting ratio can stay the same. A lot of this cdn down linemen is simply coaches/gms doing it that way because that's how its been done in the past. 
As cdn players develope esp at db, recr and even lineback options open up

 

Absolutely.

[theaardvark]

Personally I think stocking the offensive line with majority of canadians is due for a change. In the past teams have done this because of a lack of cdn talent at the so called skill positions. Its also an area which is going up dramatically in salary. (look at Desjaurlais at 250k and even Dobson at over 200k)
What is the difference if you find a starting cdn at wr and go with 3 instead of 2?
 The overall starting ratio can stay the same. A lot of this cdn down linemen is simply coaches/gms doing it that way because that's how its been done in the past. 
As cdn players develope esp at db, recr and even lineback options open up

 

Oline / Dline are spots that made up the majority of NAT players traditionally.  And they weren't paid like they are today.

"Ratio breakers" used to demand the higher paycheques as they were harder to find.

Now, any starting NAT is getting paid. 

he advantage to loading up on linemen as Nat starters is longevity.  While they may take extra time to develop, they generally last a lot longer... eg. Neufeld and Thomas.

If you can start NATs at "skill" positions, that's always a bonus.  If they are better than just starters, even better.  But starting at least 3 NAT hoggies is still the standard, and I think we should be playing a guard at guard, not a tackle at guard...

[Blue In BC]

Getting back to the non counters. If I understand this correctly there will be less Canadians that are non counters coming into their 2nd season after returning to college.

That's a mathematical change which in the early short term of TC will reduce total roster space. In theory that would be 6 or so less imports. Depending on a few 2024 draft choices coming or not coming back to TC this year, that total could be 10 spots.

In practicality it means some will quickly see the door as others are on standby are added. Overall it will reduce the total number of players in TC at any point in time and have a nominal savings on TC costs.

I don't see that as an issue per se. IMO There are too many bodies to deal with in a short TC and pre season.  IIRC at the start of TC the roster count is 75 plus non counters. With the new rule only the 2025 draft choices will be non counters?

That should mean 75 + 9 = 84 maximum?  It's not clear whether global draft choices in 2025 are non counters but that's only 2 players if they report.

In 2024 we had over 100 players to start TC.

[TecnoGenius]

Personally I think stocking the offensive line with majority of canadians is due for a change. In the past teams have done this because of a lack of cdn talent at the so called skill positions. Its also an area which is going up dramatically in salary.

100%.  I've been saying this for a while.  It used to be you NEEDED 3 NAT OL because otherwise you're fielding 1-3 Sam Hurls.  And Sam Hurls lose you games.

But look at our situation in '24!  3 legit skill NAT on O, 2 legit NAT on D, and a perfectly reasonable NAT DT.

Why on earth pay $225 for a NAT OG, when you can get a great IMP OG for $150!  That's a huge difference.

The only way 3-NAT OL makes sense is if you do a great job drafting and strike gold every 1-3 seasons with a first-year-starter OL, and you also get a 2nd-year-starter OL every 1-2 seasons.  That was the formula for our success basically since Bond left.

Funny how the instant our first-year-starter luck ran out (about the time Gray was installed) that's around when we stopped winning cups.  Every NAT starter we drafted from Gray and beyond has been worse than the one that came before.  Desjar was our last superstar draft.

Don't get me wrong: Dobson & Ko-man are more than serviceable, as was Gray, but they can't hold a candle to Desjar.  And it was Desjar still here that got us that last cup.

As perennial late-pickers in the draft (because we win too much), I don't see that changing.  And the general OL draft talent may be declining, for whatever reason.  So really our best solution to reverse this trend is to bring in that 3rd IMP OL and hope to draft 2nd-3rd year starting slight-gamble OL in later rounds.

Of course they key to this working is to keep finding and retaining really-good-but-not-too-great NATs on D (Kramdi is the perfect example; with Ford being just a hair too good), and possibly at REC (a bit harder to do as the stars go high in the draft).

[Blue In BC]

OL tend to have longevity that you don't see in other positions. The development curve is are also longer than other spots and continuity is very important. We also don't often see imports that are game ready day 1 but yes they are less expensive.

The OL protects your most valuable player the QB so that adds value from a different direction.

Eventually most reach free agency and sanity goes out the window. The marketplace dictates a players value.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

He says right in his post that it's his projected starter. His guess is as good as anyone's right now.

I re-watched half of the Ti-Cat game with Randolph at LT in for Bryant and Wallace in for Neufeld at RG and Wallace looked very comfortable.  Such a big guy, nobody is going to over power him and he looked well balanced as well. Randolph struggled a bit but that's to be expected as he moved from RG the previous week to LT, which is a big transition.