Kyle Walters extension presser

[RebusRankin]

BLM's cut only occurred after several years of complete suckage -- like actively dragging down good CGY and HAM teams for a while.

Cody was the victim of losing "musical chairs" -- everyone had and was happy with their choice of starting QB.  Cody will never be known as anything but a MBT/Arbuckle "very good backup" level QB.  Even if he should be known as more in some people's eyes, it's not reality.

But a couple of injuries, or Dru Brown continuing to struggle, and Cody could find himself in the "franchise starter" seat again.  Right now he's just the "least bad option" in EDM.

I believe VAJ signed for the same as in BA: $450-$500k.  Next FA for VAJ he should be due a bump for his high-stats production.

My point is, Zach won't take a cut unless/until he sucks as bad as some of those other guys did.  Making the ESF is not "sucks enough" yet.  I don't think he'll ever suck worse, and if he does, that's when he retires.  He's not going to take on a MBT/Masoli role.

Zach is 16-14, 34 td passes, 31 ints the past two seasons. He has struggled as much as VAJ and BLM did. Right now, he's overpaid.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Zach is 16-14, 34 td passes, 31 ints the past two seasons. He has struggled as much as VAJ and BLM did. Right now, he's overpaid.

Definitely overpaid. But there's unfortunately not much we can do about it for next season especially when O'Shea cut all the young QBs in camp and kept Streveler and Wilson.

Whoever the heir apparent is, we haven't even fit him for a jerset yet. The smarter play would have been to have kept one around to develop last season which would have potentially given us a stronger hand now. But "they don't want to renegotiate with Collaros" is more, "we have no leverage to renegotiate with Collaros" if you ask me.

[dd]

Cody will start again for Edmonton this upcoming year and they'll be better. He's not an elite #1 Qb, but he's a starter for sure.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

No, this would be in addition to fixing the O.  Yes, the O needs major work.  Yes, the O was our main problem in '25.  But the good thing there is there's already huge budget allocated for the O (compared to the D).

If you could get 1-2 monster DTs plus 2-3 new monster OL, and no other changes, I think we'd be back to GC form.  Not saying that's all we should do, but those would make an instant impact.

Who are these monster DTs???  In reality they don't exist, DT is fundamentally a grinder position, paying them $150k more per season isn't going to spur their performance,  Same goes for the O-line, doesn't matter if they have one highly paid outstanding player as the O-line is only as good as it's weakest link.

[Cool Spot]

Cody was the victim of losing "musical chairs" -- everyone had and was happy with their choice of starting QB.  Cody will never be known as anything but a MBT/Arbuckle "very good backup" level QB.  Even if he should be known as more in some people's eyes, it's not reality.

Well, he did win a Grey Cup that one time.

So did Arbuckle.

[markf]

Zach is 16-14, 34 td passes, 31 ints the past two seasons. He has struggled as much as VAJ and BLM did.

This at the same time as having the top defence.

But who knows what Zach could still do with an O line that could block. Probably would be good enough.

I think that Walters as much as said... he took us to two Grey Cups. The team tolerates the decreased level of his play, because of that.

Not the Buono system, but it seems to be our system.

They have three years to find the next QB.

[Pete]

Who are these monster DTs???  In reality they don't exist, DT is fundamentally a grinder position, paying them $150k more per season isn't going to spur their performance,  Same goes for the O-line, doesn't matter if they have one highly paid outstanding player as the O-line is only as good as it's weakest link.

right now dt free agents include..
Calgary  - Hutchings
Edm      - Ceresna
Sask     =  Rose
BC        = Tavai
Of course who is actually available come free agency is unknown. The other issue is since we like to go with one cdn at one dt - if we re sign Lawson, you still need a decent cdn backup. Smeckle and Thomas are both borderline at best.
Unfortunately, it's not just one thing that needs fixing but the priorities have to be both the oline (1A) and Dline (1B)

[Tecno]

Who are these monster DTs  In reality they don't exist, DT is fundamentally a grinder position, paying them $150k more per season isn't going to spur their performance

There are lots of top-5 or top-10 DTs in the league that would make us better.  Heck, we've had a lot of them here (though most have retired) like Sayles, Nevis, Stove.  Sayles is still playing, and in hindsight maybe letting him walk was a mistake -- though one we'll keep repeating because we don't value IMP DTs once they are off ELC.

Pete lists some good ones.  The ones in SSK are also quite good.  And that DT that is really a hoggie in disguise (in CGY?) is good.  The MTL guys are good, too.

Of course, to do anything of this, KW would have to make a mindset change.  That might be asking too much, especially since we need OL more desperately than a DT.

[Tecno]

Well, he did win a Grey Cup that one time.

So did Arbuckle.

And yet there they are, still basically backups.  EDM would demote Cody in a hot second if they weren't the ones with no chair when the music stopped.  Funny, but Cody always seems to go to the team left holding the bag!  He's the ultimate "well, there's no one else left to sign" guy.

Yes, for a "backup" level guy, Cody does seem to over-deliver.  He has quite the strange career.  A multi-WDF-playing guy who no one wanted, then a GC-winning guy who no one wanted.  Always desired as a backup, only tentatively used as a starter.  It must kill him that Rourke, Kelly, Alexander come on up and are instantly more desired than him after his 10+ years.

[blue_gold_84]

After a difficult year, I hope everything is in the table to be discussed, but despite the lack of success, we have to acknowledge that the defence led the league in defensive points allowed. I know it didn't happen the way everyone liked, with lots of sacks and pressure, but it was effective.

I keep saying it, but it's the offensive side of the ball that needs to turn things around. It lost us our Grey Cups and couldn't stop turning the ball over the last two seasons. It also holds most of our most expensive contracts.

This is spot on, IMO. The defense needs upgrades to its interior line; that should be doable via free agency.

The offense is easily the team's weakest link at present and has been for at least two seasons now.