Free Agent Acquisition

Blue In BC · December 06, 2025, 04:49:01 PM

It's early but what player would we most likely try to attract from another team if he reaches free agency?

RebusRankin · December 06, 2025, 05:20:58 PM

AJ Allen

VictorRomano · December 06, 2025, 05:36:11 PM

Any of the top-10 OL, but I'd take Yoshi back from the Riders, Revenburg out of Hamilton, or Boxton out of BC. Grab another interior DL (Mauldin IV?) and maybe a run at Katsantonis as safety. Lots of decent WRs up for grabs as well - flip on of them Mitchell's money.

dd · December 06, 2025, 08:43:51 PM

Our FA signings have got to focus on our weaknesses, namely offensive and defensive line, and a top knotch WR would be nice as well.

Tecno · December 07, 2025, 06:42:58 AM

Quote from: dd on December 06, 2025, 08:43:51 PMOur FA signings have got to focus on our weaknesses, namely offensive and defensive line, and a top knotch WR would be nice as well.

I fully agree. I don't follow other teams' OL closely so I can't name names, but just go out and get top OL. C and LG and RT. And I don't care if we go more IMP. The key is we need week 1 superstars -- no time to dev or hope & pray.

To heck with the dev pipeline. If we want to dev guys, they will do it on the PR and jumbo, NOT in starting spots. To heck with being economical. Spend whatever it costs, put 1/3rd in MMM and go over SMS up to $150k.

And I want just one top-3 DT. If we have our D and add just a Stove-like guy, our D will instantly be better.

bunker · December 07, 2025, 01:27:11 PM

Might have been nice if Walter's didn't waste a bunch of money keeping borderline talent on the one game, failed to use the 6 game for guys out more than 6 games, and had more 2025 money to work with. I don't know what he was doing this season.

Might also be nice if Zac looked over at Harris as an example of being a team player when it comes to salary rather than grinding for every last dollar. We always talk about "culture" with O'Shea, but I'm beginning to question that when the stars like Zac and Brady care only about money, and not being able to build a better team. I can understand it from their perspective, careers are short, but would be nice if they took a page out of Harris' book.

Blue In BC · December 07, 2025, 02:32:28 PM

Quote from: bunker on December 07, 2025, 01:27:11 PMMight have been nice if Walter's didn't waste a bunch of money keeping borderline talent on the one game, failed to use the 6 game for guys out more than 6 games, and had more 2025 money to work with. I don't know what he was doing this season.

Might also be nice if Zac looked over at Harris as an example of being a team player when it comes to salary rather than grinding for every last dollar. We always talk about "culture" with O'Shea, but I'm beginning to question that when the stars like Zac and Brady care only about money, and not being able to build a better team. I can understand it from their perspective, careers are short, but would be nice if they took a page out of Harris' book.

There was more of an issue in retaining some vets that we should have on from. The 1 game IR was one way to use some of the new SMS but overall it was not used to retain decent talent IMO.

Throw Long Bannatyne · December 07, 2025, 03:42:26 PM

Quote from: Blue In BC on December 07, 2025, 02:32:28 PMThere was more of an issue in retaining some vets that we should have on from. The 1 game IR was one way to use some of the new SMS but overall it was not used to retain decent talent IMO.

Using the 1 game IR as they did allowed them to keep players like Vanterpool off the PR with a little more cash in his jeans, assuring him he has a future with the team. Did not work well for Mitchell, not sure what message they were trying to convey to him.

Blue In BC · December 07, 2025, 04:32:48 PM

Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on December 07, 2025, 03:42:26 PMUsing the 1 game IR as they did allowed them to keep players like Vanterpool off the PR with a little more cash in his jeans, assuring him he has a future with the team. Did not work well for Mitchell, not sure what message they were trying to convey to him.

There were some pros in our use of the 1 game IR. Overall it wasn't very effective IMO. We choose poorly in some of our free agent acquisitions and rode that into the ground.

I'd add Echols and Logon as questionable choices at the end of the season. I would have bumped them back to the PR. I see no future for either in 2026.

Vanterpool might make the AR in 2026 but we've signed a number of import OL earlier than normal. That may be an indication of change. I wouldn't say he's a lock. Lofton is a potential free agent and he's probably not back either.

I'd go further and suggest we may see an entirely new group of imports taking spots across the roster.

Throw Long Bannatyne · Reply #9 - Re: Free Agent Acquisition

Quote from: Blue In BC on December 07, 2025, 04:32:48 PMThere were some pros in our use of the 1 game IR. Overall it wasn't very effective IMO. We choose poorly in some of our free agent acquisitions and rode that into the ground.

I'd add Echols and Logon as questionable choices at the end of the season. I would have bumped them back to the PR. I see no future for either in 2026.

Vanterpool might make the AR in 2026 but we've signed a number of import OL earlier than normal. That may be an indication of change. I wouldn't say he's a lock. Lofton is a potential free agent and he's probably not back either.

I'd go further and suggest we may see an entirely new group of imports taking spots across the roster.

Pretty unlikely, if you're talking about the O-line, name the last rookie O-lineman they started? Might have to stretch back as far as Suhk Chungh. There's nothing inherently fair about their vetting process, but they've stuck to it for almost a decade, so I don't expect a radical deviation as long as MOS is the HC.

Tecno · Reply #10 - Re: Free Agent Acquisition

Quote from: bunker on December 07, 2025, 01:27:11 PMMight have been nice if Walter's didn't waste a bunch of money keeping borderline talent on the one game, failed to use the 6 game for guys out more than 6 games, and had more 2025 money to work with. I don't know what he was doing this season.

I'm still convinced KW has a bucket load of '25 money to work with. He hinted at being close to the cap, but he didn't outright say we were there or over (yet). I'm pretty sure he has the full $400k sitting there unspent.

Maybe he doesn't want to scream out loud how much money WFC has right now because then it hampers his player negotiations.

Quote from: bunker on December 07, 2025, 01:27:11 PMMight also be nice if Zac looked over at Harris as an example of being a team player when it comes to salary rather than grinding for every last dollar.

I agree. Except up until Nov '25 Trevor was known as the QB who was always going to fold under pressure. Remember, hit him once and you'll get Bad Trevor the rest of the game? That was a real thing. Well, it still is, except he now has an OL and scheme that means he almost never gets hit! Zach went to 5 GCs and won 2. So ya, if Zach says he's worth $150k more than Trevor, up until the end of '25, he was correct!!

I think what's more important is what it signals to all the other players (and potential players) when a superstar like Willie J or Biggie accept renegotiations and lower pay. The mental / team-first / "I believe in this team" aspect is more important than actual $$. As such Zach and Brady should be accepting "stay with WPG" discounts, even if they are small, and making the fact well known.

Tecno · Reply #11 - Re: Free Agent Acquisition

Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on Today at 01:29:28 AMPretty unlikely, if you're talking about the O-line, name the last rookie O-lineman they started? Might have to stretch back as far as Suhk Chungh.

Gray & Desjar started in their first year. And didn't Goosen and/or Couture too? We got mega spoiled by every 1 or 2 OL DPs having one who could start in year 1. And lots of those guys turned into superstars who bailed in their first FA for $200k+.

That hasn't happened since Desjar. Our OL DPs have been pretty mediocre. Probably because our DP slot has been so bad because of making it to the cup every year since '19. Maybe we can have better OL draft luck and a week 1-ready OL in draft'26 because now we get to pick in the lower number picks for once. I'm pretty sure we are ranked worst of all the playoff teams? So we pick 4th?

As for IMPs, I'm implying we need to steal top ones from other teams that are week-1 ready -- not play the scout-IMP-OL game that has NEVER paid off for us. In 10 years, our only good IMP OL were defectors from other teams: Stan, Yoshi, Lofton, Bonds. I won't include Rand/Vant as they aren't "good" (yet?).

Maybe there are good IMPs in FA that have been trying to play OT but aren't good enough, yet would be monster unstoppable at OG. Pick one of them up. As for OT, gonna have to pay up for the next Big Stan/Yoshi at RT. (Worry about replacing Big Stan at LT in FA27.)

C is a bit of a conundrum. If we can't steal a top FA, then I say do the unheard of thing of scouting the best IMP C we can, someone who is week 1 ready and was just one hair shy away of starting in the NFL. There must be gobs of these guys around without a job because the CFL *never* hires IMP C's -- so what are these guys going to do??