Blue Bombers agree to terms with veteran defensive lineman Jake Ceresna

[GCn19]

Our D last year gave up way too many points in the 4th Q. That was the biggest problem. Turnovers did not help, nor did the O keeping them on the field.

[Tecno]

Our D last year gave up way too many points in the 4th Q. That was the biggest problem. Turnovers did not help, nor did the O keeping them on the field.

I don't know about 4th Q, but IIRC we lost every reg season 3rd Q except one, and another we tied at 0.

[Tecno]

Truly good defenses pass an eye test. Dominate defenses can power teams to championships. There are plenty of examples of this.

Our defense in 2025 was never one of those. They beat up some bad quarterbacks and had some good games against better talent but then would go out the next week and get absolutely torched. 

Yes, it points to our D being what it was, which was one thing, and being unable to adjust or morph into what was needed to win against certain schemes.

There simply wasn't the option of switching from max coverage to suddenly being a pressure / blitzing D.  Even if it was desperately needed.

In the heydays of '19-'22 we could be a pressure D or a max coverage D, or a random who-knows-what-it'll-be D.

We need more D flexibility.

[GCn19]

Ceresna is going to have a huge impact on our DL. He will provide pressure from wherever we line him up. He draws a lot of double teams and not a lot of DEs do. We will also put him in at DT and he will be effective inside and out. He provides a ton of different looks to our DL that will give other OLs fits

[Tecno]

Ceresna is going to have a huge impact on our DL. He will provide pressure from wherever we line him up.

So it's likely we'll normally put Willie & Cersna together on one side, probably against the RG/RT?  They'll have to shift more resources to cover that side, freeing up some sneaky play on the "weaker" side?

Can't sneeze at Lawson, either.  Boy, it would sure be nice if we could have a super-effective final DE to put the nail in the O's coffin.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Yes, it points to our D being what it was, which was one thing, and being unable to adjust or morph into what was needed to win against certain schemes.

There simply wasn't the option of switching from max coverage to suddenly being a pressure / blitzing D.  Even if it was desperately needed.

In the heydays of '19-'22 we could be a pressure D or a max coverage D, or a random who-knows-what-it'll-be D.

We need more D flexibility.

Agree we need to be better. I'm not sure we need flexibility. Not getting pressure on the QB is not really a viable option as an every down defense.

I'm not against a 3-4 look that doesn't put pressure on the quarterback as a wrinkle. But it needs to be a wrinkle.

We see teams do this more than we know. Or versions of it. There's whole sets of simulated pressure. If we're getting in on the QB and making him play fast it absolutely makes sense to simulate and drop 8 at times.

It just all falls apart when there is so little pressure that QBs consistanty extend plays beyond the time that zones realistically hold or man coverage can survive.

No amount of JY X's and O's can overcome that.

[GCn19]

We need guys who can eventually get home in a 3 man front. There isn't a Qb in this league that won't carve you up if he's able to thru all his reads.

[GCn19]

So it's likely we'll normally put Willie & Cersna together on one side, probably against the RG/RT?  They'll have to shift more resources to cover that side, freeing up some sneaky play on the "weaker" side?

Can't sneeze at Lawson, either.  Boy, it would sure be nice if we could have a super-effective final DE to put the nail in the O's coffin.

I think we will give all kinds of looks with both the 3 and 4 man looks. Guys will be lining up everywhere. Ceresna, and Jake out allows for it. Be very interesting to watch. If we can get opposing QBs confused they aren't going thru their reads as effectively. Plus we need to punish QBs more even if it isn't a sack. We allowed old timers like Harris to sit in the pocket and go virtually untouched. That cant happen or he will carve you up. Harris, and VA fall apart if you hit them.

[blue_gold_84]

We need more D flexibility.

A better D-line capable of generating consistent pressure would've done wonders last season.

[blue_or_die]

No shade from me on JY's defense - but I think it was effective despite the lack of big boy talent and not because the design was so pristine. IMO we accomplished an incredible feat last year by holding off so much scoring given the lack of talent we had up front. And I don't care if you say we had no pressure because it was by design - it was by that design because of the lack of personnel to get the pressure.

All of that is moot now though because Ceresna instantly fixes that hole in the middle of the line and frees up JY to basically do anything, especially if our young DEs (if that's the direction we end up going there) overperform and it allows Willie to do Willie things and allows us to present any sort of D combination we need to in order to respond to how the other O is playing at any particular time.

[GCn19]

No shade from me on JY's defense - but I think it was effective despite the lack of big boy talent and not because the design was so pristine. IMO we accomplished an incredible feat last year by holding off so much scoring given the lack of talent we had up front. And I don't care if you say we had no pressure because it was by design - it was by that design because of the lack of personnel to get the pressure.

All of that is moot now though because Ceresna instantly fixes that hole in the middle of the line and frees up JY to basically do anything, especially if our young DEs (if that's the direction we end up going there) overperform and it allows Willie to do Willie things and allows us to present any sort of D combination we need to in order to respond to how the other O is playing at any particular time.

I am unclear why everyone thinks we signed Ceresna to be a DT. He plays mostly DE.

[J5V]

This is super-exciting news! I'm pumped!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I am unclear why everyone thinks we signed Ceresna to be a DT. He plays mostly DE.

He had 1 sack in 11 games last year, strong he is, fast he ain't.  Pretty sure he cycles into the DT rotation in place of Woods and DE's will be chosen from a different pile.

Here he runs over Stanley, this must have been his only sack.

[Blue In BC]

I am unclear why everyone thinks we signed Ceresna to be a DT. He plays mostly DE.

Because they had Taylor, Barlow and Smith as their DE's in 2025. On every depth chart Ceresna was listed as a DT. I man re-watch an Elks game I have on PVR but I don't remember him primarily used outside as a DE.

Sure DL are used in many different fronts but like I said at 295 lbs that makes no sense as a full time diet.

[blue_or_die]

I am unclear why everyone thinks we signed Ceresna to be a DT. He plays mostly DE.

Probably best not to label him as either as clearly he doesn't fit into the traditional positions. This has been the case in the league for a while now, with highly athletic players coming in and breaking the mold and forcing/allowing coordinators to optimize these talents by making "hybrid" or rotational types of roles. Clay Matthews 10 or 15 years ago comes to mind as an example in the NFL. I think we even used Odell Willis in a DE/LB hybrid role for a while there too when he was in his prime. Another example are the hyper-athletic QBs like Taysom Hill or even Tebow (lol).

Anyway, he's a big dude that can do it all and that's better than what we had 2 weeks ago on an undertalented Dline so that's all that matters to me I guess.