Bombers acquire QB Dru Brown

[Tecno]

Teams must have had some sort of budget to add 2 players to the RR but few seem to be using it yet. That " budget " will come into play now.

I don't get that impression.  The fact half the teams are using 0 or 1 RR spot only means that it's just added SMS baggage that draws away from the money you can actually put on the field.

If there was a separate league-mandated RR "budget" or "minimum" we probably would have heard about it.

Now, I think the league should mandate both RR spots be filled.  Otherwise, what's the point??  I had thought when I first heard about it that the RR was going to be mandated to be full -- because otherwise it's just a glorified 1GIR.  League could easily say: 2 RR spots must be filled and minimum spend for each spot is ELC.  After all, we all do want the CFL to have bigger rosters.

Now, because 1GIR's do tend to be filled more towards mid/late season, maybe we'll finally see them getting used that way.

Maybe someone can do a quick survey of the RR usage to see if it's mostly being used right now for nicked guys (in place of 1G) or if it's truly for guys who are just that 1 step away from making the AR.

[Blue In BC]

I don't get that impression.  The fact half the teams are using 0 or 1 RR spot only means that it's just added SMS baggage that draws away from the money you can actually put on the field.

If there was a separate league-mandated RR "budget" or "minimum" we probably would have heard about it.

Now, I think the league should mandate both RR spots be filled.  Otherwise, what's the point??  I had thought when I first heard about it that the RR was going to be mandated to be full -- because otherwise it's just a glorified 1GIR.  League could easily say: 2 RR spots must be filled and minimum spend for each spot is ELC.  After all, we all do want the CFL to have bigger rosters.

Now, because 1GIR's do tend to be filled more towards mid/late season, maybe we'll finally see them getting used that way.

Why there isn't a mandate to fill the RR is strange to say the least.

Maybe someone can do a quick survey of the RR usage to see if it's mostly being used right now for nicked guys (in place of 1G) or if it's truly for guys who are just that 1 step away from making the AR.

You can't potentially add 2 more players to the roster ( full pay ) without some accommodation in the budget planning.

[Tecno]

You can't potentially add 2 more players to the roster ( full pay ) without some accommodation in the budget planning.

Uh, they've upped SMS by like $600k over the last 2-ish seasons (total)... there's your accommodation.

[Blueforlife]

Uh, they've upped SMS by like $600k over the last 2-ish seasons (total)... there's your accommodation.

Fffacts of life, good for the league that they did

[markf]

I'll be surprised If Dinwiddie can have success with Maier...

But I thought Bo was finished when he went to Hamilton.

Difference is Bo was good, and declined, Maier has not been a successful qb.

Interesting to follow.

[Blue In BC]

Uh, they've upped SMS by like $600k over the last 2-ish seasons (total)... there's your accommodation.

Yes but you have to plan the spend against the SMS whether it goes up or not. If they change the possible number of players on the roster that has to be taken into account.

The confusing part is why doesn't the reserve not have some sort of mandatory aspect? At some point I expect teams to start adding players to the reserve.

In the case of the Bombers we just moved Vanterpool to the reserve. It's almost certain that we'll see a QB parked on the reserve by next week.

You can't possibly think that teams won't have some sort of plan on how they will use that reserve.

It's no different than having a budget expectation for 1 game IR issues. Moving everyone to 6 game IR doesn't change that concept. Some of the players will be moved off 6 game IR early and costs will be charged against the SMS.

[Pete]

It appears than short of Kelly, Rourke and Davis, Dinwiddie prefers a contol, game manager type of qb. Brown isn't that he fits more in The gunslinger mode. mode which is more suited to Condell

[theaardvark]

I was trying to find out what Maier's winnig percentage was off the hop, I kinda remembered he went something like 10 wins without a loss or some such stat, but I can't find that...

But his Wiki page showed something I didn't know....

"Calgary Stampeders
Dan Hawkins, Maier's head coach at UC Davis, mentioned to Maier that he could potentially flourish in the Canadian Football League. Following Maier's 2017 season at UC Davis, Hawkins reached out to Ryan Dinwiddie,[3] who had played quarterback for Hawkins at Boise State University from 2001 to 2003, and had been on Hawkins' coaching staff with the Montreal Alouettes in 2013.[4] Hawkins told Dinwiddie, who was coaching quarterbacks with the Calgary Stampeders at the time, "you'd better put this kid on your [negotiation] list cause he's legit. He's got the 'it' factor. He has what I call the 'rage to master.'"[3] The Stampeders added Maier to their negotiation list in 2018.[3]

On May 5, 2020, after completing his college career, Maier signed with the Calgary Stampeders.[5] However, he did not play that year due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season."

So there's the link, plain as day.

As for Dru coming to WPG, sounds like Zach had a lot to do with it, he said Dru is his best friend.

One of Elgersma or Perkins ends up with the short stick, one of them has some trade value.  I'm not saying either are going to be starters in this league tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if either gets there.

Both are under contract next year at least, and I have no doubt that this will be Zach's last year on the field (might take a move upstairs).  Dru, Taylor, Bryce is not a bad QB room for 2027.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I was trying to find out what Maier's winnig percentage was off the hop, I kinda remembered he went something like 10 wins without a loss or some such stat, but I can't find that...

But his Wiki page showed something I didn't know....

"Calgary Stampeders
Dan Hawkins, Maier's head coach at UC Davis, mentioned to Maier that he could potentially flourish in the Canadian Football League. Following Maier's 2017 season at UC Davis, Hawkins reached out to Ryan Dinwiddie,[3] who had played quarterback for Hawkins at Boise State University from 2001 to 2003, and had been on Hawkins' coaching staff with the Montreal Alouettes in 2013.[4] Hawkins told Dinwiddie, who was coaching quarterbacks with the Calgary Stampeders at the time, "you'd better put this kid on your [negotiation] list cause he's legit. He's got the 'it' factor. He has what I call the 'rage to master.'"[3] The Stampeders added Maier to their negotiation list in 2018.[3]

On May 5, 2020, after completing his college career, Maier signed with the Calgary Stampeders.[5] However, he did not play that year due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season."

So there's the link, plain as day.

As for Dru coming to WPG, sounds like Zach had a lot to do with it, he said Dru is his best friend.

One of Elgersma or Perkins ends up with the short stick, one of them has some trade value.  I'm not saying either are going to be starters in this league tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if either gets there.

Both are under contract next year at least, and I have no doubt that this will be Zach's last year on the field (might take a move upstairs).  Dru, Taylor, Bryce is not a bad QB room for 2027.

I think that was Arbuckle in Calgary, he set high expectations.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

It appears than short of Kelly, Rourke and Davis, Dinwiddie prefers a contol, game manager type of qb. Brown isn't that he fits more in The gunslinger mode. mode which is more suited to Condell

Watched a Dinwiddie interview this morning, he talked about the ability to move the ball down field decisively, he thinks MBT still has one of the strongest arms in the league.

[Blueforlife]

It appears than short of Kelly, Rourke and Davis, Dinwiddie prefers a contol, game manager type of qb. Brown isn't that he fits more in The gunslinger mode. mode which is more suited to Condell

Very good point

give me bombs and runs for the next decade and I'm happy

[Tecno]

I think that was Arbuckle in Calgary, he set high expectations.

Ya.  Maier never lit anything up.  And never looked good anywhere.  He's like early-years Cody, had Cody never "got better".  Maier is more like Dom Davis: he won a few here and there, and looked like he could maybe have a future.  But then splat.

[Tecno]

It appears than short of Kelly, Rourke and Davis, Dinwiddie prefers a contol, game manager type of qb. Brown isn't that he fits more in The gunslinger mode. mode which is more suited to Condell

I don't know... Dinwiddie would give his left nut to get Kelly right now.  I think he's working on it for '27 or '28.  And they don't come more gunslinger than Kelly!  He's literally the most slingingest guy out there -- throws into everything with wild abandon.  He doesn't give a poop about INTs as long as he also gets TDs.  And he's the #1 disciple of Dinwiddie!

[Tecno]

You can't possibly think that teams won't have some sort of plan on how they will use that reserve.

Wasn't the RR foisted on teams pretty late in FA?  It may be like the '25 $400k fiasco: teams didn't have enough time to factor it in properly.

I think RR was purely reactionary to combat the fake 1GIR overusage by everyone in '25.

[theaardvark]

Ya.  Maier never lit anything up.  And never looked good anywhere.  He's like early-years Cody, had Cody never "got better".  Maier is more like Dom Davis: he won a few here and there, and looked like he could maybe have a future.  But then splat.

If memory serves, Maier looked good enough to move on from Mitchell...