Injuries

[theaardvark]

Bonuses are stupid for nats. It doesn't help their taxes at all, and it screws us on sms savings on the 6g. Instead of a bonus we should tell these guys they can have 5k more total salary.

And if they use bonus as cut insurance, just sign a contract that says if they are cut they get that same bonus.

He signed in Dec.

$55k on 2025's $SMS

[Tecno]

He signed in Dec.

$55k on 2025's $SMS

That's the one thing that I'd allow, because that doesn't hurt the '26 SMS in any way.

However, you could argue that having a lot of prev-year SMS leftover in Dec is itself a bit of a failure of SMS allocation.  Unless it's done on purpose, of course: a GM might sacrifice one season to be able to "go over" next season via prev-year re-signing bonuses.

[theaardvark]

That's the one thing that I'd allow, because that doesn't hurt the '26 SMS in any way.

However, you could argue that having a lot of prev-year SMS leftover in Dec is itself a bit of a failure of SMS allocation.  Unless it's done on purpose, of course: a GM might sacrifice one season to be able to "go over" next season via prev-year re-signing bonuses.

Or, you had some major 6 game savings.

[Tecno]

Or, you had some major 6 game savings.

Which would be even higher if you didn't pay up-front bonuses!       

[Jesse]

Which would be even higher if you didn't pay up-front bonuses!       

I don't think SMS room is our issue tech. We made a bunch of huge signings. We signed our own guys that we wanted to keep.

The problem is scouting and recruitment.

[Pigskin]

I have no problem with a signing bonus. Lots of people in different professions get a signing bonus. My wife received one the last contact she signing with the government. Gas "A" fitters are getting a $10,000 bonus to sign with companies in Manitoba right now.

[theaardvark]

Signing bonuses induce coming to or staying with a club.  That's the job. 

Many companies have bonuses for staying a certain term.

The fact there are tax benefits for some players makes their negotiations different, but doesn't affect the general reasoning.

[Tecno]

Gas fitting companies don't have a sms cap! I understand bonuses. But in a cap world they are punished.

If I was gm I'd be nerding out in every little advantage I could get. It's a competitive league and every bit helps.

[theaardvark]

Taking advantage of the foibles of a system is great.   Getting every possible $$$ out of the cap, very important.

Also much more important?  Getting value out of players.

As a GM, getting tied up in the minutia of $SMS cap management is far less important than getting guys who produce at a high level for low pay.

Walters does that.  How many of our recruits end up leaving for big dollars after their ELC's?  Meaning we got 2-3 years out of them at a bargain price.  Some, we resign, but many we just replace with the next one.

THAT is where you take full advantage of the cap.

Signing players and giving them bonuses with leftover cap is the easy way to spend to the cap without going over.  There is always going to be a buffer, money saved on the 6 game, or by cuts, and sometimes that gets eaten up by trading for a player or signing a vet during the season.

Making sure none of it gets left on the table is the key to cap management.

[Blue In BC]

Taking advantage of the foibles of a system is great.   Getting every possible $$$ out of the cap, very important.

Also much more important?  Getting value out of players.

As a GM, getting tied up in the minutia of $SMS cap management is far less important than getting guys who produce at a high level for low pay.

Walters does that.  How many of our recruits end up leaving for big dollars after their ELC's?  Meaning we got 2-3 years out of them at a bargain price.  Some, we resign, but many we just replace with the next one.

THAT is where you take full advantage of the cap.

Signing players and giving them bonuses with leftover cap is the easy way to spend to the cap without going over.  There is always going to be a buffer, money saved on the 6 game, or by cuts, and sometimes that gets eaten up by trading for a player or signing a vet during the season.

Making sure none of it gets left on the table is the key to cap management.

Sure but we also retain some players long after their best before date at high SMS. Look at the cost of our players in the secondary against their performance. Whether that is veterans or Moxey added in free agency.

Oliveria is a top RB but $290K is an insane amount even with the advantage of being a Canadian. The contact for Collaros is an issue.

The team is fighting for 3rd or a crossover place in the standings. Obviously there is a chance they can finish higher but is it likely?

As previously mentioned we won less games in each of the last 4 seasons and may be hard pressed to win games in 2026 than in 2025. IIRC we slightly exceeded the cap last year. Not a big deal unless you base that against results.

Management has to be held accountable for this at some point.

[theaardvark]

This league is cyclic.  Edmonton was on the bottom a while, then rose.  Montreal was bottom of the league in 2017, now much better.

It's hard to stay on top, your best players get poached, some get old, some prospects don't work out.  And then there is a perfect storm where good things happen.

Yes, we could dump players as soon as they hint at declining.  Your proposition would have been to let Willie go last year.  He's doing great this year.

This team honours its vets, but rarely keeps them much past their useful playing time.  They have let players like Obby and Biggie go...

[Blue In BC]

This league is cyclic.  Edmonton was on the bottom a while, then rose.  Montreal was bottom of the league in 2017, now much better.

It's hard to stay on top, your best players get poached, some get old, some prospects don't work out.  And then there is a perfect storm where good things happen.

Yes, we could dump players as soon as they hint at declining.  Your proposition would have been to let Willie go last year.  He's doing great this year.

This team honours its vets, but rarely keeps them much past their useful playing time.  They have let players like Obby and Biggie go...

I don't know about the Jefferson comment, but there were clearly some players like Bryant and K. Wilson that needed to move on from in 2026. A few others as well.

[blue_gold_84]

Isn't Kyrie Wilson having a solid season or did I miss something?

[Jesse]

Isn't Kyrie Wilson having a solid season or did I miss something?

By what metric are you measuring his success?

He has about 3 tackles a game with no sacks/interceptions/forced fumbles on one of the worst defences in the league.

[blue_gold_84]

By what metric are you measuring his success?

He has about 3 tackles a game with no sacks/interceptions/forced fumbles on one of the worst defences in the league.

Please show me where I measured his success.

The defense being in the toilet isn't something I'd link to one player being on the roster or not.