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#1

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: Merry Christmas to Members...

Last post by Blueforlife - Today at 09:00:25 PM

Merry Xmas or whatever you celebrate. Time to feast with family and friends.

Love it, happy holidays, lots of diversity in this country and it's important we celebrate and allow space for all!

#2

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: 1st & 10 | The Complete Bl...

Last post by Blueforlife - Today at 08:58:05 PM

Nobody can say with certainty what Wilson is.  He has the tools and doesn't have enough reps for us to evaluate his play.  I was pretty high on him but scaled back my expectations this year when he didn't get reps and threw ducks in practice.  I would prefer we roll the dice on a prospect rather than bringing in a mediocre option.  It's a hard decision, do we groom the next QB slowly to possibly hit a home run or is an average guy with experience a better bridge for us?

I would like a mobile guy with a cannon.  Wilson is that but so few can read a D and avoid turnovers.  A tough spot for us and no easy answers.

It looks like we will bring in a few guys and hope one pops!

#3

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: 1st & 10 | The Complete Bl...

Last post by bunker - Today at 08:41:26 PM

I don't believe for a second they spent any time evaluating QB skills last TC, the pecking order was pre-determined before anyone showed up for TC. Once they decided to re-sign Strev despite his iffy injury status it was a given he was coming in as the #2, which might have been a condition his agent insisted upon in his contract negotiations. 

Many argued at the time this was a mistake as Strev has never shown the ability needed to progress beyond the "Go Go Gadget" QB he's always been. The ample playing time he received in 2025 proved his detractors right.  Valuable game time that could have been used to evaluate the future of the QB position was wasted on a temporary fix and they now find themselves right back were they started, with Zach one year older and that much closer to the end of the line.

They were coming off a Grey Cup appearance, and expected to be back in it. They had a veteran team, and were focused on winning "now" in a year the Grey Cup was in Winnipeg. Evaluating developmental QBs like Artopoeus for a few years down the road was not their priority I would guess. I was never wild about bringing Strev back as the #2, but the question is what would you have done differently? I can't recall all the QBs who were available in free agency last off season, but Maier signed for a lot of money, and signing him would have hamstrung as at other areas in the roster. Strev came relatively cheap. Probably an emotional attachment to him also on the part of the bombers, which is not ideal if your goal is to win but still understandable.

#4

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: NFL Option Clause

Last post by Blue In BC - Today at 06:15:37 PM

Yeah, I don't know all the ins and outs of what the NFL does or doesn't do in regard to the option deal. I've already discussed the negative impact for the CFL.

What I'd like to see is more protection for the players in the form of some sort of guaranteed payment. Many get an offer to attend TC and are little more than TCF. It seems that many aren't really getting a fair look.

It's one thing for that to happen when a player is a complete free agent and not made a roster elsewhere.

I'll just throw out a number for the sake of discussion, at $20K USD. The NFL has lots of money. Go ahead and take a look at these players but in the interest of fairness, the player has more to lose than the NFL if he's released after TC at the end of August.

#5

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: NFL Option Clause

Last post by Throw Long Bannatyne - Today at 06:07:44 PM

Schoen got workouts based on his success as a rookie in the CFL.  His game, though, seems to be amplified by the waggle.  So he didn't stick.

But to say he didn't get a second shot at the NFL during the NFL window is hogwash.  He got the looks BECAUSE of the CFL.

https://3downnation.com/2023/02/14/nobody-was-willing-to-pull-the-trigger-nfl-teams-pass-on-bombers-rookie-sensation-dalton-schoen/

"Schoen's eye-popping statistics earned him a number of NFL workouts following the season, including with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and Cincinnati Bengals. However, the 26-year-old did not receive a contract offer as NFL scouts believe his production was inflated by taking advantage of the waggle motion in the CFL slot."

Point taken, but if you look at the date of the story it was written Feb. 14 2023, so Schoen gave up on the NFL well before Bomber TC opened and was available for the entire season, which was the perfect scenario. Maybe Vaval will do the same, but if he doesn't it causes problems for the Bombers as they have to invest in his temporary or permanent replacement and play the waiting game.

#6

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: 1st & 10 | The Complete Bl...

Last post by Throw Long Bannatyne - Today at 05:48:08 PM

I don't think they think in such black and white terms as "not good enough to play QB in a game". They assess their skills as a potential starter, and my guess is that if Zach is currently a B to B+, and Strev was a C, then Wilson was grading out as a C-. Not great. But not necessarily worse than any other QB on the planet either. Plus factor in that he already knows the offence to some extent, he's good at short yardage, and he may be a high character guy as well. So, before you let him go, you need to find someone who either grades higher right now, or shows the potential to surpass him. In the latter situation, where there is just future potential, my guess is they will keep a QB like that on the PR. In TC, if anyone shows better than Wilson, or a lot more potential that Wilson, Wilson may be cut. But its not a given until they assess the other QBs. And its not a given that whoever is kept instead of Wilson is all that great either, and may not be seen as ready to start in a game either. Sometimes you may have to keep a QB on the roster that your not thrilled with in terms of getting real game reps, because there is not much better available, or the available options are too expensive.

I don't believe for a second they spent any time evaluating QB skills last TC, the pecking order was pre-determined before anyone showed up for TC. Once they decided to re-sign Strev despite his iffy injury status it was a given he was coming in as the #2, which might have been a condition his agent insisted upon in his contract negotiations. 

Many argued at the time this was a mistake as Strev has never shown the ability needed to progress beyond the "Go Go Gadget" QB he's always been. The ample playing time he received in 2025 proved his detractors right.  Valuable game time that could have been used to evaluate the future of the QB position was wasted on a temporary fix and they now find themselves right back were they started, with Zach one year older and that much closer to the end of the line.

#7

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: Merry Christmas to Members...

Last post by GOLDMEMBER - Today at 05:36:31 PM

Merry Christmas Blue Bomber faithful.

#8

Offside Forum / Re: Winnipeg Jets Discussion -...

Last post by Pigskin - Today at 03:31:43 PM

Manitoba Moose Mason Shaw will play for Canada in the Spengler Cup.

#9

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: 1st & 10 | The Complete Bl...

Last post by dd - Today at 03:16:37 PM

Wilson is exactly = to Dom Davis, move on already

#10

Blue Bomber & CFL Discussion Forum / Re: Merry Christmas to Members...

Last post by TBURGESS - Today at 02:51:50 PM

Merry Xmas or whatever you celebrate. Time to feast with family and friends.