What's the puzzle piece for 2023?

[Horseman]

With Rutledge the way things ended so abruptly here, it probably was a Fit In or "F" off (FIFO) scenario. He must have said or did something that put him on the outs. He has talent and will resurface some where.

[GOLDMEMBER]

With Rutledge the way things ended so abruptly here, it probably was a Fit In or "F" off (FIFO) scenario. He must have said or did something that put him on the outs. He has talent and will resurface some where.

I think it was related to this reason as well.

[TecnoGenius]

We're not going to make a big FA splash. We're a vet team with a ton of very highly paid players. We're up against the SMS. In fact, I bet we lose some players in FA to teams who can pay them more like Lawler last year. We'll be looking for young guys with upside who we can get for a 'Winnipeg price'.

Ok, if no "big FA splash" then maybe we do one or three Ellingson-type FA deals?  Aging, proven vets we can get at a discount?  Any available FAs at DT, DE or WILL?

No need for WILL if Wilson can stay, and be 100% and we retain Clements for depth.  But I think the lack of Kongbo / Hansen on DL really hurt us in the GC.  The 2 J's were getting gassed and then had big problems when Jeffcoat was relegated to the table.  There were a few TOR run plays on 2nd down where our Cheetah formation (J & J + Kongbo + Hansen) probably would have gotten a stop instead of huge gains and TDs.

Still curious why Rutledge fell off the radar. Possibly a medical condition that came up? Nothing to base that on aside from going from starter to off the entire roster even PR.  That's unusual. In any case I hope he is well if that was the case.

I think Rutledge got injured but then when he was OK we didn't slot him back in.  It was odd at the time.  Ya, maybe a FIFO, but maybe we were happy with what we had and he still wasn't 100%?  The tell will be what happens to him in the off-season.  Rutledge was a great SAM most of the season; basically a Darby clone IMHO.

[TecnoGenius]

You absolutely cannot look at one game and make changes based on the outcome.

I don't know.  In '15, '16, '17 and '18 we looked at our final post-season game, looked at why we lost, and often directly addressed that with a signing the following year.

One thing I will say it, we need to do better at game day roster management. Too often, the Jeffs are playing the whole game without someone to rotate them in and out.

This, and it meant little to no "cheetah" formation.  You would have to think we get some more DT/DE talent for maximum flexibility.  That might include NAT and GLOB DL pickups.  Though we could also still DI some DL.  In hindsight we should have DI'd some more DL for the GC.  The DBs basically weren't even a factor that game because no one was throwing deep.

I  think we played well enough to win, but made the coaching mistake[/u] of not leaning on the run when Brady was starting to heat up. Got too cute and lost the game, imo.

Oh we for sure could have won, but in no way would we have deserved it.  So many TDs and first downs and drives were basically gimmees by poor TOR discipline.  We weren't owning the field like we did in so many games before.  And we didn't win the line battles.  And Zach was off... and ... and... To me the only guys/units who truly did their job that night were the DBs (all burns were great throws where MBT got punished and great catches), and Brady.

Ah, to have seen what Brady could have done on 2nd & 5 on the final drive... If AH was still here, I'm thinking Buck would have given it to him for that play.

[TecnoGenius]

I think it was related to this reason as well.

But does that then mean we're letting the "room" make the roster decisions??  Do the guys tell MOS that so-and-so doesn't FI so MOS/KW has to tell them to FO?

That would be a strange and potentially dangerous way to run a roster.  Chain of command, and all that.

[TecnoGenius]

I want to clarify: when I said "stopping the run" about the GC, I really mean those 2 AJ TDs and the Kelly 19 yarder.  Maybe you could add the AH first run too... maybe.  But I need to add that our D was actually very stout against the run the rest of the night!  We basically forced them into a short/mid pass mode where MBT would stand in and take hellacious hits to get a completion.  So in that sense we did a great job stopping the run.

It was those AJ TDs out on the edge and Kelly that exposed our main weaknesses.  And that's contain.  And that is on the DEs and the LBers, and probably FS, and to a much lesser extent, the DTs/DBs.  Again, I think the Cheetah group + Wilson would have stopped AJ and Kelly.  And maybe Stove would have brought down Kelly where Lawson (or was it Walker?) whiffed.

Did we have problems with contain in-season too?  I don't recall.  I guess some teams were taking advantage of running on the weak side.  I wonder... what did MTL do in the game they beat us?  Maybe TOR just watched that for pointers.  Time to get out the PVR...

In any event, whatever puzzle piece can buy us "contain", might be the main piece we need to obtain in FA.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Ok, if no "big FA splash" then maybe we do one or three Ellingson-type FA deals?  Aging, proven vets we can get at a discount?  Any available FAs at DT, DE or WILL?

No need for WILL if Wilson can stay, and be 100% and we retain Clements for depth.  But I think the lack of Kongbo / Hansen on DL really hurt us in the GC.  The 2 J's were getting gassed and then had big problems when Jeffcoat was relegated to the table.  There were a few TOR run plays on 2nd down where our Cheetah formation (J & J + Kongbo + Hansen) probably would have gotten a stop instead of huge gains and TDs.

I think Rutledge got injured but then when he was OK we didn't slot him back in.  It was odd at the time.  Ya, maybe a FIFO, but maybe we were happy with what we had and he still wasn't 100%?  The tell will be what happens to him in the off-season.  Rutledge was a great SAM most of the season; basically a Darby clone IMHO.

Hansen is signed for next season, so they really only need a stout DT and Kongbo or his replacement.  Where is he at with the NFL these days?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

On the one hand, if we had won the Grey Cup would we be looking for a "puzzle piece" or just trying to keep everyone together like past cup runs? Every year is different. Last year's team was the best in the league and could have easily won the Grey Cup. So, there is no need go looking for something that is missing. I think all the usual off-season best practices apply. We need to figure out where we had good value for SMS dollars and what didn't work out. After that, we need to determine whether we will get a different result next year. Two examples: Winston Rose has lost a step at corner and there's probably no coming back from that. He would have also been expensive. Bad deal for us. We need to get younger and faster there. Jeffcoat had a pretty terrible year but I'd roll the dice on him again. He'll be 32 next year but usually a defensive end can play at that age. Especially one who is usually as good as him.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Hansen is signed for next season, so they really only need a stout DT and Kongbo or his replacement.  Where is he at with the NFL these days?

Not sure which team but I am sure he is languishing on someone?s practise roster.

[blue_gold_84]

Not sure which team but I am sure he is languishing on someone?s practise roster.

He's currently on the Broncos' practice squad but I highly doubt he's languishing.

[the paw]

He's currently on the Broncos' practice squad but I highly doubt he's languishing.

He has made the active roster for 2 games this year, in weeks 5 & 8, and registered a couple of tackles.  So I would agree that he isn't languishing, he is developing.  I would not expect him back in the CFL for 2023.

[TecnoGenius]

On the one hand, if we had won the Grey Cup would we be looking for a "puzzle piece" or just trying to keep everyone together like past cup runs? Every year is different. Last year's team was the best in the league and could have easily won the Grey Cup. So, there is no need go looking for something that is missing.

Ya, you could be right, and that might be the approach this off-season.  The Fatboi signing could indicate that.

But there's still lots of time to see changes at DL and WILL.  And I'm curious to see what we do with Ellingson.

[TecnoGenius]

To me the only guys/units who truly did their job that night were the DBs (all burns were great throws where MBT got punished and great catches), and Brady.

Oh ya, gotta add Grant to that short list of top good/great performers in the GC.  Even with losing, I'll never forget the excitement and satisfaction of that Grant return.  The Sask fans were saying it was over at that point.

[theaardvark]

After a third GC appearance, winning 2, not sure what puzzle piece you can be looking for.

I have no doubt we will lose a couple pieces, maybe pick up one to replace, and that our recruits will yield another Streveler or Schoen...

[TecnoGenius]

After a third GC appearance, winning 2, not sure what puzzle piece you can be looking for.

I have no doubt we will lose a couple pieces, maybe pick up one to replace, and that our recruits will yield another Streveler or Schoen...

Ya, that's the risk of being in GCs so much.  However, maybe there's the silver lining with losing this year??  If we had won that third cup you'd think teams would be hitting up every one of our players with $300k offers 

It might give us a reprieve with retention, as well as fuel the hunger for guys to stay with the team to get a "revenge" GC.  I'm optimistic we keep nearly everyone we want.  The big pieces are already in place, and the rest will follow.  Strangely, the only one I remotely worry about is Demski, because he's been chirping a bit, and is probably miffed he didn't get much GC action.