Desjarlais

[M.O.A.B.]

If Rourke is in BC next year, he wouldn't be playing for $85K. BC will have to make some cap decisions.

His existing contract though is not done until the end of 2023. He signed 3 years contract last year (2021).
I guess he can negotiate for an increase but how much leverage does he has coming from an injury / surgery.

[M.O.A.B.]

I could see Bryant (36 years old) and possibly Neufeld (33 years old) but Hardrick still has more in him for sure!

If Desjarlais does sign here, he would start immediately. Which will then have us all argueing, who is out?
My line would look like this:

Bryant - Desjarlais - Couture - Neufeld - Hardrick (just like last year)
with Dobson and Grey as our 6th and 7th OL. We would need to keep 7 OL for the rest of the year. No question at that point.

Yup. I'm OK with that.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Walby loves him.....good enough for me!   Sign him if at all possible!

[Blue In BC]

His existing contract though is not done until the end of 2023. He signed 3 years contract last year (2021).
I guess he can negotiate for an increase but how much leverage does he has coming from an injury / surgery.

IIRC, a Canadian player ELC contract cannot be re-negotiated. That was discussed earlier. It's possible a change could be made to CBA but I wouldn't count on it. That opens a window for any 1st year player doing the same thing in year 2 or year 3 when they've had a good season.

[Jesse]

I could see Bryant (36 years old) and possibly Neufeld (33 years old) but Hardrick still has more in him for sure!

If Desjarlais does sign here, he would start immediately. Which will then have us all argueing, who is out?
My line would look like this:

Bryant - Desjarlais - Couture - Neufeld - Hardrick (just like last year)
with Dobson and Grey as our 6th and 7th OL. We would need to keep 7 OL for the rest of the year. No question at that point.

No one's arguing that. You put him right back where he was last year and put our all star line-up back together.

[Blue In BC]

Kolankowski and Dobson are our only OL under contract for 2023 at the moment as far as our unofficial roster suggests. Bryant and Hardrick had been re-signing 1 year contracts for several seasons recently.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'm going to stand on the opposite side of the fence on this one, if "Johnny-come-lately" wants his old job back, he's has to sign on for 2 more years. Desjarlais has worked out for 7 NFL teams this past year and has been in 2 camps, can't see his chances improving if he tries that route again next year.

It's the younger players that will be displaced not the 4 vets, guys that have been pushing the plough all season long and have done a decent job, they are the future of the O-line. Gray has been with the team since 2018, he's bided his time, paid his dues and earned a starting position, he will be bumped down as well as Kowana and Dobson, that can't feel good. I don't want to see a situation like Rose coming back displacing Jones who then goes off and signs with another team in F.A., maybe being displaced wasn't the reason but it's disrespectful in the least.

[Jesse]

I'm going to stand on the opposite side of the fence on this one, if "Johnny-come-lately" wants his old job back, he's has to sign on for 2 more years. Desjarlais has worked out for 7 NFL teams this past year and has been in 2 camps, can't see his chances improving if he tries that route again next year.

It's the younger players that will be displaced not the 4 vets, guys that have been pushing the plough all season long and have done a decent job, they are the future of the O-line. Gray has been with the team since 2018, he's bided his time, paid his dues and earned a starting position, he will be bumped down as well as Kowana and Dobson, that can't feel good. I don't want to see a situation like Rose coming back displacing Jones who then goes off and signs with another team in F.A., maybe being displaced wasn't the reason but it's disrespectful in the least.

Well, even if he signs for two years, he'll still get his NFL window.

If we're going to snub players for taking their NFL shot - we're not going to have a very talented roster.

[Blue In BC]

I'm going to stand on the opposite side of the fence on this one, if "Johnny-come-lately" wants his old job back, he's has to sign on for 2 more years. Desjarlais has worked out for 7 NFL teams this past year and has been in 2 camps, can't see his chances improving if he tries that route again next year.

It's the younger players that will be displaced not the 4 vets, guys that have been pushing the plough all season long and have done a decent job, they are the future of the O-line. Gray has been with the team since 2018, he's bided his time, paid his dues and earned a starting position, he will be bumped down as well as Kowana and Dobson, that can't feel good. I don't want to see a situation like Rose coming back displacing Jones who then goes off and signs with another team in F.A., maybe being displaced wasn't the reason but it's disrespectful in the least.

We don't know if Jones ever intended to re-sign in Winnipeg. It may have been a monetary decision.

In the same way, Gray is tentatively going to reach free agency in 2023 and we might get outbid for his services. That may be true whether we re-sign Desjarlais or not.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well, even if he signs for two years, he'll still get his NFL window.

If we're going to snub players for taking their NFL shot - we're not going to have a very talented roster.

They seem to be doing alright.  These NFL options are over-hyped IMO, very few CFL players get these opportunities and  only a handful league-wide cash in year to year, even on the bottom rung.  Strev and Alford accomplished it, Desjarlais has not.  I will give Schoen a free-pass to return next season, if he decides to pursue his NFL option, so there are exceptions. 

[Pigskin]

I will have to ask him, but I think GG told me he signed a 2-year extension in January 2022.

[Pigskin]

Woli82, Kolski, and GG, all signed 2-year extension in January. Also add Bo20 and JA27 and BA37.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

We don't know if Jones ever intended to re-sign in Winnipeg. It may have been a monetary decision.

In the same way, Gray is tentatively going to reach free agency in 2023 and we might get outbid for his services. That may be true whether we re-sign Desjarlais or not.

Can't really see Gray ever playing elsewhere, he's a Wpg. boy, played at UofM and probably has ties to an engineering firm and a Wpg. girl already. Being a Bomber, winning Grey Cups, he's living the dream.

[Pigskin]

Can't really see Gray ever playing elsewhere, he's a Wpg. boy, played at UofM and probably has ties to an engineering firm and a Wpg. girl already. Being a Bomber, winning Grey Cups, he's living the dream.

Same as ND10.

[TecnoGenius]

I'm going to stand on the opposite side of the fence on this one, if "Johnny-come-lately" wants his old job back, he's has to sign on for 2 more years. Desjarlais has worked out for 7 NFL teams this past year and has been in 2 camps, can't see his chances improving if he tries that route again next year.

It's the younger players that will be displaced not the 4 vets, guys that have been pushing the plough all season long and have done a decent job, they are the future of the O-line. Gray has been with the team since 2018, he's bided his time, paid his dues and earned a starting position, he will be bumped down as well as Kowana and Dobson, that can't feel good.

I don't really care about next year.  The "window closing" people are right, let's get that 3rd cup, or at minimum make it to the cup, this year.

Desjar > Gray > Dobson.  No argument.  Gray/Dobson will understand because I would a) dress them both for the playoffs, meaning they get the $$ cheque regardless; b) explain Desjar likely makes another NFL run next year so they are back to their 2022 roles.

Dobson is green and is probably happy just to be dressed and even seeing the field regularly.  Gray might have higher expectations, but if he gets the game cheques, he can understand he's 1-2 years behind Desjar in seniority.  He strikes me as very much a team player, not a "me" player.  Gray's future role here is virtually guaranteed, should he continue to want it.  He very well may be our future Walby (NAT OT).