Kyle Walters (Unofficial News)

[ModAdmin]

Winnipeg Blue Bomber CHATTER
Rob Chatter  - 12h  -
Kyle Walters is under contract through the 2023 season.
Head coach Mike O'Shea, Bomber GM Kyle Walters and president Wade Miller will be doing press conference tomorrow

[Jesse]

A one year extension wouldn?t make any sense. Must be a typo.

[Blue In BC]

I think that just means he's got 1 year left on his current contract.

[M.O.A.B.]

^^^ Yep that's how I understood it also

[the paw]

3down has an article suggesting Wade Miller is letting Walters twist in the wind.

In a choice between keeping Miller and Walters, I know who I'd keep.

[Jesse]

3down has an article suggesting Wade Miller is letting Walters twist in the wind.

In a choice between keeping Miller and Walters, I know who I'd keep.

This doesn?t sound accurate at all.

3 down making up some garbage based on watching todays press conference. Remember they aren?t reporting anything that we don?t see ourselves, just giving us a controversial take to drive clicks.

[the paw]

This doesn?t sound accurate at all.

3 down making up some garbage based on watching todays press conference. Remember they aren?t reporting anything that we don?t see ourselves, just giving us a controversial take to drive clicks.

Okay, what's your take on why Walters hasn't been extended at the same time as O'Shea (as has been past practice)?

At the least, it points to negotiations that would be more difficult than in the past.  You add in all the comments Miller made about the admin cap and the changing nature of how clubs are organizing themselves, it is a more complex picture than simply "we haven't gotten around to it yet". 

[blue_gold_84]

Walters is under contract for 2023, so it's not like it's crucial to extend him right now.

John Hodge trying to find a fire where there isn't even a wisp of smoke. More off-season junk reporting from 3DN.

[pjrocksmb]

Good to know guys that story got me fired up lol

[Jesse]

Okay, what's your take on why Walters hasn't been extended at the same time as O'Shea (as has been past practice)?

At the least, it points to negotiations that would be more difficult than in the past.  You add in all the comments Miller made about the admin cap and the changing nature of how clubs are organizing themselves, it is a more complex picture than simply "we haven't gotten around to it yet". 

I think there will be changes next year that open things up a bit - and that Walters and Miller (like they have been the entire time they have worked together) will have openly discussed it and made a plan moving forward together.

To suggest that Miller is somehow leaving Walters "twisting in the wind" is so ridiculous. The coachin/admin cap is why we've been able to keep this group together - not the other way around. No other team can come in and offer our staff any more than we can.

However, some things that may happen next season that would open up more funds on the cap:

- There may be increases to the coaching cap based on being a year removed from the covid year
- Richie Hall may retire
- One of our AGMs could move on to another team (I'm looking at you, Saskatchewan)
- Wade himself may retire
- Accounting structure may allow for a "signing bonus" of some sort to be a part of the 2023 cap and not on the cap from 2024-26, much like we do with players. But would have to be done on the final year of his deal to make it work.

There may indeed not be room available to re-sign Kyle at this moment. It doesn't mean there's not a plan in place for the future, however.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Knowing now that Walters is signed for the 2023 season I chock up the "twisting in the wind" comment as obvious media headline hype.   With O'Shea and Zack locked up for 3 more years it's highly probable that  the next KW contract will be for at the very least, two more years.   

[Blue In BC]

Much ado about nothing at the moment. Priority should be dealing with player re-signings before free agency. O'Shea needed to be re-signed because his contract was expiring. Players would want to know he was back as part of their desire to stay in Winnipeg. Ditto for players from other teams that might perhaps land in Winnipeg during free agency.

Miller will have time after the initial free agency period to then work on getting Walters a new deal.

[the paw]

I think there will be changes next year that open things up a bit - and that Walters and Miller (like they have been the entire time they have worked together) will have openly discussed it and made a plan moving forward together.

To suggest that Miller is somehow leaving Walters "twisting in the wind" is so ridiculous. The coachin/admin cap is why we've been able to keep this group together - not the other way around. No other team can come in and offer our staff any more than we can.

However, some things that may happen next season that would open up more funds on the cap:

- There may be increases to the coaching cap based on being a year removed from the covid year
- Richie Hall may retire
- One of our AGMs could move on to another team (I'm looking at you, Saskatchewan)
- Wade himself may retire
- Accounting structure may allow for a "signing bonus" of some sort to be a part of the 2023 cap and not on the cap from 2024-26, much like we do with players. But would have to be done on the final year of his deal to make it work.

There may indeed not be room available to re-sign Kyle at this moment. It doesn't mean there's not a plan in place for the future, however.

Let's agree that it is very unusual to have your GM on a shorter contract than the head coach he hired.  Let's further agree that the admin cap is putting pressure on the Mgmt salary structure, particularly when you have enjoyed the extraordinary success the franchise has had recently. There are a number of scenarios, some more positive than others:

1.  The negotiations are complex and difficult, so they are taking a little longer.  That would be the most likely, but in that case why wouldn't Wade just say something like "we're working on it"?  His press conference language was evasive. 

2.  An extension could be offered without increasing the budgeted amount for 2023.  So they could give Walters an extension for 2024 and 2025 in anticipation of some of the developments you list.  A signing bonus doesn't necessarily have to be part of it. 

3.  They may be negotiating for Kyle to move upstairs into Wade's chair after 2023, giving Wade a chance to complete "unfinished business" and try for another ring in 2023.  This may involve Goveia moving up a notch as well (I think McManus wants to stay based in Florida).  This is the most optimistic scenario, and would be a great outcome. 

4.  Wade might be looking at the fiscal realities and figuring we don't really need a GM and two asst GMs within the admin cap, particularly when Walters has maximum leverage in terms of accomplishments.  If Wade isn't planning to transition out, and wants to stick around, he might be squeezing Walters, i.e. letting him twist in the wind. 

I am hoping it is #3, and that would make a lot of sense.  But make no mistake, Miller is a hard-nosed business guy, if he figures there is a fiscal reality to contend with, he won't shy away from it.  Which makes #4 at least plausible. 

[Jesse]

Let's agree that it is very unusual to have your GM on a shorter contract than the head coach he hired.  Let's further agree that the admin cap is putting pressure on the Mgmt salary structure, particularly when you have enjoyed the extraordinary success the franchise has had recently. There are a number of scenarios, some more positive than others:

1.  The negotiations are complex and difficult, so they are taking a little longer.  That would be the most likely, but in that case why wouldn't Wade just say something like "we're working on it"?  His press conference language was evasive. 

2.  An extension could be offered without increasing the budgeted amount for 2023.  So they could give Walters an extension for 2024 and 2025 in anticipation of some of the developments you list.  A signing bonus doesn't necessarily have to be part of it. 

3.  They may be negotiating for Kyle to move upstairs into Wade's chair after 2023, giving Wade a chance to complete "unfinished business" and try for another ring in 2023.  This may involve Goveia moving up a notch as well (I think McManus wants to stay based in Florida).  This is the most optimistic scenario, and would be a great outcome. 

4.  Wade might be looking at the fiscal realities and figuring we don't really need a GM and two asst GMs within the admin cap, particularly when Walters has maximum leverage in terms of accomplishments.  If Wade isn't planning to transition out, and wants to stick around, he might be squeezing Walters, i.e. letting him twist in the wind. 

I am hoping it is #3, and that would make a lot of sense.  But make no mistake, Miller is a hard-nosed business guy, if he figures there is a fiscal reality to contend with, he won't shy away from it.  Which makes #4 at least plausible. 

1. I don't see how this is possible, tbh. Because of the admin cap, it's not complicated at all. IMO.

2. An extension without seeing some future possibilities come to fruition wouldn't be possible until they actually occur. IE. No room in the budget until Goveia becomes GM of the Riders.

3. I personally don't see this as on the table. I don't see Walters as a candidate for the Presidency. He's going to go from scouting players and negotiating contracts to ordering bouncy castles and buses? I just don't see it. Not to mention I feel like Wade is going to at least stick around until our home Grey Cup.

4. Again, the idea of "squeezing" Walters is ridiculous to me. These are two professionals who speak of each other as nothing but a close knit team. I don't believe anything is happening beyond a closely laid out plan that will come to fruition when necessary. The two AGM's is something that may need to come to an end though (ie. One of Teddy or Danny moving on - they've both taken interviews in the past).

[Jesse]

I was reminded that the admin cap is going up by 200k in 2023.

It had been reduced by that much during the covid years but is returning. Now, MOS? contract was expiring, so they had to get that done, but Walters is signed through 2023, so they can wait until the calendar flips over and boom, 200k extra dollars to play with.