Remaining Blue Bomber Free Agents as of January 9, 2023

[ModAdmin]

WHITTLING DOWN THE LIST

The signing of Stanley Bryant this week strikes another name from the club's list of pending free agents. Here's a look at who remains unsigned heading into the market, which opens on February 14th:

*Indicates: Canadian

OFFENCE

Quarterbacks
Dakota Prukop

Running backs/Fullbacks
Mike Miller*

Receivers
Rasheed Bailey; Nic Demski*; Greg Ellingson; Janarion Grant[/s]

Offensive line
C Michael Couture*; RT Jermarcus Hardrick

DEFENCE

Defensive line
Jackson Jeffcoat; Casey Sayles; Keion Adams

Linebackers
Jesse Briggs*; Shayne Gauthier*; Les Maruo (Global)

Defensive backs
Alden Darby, Jr.; Nick Taylor; Mercy Maston

Specialists
KR Janarion Grant

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/01/06/i-cant-think-of-being-anywhere-else-now/?fbclid=IwAR0ogQi-SHpkdX4VSmdtIwt4bgGZJM5Bwdp51vD3Y_l65yt6vTaLNlehkPY

[Blue In BC]

The list has some key names that need to re-signed. I count 8 very important that I expect back. IMO 9 on the list may not be back due to a combination of injury history, age or SMS issue.

Several of those I would like back but you can't keep everybody and there is a roster transition every off season.

[Pigskin]

Yes please to, Prukop, Miller, Bailey, Demski, Grant, Hardrick, Guathier, Jeffcoat, Darby, and Sayles.

Love to have Courture back. But can we afford him.

[Blue In BC]

Yes please to, Prukop, Miller, Bailey, Demski, Grant, Hardrick, Guathier, Jeffcoat, Darby, and Sayles.

Love to have Courture back. But can we afford him.

You seem to be on the same track as me. I'd like Prukop and Miller back but could see changes there as possible. Couture will be an SMS issue / question. The SMS wallet has less and less available as money is spent either before or during the 1st few days of free agency.

Demski and Bailey will be getting more. The others more but not as potentially as large an increase.

How much will be left after that?

[the paw]

The list has some key names that need to re-signed. I count 8 very important that I expect back. IMO 9 on the list may not be back due to a combination of injury history, age or SMS issue.

Several of those I would like back but you can't keep everybody and there is a roster transition every off season.

I think Demski, Sayles and Hardrick are the only "must haves".

Jeffcoat, Bailey, Prukop and Grant would be good to have, and would be a bit of a hit to lose, but could be weathered. 

[Blue In BC]

I think Demski, Sayles and Hardrick are the only "must haves".

Jeffcoat, Bailey, Prukop and Grant would be good to have, and would be a bit of a hit to lose, but could be weathered. 

We had a hard enough time in 2022 with depth along the DL. Jeffcoat is among the critical needs. If we lose Schoen, then losing Bailey and Ellingson becomes an open problem at receiver.

The times that Grant missed games we struggled with field position and consistency. I think you may be under valuing his contribution.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

You seem to be on the same track as me. I'd like Prukop and Miller back but could see changes there as possible. Couture will be an SMS issue / question. The SMS wallet has less and less available as money is spent either before or during the 1st few days of free agency.

Demski and Bailey will be getting more. The others more but not as potentially as large an increase.

How much will be left after that?

Demski and Bailey had pretty similar season stats. even though Nic missed 5 games.  When it comes down to dollars Bailey is potentially replaceable, Demski is not.

[GOLDMEMBER]

I do not like the hold up on Demski. He is an absolute must.

[Horseman]

I have no worries that Demski will sign here before FA, Bailey, I'm not so sure as his message seems very cryptic or maybe just a bargaining ploy. I like Prukop and would like to see him back, Jeffcoat is 32 years old and he has been injured the last 2 years, somewhat risky. I might be inclined to use his money on giving raises to Demski and Bailey. Grant should be relatively inexpensive and Miller should sign a 1 year deal.

[pjrocksmb]

Almost all those names are good players and would be missed

Gotta keep pushing to get them back

Team culture will benefit

I put priority on OL, DL and receiver

[Pete]

I have no worries that Demski will sign here before FA, Bailey, I'm not so sure as his message seems very cryptic or maybe just a bargaining ploy. I like Prukop and would like to see him back, Jeffcoat is 32 years old and he has been injured the last 2 years, somewhat risky. I might be inclined to use his money on giving raises to Demski and Bailey. Grant should be relatively inexpensive and Miller should sign a 1 year deal.

Grant is a top returner in the league and may not be as inexpensive as you think. I'm worried about Jefferson being injury prone as well but we've had a lot of trouble finding quality defensive ends. I wouldnt forget about sayles either as his numbers were decent

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Grant is a top returner in the league and may not be as inexpensive as you think. I'm worried about Jefferson being injury prone as well but we've had a lot of trouble finding quality defensive ends. I wouldnt forget about sayles either as his numbers were decent

Grant scored touchdowns in the WF and GC!   He is a legitimate threat on special teams and it would be foolhardy to believe we can get by without him without losing some of the X-Factor he brings to every game

[the paw]

We had a hard enough time in 2022 with depth along the DL. Jeffcoat is among the critical needs. If we lose Schoen, then losing Bailey and Ellingson becomes an open problem at receiver.

The times that Grant missed games we struggled with field position and consistency. I think you may be under valuing his contribution.

I take your point, but philosophically I am of the school that a priority list that contains almost all the free agents isn't really prioritization.  Of those 4 I listed as wants, I doubt we lose all of them, if we did it would be a bit of a challenge no doubt.

I love watching Grant, but the team can still function with a decent returner. 

Watching the number of NFL workouts, I am thinking we are more likely to lose Ford than Schoen.  But we won't know until we know I guess.

[pjrocksmb]

I take your point, but philosophically I am of the school that a priority list that contains almost all the free agents isn't really prioritization.  Of those 4 I listed as wants, I doubt we lose all of them, if we did it would be a bit of a challenge no doubt.

I love watching Grant, but the team can still function with a decent returner. 

Thanks for your opinion on Ford and Scheon.

I agree with your take here.

Watching the number of NFL workouts, I am thinking we are more likely to lose Ford than Schoen.  But we won't know until we know I guess.

I want Grant back but returners are easier to find than starters on DL and OL.  They can also be developed.  That said a player at Grant's level takes a couple years experience minimum to match.

[Blue In BC]

I take your point, but philosophically I am of the school that a priority list that contains almost all the free agents isn't really prioritization.  Of those 4 I listed as wants, I doubt we lose all of them, if we did it would be a bit of a challenge no doubt.

I love watching Grant, but the team can still function with a decent returner. 

Watching the number of NFL workouts, I am thinking we are more likely to lose Ford than Schoen.  But we won't know until we know I guess.

 I was only considering 8 as priorities with a number or reasons behind that thought.

In regard to considering Bailey as one of them is due to several years of struggling finding good receivers. Due to injuries in 2021 and 2022 we had Nelson, McKnight and McCrae as options. It wasn't until we found Lawler and Bailey we turned the corner and then found Schoen for 2022.

Potentially we may lose 3 of our import starting receivers. OTOH we may only lose 1 or 2 but that's still a big hit. Lots of time to see what happens yet and what happens in free agency including getting Lawler back ( probably not ) but it's possible.

Jeffcoat made Jefferson more effective and our DL overall. As I pointed out we went through a few PR players in replacement with little success.

SMS will obviously come into play for both those two players and IDK how that will unfold.