Blue Bombers re-sign linebacker Shayne Gauthier

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers re-sign linebacker Shayne Gauthier

WINNIPEG, MB., January 25, 2023 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with Canadian linebacker Shayne Gauthier. He was scheduled to become a free agent next month.

Gauthier (5-10, 223; Laval University; born: February 20, 1992, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC) returns for a seventh season with the club in 2023. A fourth-round selection, 28th overall, by the Blue Bombers in the 2016 CFL Draft, Gauthier has suited up for 81 games with the club over six years and has not missed a contest in the last three seasons.

He posted career-high numbers in defensive tackles in 2021 and 2022, recording 28 tackles last season and registering the first two quarterback sacks in his six years with the Blue Bombers while also adding five more tackles on special teams.

Gauthier totalled 130 tackles during his four years at Laval and was also a two-time RSEQ All-Star while earning CIS Second-Team All-Canadian honours as a senior.

[Blue In BC]

He was productive in 2022. Welcome back. Good depth / rotation player.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Welcome back good depth guy. Consistent performer.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

It would be nice to hear a little bit more about some of these long-time Bombers that get little media attention, like Gauthier, Miller and Thomas who are rarely if ever get interviewed.

[ModAdmin]

"This is where I want to be" theme continues with the Shayne Gauthier signing...

....Gauthier lives and works in Winnipeg year-round and is happy to call the city home. That comfort level, and his growth since he first arrived seven years ago, was mammoth in his decision to re-sign.

"After the year I sat down and thought about all these years and how I have become a different man since I got here," he said. "I've grown up a lot over these years.

"Thinking about going somewhere else... that's pretty hard for me. I just can't picture it in my head because of what we've built here since '16 and we started winning. I've seen this team grow a lot and with what we've done I want to keep doing it.

"It's hard for me to imagine being in another uniform. And a lot of people who are close to me and follow me can't see me being anywhere else, either."....

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/01/25/its-hard-for-me-to-imagine-being-in-another-uniform-gauthier-returns-for-7th-season/?fbclid=IwAR2tEMQ4gSdogbicDFXtwN_qQAP-OixEBcWvYYoD9swKI_3BkwwoGrwfyGE

[TecnoGenius]

Gauthier might be one of the smartest guys on the ST field.  At least a few times he's quietly saved entire games by taking the perfect angle to a breakaway returner.  He senses things before anyone else does, and he's fast to get to the ball.

Plus he played a lot of D snaps lately and he's not a gimmee for O's.  Solid, and important, depth.  What more could you ask for?

[pjrocksmb]

Before last season a couple people suggestioned he could be replaced.  Not a chance will retire a Bomber.  Excellent ball player in the role he plays.  Hope we get Briggs signed, excellent balance rotating these two run vs. Pass.

[Blue In BC]

Before last season a couple people suggestioned he could be replaced.  Not a chance will retire a Bomber.  Excellent ball player in the role he plays.  Hope we get Briggs signed, excellent balance rotating these two run vs. Pass.

I still think that is true for both Gauthier and Briggs. Changes happen every season and room has to be made for draft choices making the AR. Both still have some value but both are role players on the downside of their careers.

Gauthier did come off his best season but Briggs came off possibly his worst. That said he might still be re-signed as well.

As much as you like, teams cannot keep everybody forever.  Note that I also said that Miller and Benson could have been casualties for 2023 but both were re-signed. They both can still play at a high level but where and when do you draw the line on players 30 and older?

None of these players are going to be high SMS guys but each will earn more than a rookie draft choice.  SMS is cumulative across the roster.

As O'Shea said, some hard decisions are going to be needed. While that's easier to do with imports but it does also apply to Canadians. Popularity is not the main criteria.

[bwiser]

Gauthier might be one of the smartest guys on the ST field.  At least a few times he's quietly saved entire games by taking the perfect angle to a breakaway returner.  He senses things before anyone else does, and he's fast to get to the ball.

Plus he played a lot of D snaps lately and he's not a gimmee for O's.  Solid, and important, depth.  What more could you ask for?

We probably don't win the 2019 Western Final if not for his alert special teams play late in the game that saved a certain TD.

[pjrocksmb]

I still think that is true for both Gauthier and Briggs. Changes happen every season and room has to be made for draft choices making the AR. Both still have some value but both are role players on the downside of their careers.

Gauthier did come off his best season but Briggs came off possibly his worst. That said he might still be re-signed as well.

As much as you like, teams cannot keep everybody forever.  Note that I also said that Miller and Benson could have been casualties for 2023 but both were re-signed. They both can still play at a high level but where and when do you draw the line on players 30 and older?

None of these players are going to be high SMS guys but each will earn more than a rookie draft choice.  SMS is cumulative across the roster.

As O'Shea said, some hard decisions are going to be needed. While that's easier to do with imports but it does also apply to Canadians. Popularity is not the main criteria.

Good take, yes we will lose a few bodies.  That's what others said in the past, new draft picking pushing the old guard out which does happen.  I'm like Dave Ritchie, love me a vet.

Interesting take on Gauthier's play agree.  Didn't notice that Briggs was that weak.  I think he requires a healthy and productive group around him to be effective.  Tell me more about your take on his season, I'm interested as your analysis tends to be deeper than mine and most.  Thanks for the input.

[Blue In BC]

Good take, yes we will lose a few bodies.  That's what others said in the past, new draft picking pushing the old guard out which does happen.  I'm like Dave Ritchie, love me a vet.

Interesting take on Gauthier's play agree.  Didn't notice that Briggs was that weak.  I think he requires a healthy and productive group around him to be effective.  Tell me more about your take on his season, I'm interested as your analysis tends to be deeper than mine and most.  Thanks for the input.

We all like veteran players because we know what they can do on a consistent basis. They have the experience to minimize the mistakes we might see with a rookie that could have more long term upside.

Regarding Briggs: In 2021 he filled in fairly well at WIL when Wilson was injured and saw more reps on defence than Gauthier. Look at the 2021 stats versus 2022 for each. Also notice Gauthier was more prominent on ST's in both seasons.

In 2022 when Wilson was injured we saw Gauthier become the replacement start at WIL instead of Briggs. He took more reps at MLB as well when Bighill got a few breaks.

Cadwallader is the more recent player added as a Canadian LB and Maruo ( potential free agent global LB ) taking up the slack. Both have more DT's and ST's than Briggs. Just IMO I think either of those might be more suitable to rotate into the MLB or even WIL on the depth chart: younger and a little stockier than Briggs. They were on the field more.

Now that doesn't mean Briggs won't be re-signed but I can also see why that might not happen.  It's not really an SMS issue although we'd save a few bucks on a rookie.

No way to tell what positions we decide to draft in 2023. Who we want versus who is available when we draft will be decided on draft day. Just on the surface I'd think we'd want to draft at DT or DE if quality players are available when our turn comes up.

We released Rene and Thompson, then lost Ford to the NFL. In that sense we're less deep in the depth chart for Canadian DB's who play a lot of ST's along with LB candidates.

I don't know much if anything about the 2023 candidates coming into the picture. Our draft position will be lower due to our Grey Cup appearance etc etc.

As far as Gauthier I think we get good value for money even though I don't know what he earns. He has made some game saving plays and that says a lot about his effort if not for his athleticism.

EDIT: I see form the 2023 draft rankings there are 3 LB's in the 16 - 18 position so one might be available when we make our 2nd pick. If we choose to add a depth player at LB. No LB's are ranked very high at the moment.

[TecnoGenius]

Regarding Briggs: In 2021 he filled in fairly well at WIL when Wilson was injured and saw more reps on defence than Gauthier. Look at the 2021 stats versus 2022 for each. Also notice Gauthier was more prominent on ST's in both seasons.

In 2022 when Wilson was injured we saw Gauthier become the replacement start at WIL instead of Briggs. He took more reps at MLB as well when Bighill got a few breaks.

Haven't we played Briggs at MIKE too?  For some reason I recall comments to the effect of Briggs being a "QB of the D" (usually gets put at MIKE) if Bighill isn't in.  If Bighill goes down and out at halftime in a game, who takes his place?  For some reason I'm thinking it's Briggs, not Gauthier or Maruo.

It's not an athletic/size/speed thing, it's a brain thing.  Looking at our GC depth chart my hunch is that's Briggs.  My point being that if one of the NAT LBs is the clear MIKE if Biggie goes down, then I'm thinking you are re-signing that player, all else being equal.

Luckily Biggie basically never gets knocked out of a game, so we don't have to think too hard about such things.

[ModAdmin]

Looking at the CFL's Free Agent link, there are still many very good players currently available and many will likely be still available come February 14th.  Could be an interesting few days after the deadline.

[Blue In BC]

Haven't we played Briggs at MIKE too?  For some reason I recall comments to the effect of Briggs being a "QB of the D" (usually gets put at MIKE) if Bighill isn't in.  If Bighill goes down and out at halftime in a game, who takes his place?  For some reason I'm thinking it's Briggs, not Gauthier or Maruo.

It's not an athletic/size/speed thing, it's a brain thing.  Looking at our GC depth chart my hunch is that's Briggs.  My point being that if one of the NAT LBs is the clear MIKE if Biggie goes down, then I'm thinking you are re-signing that player, all else being equal.

Luckily Biggie basically never gets knocked out of a game, so we don't have to think too hard about such things.

Briggs did play at MLB more in 2021 but in 2022 we saw Gauthier more. Like I said, look at the DT's for both in both seasons. Briggs did get reps on defence but it seemed Gauthier was used more as the rotation player.

If you look at the depth chart, Gauthier was shown as the back up at MLB in the Grey Cup. In other games he was shown as the starter when Wilson was out. In some of those games Maruo was shown as back up at MLB.

While depth charts are not always correct, I think that did indicate Briggs fell more to 3rd man and not 2nd man up in 2022 more often than not in reality.

He's still a veteran voice on defence even if he's spending more time on the bench. I'm not saying he should be cut but it could go either way as new blood is added.

[blue_gold_84]

Another great re-signing. He's a solid and versatile asset to the team.