Blue Bombers add five to roster - March 15, 2023

[the paw]

I expect Houston and Parker to be the starters. OTOH I think Holm could be a DI due to his speed and versatility as a possible returner.  I wouldn't rule out Lawrence either which is why who starts where and who back up is not set in stone in my mind. That's not a bad thing.

We already have a bunch of rookie DB's signed that could compete and push everything around early in the season. Bombers have had success finding new players in the secondary recently.

I am not personally high on Lawrence, but I get the sense the Bombers are.  I think there is a chance Houston replaces Rose this year.  If I had to forecast a surprise cut from training camp this year, that would be it.

[guyinfla89]

Looking through the new roster I don't see any new kicker.  This is astonishing because its an area we got severely burned last season.  (e.g) GC missed extra point, lost by one.  BB should at least try out a few more K's.  Competition promotes excellence in most things including K'ing.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Looking through the new roster I don't see any new kicker.  This is astonishing because its an area we got severely burned last season.  (e.g) GC missed extra point, lost by one.  BB should at least try out a few more K's.  Competition promotes excellence in most things including K'ing.

The Bombers are bringing in multiple kickers to compete in T.C., the roster hasn't been updated to reflect new signings.

[ModAdmin]

Looking through the new roster I don't see any new kicker.  This is astonishing because its an area we got severely burned last season.  (e.g) GC missed extra point, lost by one.  BB should at least try out a few more K's.  Competition promotes excellence in most things including K'ing.

Two Americans signed for '23 - February 24th Devin Anctil, Punter and March 25th Chandler Staton, Kicker.  

Kyle Walters has stated there will be competition in Training Camp for punting and kicking positions so expect more kickers to be signed prior to the start of camp.

[Blue In BC]

I am not personally high on Lawrence, but I get the sense the Bombers are.  I think there is a chance Houston replaces Rose this year.  If I had to forecast a surprise cut from training camp this year, that would be it.

Yeah I wouldn't be entirely surprised. It will depend on how much the 2022 rookies show improvement in TC from last year. Then the pure rookies fighting for PR spots as depth.

Rose was fighting through some injuries last year and that caused some issues but he can still play and start. SMS and succession are always factors so it's possible but flip a coin. I don't think Rose is all that expensive and he's very experienced.

There are already 5 or 6 rookie imports signed and a couple of Canadian DB's on the roster. More will be added soon I imagine.

[blue_or_die]

Working to re-sign Rose only to cut him in TC is more of a Jones thing, not a WFC thing.

Have we done that to a star vet since Hefney?

[the paw]

Working to re-sign Rose only to cut him in TC is more of a Jones thing, not a WFC thing.

Have we done that to a star vet since Hefney?

Don't get me wrong, its Rose's spot to lose.  That's why I said it would be a surprise.

But Rose was not the same player last year that he was in 2019.  Maybe it was nagging injuries, maybe the hashmark change threw him off, I dunno.  But he gave up more plays in 2022, so isn't untouchable.

And for the record, I think More Leggett was the last surprise release from the secondary.  Although not retaining Darby for 2022 almost counts.

[blue_or_die]

Don't get me wrong, its Rose's spot to lose.  That's why I said it would be a surprise.

But Rose was not the same player last year that he was in 2019.  Maybe it was nagging injuries, maybe the hashmark change threw him off, I dunno.  But he gave up more plays in 2022, so isn't untouchable.

And for the record, I think More Leggett was the last surprise release from the secondary.  Although not retaining Darby for 2022 almost counts.

I don't disagree that Rose lost a step last year. If anything, I'd say it's more surprising that we re-signed him vs letting him walk and having Lawrence and Houston start. However, I think he would have to have an atrocious camp for that to happen given that fact that we put effort into re-signing him. So it would be a surprise TC cut in the same way cutting Collaros in TC would be a surprise 

On that final note, was Mo Leggett a surprise though? I think we were surprised he wasn't able to really come back from injury, but not surprised we moved on due precisely to that. Or am I remembering wrong?

Agree on the Darby point, though!

[the paw]

I don't disagree that Rose lost a step last year. If anything, I'd say it's more surprising that we re-signed him vs letting him walk and having Lawrence and Houston start. However, I think he would have to have an atrocious camp for that to happen given that fact that we put effort into re-signing him. So it would be a surprise TC cut in the same way cutting Collaros in TC would be a surprise 

On that final note, was Mo Leggett a surprise though? I think we were surprised he wasn't able to really come back from injury, but not surprised we moved on due precisely to that. Or am I remembering wrong?

Agree on the Darby point, though!

I wasn't surprised about Leggett really, given the nature of his injury.  I guess its more of an example that the Bombers will move on from a vet when they think the time has come. 

[Jesse]

I don't disagree that Rose lost a step last year. If anything, I'd say it's more surprising that we re-signed him vs letting him walk and having Lawrence and Houston start. However, I think he would have to have an atrocious camp for that to happen given that fact that we put effort into re-signing him. So it would be a surprise TC cut in the same way cutting Collaros in TC would be a surprise 

On that final note, was Mo Leggett a surprise though? I think we were surprised he wasn't able to really come back from injury, but not surprised we moved on due precisely to that. Or am I remembering wrong?

Agree on the Darby point, though!

I think our depth has been really tested at DB these last couple of years and they want more bodies than they have starting positions for.

[Blue In BC]

New signings have slowed down. We're only 3 weeks from rookie camp so we should be seeing some activity soon? I'd also expect a few earlier signed players to be released. There always seem to be a few for unknown reasons to us posters. Also a couple that decide not to attend rookie camps around the league.

[blue_or_die]

I think our depth has been really tested at DB these last couple of years and they want more bodies than they have starting positions for.

Yeah but I wouldn't refer to Rose as a "body" given the time he's put in. To me it's as hard a commitment you'll find in the CFL...which is admittedly not 'hard' compared to any league with guaranteed contracts.

[TecnoGenius]

Yeah but I wouldn't refer to Rose as a "body" given the time he's put in. To me it's as hard a commitment you'll find in the CFL...which is admittedly not 'hard' compared to any league with guaranteed contracts.

Rose was known in '19 as the big-play INT-getter.  9 INTs!!  He has a nose for the INT; but I think it bit him in '22 as he may have gotten fooled by wily QBs and OCs.  They may have spotted his tendency to cheat on routes, like cut short to INT the short rail pass whilst ignoring his go-route guy.  That seemed to me to be his biggest problem in '22, anyhow, and a big cause of all the embarrassing explosions they pinned on him.

If I'm right, that's highly coachable and something he can personally work on.  However, it means he takes a slight edge off the aggressiveness that made him so attractive in '19.

Interestingly in '22 he got 8 more DTs (vs 2019) with his 6 less INTs.  So he ruined the INT and had to chase down the real target for the DT.  However, his DTs stat is still stellar.

I think Rose is as much a lock as Nichols unless he fails to solve the problem.  But that won't be known for several games.

[theaardvark]

I'm not sure that this team has a new modus operandi with regards to vets with injury concerns.  In the past, we had been over loyal, I think now, it there is any concern, they move on and trust their scouting to come up with a solution.

Its not fun to say goodbye to favourite players, especially if they recover and go on to play well for a competitor.  But when you can replace a position through scouting, and save precious SMS$, that's a tremendous position to be in. 

[TecnoGenius]

I'm not sure that this team has a new modus operandi with regards to vets with injury concerns.  In the past, we had been over loyal, I think now, it there is any concern, they move on and trust their scouting to come up with a solution.

Its not fun to say goodbye to favourite players, especially if they recover and go on to play well for a competitor.  But when you can replace a position through scouting, and save precious SMS$, that's a tremendous position to be in. 

Ya, I think The Mafia became a lot colder around the Randle/Leggett let-go era.  Sucks, but it seems to be necessary as we didn't really blossom into GC contenders until a season or two after that.  I still feel bad for Randle/Leggett.  (Yes, Randle didn't have anything to do with injury, but the cold "you were great, now you aren't, bye" hit him like a brick.)

IMP DBs/SAMs seem to get treated the "worst".  You don't produce for a few games or have a down season and the cartographers are out to give you a map and apple, stat.  Just look at the hungry jackals itching to send Rose packing!!  He was far and away our best DB in the '19 playoff run.  Good enough he got an NFL look.

In past seasons we would have given Maston and Taylor more chances.  This time they got the boot.  I think age had something to do with it.  Would have been nice if Taylor had gotten 1 more ring whilst on the PR (don't think Maston would have qualified as he didn't take a live snap?).

The only DB I can recall recently we were glad to see go was The Roc.