Jefferson is back

[dd]

The truth is it depends how much of a drop off it is. First and foremost he needs to be able to make all the plays a MLB does. We struggled with mobile QBs. Your experience can only make up for so much lack of speed. We don't need a coach on the field. Richie Hall is a great coordinator. Our defense has a lot of experience even without him. We do need an athletic MLB that can still play sideline to sideline, blitz and drop cover running backs sometimes. Not sure Bighill can do it anymore, to be honest.

You're right, he's lost a step for sure and it cost us vs the run/scramble for sure, and he'll likely lose another step this season. Given his age, I m surprised we didn't go after Sankey and have a succession plan at MLB, it would have been the difference this year for sure. Interested to see how this plays out, does he get hurt and call it a career or struggle to keep up on the field....

[Lincoln Locomotive]

You're right, he's lost a step for sure and it cost us vs the run/scramble for sure, and he'll likely lose another step this season. Given his age, I m surprised we didn't go after Sankey and have a succession plan at MLB, it would have been the difference this year for sure. Interested to see how this plays out, does he get hurt and call it a career or struggle to keep up on the field....

Both Sankey and Lemon made a difference when signed by Montreal.....I read somewhere that WJ had tried to talk Lemon into signing with us.    Looks like his decision to sign with Montreal worked out in his favour.
My feeling before losing to Montreal in this year's Grey Cuo was that this team had peaked in terms of being a perennial GC threat and had we won it this year, we would likely see some players Ie Bighill, Bryant, Thomas ride off into the sunset.    It's always a good time to quit when you're on top and have had success late in your career.  However, since we lost I'm pretty sure MOS would want those three players back in 24' and maybe throw Jeffcoat in the mix as well. 

At 14-4 were a game off the pace we had the season before where we were 15-3 and still lost in the final game.
Unless we pick up some younger blood in free agency, I see us possibly declining albeit still in the playoff picture in 24'.    That's just my gut feeling at the moment and could change after all the dust settles.

[TecnoGenius]

A funny aside: I was watching Airplane with the wife the other night (one of our faves of all-time) and the bit with Joey bugging Kareem about "not trying until the playoffs" made me laugh so hard because that's what I often say about Willie J.  I pictured Willie grabbing my shirt and berating me over how he busts his butt up and down the field all season, just like Kareem did to Joey.

It's so easy for us couch fans to talk smack.    But hey, Willie, if you're listening, I always qualify the "takes games off" thing with "I don't care!" "he more than makes up for it in the post-season".  I love Willie's body-preserving methods... contrast with JJ.  Has Willie even missed a single game due to injury since signing with us??  The guy is a cat: always lands in a way he doesn't get harmed, and has 9 lives.  Go Willie!  (And Kareem!)

[Pigskin]

I am glad WJ5 has signed. Mr. Walter's has a lot of work to do.

Jeffcoat will be 33, $185K last season.

Bryant will be 38, $190 last season.

Bighill will be 35, and is coming off of a torn calf muscle, $165K.

Hardrick will be 34, $150K last season.

Schoen was only making $70K last season.

Brady was around $100K.

[Blue In BC]

I am glad WJ5 has signed. Mr. Walter's has a lot of work to do.

Jeffcoat will be 33, $185K last season.

Bryant will be 38, $190 last season.

Bighill will be 35, and is coming off of a torn calf muscle, $165K.

Hardrick will be 34, $150K last season.

Schoen was only making $70K last season.

Brady was around $100K.

We had some big contracts and now need to re-new these players. Whether we can afford to keep everyone IDK. Schoen is going to be looking for $250K ( IMO ) and maybe more. If he signs before some of some other big names, we may some tough decisions to make.

If what we hear about Oliveria looking to the NFL is true that will be out of our control.

In any case I'd expect a few more signings before the end of they year. Who signs 1st is always interesting but too early to make any conclusions about who we don't expect back.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

We had some big contracts and now need to re-new these players. Whether we can afford to keep everyone IDK. Schoen is going to be looking for $250K ( IMO ) and maybe more. If he signs before some of some other big names, we may some tough decisions to make.

If what we hear about Oliveria looking to the NFL is true that will be out of our control.

In any case I'd expect a few more signings before the end of they year. Who signs 1st is always interesting but too early to make any conclusions about who we don't expect back.

Schoen will be $300,000+

[Jesse]

Schoen will be $300,000+

In FA, absolutely.

If Walters convinces him to sign a deal with us, he'd likely have to agree to take a small hair cut.

[Blue In BC]

Schoen will be $300,000+

I don't know if teams can continue to afford to pay receivers in that range. It's not that he's not worth that in comparison to other receivers. It's just that the CFL is in a cycle of paying too much of the SMS to too small a number of players.

In the same way I think Lawler and Collaros are in the same boat on the team. I suppose we could include Oliveria in this group as well.

It's a tough dynamic for the CFL with an SMS that is limiting.  It creates roster turnover IMO.

[bwiser]

I think that Olivera will be paid around 170,000 and Shoen will be around 200,000 if they stay in Winnipeg. If they sign for this amount a veteran who makes a lot will have to be gone whether out right release,or allowing them to go to free agency or retirement. Bryant seems the most likely and probably Jeffcoat would be another who could be let go. Jeffcoat would seem to be the most likely as his position would be easier to replace with a cheaper replacement.

[Pete]

We havent been able to find a de  all of last year, unless we sign a free agent who wont be cheap. A talent like Jeffcoat isn't easy to replace. Halls defense is predicated on pressure.
In regards to Shoen no way does he get more than 225k. Lawler and Lewis are special in terms of their ability to make catches. How many highlight reel catches did Schoen make?
His success is how he fits into our scheme and Collaros . If another team signs him for big dollars he may find it difficult to replicate his last 2 seasons

[Pigskin]

We didn't see much of Haba, but when he did played well. The Kid is 24 and has a good motor and works hard a practice. He dressed for 8 games, but in 4 starts he had 12 DTs, 4 Sacks, 1FF.

[theaardvark]

With Lawler already at close to $300k, how many other receivers can we pay that much?

This is going to be a painful off season.  There are going to be a lot of players we cannot afford.  It will require a judicious use of offers and watching out for who is willing to stay for less (like Bailey or Bighill) and who is worth matching offers on.  And who we have in the "next man up" category. 

Walters has been a wonder the last 5 years, but this year, he's going to need to be a magician.

We will sign some players early, and we will sign some players after everyone else has spent thier budget.

And we will have a great recruitment year.

[dd]

Lawler s contract was $250k, and I think Schoen is worth all of that, $300 is crazy, only Lewis in Edmonton got that and that was a crime, he's decent, but Rhymes , Austin Mack, Tim White and Schoen are all just as good if not better. Jones needs a kick in the head for signing him for that, but that's his problem.

I think we'll sign Schoen in the $250 range and if we can't afford both him and Lawler, bye bye Kenny.

[Jesse]

With Lawler already at close to $300k, how many other receivers can we pay that much?

This is going to be a painful off season.  There are going to be a lot of players we cannot afford.  It will require a judicious use of offers and watching out for who is willing to stay for less (like Bailey or Bighill) and who is worth matching offers on.  And who we have in the "next man up" category. 

Walters has been a wonder the last 5 years, but this year, he's going to need to be a magician.

We will sign some players early, and we will sign some players after everyone else has spent thier budget.

And we will have a great recruitment year.

Meh, people have said the same thing every year since 2019. Some players have walked for better deals on the open market, but we a) haven't had trouble replacing them and b) have had a couple of them come back after a year.

[TecnoGenius]

Schoen will be $300,000+

He's not worth $300k.

Schoen, to my eyes and memory without looking at any stats, had a bit of a sophomore slump.  Teams figured out his/Zach's 2022 scramble magic and made sure he wasn't open in that same way this season.

Schoen is not the best route runner.  He's not that fast.  He doesn't make the circus catches like Kenny/Lewis/Mack.  He was mostly invisible in the GC.  In fact, both GCs!

What Schoen does do well is: know the QB and what he wants, knows the scramble drill and how to get open, can take punishment and hold on and get back up, is very smart, what he's not "best" at (above) he is decent/good at.

In regards to Shoen no way does he get more than 225k. Lawler and Lewis are special in terms of their ability to make catches. How many highlight reel catches did Schoen make?
His success is how he fits into our scheme and Collaros . If another team signs him for big dollars he may find it difficult to replicate his last 2 seasons

Bingo.  Everything you said is truth.  A team would have to be crazy to offer him >$225k.  He may, MAY, get $200k offers, and we'd probably offer him $160k tops.  We might offer more, except we totally can't afford it with Kenny.  Why not offer Schoen a lower $150 on a 3-year with auto-bumps of $25k/year + performance?  (But with no vet guarantee so we can cut if underperforming.)

If you asked me at this moment, do you take Kenny at $280k or Schoen at $160k, I'd be hard-pressed to answer, but would likely take Schoen.  If you say Kenny $250 and Schoen $200 then I'm taking Kenny all day long.  If their prices are anywhere close, I'm taking Kenny all the way.  But Kenny needs to re-prove himself by playing a full and impactful year in 2024.