Schoen re-signs with Bombers

[LXTSN]

It should be easy enough to replace Gray if he were to leave, but replacing a solid right tackle will be tough. I think we put a lot of coaching into turning Richardson into a long term tackle but he retired.
Could Eli play tackle? He seems to be quicker than our other options right now. Would we be better off starting Ivy and bringing Eli off the bench to save a DI? (I'm still not great with the ratio game lol)

[kkc60]

It should be easy enough to replace Gray if he were to leave, but replacing a solid right tackle will be tough. I think we put a lot of coaching into turning Richardson into a long term tackle but he retired.
Could Eli play tackle? He seems to be quicker than our other options right now. Would we be better off starting Ivy and bringing Eli off the bench to save a DI? (I'm still not great with the ratio game lol)

Eli is canadian, so there is no issue with him as a DI. I suppose Ivy could be a DI but last time we did that with an OL would be when we did it in Dru Browns season ending debut a couple years ago with Tyler Witt, and before that we used Devin Tyler as a DI OL when the OL was churning starters. I think it's far too early to speculate who our RT is. Free Agency hasn't kicked off, the draft & USFL cuts have not happened yet. Free agents like Landon Rice, Isaiah Cage or Colin Kelly could be nice insurance pieces if cheap enough

[theaardvark]

I have no issue with a rookie RT.  Far better a rookie American RT than a converted NAT moving out there.  In game injury replacement, Neufeld/Gray/Eli are fine.  But as a full time starter, I can't see us not being able to find an adequate American RT through scouting. 

With the rest of the Oline having worked as a unit for years, Collaros just has to start rolling left...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I have no issue with a rookie RT.  Far better a rookie American RT than a converted NAT moving out there.  In game injury replacement, Neufeld/Gray/Eli are fine.  But as a full time starter, I can't see us not being able to find an adequate American RT through scouting. 

With the rest of the Oline having worked as a unit for years, Collaros just has to start rolling left...

There's that scary word again.

[KINGCHARLES]

our offence so far is intact other than signing Bailey who took a a pay cut to stay last season.   Not sure it will happen again though....and replacing Hardrick even if his play was declining somewhat is still a tall order.   

Just watch Bailey go to the Riders too YUCK....I'm surprised he hasn't been offered a deal by anyone yet. He might be the overall most underrated depth WR in the entire CFL. He may be the top run blocking WR in the CFL. Anyone that wants to bolster their downfield run blocking would be extremely wise to pick him up. Best fits for him are a team that wants to try and emulate our offensive success over the last 6 years.

[theaardvark]

Just watch Bailey go to the Riders too YUCK....I'm surprised he hasn't been offered a deal by anyone yet. He might be the overall most underrated depth WR in the entire CFL. He may be the top run blocking WR in the CFL. Anyone that wants to bolster their downfield run blocking would be extremely wise to pick him up. Best fits for him are a team that wants to try and emulate our offensive success over the last 6 years.

We have no idea if all 8 other teams haven't offered him a deal, as well as the Bombers.  He definitely left money on the table last year, he may be deciding just how much it will take to get him to move from his family here.

I don't think anyone is offering him top dollars, his play is good, but not stellar, and I think we will end up being his landing spot again, offering a competitive deal that is still good value for us.

[Blueforlife]

I didn't think we would, 5 star signing

[TecnoGenius]

This is a bit surprising.  Yes, KW is good at retention of key pieces, and he hates to lose key puzzle pieces that affect the post-season.  But Schoen's "just an IMP" with no hometown allegiances.  And he was leading the league last season.  So there was going to be major interest and competition.

So we've mostly kept the powerhouse starting O intact.  With Lawler having a full year in 2024 (vs 2023 cough cough), we should be pretty darn potent.  (Let's assume we manage to get a competent RT -- big assumption.)  HOWEVER, that O wasn't enough to win us the GC.  That O could have sealed it with 1-2 first downs and blew it.  2 years in a row.

Now add in the fact that, unless we get scout-lucky this season, our D will almost certainly be weaker due to lost pieces and shifted D-side budget, then I must question if our 2024 team will be good enough to beat MTL in a do-over GC.  The only saving grace here is that MTL is losing a ton of top players and can't keep striking scout-jackpot.  (Not saying MTL will be in the GC, but at this moment they are the measuring stick and 2024 puzzle to solve.)

If our D, which already wasn't the best, is even weaker then we can shift to being a highly aggressive and bold O team.  Like the Chiefs of the CFL.  Just get it done on O and score on most drives and it doesn't matter if the D sucks.  (Not saying Chiefs D sucks, but it probably wouldn't matter if they did.)  That's what we should have done in the GC.  It's MOS/Buck's choice whether to turtle up or go for the gold on O.  Let's choose to go out there and grab wins.

[TecnoGenius]

Another thought about Schoen and why we paid probably more than we can afford: what premium do you place on retaining a receiver who has arguably the best chemistry with his QB in the whole league?  What is that worth?  Maybe that extra $30k?

Lawler is a better receiver than Schoen, but he's never had that magic chemistry with Zach.  They don't really need it, as Kenny will basically catch anything around him.  But notice how come scramble-rules time, Kenny is mostly invisible.

Demski also has good chemistry with Zach, and that partly explains his high price tag as well (plus being a NAT of course).

[blue_gold_84]

Lawler absolutely has (and has had) excellent chemistry with Collaros. He's just a different type of receiver compared to Schoen.

Paying a bit of a premium to keep the latter is the cost of doing business. The offense is going to be top tier once again.

[theaardvark]

Lawler absolutely has (and has had) excellent chemistry with Collaros. He's just a different type of receiver compared to Schoen.

Paying a bit of a premium to keep the latter is the cost of doing business. The offense is going to be top tier once again.

Schoen definitely did not come at a premium to what his worth is in the league.  If anything, we got a steal, for this player, in this market, at this stage of his career.

That said, can we afford 3 high paid WR's?  Even if they are some of the best in the league and one is a NAT?  Certainly makes Walters job a lot harder...

Lawler kinda gives an assist to this signing.  Hard to afford both of them, but I do not doubt Kenny told Dalton about greener grass, and how good he has it here, with an oline protecting a QB that can feed him the ball.  And a room filled with brothers. 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Schoen definitely did not come at a premium to what his worth is in the league.  If anything, we got a steal, for this player, in this market, at this stage of his career.

That said, can we afford 3 high paid WR's?  Even if they are some of the best in the league and one is a NAT?  Certainly makes Walters job a lot harder...

Lawler kinda gives an assist to this signing.  Hard to afford both of them, but I do not doubt Kenny told Dalton about greener grass, and how good he has it here, with an oline protecting a QB that can feed him the ball.  And a room filled with brothers. 

Lawler has not played more than 13 games in any of the last 3 years, whereas Schoen has only missed 2 games in 2 seasons.  If Lawler wants to maintain his pay advantage he needs to participate in more games than he has.

[theaardvark]

Lawler has not played more than 13 games in any of the last 3 years, whereas Schoen has only missed 2 games in 2 seasons.  If Lawler wants to maintain his pay advantage he needs to participate in more games than he has.

Well, last year was an anomoly, with his legal issues being the reason for missed games.  We didn't pay him for those games missed. 

[blue_gold_84]

Lawler has not played more than 13 games in any of the last 3 years, whereas Schoen has only missed 2 games in 2 seasons.  If Lawler wants to maintain his pay advantage he needs to participate in more games than he has.

He didn't play more than 13 games in 2021 because of the shortened season due to the pandemic. For all intents and purposes, he played a full season that year.

He was suspended last season under pretty extenuating circumstances, so I'm not sure if that's a reasonable criticism to level at him for "missing" games.

Up to this point, I think it's fair to say Lawler has been worth every penny the WFC has paid him.

[Jesse]

He didn't play more than 13 games in 2021 because of the shortened season due to the pandemic. For all intents and purposes, he played a full season that year.

He was suspended last season under pretty extenuating circumstances, so I'm not sure if that's a reasonable criticism to level at him for "missing" games.

Up to this point, I think it's fair to say Lawler has been worth every penny the WFC has paid him.

He makes a lot of money for a guy who has never been able to be a league leader in yards/TDs.

We can list the excuses, but he needs to put together a full season if he wants to keep that pay check.