2024 Free Agency Signings/Transactions (Blue Bombers)

[Jesse]

Still no kicker and no known ST returner signed yet right?

Nope. Last thing Walters said was they were still negotiating with Castillio and Grant. I still expect them back.

[blue_or_die]

Yes, he is working for engineering firm.

Maybe it's out of date, but his linkedin profile states he's working as a research technician at the UofM.

Of even more interest, his personal description states 'former professional athlete'...

[Blue In BC]

2024 is the year of turnover in Winnipeg. We've lost about 17 players that were normally on the AR. It's possible a couple might yet be signed, however, the turnover is significant. Also about 8 players that spent time on the PR are also gone: Lawrence, Richmond and Maruo in particular.

Obviously it's too early to say this is a big problem. We might unearth the next Jeffcoat, Alford or Schoen. Those players may be returning from the 2023 PR or newbies.

There will be more to watch / hear in the 2024 TC as a result. Who will be the new success stories. Once TC begins we'll need some sort of more specific watch list.

[J5V]

Bailey says goodbye.

Son of a ... tears are still coming. ****! Talk about a real human being. I love that man and I'm gonna miss him. Wish him all the best!

[dd]

Are you serious?

Heart?

Collaros, Neufeld, Thomas, Jefferson, Bighill...  local boys Demski and Oliviera... just off the top of my head.  Sure, Hardick was a fun guy, and Harris was a team guy until... and no doubt Bailey is a heart guy for sure, but if there is one thing we never are short on with an Oshea / Walters team, its heart.

We have not replaced the emotion that Harris brought to the Bombers. He single handedly willed our team to the Grey Cup the year he was MVP. And it's tough to replace a guy who has the skills to backup what he's saying and more importantly to get others to listen and get amped up.

I agree with Techno, where was that last year in the GC?? In tough, tight games, intensity matters, and if AH was in our lineup last year, hurt or healthy, you can bet everyone would have done everything possible to send him out a winner, just like the Ravens did when Ray Lewis was hurt in his last year. Those emotional, highly productive impact players are extremely hard to find and even harder to replace.

[TecnoGenius]

I understand that there were economics and the roster implications in play that could have made Walters move on from Sheed.
[...]
It doesn't sound right, or should I say the lack of sound is right, coming from the front office re:Sheed.  No explanation saying "We just couldn't fit him in on our squad", just a "He won't be back with the team".

It could just be the "middling player" curse.  Not good enough to be highly sought after by many teams, too expensive for people to sign as depth/DI or PR.  Plus, middling in age... could have many years left, but could also have peaked.

These players often have pride and won't accept too much of an "insulting" offer.  They'll do a hometown / no-change discount as that saves face.  But they can't accept an "insulting" offer (i.e. back to near ELC).  Not necessarily the best mindset or approach, but I'm sure we can understand it.

Why are we not making a low-but-face-saving offer to Bailey?  Maybe we really can't afford it, as KW has said.  And it may be "nicer" to not make an offer at all than to insult him with an ELC+15.  It seems strange, but it might show more respect for the player in the end.

It could be we didn't like the downtrend of his stats?  He was still very good for his position, but he did whiff on some catches, and even turtled on a couple.  He only had 1 or 2 ok receptions in the GC, and I think 1 or 2 misses.  So from a GC puzzle-piece standpoint, which KW is always focused on, cutting him makes sense.

We could be just willing to gamble an ELC out of 4-8 guys brought to TC will be nearly as good, at a lower price.  At worst those odds are probably 50/50??  Dunno.

The problem is, if the next #3 IMP we start at WR turns out to be LDW (sorry 66) or Agudosi, then we probably made a big mistake.  That's a real risk.  But one we can recover from.  Not all 5 need to be capable (many teams prove that).

It is a bit puzzling, and clearly the fans are restless about dumping Bailey, and personally I'm not sold on it.  But maybe The Can Mafia knows what they are doing, or will win the gamble.

[TecnoGenius]

Also we need to develop receivers than can step in at a higher level, both Lawler and Schoen are signed for this year only
The only way we sign  Bailey is if he's ok on the practice roster, in case we need an injury replacement which I don't think he would be.

Yes, this could be with an eye to 2025.  An ELC guy who pans out will be an asset having to skip FA next year.  Too many of our players are up for FA at the same time going into our big home GC year.

Bailey would only be signed if we knew we'd start him.  There is zero sense in signing him and then cutting him in TC, or putting him on the PR.  We certainly only have ELC money for PR people this year, and Bailey needs and deserves at least a couple of steps above ELC.

[TecnoGenius]

Son of a ... tears are still coming. ****! Talk about a real human being. I love that man and I'm gonna miss him. Wish him all the best!

Ya, might be one of the best send-off message-to-fans we've ever seen in WFC.  Classy and from the heart.  How can you not love the guy.  Never forget, he helped bring us 2 cups, and helped get us to 2 more.  Quite amazing, actually.

[TecnoGenius]

We have not replaced the emotion that Harris brought to the Bombers. He single handedly willed our team to the Grey Cup the year he was MVP. And it's tough to replace a guy who has the skills to backup what he's saying and more importantly to get others to listen and get amped up.

I agree with Techno, where was that last year in the GC?? In tough, tight games, intensity matters, and if AH was in our lineup last year, hurt or healthy, you can bet everyone would have done everything possible to send him out a winner, just like the Ravens did when Ray Lewis was hurt in his last year. Those emotional, highly productive impact players are extremely hard to find and even harder to replace.

Thanks.  Glad someone sees it too!  So many hype guys on the sidelines for MTL in the GC.  Even when we got that last TD and made their win very difficult they were all fired up with the rah-rah guys keeping morale up.  The TSN Wired showed all of this.

Contrast to ours, there was no fire.  It was dead.

The telling point to me was (from TSN Wired) when Willie had Cody in his grasp, slipped, and let Cody run for 15 on 2nd & 17.  He's staring into space right after that play saying "I had him" "I slipped", and he couldn't believe it, and his eyes showed he knows they had lost the game, even though it took 2 more plays.  It was that Simoni-in-the-EZ-just-before-the-2pt-convert-GC-2021 look I'll never forget.

We reached a point where our guys didn't believe they could do it, and thus they didn't.  MTL didn't stop believing.

Where were the fire guys on the sidelines screaming out we still got this, go rip Cody's head off?

Where were the fire guys the series before, before Zach got sacked, telling our O guys that we're going to run right through them no matter what?  We played that series like business as usual.  Brady stuffed for 1y gain and a sack.  Zach wasn't even emotional about it like he was in 2022 when his final pass was batted down forcing the Leggs block.  '22 he was really miffed, knowing he had just lost the game.  '23 he was like "meh" and walked off.

You need the fire to have the team believe they can plow through the other team.  If they don't believe, they are going to lose the big games.

I really don't know who our fire guys are now.  People can step up to lead, and be captains.  But that's not the same thing.  You may not realize you need that fire guy, you may not value him, but his absence can spell doom.  The silver lining is any of the more rowdy guys can become the fire guy overnight... it's not something set in stone.

[theaardvark]

If anyone is worried about needing "heart" on this team, remember, we signed CS17.

Is there anyone, ANYONE, who personifies that trait more?

As much as you can say AH33 was instrumental in the 2019 GC victory, from a heart standpoint, CS17 was as much responsible for that, and inspiration playing on a broken foot (you know his teammates knew/saw what he was going through).

And he's back.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Yup Bailey is a passionate guy, the business side sucks, gotta love his heart and love for the Blue Bombers and the city.

God Speed Sheed!

[Jesse]

Maybe it's out of date, but his linkedin profile states he's working as a research technician at the UofM.

Of even more interest, his personal description states 'former professional athlete'...

 

[TecnoGenius]

If anyone is worried about needing "heart" on this team, remember, we signed CS17.

Is there anyone, ANYONE, who personifies that trait more?

Ya, Strevie might step up and take on that role, though it has to be tempered by the fact he's a QB and those guys often need to keep an air of calm captain/leader, kind of like a coach.  He also may have been tempered by a) age and b) years "wasted"(?) in the NFL.

Someone mentioned Willie: he also could maybe be that guy.  But, like most mere mortals, he's prone to getting bummed out when things aren't going great.

Too bad they say Nick Hallett is super quiet & keeps to himself: he strikes me as having that fire and slight crazy.

I wonder what Eli and Dobson are like... and Fox and Haba.  Guys might come out of their shell when starting.  Guys always said Yoshi was real quiet when he first joined, but by the end was the life & comedy of the locker room.  That place may not be the same without him.

[Waffler]

People compliment how calm and cool we are when behind and you can't tell we are worried. Veteran poise. When we come back and win this is a great thing but when we don't it's terrible. Not enough fire. Two sides of the same coin, this is the team we are and it wins more than it loses.

I have zero worries about someone stepping up on this team, we have leaders here aplenty.
 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Castillo signs a one year deal!  Grant next.

https://www.cfl.ca/2024/02/23/in-a-snap-bombers-re-sign-kicker-sergio-castillo/