Bomber Free Agents

[Pigskin]

Quarterback

Jake Dolegala (A)          replace (Tre Ford)
Chris Streveler (A)        replace ( Wilson)

Running back

Johnny Augustine (N)        replace (Chris Ike)

Fullback

Bailey Feltmate (N)        replace (thru Draft)


Receiver

Kenny Lawler (A)          re-sign but no higher than 220k
Dalton Schoen (A)          re-sign at right price 180K?
Lucky Whitehead (A)        scout for a new returner

Offensive linemen       

Stanley Bryant (A)        re-sign
Liam Dobson (N)            re-sign
Eric Lofton (A)            re-sign
Patrick Neufeld (N)        re-sign reduced role..look at signing younger guard

Defensive linemen
Miles Fox (A)              replace need an upgrade           
TyJuan Garbutt (A)        re-sign
Celestin Haba (A)          replace need an upgrade  ie carrter/Mauldin from ottawa, Uguak mtrl
Willie Jefferson (A)      re-sign
Jake Thomas (N)            replace with lawton


Linebacker

Adam Bighill (A)          ok with re-signing at lower cap hit
Brian Cole (A)            resign
Shayne Gauthier (N)      replace thru draft
Tony Jones (A)            resign
Kyrie Wilson (A)          replace (he's 32 with injury history )

Defensive back

Brandon Alexander (A)    upgrade -esp if we cant resign ford. (BA would be excellent coach) 
Tyrell Ford (N)          re-sign
Nick Hallett (N)          re-sign
Noah Hallett (N)          time to retire, his body cant take much more
Evan Holm (A)            re-sign
Jamal Parker (A)          re-sign and will have to win a spot in training camp

Specialists

LS Mike Benson (N)        replace
K Sergio Castillo (A)    open up competition with CDn or Global, that extra di is valuable

I am not sure Chris-Ike is ready to replace JA27 yet. Chris-Ike had problems staying healthy, and has to prove he can run the ball at this level.

Feltmate is good on teams and blocks well. He is a MOS/Miller type of players.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Houston got $200K from the Stamps IIRC. We're paying Kramdi $140K if that figure is correct and a CB might hold more value than a SAM. A Canadian CB is more rare IMO.

I'd be happy if we can keep both / either at near $150K. The issue is that some teams try to " buy " a starter in free agency. Desjarlais got something like $230K in Ottawa. OL are valuable but they set the bar higher as a result.

I think Holm has more value than Houston and he'll get offers.

Obviously I'd like both back but if other teams offer more than $150K we may need to pass. My comment was that we could see either at $170K which is a $100K bump each.

You're suggestion for only another $100K in total would take them to about $124K from their ELC of $74K. Almost nobody besides QB's sign 3 year deals anymore. Draft choices but not on 2nd deals.

I'd be thrilled if that happens. We'll see.

4) Deatrick Nichols, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (A)

Hard money: $140,000
Maximum value: $154,000

10) Demerio Houston, Calgary Stampeders (A)

Hard money: $128,800
Maximum value: $136,800

I don't think either Ford or Holm signed for ELC min. especially Ford., I'd expect they made aprox. $85-$90k this season maybe even more. It's good policy to reward players that put in great performances with a few extra payments however they can, instead of twisting nickels and holding them ransom for the first few years on their ELC contracts. Note that Holm just finished his 3rd season with the team, which I've never heard an explanation why the extra year.

[gobombersgo]

Nick Hallett isn't a pending free agent as he was extended for 2 years last off season.

Hodge has updated his list.

[gobombersgo]

Nick Taylor is a pending free agent according to Ed Tait, which makes sense.

Also, for what it's worth, Jake Dolegala wasn't on the list that the Bombers provided to Tait.

[dd]

Dolegala was a short term fix since Strev got hurt mid season. Seems they weren't impressed with what he did in practice as Wilson got the call before him in the big game, no surprise he's gone, next year, we're looking to upgrade that position and he obviously isn't it, Wilson at #3 is our #2 until a new #2 comes along.

[Blue In BC]

There are players signing multi years deals other then QBs. Austin Mack just signed a 4 year deal. Demski will be on his last year of a 3 year deal.

I said almost nobody. Just look at our potential free agents and you'll see a long list that only sign 1 year deals.

[Blue In BC]

4) Deatrick Nichols, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (A)

Hard money: $140,000
Maximum value: $154,000

10) Demerio Houston, Calgary Stampeders (A)

Hard money: $128,800
Maximum value: $136,800

I don't think either Ford or Holm signed for ELC min. especially Ford., I'd expect they made aprox. $85-$90k this season maybe even more. It's good policy to reward players that put in great performances with a few extra payments however they can, instead of twisting nickels and holding them ransom for the first few years on their ELC contracts. Note that Holm just finished his 3rd season with the team, which I've never heard an explanation why the extra year.

I'm sure I heard that Houston signed for $200K in Calgary but I'll take your word for it that he signed for less.

It's true that 1st contract players don't necessarily sign for rock bottom ELC deals. That might be more true for Canadians that sign 3 year deals.

However, I'd still be surprised if either got as much as you think. Holm did sign a new 1 year deal so he'd be above bottom ELC.

[Ridermania]

With hosting the Grey Cup, Bombers will go way over the salary cap for one last hurrah.

Then lots of retirements/releases and start fresh with younger players.

[Blue In BC]

I am not sure Chris-Ike is ready to replace JA27 yet. Chris-Ike had problems staying healthy, and has to prove he can run the ball at this level.

Feltmate is good on teams and blocks well. He is a MOS/Miller type of players.

Hard to say if Chris-Ike was injured often or just bumped in favour of another player on our AR since we already had JA27.

When JA27 and Oliveria were extended a few years ago IIRC, he was going to get about $110K. That potentially becomes an opportunity to save some SMS. Obviously it would be good to know we have a good replacement  He is a good player on ST's an emergency back up at RB. That said, we'd probably move to an import RB if we had a long term injury.

So it's more of a question can we afford to keep him.

Feltmate has been a decent player. We have some 2024 draft choices returning and then we'll have the 2025 draft players. It will depend on how many other Canadians we lose from the roster.

[Blue In BC]

With hosting the Grey Cup, Bombers will go way over the salary cap for one last hurrah.

Then lots of retirements/releases and start fresh with younger players.

I think we'll see a bigger changing of the guard with younger players start this year. Going way over the cap is not the way of the Bombers. Noting that they didn't do that in previous seasons. I don't think they did this season but we may be over by similar amounts to last year.

[theaardvark]

I think we'll see a bigger changing of the guard with younger players start this year. Going way over the cap is not the way of the Bombers. Noting that they didn't do that in previous seasons. I don't think they did this season but we may be over by similar amounts to last year.

This is not a normal year.  It is GC at home year.  It is "end of an era" year for many players. 

This is NOT the time to let $SMS b a deciding factor in a key player's retention.

[Blue In BC]

This is not a normal year.  It is GC at home year.  It is "end of an era" year for many players. 

This is NOT the time to let $SMS b a deciding factor in a key player's retention.

I disagree. You throw out concern for the SMS and the league is in chaos.  Other teams have owners that can outspend community teams. It's WHY there is an SMS.

[theaardvark]

BC threw the $SMS out the window with the Rourke mis-step.  For a GC appearance at home.  The precedent has been set, and the league is not yet in chaos.

Question:

We now know about the soft "appearance money" that can be used in the player cap, does the same go for the front office cap?

Can Lapo be given a staff position with verifiable duties in the media side of things?  Writing content for the web page and doing podcasts and such?  Outside the normal front office $SMS?

[blue_gold_84]

This is not a normal year.  It is GC at home year.  It is "end of an era" year for many players. 

This is NOT the time to let $SMS b a deciding factor in a key player's retention.

You still have to build your roster within the parameters of the SMS.

The last thing Walters should do is take the Taman Approach to win it all at home.

And if players want to remain part of this organization to try for a sixth straight Grey Cup berth to win it all at home, they should probably put self-interest aside and be willing to consider taking a haircut in order to try and get there.

FIFO.

[Blue In BC]

BC threw the $SMS out the window with the Rourke mis-step.  For a GC appearance at home.  The precedent has been set, and the league is not yet in chaos.

Question:

We now know about the soft "appearance money" that can be used in the player cap, does the same go for the front office cap?

Can Lapo be given a staff position with verifiable duties in the media side of things?  Writing content for the web page and doing podcasts and such?  Outside the normal front office $SMS?

It will be if more teams take the same approach. I'd expect changes to what the penalties become going forward.