Bomber Free Agents

[Waffler]

He was on a futures contract but Grainger decided to retire. I have no doubt we would be looking at other QB's in mini camps and on our neg lists. Essentially we're looking for one to have available on our PR or sitting near the phone after TC.

We haven't kept a # 4 on the PR for a few years but it's not a bad idea. I still have no idea where Wilson will end up after TC. Is he our # 2 and if so does that make Dolegala expendable since he's not the SY QB.

The free agent QB's are slim pickings at best. Arbuckle and a 37 year old Masoli leading the rankings.
https://3downnation.com/2025/01/28/2025-cfl-free-agent-rankings-quarterbacks/

I feel like we need, and I mean NEED, a strong 2nd stringer. Not sure where that is coming from. Appears to be Zach or bust again.

[Pigskin]

Well, Feb.11 is not far away and not much happening for the Bombers.

[blue_gold_84]

[theaardvark]

We have 4 organizations worth of prospect lists at QB.  Wilson has barely a year in the CFL, so we have no idea how well he will do.  Dolegala, well, we will see how he fares with the new OC in camp. 

Picking up another "known quantity" might happen if Dolegala flames out, but not until.

I expect that we will have a few more arms in camp, and you never know when you are going to strike gold.

[Blue In BC]

The free agent QB's are slim pickings at best. Arbuckle and a 37 year old Masoli leading the rankings.
https://3downnation.com/2025/01/28/2025-cfl-free-agent-rankings-quarterbacks/

I feel like we need, and I mean NEED, a strong 2nd stringer. Not sure where that is coming from. Appears to be Zach or bust again.

Yes, we're in a bit of a pickle. As fans we don't know what we have in Wilson. He could turn out to be a solid # 2 in his 2nd year. We will probably see at least another couple of QB's added for TC and will have looked at more during mini camps.

Wilson seems to have the raw talent but we haven't seen him play much. Most of us haven't seen how he looks in practice.

I've said it before, I'm not sure where Dolegala stands. He's not the future IMO and he's not the SY QB. At the moment, he is the QB with the most experience. Fingers are crossed that we find someone that is the future.

I'm not a fan of bringing in an older veteran QB that will cost us too much. OTOH, it depends on what management thinks of those we have as back ups.

[Jesse]

We have 4 organizations worth of prospect lists at QB.  Wilson has barely a year in the CFL, so we have no idea how well he will do.  Dolegala, well, we will see how he fares with the new OC in camp. 

Picking up another "known quantity" might happen if Dolegala flames out, but not until.

I expect that we will have a few more arms in camp, and you never know when you are going to strike gold.

Unfortunately, they can't bring neg list prospects with them.

Dolegala...think he might have flamed out a few years ago, tbh.

[theaardvark]

Yes, we're in a bit of a pickle. As fans we don't know what we have in Wilson. He could turn out to be a solid # 2 in his 2nd year. We will probably see at least another couple of QB's added for TC and will have looked at more during mini camps.

Wilson seems to have the raw talent but we haven't seen him play much. Most of us haven't seen how he looks in practice.

I've said it before, I'm not sure where Dolegala stands. He's not the future IMO and he's not the SY QB. At the moment, he is the QB with the most experience. Fingers are crossed that we find someone that is the future.

I'm not a fan of bringing in an older veteran QB that will cost us too much. OTOH, it depends on what management thinks of those we have as back ups.

Cost has multiple faces.  $SMS is one thing, roster/development spot is another.  Plugging in a has been that "might have something left in the tank", and then finding out, nope, its empty can really cost a team.  Even on an incentive laden deal, it prevents us from getting reps to development guys.

Dolegala is right in that sweet spot of having shown something, but we don't know if that is everything.  We can suspect where his ceiling is (and its not any higher just because his height), but he hasn't defined it yet.  I'm surprised he wasn't turned into the SY guy with his size, not sure if that's his choice or the team's.  So his $SMS isn't going to be as much as a Masoli, and his upside could be higher as he is younger and less likely to suffer a career ender just due to age.  So I have no issues keeping him through camp and letting rookies try to unseat him.

Unfortunately, they can't bring neg list prospects with them.

Dolegala...think he might have flamed out a few years ago, tbh.

They can't bring neg listers with them, but they can pick them up if their replacements on other teams decide to list their own prospects, and if they really like them, no doubt there are neg list trades to be had.  The key is we have 3 new sets of eyes that have seen these players, and know what they can bring.  So we literally have 4x the scouting depth we had a month ago.  And if we have a coupe regional mini camps, we could see a lot of fresh faces this TC.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well, I disagree.

We're spending more at other positions. We spent much more on two receivers in the same position group.

Their DL is the reason we've had so much trouble against Toronto the past few years. It's lost us two Grey Cups. We'd be fools to ignore that.

It's Willie's house, I don't think you can bring in another DT or DE and pay them more than they pay Willie, without upsetting the apple cart.

[blue_gold_84]

It's Willie's house, I don't think you can bring in another DT or DE and pay them more than they pay Willie, without upsetting the apple cart.

I don't see Jefferson as the type to personalize something like the organization opting to upgrade its DE corps and having someone else make more than him for said upgrade.

Jefferson doesn't strike me as petty or infantile.

[Jesse]

It's Willie's house, I don't think you can bring in another DT or DE and pay them more than they pay Willie, without upsetting the apple cart.

Well, I don't think Walters is going to have that in mind while negotiating contracts. I think and hope Willie is more mature than that.

[Pigskin]

Love to sign players: Lawler, Schoen, Dobson, Ford.

Like to sign players at the right price. JA27, Cole, BA37, Feltmate, Lofton.

Can't all be replaced players: Benson, Haba, Garbutt, Fox, Noah Hallett, Taylor, Whitehead

And then there's Strev17, just didn't see enough improvement. Injury. $$. 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well, I don't think Walters is going to have that in mind while negotiating contracts. I think and hope Willie is more mature than that.

Nothing immature about it, Willie negotiated in good faith with Walters to stay in Wpg. without listening to other offers which probably could have paid him much more. He understands how the budget is structured in Wpg. to accommodate other positions and other stars.

He rightfully believes he's still the most impactful D-lineman in the league and Wpg's biggest booster.  Walters would not likely disagree with either of those points, his marketing image across the CFL is huge.

If Walters actions countered his words, and he paid someone like Lanier more money for less effort, I'd assume he'd lose a fair bit of trust in that locker room and at the bargaining table.

[Jesse]

Nothing immature about it, Willie negotiated in good faith with Walters to stay in Wpg. without listening to other offers which probably could have paid him much more. He understands how the budget is structured in Wpg. to accommodate other positions and other stars.

He rightfully believes he's still the most impactful D-lineman in the league and Wpg's biggest booster.  Walters would not likely disagree with either of those points, his marketing image across the CFL is huge.

If Walters actions countered his words, and he paid someone like Lanier more money for less effort, I'd assume he'd lose a fair bit of trust in that locker room and at the bargaining table.

Willie is not the highest paid DL in the league, so I'm not sure what Walters could have said that would feel like a betrayal if we end up signing a higher paid DL.

Willie has way more production than Lawler has been able to give us. Is he throwing hissy fits in the locker room because Lawler makes more than him?

[blue_gold_84]

Man, some of the narratives that get recklessly thrown around this forum during the off-season are just... weird.

Almost as bad as reading The Winnipeg Sun.

[Blueforlife]

Love to sign players: Lawler, Schoen, Dobson, Ford.

Like to sign players at the right price. JA27, Cole, BA37, Feltmate, Lofton.

Can't all be replaced players: Benson, Haba, Garbutt, Fox, Noah Hallett, Taylor, Whitehead

And then there's Strev17, just didn't see enough improvement. Injury. $$. 

agree on love
like - agree but gotta get BA37 cheap
I want Haba Garbutt and Fox back but cheap, hard pass on Whitehead and Strev