2024-2025 CFL (non-Bomber) off-season discussion

[Blue In BC]

Chungh could be playing the "ask the world, remain FA, wait for an injury" strategem that sometimes works in the CFL.  A team who just lost their star OG for the whole season may bite.  Could be us!

Hard to say what he's doing. Obviously his 1st choice may be playing in Vancouver. OTOH, I don't know what is non football career is or what he earns outside of football.

If he's capable of starting, he's probably worth $150K - $180K but does any team currently have that SMS room?

The question for the Bombers is what they feel about Wallace and Randolph being able to start and how it impacts the ratio.

Choosing a Canadian is a benefit but that seems to be in limbo waiting for an actual answer.

[Jesse]

Might be waiting to see if the salary cap actually goes up and then all teams have room to pay him the moon.

[Blue In BC]

Might be waiting to see if the salary cap actually goes up and then all teams have room to pay him the moon.

I think that would tick off some other players that signed within the previous cap. He also didn't know that the cap was going up when he hit free agency. So if his ask was too high, then why would a team pay him more just because the cap went up?

Nope. Don't buy it. He has a value, but it falls into a certain range. If he wanted more then he may be out of football all together.

[dd]

It's strange a rookie guard can get signed for big $$ by one team, yet a seasoned veteran all star is not signed. He must be asking for a ton of $$ and looks like nobody is going to pay it.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Hard to say what he's doing. Obviously his 1st choice may be playing in Vancouver. OTOH, I don't know what is non football career is or what he earns outside of football.

If he's capable of starting, he's probably worth $150K - $180K but does any team currently have that SMS room?

The question for the Bombers is what they feel about Wallace and Randolph being able to start and how it impacts the ratio.

Choosing a Canadian is a benefit but that seems to be in limbo waiting for an actual answer.

I suspect Chungh is involved with other business activities and wouldn't consider leaving Vancouver. I know his father owned a garbage disposal business which could be a very lucrative side gig depending on the scale.

[TecnoGenius]

So if his ask was too high, then why would a team pay him more just because the cap went up?

Because now they can?  Scenario:

- used to get $180k
- BC can't pay that anymore (ageing)
- know that BC doesn't have many other options ~$150k they are offering
- cap goes up
- know now that the $180k you wanted doesn't "hurt" BC like it did before
- tell other teams you'll sign for $190k, knowing they too have the new room

Assuming the CFL doesn't completely renege on the extra $400k cap (don't see how they can), or limit it so it can't apply to the Chungh situation, then Chungh's value (and everyone else's that's desirable) just went up by $400/CAP*100 percent.

The fact the $400k magically showed up is serendipitous to Chungh and vastly increases his chances of getting his ask from BC or any other team.

One would have to think he's kind of a hometown fan favorite in BC.  Like their version of Walby.  Our closest version of that right now would be Neufeld (on the NAT side) or Big Stan.

[Jesse]

I suspect Chungh is involved with other business activities and wouldn't consider leaving Vancouver. I know his father owned a garbage disposal business which could be a very lucrative side gig depending on the scale.

This is probably the most likely scenario. Otherwise he would have left for the best offer already.

Assuming the CFL doesn't completely renege on the extra $400k cap (don't see how they can), or limit it so it can't apply to the Chungh situation, then Chungh's value (and everyone else's that's desirable) just went up by $400/CAP*100 percent.

The fact the $400k magically showed up is serendipitous to Chungh and vastly increases his chances of getting his ask from BC or any other team.

It's not reneging - the CFLPA simply has the right to divert those funds elsewhere so all members have the opportunity to see the money, not just this year's FAs.

[TecnoGenius]

It's not reneging - the CFLPA simply has the right to divert those funds elsewhere so all members have the opportunity to see the money, not just this year's FAs.

Well, it's reneging from the CFL's sloppy announcement when they just said "cap's up by $400k, go mental!".

What is the league going to do to teams that already spent their extra $400k on FA overspends??  Oops.  (HAM, EDM anyone?)

(I'm not saying it's bad or good if the CFLPA changes things (though I'm generally on the side of the players, as in all of them).)

[Jesse]

Well, it's reneging from the CFL's sloppy announcement when they just said "cap's up by $400k, go mental!".

What is the league going to do to teams that already spent their extra $400k on FA overspends??  Oops.  (HAM, EDM anyone?)

(I'm not saying it's bad or good if the CFLPA changes things (though I'm generally on the side of the players, as in all of them).)

Well, I'm gonna assume that teams got more information than we did.

[Waffler]

From the Sun:

on the new cap

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/football/cfl/winnipeg-bluebombers/clear-as-mud-bombers-miller-contradicts-own-gm-on-salary-cap-fiasco

[Blue In BC]

From the Sun:

on the new cap

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/football/cfl/winnipeg-bluebombers/clear-as-mud-bombers-miller-contradicts-own-gm-on-salary-cap-fiasco

Aside from extending current players, there isn't much that can be done post free agency to spend the extra cash. IMO. If Wilson comes back from the NFL he's still under contract for 2025. I suppose you could give him a big raise on a new longer deal but he's still be a potential NFL option player going into 2026.

So why would we give him a big raise to play out 2025? I'd be ok with giving him a big raise for 2026 but I wouldn't want to give him a big signing bonus that was paid before he showed up for TC 2026.

There isn't a situation I'm aware of similar to a Rourke or Betts coming back as complete free agents.

[dd]

We aren't going to start spending like crazy just because we have a little more money to do so, that's not our way of doing things. We are going to be fiscally responsible and get good football players within the salary structure the club has laid out per position and save the extra $$ for a time when we're pressed into acquiring a player due to injury.

Agree with Miller on this whole subject. don't look backwards and play the what if game, its useless. Saying we would have signed this player or that player had we known there was extra money is a weak one, as teams that outbid us originally would likely outbid us again as they too have extra money to spend. Move forward and forgetta bout it.!!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Aside from extending current players, there isn't much that can be done post free agency to spend the extra cash. IMO. If Wilson comes back from the NFL he's still under contract for 2025. I suppose you could give him a big raise on a new longer deal but he's still be a potential NFL option player going into 2026.

So why would we give him a big raise to play out 2025? I'd be ok with giving him a big raise for 2026 but I wouldn't want to give him a big signing bonus that was paid before he showed up for TC 2026.

There isn't a situation I'm aware of similar to a Rourke or Betts coming back as complete free agents.

I think it would be safe to stick to Pokey's ELC contract if and when he comes back this season, his following contract could bump him up towards $140k or more if he continues to perform well upon his return.  Being new to the league and from the US South, I don't think he'll have the desire to play in any other CFL city, but it might come down to best offer received.

Just found this clip of Wilson mic'd up in week 9, easy to see his success is built on talent and going full out on every play, he throws some great blocks.

[dd]

Wilson is like any other football player--he wants to play football and make the most money possible. I don't think he has the size and speed metrics to get noticed and get on an NFL PR but he does so that's all the matters.

When he comes back to the CFL, is he still under his old contract, or was he not released to pursue his NFL dream, so he's free to go to any team, and if so, whatever team makes him the best offer will likely take him, just like Muamba did to us after his failed NFL attempt, and most recently Lawler and Dobson via free agency.

[Blue In BC]

Wilson is like any other football player--he wants to play football and make the most money possible. I don't think he has the size and speed metrics to get noticed and get on an NFL PR but he does so that's all the matters.

When he comes back to the CFL, is he still under his old contract, or was he not released to pursue his NFL dream, so he's free to go to any team, and if so, whatever team makes him the best offer will likely take him, just like Muamba did to us after his failed NFL attempt, and most recently Lawler and Dobson via free agency.

He was released to pursue his NFL option deal. However if he returns to the CFL in 2025 he is obligated to return to the Bombers under his initial contract.

That's just the way they set up the NFL option clause.