Winnipeg Blue Bombers release veteran receiver Drew Wolitarsky

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Have to believe Drew was let go - not over a $12,000 bonus - but because he was deemed not healthy enough to play at his full potential in the coming season.  If, and I agree it is a big IF, that is true, why would the Bombers throw $12 out the window and potentially his 2025 salary?

Any idea what his specific injury was?  Seemed to stem from a couple of rough hits to the rib area midseason, I don't think it was leg related.

[ModAdmin]

Any idea what his specific injury was?  Seemed to stem from a couple of rough hits to the rib area midseason, I don't think it was leg related.

Shoulder and rib injuries I believe in August 2024.  He also suffered a knee injury in 2023.

[markf]

He seems like a Very likeable person.  he contributed  a lot  to the team.

I understand but will  still miss some of these guys.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Super nice guy by all accounts. Regardless of whether or not he would have been healthy the reality is his production and what he did for the offense is very much replaceable. Kevens Clercius is the obvious choice and you can conservatively say he'll be just as good because he did replace him for much of the year at that 5th receiver spot. Gotta squeeze that SMS where you can especially in a year we've said we'll be more active in free agency. Not only in Clercius cheaper, but he won't have a bonus due. That's helpful.

[Blueforlife]

Tough business and tougher player.  He will succeed at whatever comes next.  A key part of our past success.  Good luck.

[Pigskin]

Drew looked  heart broken in his video from Australia. He said he didn't see this coming. 

[markf]

Drew looked  heart broken in his video from Australia. He said he didn't see this coming. 

This is A Sad day. 

[TecnoGenius]

Super nice guy by all accounts. Regardless of whether or not he would have been healthy the reality is his production and what he did for the offense is very much replaceable.

I wouldn't say he's "very replaceable".  Do we do better in the '24 GC if we have a 100% healthy Woli instead of who we had?  Certainly.  Woli is the tough hombre middle / crosser that gets you the hard 2nd & 8's.  Clercius had 1-2 dropsies IIRC, and most of the game the D didn't respect him and cheated up on the "real" targets.

Woli demands more respect on the field and so DBs can't cheat as much.

Clercius might become as good as Woli was, but he's not there yet.  And besides Clercius, we don't have anyone else with the beef and grit to get those 2nd & longs.

[TecnoGenius]

Kind of shocking. Bombers playing hard ball? Never thought I'd see it. Injured and old are no longer safe here? An admission that we have to change if we want to win it all again I assume. I wonder what the plan is for the savings?

You spotted the most important subtext here.  Biggie alone is a fluke.  Biggie + Woli is a trend.  Is this a massive shift in Mafia mindset?  Looks like it.

In the past these guys would have been given a chance to compete at TC, and still be favored to win the spot.

Has WM handed down a new diktat to KW?  Has he sensed trouble in river city?  Or is this Mafia getting together and reaching a new consensus on the best approach going forward?

Or is this a hint the OC is already chosen and he's vetoing some re-signings he doesn't like?

It's hard to tell who is behind this Brave New WFC World.  We may never know.

If we're shedding the perennially-injured, why re-sign Wilson?  He's been more hurt than Woli for a few years.  Maybe we saw a need to keep WILL talent and offered him a very subpar contract, saying "look, we're ditching all the tub-sitters, so you can take <insert lowball offer here> or bye"...

And does this spell the end for Strev.  Woli/Strev were the inseparable pair, and a big pull for Strev was being able to be here with Woli.  Add in Strev potentially being lame for life after the disaster of an injury...

[TecnoGenius]

Thanks Woli.  Mr Electric Guitar in the EZ.  You will be remembered fondly; as one of the important pieces of getting us back into the W column and to the cups.

I'm really bummed it appears a lot of the "deserve to play at a '25 home GC" guys are being let go.  However, it could be Mafia was looking at a situation where they didn't think we'd make the cup again if we didn't make some tough moves.

Keeping favorite weapons so they can play in the home cup doesn't help anyone if the lack of healthy talent means we can't even get there.

[Blueforlife]

Super nice guy by all accounts. Regardless of whether or not he would have been healthy the reality is his production and what he did for the offense is very much replaceable. Kevens Clercius is the obvious choice and you can conservatively say he'll be just as good because he did replace him for much of the year at that 5th receiver spot. Gotta squeeze that SMS where you can especially in a year we've said we'll be more active in free agency. Not only in Clercius cheaper, but he won't have a bonus due. That's helpful.

Poorly timed post calling him very replaceable which lacks respect for the player and isn't a completely accurate statement imo.  Reliable, gritty, strong, consistent, productive Canadian receivers like him are hard to come by imo.
Clercius does look good, lucky to have him and I'm sure that played a role here.

[Jesse]

You spotted the most important subtext here.  Biggie alone is a fluke.  Biggie + Woli is a trend.  Is this a massive shift in Mafia mindset?  Looks like it.

In the past these guys would have been given a chance to compete at TC, and still be favored to win the spot.

Has WM handed down a new diktat to KW?  Has he sensed trouble in river city?  Or is this Mafia getting together and reaching a new consensus on the best approach going forward?

Or is this a hint the OC is already chosen and he's vetoing some re-signings he doesn't like?

It's hard to tell who is behind this Brave New WFC World.  We may never know.

If we're shedding the perennially-injured, why re-sign Wilson?  He's been more hurt than Woli for a few years.  Maybe we saw a need to keep WILL talent and offered him a very subpar contract, saying "look, we're ditching all the tub-sitters, so you can take <insert lowball offer here> or bye"...

And does this spell the end for Strev.  Woli/Strev were the inseparable pair, and a big pull for Strev was being able to be here with Woli.  Add in Strev potentially being lame for life after the disaster of an injury...

Or it's just the obvious that neither will be healthy to play in 2025.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It's pretty obvious that we need 

Poorly timed post calling him very replaceable which lacks respect for the player and isn't a completely accurate statement imo.  Reliable, gritty, strong, consistent, productive Canadian receivers like him are hard to come by imo.
Clercius does look good, lucky to have him and I'm sure that played a role here.

He was a big score for us back in 2017 when we were trying to rebuild Canadian talent and couldn't piecemeal together enough quality Canadian (...or I suppose Californian technically Canadian in his case) starters. The landscape of the CFL has changed somewhat since then and so has the Blue Bombers. He seems like a super great human which I said right off the top, but if we're going to talk about a strictly football move the contributions are replaceable.

And reliable, gritty and experienced is good, but what wins is talent. I think there's a tacit acknowledgement from the Blue Bombers this off-season that we've gotten a bit top heavy in that regard in some position categories. We need a injection along the defensive line and probably offensive line too, if we can swing it, and it's going to have an opportunity cost which we're seeing in Bighill, Woli and we'll see who else we don't re-sign before free agency begins.

[Go_Big_D]

thought he would have been a good depth player to keep around

[theaardvark]

Is this a "big shift in the Mafia mindset"?  Hopefully.

We have been hamstrung in the past by loyalty to players playing injured, or who haven't recovered sufficiently. 

It has cost us games, including Grey Cups.

If the Mafia now wants to ensure they have a roster of players that are fully healthy, and not hoping some recover enough to contribute, then it does change the page on team dynamic.

In game, in season injuries are one thing.  But starting a season with fingers crossed you aren't wasting $SMS and a roster space, can sound cold hearted, but it is a business and next man up.

It started with Jeffcoat last year, Biggie, Woli and Streve this year... there is a fine line between family and charity, and this is a business. 

If there were no cap or roster limits, I'd keep all these guys around in a heartbeat, we've got the cash to do it.  But the Mafia got lucky in the past hanging onto injured players.  The hard lessons the past few years has made this growth necessary.