2025 Free Agency (Blue Bomber Signings/News)

[Waffler]

turns out Lawler may actually make more than 300k if the stars line up. He is the highest paid non-qb it says.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/16/hamilton-tiger-cats-make-kenny-lawler-cfls-highest-paid-non-quarterback/

[Jesse]

turns out Lawler may actually make more than 300k if the stars line up. He is the highest paid non-qb it says.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/16/hamilton-tiger-cats-make-kenny-lawler-cfls-highest-paid-non-quarterback/

With Bo chucking it up, he'll probably have his best season of his career.

I'd bet Bombers still finish ahead of Hamilton in the standings.

[Blueforlife]

Lawler was overpaid but that's what star power does.  If he plays all the games he will earn it.

[dd]

Ridiculous amount. Lewis was a steal at $235!!

[TecnoGenius]

Plugging in an import is not a slam dunk and as I said it impacts the rotational ability when you only start the minimum number of Canadians.

Ha, like every other team in the league?  I think only 1 other team regularly started >7 NATs on purpose.

And most teams made use of the FAKENAT DNS/DNA 35-snaps rule.  Maybe we should finally do the same.

Starter quality NATs, especially the better ones, are always more expensive than the same talent of IMP.  Therefore the only way you can regularly start more NATs than your opponents is to always be finding and starting ELC / near-ELC NATs.  As soon as the other teams spot your special NAT guy, their next FA $ gets too high (Ford, Dobson).

You can stretch it a little bit with talented but "just not good enough to draw FA attention" workhorses like Fatboi, Kramdi, Woli (now Clercius).

Starting 8, 9, 10 NATs regularly last season may have been an aberration we can no longer afford.

[theaardvark]

Starting quality NATs are a luxury, for sure, but drafting so many quality players makes it much easier.  It seems every year we lose a NAT starter or two, and next man up. 

I don't think a 3 INT Oline is in the plans except as an emergency.  We have 2 very good prospects coming to camp, and have Wallace with a year under his belt.  We heave a plethora of NAT DT's, so you inow one will start. We don't know if FS is going NAT this year, it could easily.  And we still have NAT RB, SB and WR's the same as last year. 

3 OL
1 SAM
1 DL
1 RB
1 SB
1 WR

That's 8, plus a possible FS for 9

And we have all our picks, plus I assume we have the extra 2nd rounder for not using any fake nat reps.

NAT depth will always be a strength of a Walters helmed team.  Even losing starters won't affect that, but had it been an issue, we had the money to keep Dobson if we didn't have options.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Starting quality NATs are a luxury, for sure, but drafting so many quality players makes it much easier.  It seems every year we lose a NAT starter or two, and next man up. 

I don't think a 3 INT Oline is in the plans except as an emergency.  We have 2 very good prospects coming to camp, and have Wallace with a year under his belt.  We heave a plethora of NAT DT's, so you inow one will start. We don't know if FS is going NAT this year, it could easily.  And we still have NAT RB, SB and WR's the same as last year. 

3 OL
1 SAM
1 DL
1 RB
1 SB
1 WR

That's 8, plus a possible FS for 9

And we have all our picks, plus I assume we have the extra 2nd rounder for not using any fake nat reps.

NAT depth will always be a strength of a Walters helmed team.  Even losing starters won't affect that, but had it been an issue, we had the money to keep Dobson if we didn't have options.

The more Natls. they have capable of starting the better, if they have 8 good chance 2 or 3 could be wiped out by injuries at some point, then they're forced to start someone like Gauthier and lose ability. They'll never have a full compliment of healthy Natls. for an entire season, someone always gets injured and plans have to be adjusted.

[theaardvark]

The more Natls. they have capable of starting the better, if they have 8 good chance 2 or 3 could be wiped out by injuries at some point, then they're forced to start someone like Gauthier and lose ability. They'll never have a full compliment of healthy Natls. for an entire season, someone always gets injured and plans have to be adjusted.

Exactly, having 8 or 9 means you can have an injury or two without a drop off in play... finding and plugging in an INT for an injured NAT is a lot easier than finding another equal quality NAT.  Having excess starting quality NATs is not a luxury, it is a huge benefit.

[Jesse]

I don't think a 3 INT Oline is in the plans except as an emergency.  We have 2 very good prospects coming to camp, and have Wallace with a year under his belt.  We heave a plethora of NAT DT's, so you inow one will start. We don't know if FS is going NAT this year, it could easily.  And we still have NAT RB, SB and WR's the same as last year. 

According to Walters, it is.

[dd]

I am thinking Randolf slots in for Dobson, but Wallace may surprise at TC, would be nice to have some flex in our ratio

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

According to Walters, it is.

I think he said it was a possibility, but he did not define which direction they would go.

[Jesse]

I think he said it was a possibility, but he did not define which direction they would go.

That's what I said, that's it's a possibility.

For all our sakes, I hope they don't make the decision until they see the guys on the field.

[theaardvark]

"Except as an emergency"

So, yes, it will be considered.  But it would take a complete crapping of the bed by both Wallace and Eli, no new OG stepping up, and/or and injury/aging out of Neufeld (KMan injury slots Eli in). 

Hence, emergency.  I do not think there is any way that we start a 3 INT Oline with our present roster otherwise.

Will we toy with it again in preseason like we did last year?  No doubt.

But opening day roster I will give 5-1 odds will be 3 NATS.

[Jesse]

"Except as an emergency"

So, yes, it will be considered.  But it would take a complete crapping of the bed by both Wallace and Eli, no new OG stepping up, and/or and injury/aging out of Neufeld (KMan injury slots Eli in). 

Hence, emergency.  I do not think there is any way that we start a 3 INT Oline with our present roster otherwise.

Will we toy with it again in preseason like we did last year?  No doubt.

But opening day roster I will give 5-1 odds will be 3 NATS.

When we needed a guard last year, it was Randolph going in, not Wallace. I don't think it's a total long shot to think he could win the spot next year, especially with Walters bringing it up as an option.

I just hope that staff is going to let players decide and not make the determinations in February like you seem to be doing.

[Blue In BC]

When we needed a guard last year, it was Randolph going in, not Wallace. I don't think it's a total long shot to think he could win the spot next year, especially with Walters bringing it up as an option.

I just hope that staff is going to let players decide and not make the determinations in February like you seem to be doing.

Last year we were starting 9 - 10 Canadians. At the moment we've lost two Canadian starters. So there is more of a ratio issue than we would have had in 2024.

It may come down to whether we have a better choice to start a Canadian at safety or at OG. If we feel we NEED to start an import at safety then starting a Canadian at OG becomes more of an issue. It would still be possible but not as preferable ratio wise IMO.