Blue Bombers Transactions - April 22, 2025

[Blue In BC]

We also have Gowanlock that has worked as an ST player for the Als. So we're going to see some new faces on our coverage teams in 2025.

Leroux probably won't win the spot as the LS in 2025 but might be the future. OTOH, he may make the AR to work on cover teams. Benson is quite active downfield after snaps, so no reason to think Leroux won't be worked into that kind of role. That position is usually filled by a LB type and he has the size to do so.

All of these are reasons why Charbonneau was not needed in Winnipeg.

[TecnoGenius]

We also have Gowanlock that has worked as an ST player for the Als. So we're going to see some new faces on our coverage teams in 2025.

I gotta believe Mafia keeps a notebook of random players on other teams who pop off the page during film study.  They certainly aren't signing Gowanlock because we're short of possible NAT STers... always so many already around, and so many more every draft class.

As such it always piques my interest when we sign guys that no one knows, whether on ST or D or whatever.  It'll be fun to see what they saw in the kid.

[Blue In BC]

I gotta believe Mafia keeps a notebook of random players on other teams who pop off the page during film study.  They certainly aren't signing Gowanlock because we're short of possible NAT STers... always so many already around, and so many more every draft class.

As such it always piques my interest when we sign guys that no one knows, whether on ST or D or whatever.  It'll be fun to see what they saw in the kid.

His role is unclear but potentially he may see some rotation work at DE, FB and on ST's. I can't say we didn't sign him to have options to fill Canadian roster ST spots. We did lose a few one way or another this off season.

By my count we have 25 Canadians on the roster at the moment. Hard to say how many 2025 draft choices will make the AR, PR or return to school. The positional choices of this years crop of draft choices may not fill ST roles. So we'll see what choices we make.

In the meantime, signing the free agent Canadians we did gives us some options.

[TecnoGenius]

His role is unclear but potentially he may see some rotation work at DE, FB and on ST's. I can't say we didn't sign him to have options to fill Canadian roster ST spots. We did lose a few one way or another this off season.

Ya, but correct me if I'm wrong, but Gownalock / Charboneau / Hallett-The-Injured / et al are all pretty much going for ELC.  Or maybe ELC + a tiny bump for multi-year seniority.

So why sign an other-team one instead of just re-signing the guy you already have?  You gotta believe the other-team guy will be (expected to be) better.

[Blue In BC]

Ya, but correct me if I'm wrong, but Gownalock / Charboneau / Hallett-The-Injured / et al are all pretty much going for ELC.  Or maybe ELC + a tiny bump for multi-year seniority.

So why sign an other-team one instead of just re-signing the guy you already have?  You gotta believe the other-team guy will be (expected to be) better.

We also lost Feltmate ( retired ) and Augustine. Both had roles on ST. Noah Hallett might have been closer to $95K and was always injured.

Charbonneau would have been on an ELC but word is suggesting he was retiring / leaving football all together.

Gowanlock won't be much above an ELC and he's was an available player that could fill several roles. I mentioned defence, FB and ST's. Whether he even wins a roster spot is not guaranteed. However, he has an opportunity to be useful as a role player.

He'll have to be better than some 2025 draft choices coming out of TC. Depending on what type of players we draft, they may not see duty on ST's or they may return to school for 1 more year.

So in the meantime, I pencil him to be on the AR to start the season in some capacity.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Ya, but correct me if I'm wrong, but Gownalock / Charboneau / Hallett-The-Injured / et al are all pretty much going for ELC.  Or maybe ELC + a tiny bump for multi-year seniority.

So why sign an other-team one instead of just re-signing the guy you already have?  You gotta believe the other-team guy will be (expected to be) better.

The timing of this announcement suggests it was Charbonneau's decision not to attend TC at the last possible moment before accepting flight arrangements, maybe moving on with a more lucrative career.  Why else would the Bombers choose to protect him at the end of last season and leave Hubert unprotected?

[TecnoGenius]

We also lost Feltmate ( retired ) and Augustine. Both had roles on ST. Noah Hallett might have been closer to $95K and was always injured.

No way.  Hallett-The-Injured had to have been ELC his entire time here.  Had to.  He was injured from day 1 and injured in every single season.  It's actually shocking we gave him so many seasons to try to get healthy.

No one else was ever going to sign him, so KW was "ELC or nothing", I'd bet the farm on it.

Sad and sucks for him, as it would have been cool to have him STing next to his brother.  But "cool" doesn't win ball games.

[TecnoGenius]

Hallett-The-Healthy is the one probably earning $95k.  Dude has real talent and speed and a take-no-prisoners attitude.

[Blue In BC]

No way.  Hallett-The-Injured had to have been ELC his entire time here.  Had to.  He was injured from day 1 and injured in every single season.  It's actually shocking we gave him so many seasons to try to get healthy.

No one else was ever going to sign him, so KW was "ELC or nothing", I'd bet the farm on it.

Sad and sucks for him, as it would have been cool to have him STing next to his brother.  But "cool" doesn't win ball games.

I was just guessing at his SMS. He was a decent ST player and I think there is some sort of increase after initial ELC.

It's a moot point but I doubt he was at the lowest possible contract. The point was that we lost 4 players that were mostly ST guys.