Blue Bombers add quarterback

[TBURGESS]

Not reaching at all. Jan 2 would be the latest and possible date of the payment. OTOH, if SMS money was available there would be nothing to prevent a Dec 31 payment.

From a business point of view, why wouldn't the Bombers do that to take the advantage. Whether a given player would want money shifted to 2025 instead of 2026 may be a tax issue where they might decline. Hard to say with certainty.

Bombers already had re-signed some top players with signing money involved so they may have spent the remainder already.


I think you just like to be argumentative. I guess you've never paid a personal or business bill a few days early?

Not being argumentative, being accurate. You have a theory that you believe in, so you look for any opportunity, no matter how much of a reach it is, to bring your theory up. 

From a business point of view... wait a minute... it doesn't matter unless there actually was 2025 SMS money left at the end of December. As I've said before, prove there was or shut up about it. 

[Blue In BC]

Not being argumentative, being accurate. You have a theory that you believe in, so you look for any opportunity, no matter how much of a reach it is, to bring your theory up.

From a business point of view... wait a minute... it doesn't matter unless there actually was 2025 SMS money left at the end of December. As I've said before, prove there was or shut up about it.

Yours is just a theory as well which you can't prove. I said that is money was left at the end of 2025 it would have been possible to pay it early by a few days. That's a reasonable argument. I never said it was a fact so what is it I have to prove?

It's a fact that every team will try to spend any remaining SMS to their advantage.

Whether there was any balance left is the only thing that is not a fact that is known. In the same way we don't know whether there was any MM in his contract that could reduce his SMS hit in 2026.

Do I have to prove another obvious possibility?

As far as telling me to shut up. Well you know what goes around comes around.

[Tecno]

When it comes to Zach's contract, it doesn't matter weather he freed up 50k now or before FA started because none of this money has been paid out yet. We don't have to be cap compliant until December 31st.

Ugh, this again.  I won't even argue any more.  You have a strange way of looking at it, and I'm fine with that after 2+ years of arguing about SMS calcs.

But your statement makes it sound like they could hire 45 FA's at $250k right now and no one can say boo about the cap because in your mind it's not "real" until the season is over.  What I'm saying is there's something called estimations, budgeting, and planning.

You would make a wild GM!  Very entertaining.

[Tecno]

Jesse: Schrodinger's cap.  It can't be known if it's over or under until someone looks at it on Dec 31.

[DM83]

His stats are pretty good. What's his problem, drugs, I Q?

[Stats Junkie]

Is it legal to field ZERO designated QBs for a play?  Or does there always have to be 1+?  Those plays where teams sneak with a TE or RB... is there a QB out wide?  Or no QB?

Team A is required to have at least 1 designated QB or kicker on the field for each play (max 2).

Yes there is a designated QB on the field when a position player is under centre for a sneak play.

[Jesse]

Jesse: Schrodinger's cap.  It can't be known if it's over or under until someone looks at it on Dec 31.

In regards to the cap - did it make any difference if they submitted the paperwork for Zach's restructure now or before FA?

Especially if Walters had already planned for this, and we only just heard about it?

[Blue In BC]

In regards to the cap - did it make any difference if they submitted the paperwork for Zach's restructure now or before FA?

Especially if Walters had already planned for this, and we only just heard about it?

It would all fall into the 2026 SMS in either case when done this year. I'm still waiting to see if any teams went over for 2025 after late notice on the increase. It did seem teams tried to use any balance before the end of the year with re-signings.

Some may have still gone over but that's all TBD. It would seem that would have created more room in the 2026 SMS as a result. There were many players that got significant increases across the league before the end of the season.

When free agency hit, it was a spending frenzy. Regardless teams budget accordingly on money available and still leave some room for the unexpected during the season.

[TBURGESS]

Let's pretend that we gave Collaros his bonuses as a Christmas present. That doesn't mean the money was in the 2025 SMS. 

It's likely that there was 2025 SMS money left over. It's also likely that there is SMS money left over every year for most teams. Is it a fact that there was lots left? Nope. It's a theory being floated as a fact. 

When they submitted the paperwork doesn't matter. What matters is if there was still any 2025 SMS money left. 

Signing's before the end of last year may or may not have had any money in the 2025 SMS. 
 
It doesn't matter if any teams went over the 2025 SMS. 

Lots of players got paid this year, I'd say more than in the past, but that doesn't mean there was a ton of 2025 SMS money left. At least part of the reason is that the SMS went up significantly last year after free agency ( $412,365  ) and then went up again this year ( $218,149 ) before free agency, giving teams significantly more money ( $630k ) to work with. 

[Blue In BC]

Let's pretend that we gave Collaros his bonuses as a Christmas present. That doesn't mean the money was in the 2025 SMS.

It's likely that there was 2025 SMS money left over. It's also likely that there is SMS money left over every year for most teams. Is it a fact that there was lots left? Nope. It's a theory being floated as a fact.

When they submitted the paperwork doesn't matter. What matters is if there was still any 2025 SMS money left.

Signing's before the end of last year may or may not have had any money in the 2025 SMS.
 
It doesn't matter if any teams went over the 2025 SMS.

Lots of players got paid this year, I'd say more than in the past, but that doesn't mean there was a ton of 2025 SMS money left. At least part of the reason is that the SMS went up significantly last year after free agency ( $412,365 ) and then went up again this year ( $218,149 ) before free agency, giving teams significantly more money ( $630k ) to work with.

It is a fact that if money was paid before the end of 2025 then it came out of the 2025 SMS. We may not know the details of all early re-signings but that part of the equation is part of the how SMS spend is calculated.

In several instances re-signing bonus money was mentioned. It's reasonable to believe it came out of 2025 SMS. That's not a theory, that's what we see at the end of every season.

Now as re-signing occur closer to the end of the year, it's reasonable to believe that there is little SMS available and bonus money may be put forward into 2026 SMS. It's not in any teams benefit to leave a substantial amount of SMS unused.

The accounting is simple. Teams know how much money was spent at the end of the playing season. It's just payroll.  By that calculation they know if there is SMS still available.

As each new contract is completed, any early money is deducted from that excess. Teams may choose to exceed the SMS and pay a fine. It's not a surprise to them.

We'll see if any or how many teams go over the 2025 SMS. If none or few went over that would suggest those that didn't go over had some unspent SMS. That is the definition of not exceeding the cap. The excess is more than likely to be very small.

That's more transparency it would be nice to see over and above the " over SMS " number. If a team didn't go over, then they were under.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

It is a fact that if money was paid before the end of 2025 then it came out of the 2025 SMS. We may not know the details of all early re-signings but that part of the equation is part of the how SMS spend is calculated.

In several instances re-signing bonus money was mentioned. It's reasonable to believe it came out of 2025 SMS. That's not a theory, that's what we see at the end of every season.

Now as re-signing occur closer to the end of the year, it's reasonable to believe that there is little SMS available and bonus money may be put forward into 2026 SMS. It's not in any teams benefit to leave a substantial amount of SMS unused.

The accounting is simple. Teams know how much money was spent at the end of the playing season. It's just payroll.  By that calculation they know if there is SMS still available.

As each new contract is completed, any early money is deducted from that excess. Teams may choose to exceed the SMS and pay a fine. It's not a surprise to them.

We'll see if any or how many teams go over the 2025 SMS. If none or few went over that would suggest those that didn't go over had some unspent SMS. That is the definition of not exceeding the cap. The excess is more than likely to be very small.

That's more transparency it would be nice to see over and above the " over SMS " number. If a team didn't go over, then they were under.

It doesn't make sense to leave any SMS in the pot from the previous year and I can't see Walters not making sure he spends it all as he doesn't have a lot else to focus on at the end of the season. As for Zach's bonus payment on Jan. 2nd likely the first expense marked on the ledger of the new season, nobody fretting if they can cover it or not, they have fresh bountiful cash to spend.

[theaardvark]

Winnipeg an deal with $SMS different than most teams, because we make money, it's just $$$.  Some teams actually want to stay under for budgetary reasons...

Not saying that any team is going to spend to the $SMS basement, but here $$$ are not an issue beyond the cap we have to stay under.

[TBURGESS]

There you go stating your opinion as a fact when it's not. Just because the contract was signed in 2025 doesn't mean the money comes from 2025 money. Ask Milt, who got paid at least one year (it might have been more) after he retired due to the way his contract was set up. 

It's reasonable to believe that remaining SMS money would be used before 2026 money, but that's not the same as what you're saying. 

Bonuses paid in 2025 could be from the 2025 or 2026 SMS. Money paid in 2026 could be in any SMS going forward, but not in the 2025 or before SMS. The same goes for salaries, but quite frankly, I can't see any reason that a player would get a salary other than bonuses paid out before the end of the year. 
You keep bringing up going over the SMS as if it's some 'gotcha.' It's not. If any team went over the SMS, it's because they either chose to or were forced to because of injury replacements. It has nothing to do with the number of remaining 2025 SMS $.
 

 

[gobombersgo]

Winnipeg an deal with $SMS different than most teams, because we make money, it's just $$$.  Some teams actually want to stay under for budgetary reasons...

Not saying that any team is going to spend to the $SMS basement, but here $$$ are not an issue beyond the cap we have to stay under.

I dont think thats the case at all.

Teams that are losing money will look to trim their budgets in areas other than the SMS.

[Blue In BC]

There you go stating your opinion as a fact when it's not. Just because the contract was signed in 2025 doesn't mean the money comes from 2025 money. Ask Milt, who got paid at least one year (it might have been more) after he retired due to the way his contract was set up.

It's reasonable to believe that remaining SMS money would be used before 2026 money, but that's not the same as what you're saying.

Bonuses paid in 2025 could be from the 2025 or 2026 SMS. Money paid in 2026 could be in any SMS going forward, but not in the 2025 or before SMS. The same goes for salaries, but quite frankly, I can't see any reason that a player would get a salary other than bonuses paid out before the end of the year.
You keep bringing up going over the SMS as if it's some 'gotcha.' It's not. If any team went over the SMS, it's because they either chose to or were forced to because of injury replacements. It has nothing to do with the number of remaining 2025 SMS $.
 

 

Not correct at any level. WOW. Talk about theories?  Money PAID IN 2025 is against the 2025 SMS. If it wasn't then the SMS has no meaning and defies how it's calculated.

Nobody said anything suggesting anything besides a bonus might be applied to the 2025 SMS. Salary falls to 2026 SMS. That's pretty obvious.