1st & 10 | The Blue Bombers Pending Free Agent List

[Blue In BC]

Aaaaaand we can remove Oliveira from this pending FA list.

Demski should be next as a bigger ticket re-signing.

[bunker]

Our FA efforts have to address our teams weaknesses ie our needs, no need to go after 'wants'. Our needs are an upgrade to our O and D line. It would be nice to get another productive reciever to go with Demski, Wilson and Sterns, but that's a nice to have, our need to haves are a stud DT and an upgrade to our Guards and centre on our O line.

I think we need another impact receiver. Sterns is adequate at best, a 4/5 receiver. Schoen cannot be relied upon, I'm hoping he recovers, but think it unlikely he will ever be close to what he was. Demski is usually injured once a season. Ideally we need a #1 receiver, or if you consider Wilson to be that guy, then another number 2/3 receiver. Granted there is only so much money to go around, and I agree O-line needs to be the priority.

[RebusRankin]

N

While I'm not expecting Schoen back I could be mistaken. If he is healthy he'd be a solid addition. That said he may not even be available for 1/2 the season and is a potential free agent.

Not worth the money or injury risk.

[dd]

I think we need another impact receiver. Sterns is adequate at best, a 4/5 receiver. Schoen cannot be relied upon, I'm hoping he recovers, but think it unlikely he will ever be close to what he was. Demski is usually injured once a season. Ideally we need a #1 receiver, or if you consider Wilson to be that guy, then another number 2/3 receiver. Granted there is only so much money to go around, and I agree O-line needs to be the priority.

Totally agree. Hope we have enough money to get a #1 WR now that we dumped huge cash Oliviera's way

[Tecno]

While I'm not expecting Schoen back I could be mistaken. If he is healthy he'd be a solid addition. That said he may not even be available for 1/2 the season and is a potential free agent.

I would be fine with a Schoen re-sign, but ONLY with (near) $0 bonus / up-front.  It has to be a deal that can be protected via the 6GIR.  Greater than 50/50 he pulls a Masoli and has a knee blow up for a 3rd time.

[Blue In BC]

I would be fine with a Schoen re-sign, but ONLY with (near) $0 bonus / up-front.  It has to be a deal that can be protected via the 6GIR.  Greater than 50/50 he pulls a Masoli and has a knee blow up for a 3rd time.

That's a bad business decision if he's going to start the season on the 6 game IR+. It may not impact SMS in that sense but that suggests his time frame to become healthy is unknown and a risk.

[Jesse]

That's a bad business decision if he's going to start the season on the 6 game IR+. It may not impact SMS in that sense but that suggests his time frame to become healthy is unknown and a risk.

I don't really see how it's a bad business decision. Assuming that if he comes back, it's at a pretty low salary. If he's starts on the 6 game it's a non-factor salary cap wise. That's essentially zero risk with the potential pay off of a healthy Schoen for the back half of the season.

It's not a high percentage play, as we've likely seen the last of what we hoped Schoen would be. But given the state of our receiving core, we need to take some shots and that's as good a low risk/high reward move as any.

[Blue In BC]

I don't really see how it's a bad business decision. Assuming that if he comes back, it's at a pretty low salary. If he's starts on the 6 game it's a non-factor salary cap wise. That's essentially zero risk with the potential pay off of a healthy Schoen for the back half of the season.

It's not a high percentage play, as we've likely seen the last of what we hoped Schoen would be. But given the state of our receiving core, we need to take some shots and that's as good a low risk/high reward move as any.

You can wait until he's healthy before re-signing him. That's the risk. He may not be healthy for the entire 2026 season.

Why would we assume he'd re-sign for a low salary if he regains health and can play at a top level? Was it a good risk assessment going into the 2025 season with the same issue of coming off that same injury? Noting that we paid a large signing bonus which counted against the SMS.

I say again, IMO it would be a bad business decision to re-sign him if he is unable to make TC. At the moment that seems doubtful.

[blue_gold_84]

Looks like Kramdi can be taken off the pending FA list. He's back through 2027!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

You can wait until he's healthy before re-signing him. That's the risk. He may not be healthy for the entire 2026 season.

Why would we assume he'd re-sign for a low salary if he regains health and can play at a top level? Was it a good risk assessment going into the 2025 season with the same issue of coming off that same injury? Noting that we paid a large signing bonus which counted against the SMS.

I say again, IMO it would be a bad business decision to re-sign him if he is unable to make TC. At the moment that seems doubtful.

I think they extend the courtesy of re-signing Schoen if he decides he wants to continue his football career, which could mean another entire season on the 6 game. Hard to say what his mindset is but I half expect him to announce his retirement in the spring and get on with his engineering career.  If he comes back he will not be the receiver he was but could fill the role of the smart receiver like Luke Tasker, Dressler or Darren Flutie.

[Pigskin]

The Bombers will get Demski done soon. I would like to nail down Castillo.

[Tecno]

You can wait until he's healthy before re-signing him. That's the risk. He may not be healthy for the entire 2026 season.

Then it's zero SMS cost, as long as no bonus.

Why would we assume he'd re-sign for a low salary if he regains health and can play at a top level?

Because he has near zero alternatives.  We're the ones who would show loyalty, no one else would.  And it's impossible for him to say, or for anyone to predict, that he'll ever play at "top level".  That's the risk for any team looking at him.

Ideally he'd even take a modest salary (lower than before) but with lots of bonuses for games dressed or TDs or whatever.  That way if it all works out, he gets good pay, if not, well at least we tried.

Masoli blew up his knee like 18 times and yet he got offers and a job every single time he came back.  Schoen is much younger and one would think/hope his chances of recovery are better than Masolis.  So if Masoli got offers, so should Schoen.  And you can't wait, because other teams won't.

Was it a good risk assessment going into the 2025 season with the same issue of coming off that same injury? Noting that we paid a large signing bonus which counted against the SMS.

No, someone screwed up by offering a non-contact knee injury guy a non-tiny bonus.  And we should never do it again.  But it doesn't mean we can't make a no-bonus offer that makes sense for everyone.

There's also the loyalty factor.  Mafia has shown loyalty in the past, like Moe's after first big injury, and with Strev.

[gobombersgo]

My guess is Nichols is next to sign.

[Blue In BC]

Then it's zero SMS cost, as long as no bonus.

Because he has near zero alternatives.  We're the ones who would show loyalty, no one else would.  And it's impossible for him to say, or for anyone to predict, that he'll ever play at "top level".  That's the risk for any team looking at him.

Ideally he'd even take a modest salary (lower than before) but with lots of bonuses for games dressed or TDs or whatever.  That way if it all works out, he gets good pay, if not, well at least we tried.

Masoli blew up his knee like 18 times and yet he got offers and a job every single time he came back.  Schoen is much younger and one would think/hope his chances of recovery are better than Masolis.  So if Masoli got offers, so should Schoen.  And you can't wait, because other teams won't.

No, someone screwed up by offering a non-contact knee injury guy a non-tiny bonus.  And we should never do it again.  But it doesn't mean we can't make a no-bonus offer that makes sense for everyone.

There's also the loyalty factor.  Mafia has shown loyalty in the past, like Moe's after first big injury, and with Strev.

I'd bet none of that happens unless he's healthy to participate in TC and I doubt that he will be.  You're suggesting we repeat the problem we had in 2025. That's seem clear. I don't know where loyalty fits into your idea.

Loyalty got us J. Thomas long after he should have been replaced.

[theaardvark]

Good that we have two "ratio breakers" signed already.

Not saying American aren't important to the success of the club, but that pool is much deeper and easier to fish.

We are going to see a few FA's test the waters, and during the tampering period, we will also be executing backup plans. 

I have trust in Walters that he's going to upgrade the team in surprising ways.  The fact we are so heavy on Oline this camp is going to be really interesting.  I don't think anyone nailed the RT spot, and Big Stan might not be back, so there is going to be a feeding frenzy at OT. 

We do need Oline for the pipe in the draft, I'm not sure that we want to go after any potential OT's though.  Sticking with the interior 3 for ratio makes too much sense, with the depth we have in "ratio breakers".  So getting the best possible interior prospects is huge.

I am interested in if Eli can make the move to full time C.  I think it is time for him to.  And then we bring up new guys for the roster for Jumbo.  Hate taking one of our best % receivers off the SY team, but you make sacrifices to play every down.