Bombers Release Chris Kolankowski

[Tecno]

Taking a guy who couldn't beat out the worst starting centre in the league the last 3 years, and promoting him once that centre has been released is not a recipe for success. I hope that's not the plan.

That's harsh on Ko-man.  No way he was league worst.  I put him in the middle of the pack.  You want bad -- look to that HAM guy that threw every snap over BLM's head for the last quarter of the season.

[Tecno]

I have no issue with slotting Eli in at C.  Depending on what he signed for, that is probably the plan.  He's marinated long enough.

But he's way too small.  We thought Ko-man got pushed around!  There are many DTs heavier than Eli!  Heck, maybe even some DEs!

Love the guy, and he has great heart and clearly FIFO, but he's best used as a TE/jumbo and C backup.

SURELY Mafia has a real plan for C.  I think the whole OL gets a huge shakeup and there will be a ton of legit fights in TC.

[CrazyCanuck89]

But he's way too small.  We thought Ko-man got pushed around!  There are many DTs heavier than Eli!  Heck, maybe even some DEs!

Love the guy, and he has great heart and clearly FIFO, but he's best used as a TE/jumbo and C backup.

SURELY Mafia has a real plan for C.  I think the whole OL gets a huge shakeup and there will be a ton of legit fights in TC.

He can still put on weight, it's only January.  When he first got to the Bombers he wasn't this small.

[bunker]

That's harsh on Ko-man.  No way he was league worst.  I put him in the middle of the pack.  You want bad -- look to that HAM guy that threw every snap over BLM's head for the last quarter of the season.

Well if you're right I guess we'll see him get picked up by another CFL team shortly. I'm not holding my breath.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well if you're right I guess we'll see him get picked up by another CFL team shortly. I'm not holding my breath.

Easy to generalize Kola as the worst, but hard to know as most couldn't identify the starting center of each team out of a 5 man lineup. His age becomes a factor at 33 and he wouldn't be an effective 6th man, so his best hope maybe injury replacement if he stays in shape.  Could also see him packing it in and starting his second career.

[theaardvark]

Taking a guy who couldn't beat out the worst starting centre in the league the last 3 years, and promoting him once that centre has been released is not a recipe for success. I hope that's not the plan.

We don't know how close they were to equal, and we know that MOS needs a clear difference to make a move from an extablished vet.

This might be Miller/Walters' way of taking K-Man out of the starting roster.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I guess we'll find out based on what kind of shape Eli is in this spring.

It's a natural assumption to make but I really think more than likely we're going in a new direction and the player that will start is currently not known to us.

I think you're going to see, out of necessity, tons of new faces on both sides of the line. We kind of have no choice. We flatlined totally on defense and we were probably the worst we've been since 2018 on the offensive line last year. CFL rosters aren't big enough to have younger guys pushing from behind so new faces it must be. Won't be the last.

[Tecno]

He can still put on weight, it's only January.

He could have done that each of these other seasons, too.  There's only so much extra "pack it on" weight a hoggie can do before it starts to affect his other performance metrics.  Maybe 30 lb?  That would still make him fairly light for a hoggie.

He seems to be a good enough run blocker, but I've never been impressed by his pass-pro.

[Tecno]

Doh.  I was just continuing my watch of the GC 2025 Saturday show (the all-afternoon one) and they had Ko-man on it late in the first 4 hour show, in an interview with the UofW rec center panel.  They said he lives in WPG now and everyone's chumming around like he's going to continue in WPG.

I wonder how much of a shock the release caused Ko-man.  He'll have to uproot his life and (probably) move now.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Doh.  I was just continuing my watch of the GC 2025 Saturday show (the all-afternoon one) and they had Ko-man on it late in the first 4 hour show, in an interview with the UofW rec center panel.  They said he lives in WPG now and everyone's chumming around like he's going to continue in WPG.

I wonder how much of a shock the release caused Ko-man.  He'll have to uproot his life and (probably) move now.

Yep, I think Kolankowski just had his second baby too.  Tough job but a good GM exists as a bit of an outsider and never becomes part of the team in spirit, he has to remain neutral to circumstance and see players as no more than assets on a chart. I think that's reason #1 MOS will never become a GM as he loves his players too much, I imagine that was the source of a lot of disagreements with Walters back in the early days.

[theaardvark]

Releasing Kman early gives him a chance to get other offers, not sure what the market out there is for OC's, he might get a career extender like Obby did as a 6th man.

Or he can transition to his post game career. 

If he's settled in Winnipeg he must have some side gig, maybe he'll consider moving to that full time.

[Pete]

Perhaps it also sends a message to other free agents that we have an opening at center, making those currently unsigned less likely to accept a lowball offer from current team, i.e. McEwan or Woodmansey

[theaardvark]

Perhaps it also sends a message to other free agents that we have an opening at center, making those currently unsigned less likely to accept a lowball offer from current team, i.e. McEwan or Woodmansey

Unless Kman had a bonus due, no reason to release him without having his replacement lined up.  I think we have out C under contract...

[Pigskin]

Unless Kman had a bonus due, no reason to release him without having his replacement lined up.  I think we have out C under contract...

He was going to be an FA. So, he didn't have a bonus coming.