Blue Bombers sign All-CFL halfback Evan Holm to two-year contract extension

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Same place as last year. He was used as rotation player and different defensive sets. In some cases we went to a 2 safety kind of set. At times he may have been part of the front 7. We changed personnel so much it was hard to keep up. He did have 47 DT's and also worked on ST's.

His role changed either due to injury or the addition of Allen around LD.

Regardless he's a very good player but I understand he may not be re-signed. Time will tell.

He was also injured for half the season, which is how Woodbey got his foot in the door. With Smith, Shay and Woodbey pushing for starting jobs, I can't see how they can reasonably accommodate all these bodies.  If all the Bombers can offer Griffin is part-time reps for part-time pay, he might choose to play elsewhere if he receives any other offers.

[Blue In BC]

He was also injured for half the season, which is how Woodbey got his foot in the door. With Smith, Shay and Woodbey pushing for starting jobs, I can't see how they can reasonably accommodate all these bodies.  If all the Bombers can offer Griffin is part-time reps for part-time pay, he might choose to play elsewhere if he receives any other offers.

I understand that. However Smith and Shay didn't get any reps on defence last season. It's reasonable to expect more from them this season, but how much and how soon? Woodbey was a great addition as mentioned.

I have included Griffin in my list that I don't expect to be re-signed but it has nothing to do with skill or performance. SMS and all these younger players may push him off the roster. That said, I won't be disappointed if we re-sign him either.

It's kind of a dilemma in that sense.  Still waiting to figure out who ends up at WIL if K. Wilson is not re-signed.

[Pete]

Your general concept is sound, but you picked a bad example.  Basically everyone now (incl MOS and now Holm in his presser) are calling Kramdi the "QB of the D" by name.  He's the brains behind the entire operation.  Basically the new Biggie, but with a good passport.

And he's fairly athletic and competent and hard-hitting.

I don't think Kramdi is going ANYWHERE until we, far down the road, obtain another brainiac MLB.  Kramdi might easily be BFL.

As for the other guys you mention, it's the same old "ancient guy on each unit stays as the Obi Wan".  That's why Wilson was here in '25.  Until someone else becomes the next Obi Wan, they tend to stay on a Mafia team.  Other than all that, I agree with you!

there is the possibility that Kramdl goes to safety allowing smith to be  sam. Although I would also like to see smith be given an opportunity at safety as well. As  I mentioned continuously sticking with the old experienced and expensive vet has been a weakness.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

there is the possibility that Kramdl goes to safety allowing smith to be  sam. Although I would also like to see smith be given an opportunity at safety as well. As  I mentioned continuously sticking with the old experienced and expensive vet has been a weakness.

Shay and Smith are the real push presuming they are the future of the defence, got to get them playing a reasonable number of snaps in their second season or be prepared to lose them once they become FA's. 

[Tecno]

At one point, we were paying  Heath, Leggett, and Randle while having a young Brandon Alexander and Kevin Fogg on rookie deals.

You're right that we had a cool window where we found Sayles, Alford, Nichols, Holm in quick succession. SO there was probably a 2 year period where Alexander was the only high paid American in the secondary. And that happens sometimes, but we've always had a couple highly paid guys and a couple of recent finds to make it work.

Yes, I was talking the "dynasty years".  Yes, early Mafia definitely had to pay to snipe DBs in FA.  However, I will note it was us doing the sniping, not us scouting and then retaining big $$ in FA.

The "cool window" was longer than 2 years though.  It was basically '18-'23 (you could argue '19).  The "end" was basically when Nichols and/or Holm were coming off their ELC and needed a bump.

My point still stands, we basically haven't paid the DB corps so much for retention since pre-dynasty.  And it is a big shift for us.  And I still think it means we now can't make big FA plays for DTs.

[Tecno]

there is the possibility that Kramdl goes to safety allowing smith to be  sam.

Harder to be "QB of the D" from way back at FS.  Yes, BA37 did it at times, especially when Biggie wasn't on-field, but was it as effective?  Wrangling everyone from SAM seems like an easier proposition.  Dunno.

If Smith is a future SAM then why would we retain or dress Griffin as an IMP SAM backup?  Use that DI somewhere more useful.  Kramdi with NAT Smith backing up would seem ideal.

[Tecno]

I think you're making the situation more complicated than it needs to be, Walters is a pretty straightforward manager who seems to prefer simplicity.

Yes (always), and yes.

Understanding KW is important for predicting future personnel choices.  You nailed it.

[Blue In BC]

Harder to be "QB of the D" from way back at FS.  Yes, BA37 did it at times, especially when Biggie wasn't on-field, but was it as effective?  Wrangling everyone from SAM seems like an easier proposition.  Dunno.

If Smith is a future SAM then why would we retain or dress Griffin as an IMP SAM backup?  Use that DI somewhere more useful.  Kramdi with NAT Smith backing up would seem ideal.

Because we didn't get the Canadians reps on defence, we can't say Smith is the future. I hope he is but until we know then having Griffin is not the worst idea.

It's more than a 1 dimensional issue though. Where do we use our DI's and any extra non starting imports ( since we start 8 or 9 Canadians ).

Every time we have a strong Canadian player as depth on the roster means we don't need an import depth at that position.

Hopefully we see the 2025 draft choices make an impact early in 2026 even as great depth.

If we can sign Griffin for a small signing bonus and reasonable contract I'd sign him. If he understands that he'll have to win a roster spot by showing more than another player or due to injury etc.

I don't expect to see any teams just parking extra players on the 1 game IR for as long as done in 2025. J. Jones for example had a contract at $118K or something around that number. D. Mitchell and Logan were others that had higher salaries that were just " parked " as depth.