Bombers acquire QB Dru Brown

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

That changes things a bit.  We won't tie up big $ on a stacked QB room with "2 #1's" -- it's not the Mafia way.

So we have two different views of the situation going on:

Mafia perspective:
1. Dru is a cheap rest-of-season rental and maybe the best insurance that was a realistic possibility. 
2. Dru is in-house should Zach get injured or retire before '27.  That means we have our foot in the door for a bid on him starting in '27 -- should we want that because Elgersma isn't ready.

Dru perspective:
A. Says he will only play where he wants to start.  There is no starting job anywhere right now.  So he accepts the backup role, why?  Because he has to.
B. He knows Zach has 50/50 chance of missing 2-4 games and Dru will be the starter.
C. He knows if he lights it up in relief and Zach retires then he's probably the starter.  Even if he never sees the field in '26 he's a strong contender to be starter in '27 because there may literally be no one else for WPG in FA.
D. He'll feel far more valued and respected in WPG.

It's win-win for everyone in 2026 (except our 2 1RDP cost).  The issues start in FA27.  Only if no one else wants Dru to start will he be available as a backup.  And as a backup he'll probably be the most expensive one in the league.  We won't pay a backup more than $175-ish.  Other teams value backups more and will outbid us -- unless we start him.

Miss the playoffs and big changes will be made, if Zach comes back at all in 2027 it should be at half his contract value, which would be enough to pay for Dru Brown.  A purge of the remaining old timers would likely take place to increase the energy level if nothing else, enough younger vets would be left to take up the leadership role, which is how it's supposed to work.

The team can work with Brown as the starter, how well he does remains to be seen but I don't have high hopes he'll become an elite QB, more of a competent place holder.  Elgersma will be there to step in when Dru gets hurt or falls apart, if he shows he's the more productive of the two when the bright lights are on the transition from Zach will be complete.  If Elgersma turns out to be the next Taylor Cornelius it may take a few years before they figure out the new path they need to take, by that time O'Shea may well be done.

[Tecno]

Miss the playoffs and big changes will be made, if Zach comes back at all in 2027 it should be at half his contract value, which would be enough to pay for Dru Brown.  A purge of the remaining old timers would likely take place

Changes, true.  But "oldster purge" might not be what you expect/want.  "Mafia way" is to keep the smartest vets around well into the best-before date to teach up the noobs and direct traffic.  Well, on D and OL at least (REC, not so much).

I would expect at any given moment Mafia will keep at least 2 uber-vets on D.  I can't imagine they'd do a blanket purge of, say, "everyone over 32" on D.

[Waffler]

I just don't see 4 QB's here. Not enough reps for #4. Even 3 barely gets any as it is.

[Jesse]

I just don't see 4 QB's here. Not enough reps for #4. Even 3 barely gets any as it is.

There are always 4 QBs. 3 on the AR and 1 on the PR.

Most "reps" in practice are in drills where all the QBs get equal reps and time. Same thing in film review.

If you're talking about scrimmage reps. Elgersma was extremely fortunate to get all the #2 reps in TC and preseason as a rookie, but now it's time for him to take the mental reps and fight his way up the depth chart, imo.

[Blue In BC]

There are always 4 QBs. 3 on the AR and 1 on the PR.

Most "reps" in practice are in drills where all the QBs get equal reps and time. Same thing in film review.

If you're talking about scrimmage reps. Elgersma was extremely fortunate to get all the #2 reps in TC and preseason as a rookie, but now it's time for him to take the mental reps and fight his way up the depth chart, imo.

Don't always have a 4th QB on the PR.

I wonder whether Brown is our # 3 QB this week or remains on the RR? It's almost moot because it's too early for him to have a good read on the playbook if Collaros gets injured and Perkins is doing well on short yardage.

As far as SMS it costs us the same since I don't expect us to release Perkins.

We don't practice today but I am waiting to see if we have a small airlift of 1 -3 players for the PR. To some degree that will clarify whether we have new injuries headed to IR.

I'm still of the opinion we should be considering Teuhema to bring onto the PR or even activated if Ceresna can't play.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Don't always have a 4th QB on the PR.

I wonder whether Brown is our # 3 QB this week or remains on the RR? It's almost moot because it's too early for him to have a good read on the playbook if Collaros gets injured and Perkins is doing well on short yardage.

As far as SMS it costs us the same since I don't expect us to release Perkins.

We don't practice today but I am waiting to see if we have a small airlift of 1 -3 players for the PR. To some degree that will clarify whether we have new injuries headed to IR.

I'm still of the opinion we should be considering Teuhema to bring onto the PR or even activated if Ceresna can't play.

With so many players in injury limbo I don't see them bringing in extra bodies for the PR unless there's a dire shortage, just makes it more difficult to sort out when players return to health and it's too early for new tryouts.  It actually might be the case at DT as none of the new guys have the bulk to play that role.  Saw Jenkins trying to hold the line on a goal line stand and he got bulldozed, he probably shouldn't be on the field in that situation. Ottawa found a beauty in Ageli, 6'-0" 300 lbs, he looks wider than he is tall.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Changes, true.  But "oldster purge" might not be what you expect/want.  "Mafia way" is to keep the smartest vets around well into the best-before date to teach up the noobs and direct traffic.  Well, on D and OL at least (REC, not so much).

I would expect at any given moment Mafia will keep at least 2 uber-vets on D.  I can't imagine they'd do a blanket purge of, say, "everyone over 32" on D.

The old vets I'm specifically referring to are well past their prime, Stanley, Kyrie, Willie, Zach and maybe Neuf, although I think he's still has a few solid years of play left.  Could see them keeping Willie as a limited rotational player for his special abilities and fan appeal, currently he spends too many plays pacing himself so he can play the entire game.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

31:36 Dru briefly removes his cap, to reveal an amazing Eddie Munster hairline.

[Tecno]

I'm still of the opinion we should be considering Teuhema to bring onto the PR or even activated if Ceresna can't play.

If Ceresna goes 6G then ya, grab Teuhema, because the SMS hit won't be as dire.  I sure hope not, but Ceresna could turn into a bust if he's tub-bound all the time.  Unless we start aiming for "playoff only" impact players, I've always been fine with that idea (kinda cheating).

If so I'd make offers to Teuhema before you tell anyone Ceresna is gonzo, because you don't want Teuhema to be able to dictate $$ terms.

[Tecno]

We don't practice today but I am waiting to see if we have a small airlift of 1 -3 players for the PR. To some degree that will clarify whether we have new injuries headed to IR.

What does that even mean?  It's shameful, really.  The team is awful.  We may not even beat OTT, given what they showed vs MTL.  And so it's sitting on the dock with margaritas again??

I don't care about CFLPA/league rules, everyone should be in the barn practicing, lifting, and film-studying.  No one is going to get better sitting on their duff.

Every unit should be taking it upon themselves to meet in private, on their "own time", figuring out how to get better.  Is no one taking things seriously??

P.S. The official practice rules in the CFL are a joke now.  Even MOS is pseudo-scoffing at them in pressers.  Paraphrasing: "no one can get better because there's almost zero padded practice allowed, and no tackling allowed, and practices are so short & limited".

[Jesse]

What does that even mean?  It's shameful, really.  The team is awful.  We may not even beat OTT, given what they showed vs MTL.  And so it's sitting on the dock with margaritas again??

I don't care about CFLPA/league rules, everyone should be in the barn practicing, lifting, and film-studying.  No one is going to get better sitting on their duff.

Every unit should be taking it upon themselves to meet in private, on their "own time", figuring out how to get better.  Is no one taking things seriously??

P.S. The official practice rules in the CFL are a joke now.  Even MOS is pseudo-scoffing at them in pressers.  Paraphrasing: "no one can get better because there's almost zero padded practice allowed, and no tackling allowed, and practices are so short & limited".

Yeah, I don't think not practicing today has anything to do with league rules. It's the team giving the players an extra day of rest. Which they often do.

[Tecno]

Yeah, I don't think not practicing today has anything to do with league rules. It's the team giving the players an extra day of rest. Which they often do.

And that very well may be the problem.

I never hear about other teams giving the players extra rest and days off when rules say they can practice.

In fact, the last HC that made a big deal of this is Dickenson The Lesser who, instead of practicing when SSK stunk, took the boys bowling.  It became a running joke on the Riders forum.  It really miffed fans, so much so that that is when many cancelled their ST, never to return.

[Blueforlife]

There are always 4 QBs. 3 on the AR and 1 on the PR.

Most "reps" in practice are in drills where all the QBs get equal reps and time. Same thing in film review.

If you're talking about scrimmage reps. Elgersma was extremely fortunate to get all the #2 reps in TC and preseason as a rookie, but now it's time for him to take the mental reps and fight his way up the depth chart, imo.

Don't always have 4 QBs, simply not true
Reps are not equal either as a whole

[Jesse]

And that very well may be the problem.

I never hear about other teams giving the players extra rest and days off when rules say they can practice.

In fact, the last HC that made a big deal of this is Dickenson The Lesser who, instead of practicing when SSK stunk, took the boys bowling.  It became a running joke on the Riders forum.  It really miffed fans, so much so that that is when many cancelled their ST, never to return.

There's always an ongoing debate between rest vs. practice. I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer, it's a coaches job to understand what the majority of his team needs. During the bye week, they took the bare minimum amount of days off, but after the game, they clearly got an extra day. Most likely because injuries were starting to pile up.

[Blue In BC]

There's always an ongoing debate between rest vs. practice. I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer, it's a coaches job to understand what the majority of his team needs. During the bye week, they took the bare minimum amount of days off, but after the game, they clearly got an extra day. Most likely because injuries were starting to pile up.

There is a league restriction on the number of practices during the week. Bombers play again Sunday, so I think we see a Tue, Wed and Thurs practice this week.