Bombers acquire QB Dru Brown

[Blue In BC]

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.

Injury limbo. That's the catch. We don't know if or when any of the injured players will return.  Schmekel is the only DT on the IR with some weight.

Dixon is a DE and injured. Jenkins is a DE and playing. Nobody else is available on our PR besides Kornelson, another Canadian DT.

Just for the record, IMO it doesn't take a lot of time for a rookie DT to get up to speed compared to most other positions.

Someone mentioned that we didn't want to give Teuhema a negotiating advantage by disclosing an injury to Ceresna. We don't know Ceresna will miss time but if we contact Teuhema, wouldn't he be aware of that situation. Generally I don't think a free agent has much negotiating room in any case.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Injury limbo. That's the catch. We don't know if or when any of the injured players will return.  Schmekel is the only DT on the IR with some weight.

Dixon is a DE and injured. Jenkins is a DE and playing. Nobody else is available on our PR besides Kornelson, another Canadian DT.

Just for the record, IMO it doesn't take a lot of time for a rookie DT to get up to speed compared to most other positions.

Someone mentioned that we didn't want to give Teuhema a negotiating advantage by disclosing an injury to Ceresna. We don't know Ceresna will miss time but if we contact Teuhema, wouldn't he be aware of that situation. Generally I don't think a free agent has much negotiating room in any case.

I believe Kornelson is healthy, if Ceresna can't play he's the obvious choice, we'll find out soon enough.  That would be an option that allows them to further experiment with the ratio on defence, say at 2nd Safety, although healthy bodies all around seem to be lacking to do so.  At least when they used the 6 game as prescribed we had a clue as to who they thought was seriously damaged.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

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.

I doubt these guys work 40 hour weeks, I guess it depends what is considered practice time, but meeting in a class room every day for 3-4 hours to watch film shouldn't increase their injury risk.  Receiving mandated days off from work every week must be nice so they can catch up on their nap time. I'd like to join that union!

[Blue In BC]

I doubt these guys work 40 hour weeks, I guess it depends what is considered practice time, but meeting in a class room every day for 3-4 hours to watch film shouldn't increase their injury risk.  Receiving mandated days off from work every week must be nice so they can catch up on their nap time. I'd like to join that union!

I think the mandate is fairly clear to the teams. It may not be as clear to us but we see 2 practice and 3 practice weeks. There are rules teams must follow including in TC restricting number of times pads are worn. Obviously an effort to reduce number of injuries.

The catch here is that players are better athletes than in the 1060's for example. They train all year and are faster, bigger and stronger.

[Blue In BC]

I believe Kornelson is healthy, if Ceresna can't play he's the obvious choice, we'll find out soon enough.  That would be an option that allows them to further experiment with the ratio on defence, say at 2nd Safety, although healthy bodies all around seem to be lacking to do so.  At least when they used the 6 game as prescribed we had a clue as to who they thought was seriously damaged.

Yes, Kornelson is on the PR and healthy in theory. He hasn't taken a consistent role on the AR during his time here. OTOH, he may be the only choice we have today. The best advantage is that it's a ratio bonus.

As you mentioned, due to limited additional players, it's not clear what we'd do with that issue. Texada on defence would keep Kelly off the field. Singer instead of Corcoran or Cobb might provide more of an offensive spark.

I wonder if any of the " large " OL have ever played DL during their careers.

[Tecno]

Someone mentioned that we didn't want to give Teuhema a negotiating advantage by disclosing an injury to Ceresna. We don't know Ceresna will miss time but if we contact Teuhema, wouldn't he be aware of that situation. Generally I don't think a free agent has much negotiating room in any case.

They do when they are quality!  Teuhema isn't the best, but he is quality.  Look at when Lemon (and Sankey?) was team shopping.  You just wait for injuries to pile up, knowing most teams are short at many positions and starting a rookie isn't necessarily going to help you win.  Then you name your price (pro-rated of course).

If I was a quality couch-sitter, that's what I'd do!  And you get to sit on the couch until you get that call!  What's not to love.

[Tecno]

There is a league restriction on the number of practices during the week.

And that's one of the problems.  It's enough of a problem for MOS to mention it -- and he rarely disses the league.

Here's the problem: the small number of practices is part of what entrenches good teams or dynasties.  You get players/units who gel, you try to keep them mostly intact for many seasons, and you reap the rewards of being able to be good without much practice.

Proof?  See WPG for 5 seasons.  See SSK carrying over the quality from '25.  See MTL being ace for 3-4 seasons now.

But a team that has a hodgepodge of players, or many rookies, or high player turnover: unless magic happens, they don't have much chance of gelling because they can't get in the practice levels that will result in gel.

Proof?  See our DB corps, the DL, our DL, REC corps.  No gel.  And unless there's a miracle, they may not improve enough to win.  And keep in mind the top teams, the ones who have the gel, will only gel more as they practice -- but law of diminishing returns means the gains will be smaller.  And while we're trying hard to gel, the teams that have it are racking up wins that become insurmountable.

I bet if you doubled practice time, and tripled padded practice, you'd get a lot less multi-year domination by any small set of teams.  It would allow all teams, regardless of continuity, an opportunity to improve at a faster pace.  And since CFL/CFLPA will never allow that, you have the units go off and practice on their "own time".

If you watch F1, it's kind of the same thing: you get your team dominant and then you get the FIA to "freeze" the rules of whatever makes you good (engine, or aero or whatever).  And when you suck (like Ferrari and Mercedes before this year) then you get the FIA to unfreeze and change everything into your favor again.  Then you freeze it.  Make it so other teams can't improve when you are good.

[Tecno]

In the mos presser yesterday Paul asks a question about Dru's relationship problems or something, but mos deflects. What is he talking about? Paul made it sound like he broke up with his wife or something? Or did he mean what Dinwiddie did to him?? Confused.

Dru mentions his wife in his presser same day, so that can't be it, right?

[Blue In BC]

They do when they are quality!  Teuhema isn't the best, but he is quality.  Look at when Lemon (and Sankey?) was team shopping.  You just wait for injuries to pile up, knowing most teams are short at many positions and starting a rookie isn't necessarily going to help you win.  Then you name your price (pro-rated of course).

If I was a quality couch-sitter, that's what I'd do!  And you get to sit on the couch until you get that call!  What's not to love.

And yet he hasn't been signed by any team yet.

[Tecno]

And yet he hasn't been signed by any team yet.

Which proves my point, not yours. He's telling suitors the price is steep.

No one is desperate enough yet. But they will be.

[Blue In BC]

Which proves my point, not yours. He's telling suitors the price is steep.

No one is desperate enough yet. But they will be.

I don't think it does and neither does a comparison between Lemon and Sankey who were top performers.

How do you know he's telling suitors the price is steep and who are the suitors if no one is desperate?

Most teams have other DL on their PR. Bombers seemed to drop the ball for TC after signing Ceresna without finding depth behind him. Same problem at DE.

This week is game 4.

[TBURGESS]

Techno... I don't think you know what the word "proof" means. You use it when you mean "example" and when you mean a point in favour of your conjecture. 

[theaardvark]

MOS mentioned that last week they had a "day off" yet everyone was in the film room... 

As to Dru's relationships, it is no doubt about Dinwiddie.  Dru was the starter, and Dinwiddie brought in Maier (his "discovery" in CGY) and anointed him the starter.  If that doesn't strain a relationship, you aren't human.

Dru and Zach are best friends, and he'd much rather back up Zach than Maier.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

MOS mentioned that last week they had a "day off" yet everyone was in the film room... 

As to Dru's relationships, it is no doubt about Dinwiddie.  Dru was the starter, and Dinwiddie brought in Maier (his "discovery" in CGY) and anointed him the starter.  If that doesn't strain a relationship, you aren't human.

Dru and Zach are best friends, and he'd much rather back up Zach than Maier.

Honestly not a good look on Dru's part telling Dinwiddie he wanted to be released, how many vet QB's have been demoted, traded or cut and taken their lumps as part of the job?  Nearly every one except Rourke and Alexander.  Don't think Dinwiddie saw that response coming as he had no intention of cutting Brown after paying him a pre-season bonus. As GM he dodged a bullet when Walters offered him draft picks to take him off his hands.

[dd]

Honestly not a good look on Dru's part telling Dinwiddie he wanted to be released, how many vet QB's have been demoted, traded or cut and taken their lumps as part of the job?  Nearly every one except Rourke and Alexander.  Don't think Dinwiddie saw that response coming as he had no intention of cutting Brown after paying him a pre-season bonus. As GM he dodged a bullet when Walters offered him draft picks to take him off his hands.

Agree. MOS said in his interview that Brown had a high emotional intelligence...really?? He pouted when he got demoted. VAJ didn't do that when they brought in Rourke, Fajardo didn't do that when he was demoted first in Sask and then Montreal. This was not a good look for Dru Brown. The way he played in 2025 he deserved to be benched, but anyone with an ounce of brains knows Maier is going to crap out in Ottawa, so wait your turn--your opportunity to start was better in Ottawa than it is in Winnipeg, but somehow he's happy he's here. We're a marginally better team than Ottawa, still the bottom half of the league and unless there's an injury, you ain't seeing the field. We'll see how long Maier last in Ottawa, MBT will be in after the next 2 or 3 more losses. You can't go 0-7 and still stay with the same guy at Qb