Official Game Day Thread - Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg, September 12, 2026

[Big Daddy]

a) Who knows what FA will bring.  Weird things sometimes happen.  Maybe the next big thing will emerge suddenly like Kelly did in his GC-relief win.  But ya, on paper things look slim right now.

b) If Zach is gone and Dru is our only guy, then it will be dark days in WPG for a few seasons.  We might go into a funk like EDM did for so many years.

It's a QB-driven league, as we've seen with how top teams go to total heck the instant they lose their #1.  Arbuckle winning that cup is an extreme aberration.  What's happened to HAM is more representative.

Agreed - there's not much around to improve our team at QB next year if this is Zach's last year.  I don't have a lot of faith that Dru can somehow become the next one up to find another gear and surprise everyone.  You never know, Calvillo took a while to become his hall-of-fame self that we all remember, but I also suspect if it's left to Dru then we are in for a dark few years.

I guess the other flyer is to hope Elgersma can find form quickly and step up.  If all of this comes down to him and Dru next year, well - again you never know, maybe at some point he gets thrown in as a starter and turns some heads.

I really don't like having all these hopes and wishes when it comes to the QB position.  But we weren't looking like world-beaters in 2019, and then suddenly one last-minute trade changed everything.

So back to Tecno's point - "weird things sometimes happen".

[Pete]

Without a doubt, Neuf is the leader of the O-line.

Wallace is more of an issue, along with Elsbury 
Wallace has no mobility, while Elsbury is getting pushed around way too easily.

[Tecno]

Wallace is more of an issue, along with Elsbury 
Wallace has no mobility, while Elsbury is getting pushed around way too easily.

Well, the c is often the weak link. The guards are supposed to be better to make up for it. It is 4 on 5, after all -- most snaps.

I'd give els some rope, but have no doubt we bring competition into tc.

I wonder how he fits in re FIFO... Haven't heard much on that front. However, there's also no bad talk about him either. That will go a long way to determining his future here.

[Jesse]

Neuf will be back next season. 

I hope so, but he has made a few "taking it all in" comments like retirement is at least a possibility.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Actually, living in reality is a great life. You should try it sometime.

I happily live in reality. You can suffer in your whatever pestilence you have going on.

[TBURGESS]

I happily live in reality. You can suffer in your whatever pestilence you have going on.

Pretty funny that you think I'm suffering because I point out things you don't like. It's not called suffering or pestilence. It's called accurate. 

[theaardvark]

Dru is our starter next year, with Perkins and Elgersma fighting for the #2 spot.

But like last year, that can change.  We still don't know if Pavia comes north, or any of their other neg listers.

ZC8 knows it is time, and is good friends with Dru and will gladly hand the team over, I think.

[Blue In BC]

Dru is our starter next year, with Perkins and Elgersma fighting for the #2 spot.

But like last year, that can change.  We still don't know if Pavia comes north, or any of their other neg listers.

ZC8 knows it is time, and is good friends with Dru and will gladly hand the team over, I think.

It's a good theory but giving up a $500k salary is not the easiest thing to do.

Reports are that Pavia is not a great candidate IMO. We have about 10 QB's on the neg list including Pennington so we'll see whether one decides to come north.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

It's a good theory but giving up a $500k salary is not the easiest thing to do.

Reports are that Pavia is not a great candidate IMO. We have about 10 QB's on the neg list including Pennington so we'll see whether one decides to come north.

Super rare that a QB can make much of an impact in his first season, every team struggles with this problem and you can see a steady stream of prospects come and go after hanging around for 2-3 seasons.  Is it a lack of talent, preparation or a lack of coaching?

The weird thing is black QB's are no longer making the transition to starter, V.A. is the only legitimate black starter left and his future is somewhat questionable.  20 years ago, half the QB's in the CFL were black, I don't watch NFL but is the same phenomenon happening there?

[theaardvark]

It's a good theory but giving up a $500k salary is not the easiest thing to do.

Reports are that Pavia is not a great candidate IMO. We have about 10 QB's on the neg list including Pennington so we'll see whether one decides to come north.

Giving up a $500k salary is tough, but unless ZC8 finishes the year without another IR stint, I can't see the team offering him that.  Worst case scenario, I can see ZC8 and Dru sharing about $750k, with little guarantee and much being playing bonus and some 2026 SMS and Magic Marketing Money.  Taylor and Bryce are still on ELC's. 

IF ZC8 wants to play again, and IF the mafia want to keep him on the roster, its not for his current pay, and not guaranteed.  And the game play bonus should be FINISHED games, not started.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Pretty funny that you think I'm suffering because I point out things you don't like. It's not called suffering or pestilence. It's called accurate.

accurate in your mind. Not to many others if you haven't noticed.

[Blue In BC]

Giving up a $500k salary is tough, but unless ZC8 finishes the year without another IR stint, I can't see the team offering him that.  Worst case scenario, I can see ZC8 and Dru sharing about $750k, with little guarantee and much being playing bonus and some 2026 SMS and Magic Marketing Money.  Taylor and Bryce are still on ELC's. 

IF ZC8 wants to play again, and IF the mafia want to keep him on the roster, its not for his current pay, and not guaranteed.  And the game play bonus should be FINISHED games, not started.

He will be a potential free agent so it's a TBD at the moment. His 2026 salary was $550K? The result of the current season could be just about anything from winning the Grey Cup to finishing out of the play offs. His current injury will be another factor to see if he plays the rest of the games.

What the team wants and the player wants ( guaranteed money ) leaves a lot of issues.

[dd]

I wouldn't bank on Collaros retiring this year, nor the Mafia encouraging him to do so. MOS thinks very highly of him, so if Zach wants another year, he'll get another year. I am sure he's got a number that makes it worthwhile for him to endure the punishment, and if the Mafia gets chintzy in negotiations, that may push him to retire, and I for one, don't want to think about that world right now, just enjoy the here and now/this season, as it may be his last, and if so, there's tough sledding ahead for our football club.

[Jesse]

I wouldn't bank on Collaros retiring this year, nor the Mafia encouraging him to do so. MOS thinks very highly of him, so if Zach wants another year, he'll get another year. I am sure he's got a number that makes it worthwhile for him to endure the punishment, and if the Mafia gets chintzy in negotiations, that may push him to retire, and I for one, don't want to think about that world right now, just enjoy the here and now/this season, as it may be his last, and if so, there's tough sledding ahead for our football club.

Agreed. Everything people have said about him in regards to not coming back was also true last year.

I would be 100% in his corner if he could stay on the field, but the number of games he's had to leave early over the past two years makes it incredibly difficult to trust him moving forward. It would be vastly irresponsible to depend on him again, but it's hard to make the argument that the mafia would let him walk if he wanted to stay.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Agreed. Everything people have said about him in regards to not coming back was also true last year.

I would be 100% in his corner if he could stay on the field, but the number of games he's had to leave early over the past two years makes it incredibly difficult to trust him moving forward. It would be vastly irresponsible to depend on him again, but it's hard to make the argument that the mafia would let him walk if he wanted to stay.

Don't see the point in bringing Zach back, he isn't even in the top 5 QB's any more, he can't stay healthy and he struggles to put the ball in the endzone.

Give him to the end of the season to prove he's still got it and make the final decision during the off-season, no sneaky late season renewals just before they get bombed in the playoffs.  If it wasn't for the $500k+ salary he probably would have retired 2 years ago. O'Shea accepted parting with Bighill, now he can accept parting with  Zach, nobody lasts forever.