Bombers are 500 football team at best

[jdrattops]

We're not a .500 football team.  We have 1 win left in us this season and that will be Edmonton if they already clinch 1st.  Good VA or bad VA doesn't matter this week, it's time to put a fork in it and start looking at next year (which unfortunately is trending to be worse than this year). 
Stick to the process, lmao.

[Blueforlife]

No, my post is not a "generalization", it is the raison d'etre for the existence of professional football.  I said we should honor the past and past players of significance, but, believe me, regardless of who the player is now, if there was a trade for Brady as an example, that would shore up/beef up/improve, for example, our Oline, Dline or defensive backfield right now, that trade would or should likely happen.

Brady's stats and performance would not likely be completely replaced, but it would probably improve the overall team.  You have a tendency to live in the past and support players who are arguably past their prime. IMHO that has been a part of the problem we encounter today. I would hate to lose Brady, but right now we are not winning with Brady.

I say this as a huge Bray fan including me being jersey-ed up with Brady.

Not buying it, we were debating a specific topic while you brought in a more high level / generalized  (accurate but off  slightly topic) reply.  In the past I have seen this style of posts from you, which is expected, not wrong but calling it like I see it.

Trading Brady is a bad idea full stop imo.  Brady isn't in decline.  Leads the league, best average of his career.  Yes getting a little order and has some injury concerns but he is still one of the best, one of best CDNs ever and is fighting for all time records.  We have many gaps in our team, improving them is important.  Trading Brady would make us worse, full stop imo.  Just like Harris Brady will continue to evolve his craft to adjust as he gets older imo.  His longevity might not match Harris's which was legendary but I hope so!

Yes Brady can't be replaced.  It wouldn't improve the team.  You are generalizing again saying I live in the past and support players past their prime.  While we all might do that at times, it's not a fair overall statement.  I support players based on there performance and stats.  Look up Brady's stats, nothing says decline.  It's not about ones ideology behind supporting vets, I know all too well how that can fail (hurt Ritchie big time).  But it also has a time and place.  We have held on to some vets too long, Brady isn't one of them.  We can win with Brady still.  Don't agree with anything you have said here regarding Brady.

I supported Harris when he got hurt late in his career and preached patience.  He rewarded us.  That said after that we let him go at the right time.  I supported Wilson last year when folks said dump him.  I supporting keeping Sheahan and he has been amazing.  I give support to players I love.  I loved Denny right to the end and we brought him back and he had much success in his return.  I supported the return of Thomas who was so steady for us for a long time after his brief departure.  I likely have supported some too long, Nichols I was in in denial last year.  We all just voice our opinion and are never right or wrong, collectively we form a pretty good opinion of the club and where we should head. 

The flip side to living in the past is seeing the future.  I seen promise in Kramdi when many were hard on him (somewhat warranted early on yes) but he has become a pillar of this club.  Knowing who will be good and who is in decline is hard and a welcome debate on here.  Why I love this place and pre season.  Always so exciting to see who is part their prime and who is going to hit it.

My original point was Brady was never getting spelled or replaced this season.  I think we have strayed far away from the original discussion.  Brady will end up with incredible numbers this year and with a decent OL, better play at QB, better play calling next year, he will cook again.  I didn't want him subbed or to miss games, now folks talking about trades, can't even fathom why.

If we are all in clean house mode then I could see why some say Brady should go but we ain't doing that imo.  Gotta keep the foundation but build new rooms and walls.  Brady is something that that team can rely on and helps the ratio immensely.  If it ain't broke don't fix it.  Brady is like a 20 ft pile, it ain't moving.

The club won't rebuild through trades.  It will be through better drafting, improved scouting, player development and finding gems each camp (coaching improvements are key as well).  Rarely do teams make big splashes with trades, does happen for a few positions but has little to do with a rebuild.  The idea of using anyone, especially your best assets for trade bait for a rebuild carries a lot of risk.  You hold your aces imo.  The return on trades is usually fair not a home run.  Rosters change so much in the CFL and the deck will be shuffled.  We just need more aces and less jokers LOL.  Time will tell how this club evolves.  More pain before gains likely.  How the cycle goes when so good for so long.  Looking forward to the bottom!

You make some good generalized points about sports and how teams can approach roster managements, aging playing, asset management etc. but I don't see the strong parallel to the CFL and specifically the situation the Bombers are in imo (or how we should handle Brady).  The players we need to move on from are pretty obvious.  The posters that are debating who to keep in the other tread form our foundation.  Will be interesting to see how it turns out.  I liked BnBC's idea of who we should punt.  I would like to see a thread on that one but I also like the kept list.  Will be interesting to go back and see who we wanted to keep and punt what happens opening day next year.

I would welcome examples of players I supported past their prime.  My memory doesn't serve me well enough to know some of these names.  Thomas would be a good example but I'm excluding him from this debate LOL. I like to root for the underdog at times, the role player, the glue guys, the cheap depth CDNs.  Gautier a good example and his side kick (Briggs?) who was better on passing downs who retired early to change careers, his name escapes me LOL.

[Blue In BC]

Not buying it, we were debating a specific topic while you brought in a more high level / generalized  (accurate but off  slightly topic) reply.  In the past I have seen this style of posts from you, which is expected, not wrong but calling it like I see it.

Trading Brady is a bad idea full stop imo.  Brady isn't in decline.  Leads the league, best average of his career.  Yes getting a little order and has some injury concerns but he is still one of the best, one of best CDNs ever and is fighting for all time records.  We have many gaps in our team, improving them is important.  Trading Brady would make us worse, full stop imo.  Just like Harris Brady will continue to evolve his craft to adjust as he gets older imo.  His longevity might not match Harris's which was legendary but I hope so!

Yes Brady can't be replaced.  It wouldn't improve the team.  You are generalizing again saying I live in the past and support players past their prime.  While we all might do that at times, it's not a fair overall statement.  I support players based on there performance and stats.  Look up Brady's stats, nothing says decline.  It's not about ones ideology behind supporting vets, I know all too well how that can fail (hurt Ritchie big time).  But it also has a time and place.  We have held on to some vets too long, Brady isn't one of them.  We can win with Brady still.  Don't agree with anything you have said here regarding Brady.  I supported Harris when he got hurt late in his career and preached patience.  He rewarded us.  That said after that we let him go at the right time.

My original point was Brady was never getting spelled or replaced this season.  I think we have strayed far away from the original discussion.  Brady will end up with incredible numbers this year and with a decent OL, better play at QB, better play calling next year, he will cook again.  I didn't want him subbed or to miss games, now folks talking about trades, can't even fathom why.

If we are all in clean house mode then I could see why some say Brady should go but we ain't doing that imo.  Gotta keep the foundation but build new rooms and walls.  Brady is something that that team can rely on and helps the ratio immensely.  If it ain't broke don't fix it.  Brady is like a 20 ft pile, it ain't moving.

The club won't rebuild through trades.  It will be through better drafting, improved scouting, player development and finding gems each camp (coaching improvements are key as well).  Rarely do teams make big splashes with trades, does happen for a few positions but has little to do with a rebuild.  The idea of using anyone, especially your best assets for trade bait for a rebuild carries a lot of risk.  You hold your aces imo.  The return on trades is usually fair not a home run.  Rosters change so much in the CFL and the deck will be shuffled.  We just need more aces and less jokers LOL.  Time will tell how this club evolves.  More pain before gains likely.  How the cycle goes when so good for so long.  Looking forward to the bottom!

You make some good generalized points about sports and how teams can approach roster managements, aging playing, asset management etc. but I don't see the parallel to the CFL or the situation the Bombers are in imo.  The players we need to move on from are pretty obvious.  The posters that are debating who to keep in the other tread form our foundation.  Will be interesting to see how it turns out.

You've been cooking too long. Turn off the gas stove and go outside for some fresh air.

Replacing Brady wouldn't result in a direct improvement at the RB position. That's not what anybody is saying. They are saying that a possible change via trade might improve the team overall. It's ridiculous to suggest trading some asset ( not necessarily Brady ) can't improve the team.

Didn't trading for Dru Brown improve the team? We can argue whether we won or lost that trade overall. But it did improve the team in the short term.

We also realize no logical trade comes to mind and trading a big contract isn't going to happen. Shedding SMS in order to redistribute in free agency happens all the time. Again it's knowing where to shift coming and going with the roster.

The SMS is the same for every team and we haven't done the work well to make those decisions in recent years. This off season there will be some players leaving and new acquisitions made. We'll have to see how that works out.

[Blueforlife]

You've been cooking too long. Turn off the gas stove and go outside for some fresh air.

Replacing Brady wouldn't result in a direct improvement at the RB position. That's not what anybody is saying. They are saying that a possible change via trade might improve the team overall. It's ridiculous to suggest trading some asset ( not necessarily Brady ) can't improve the team.

Didn't trading for Dru Brown improve the team? We can argue whether we won or lost that trade overall. But it did improve the team in the short term.

We also realize no logical trade comes to mind and trading a big contract isn't going to happen. Shedding SMS in order to redistribute in free agency happens all the time. Again it's knowing where to shift coming and going with the roster.

The SMS is the same for every team and we haven't done the work well to make those decisions in recent years. This off season there will be some players leaving and new acquisitions made. We'll have to see how that works out.

Nah Brady is the one cooking and trading your top chef doesn't do much to improve a team with many holes.  We would get a couple line cooks in return and they would just blow up the kitchen by leaving the gas on or cut themselves learning LOL. Trading for Brown was insurance and was costly but necessary due to Zach's injury issue.  100% not a relevant example.  It helped a little.  Trading Brady would ensure we have a massive hole at RB and the return would decent but not an overall improvement imo due to how strong he is.  His loss would be >>>> the new face(s) or picks.

If trading a big contract won't happen as you say then why would some even bring it up.  The return would not improve the club.  I'll say it again.

SMS is important yes.  Roster management is important.  So is retaining your stars that are still awesome.  The idea to spell him was terrible.  The idea to have him pulled out of the lineup was ridiculous.  Trading him is absurd imo.

You nailed it "might improve the team through a trade for Brady".  Might doesn't cut it.  5% chance imo a Brady trade helps.  0% it happens.  Taking bets.  Paying 10:1.

I did find the gas comment funny LOL.

For the record I was 100% for the Brown trade and still am but I was too high on him when he came.  Techno bought us back down to earth on that one.  Was exciting to see him back but we shall see what next year brings.  This year is a wash for him, hopefully.  We need to bring in another decent QB imo.  That won't be easy.

I want to keep cooking Cdn RBs till the end of time LOL.  It's worked for a decade.

Some want to blow up the club and start fresh.  I am ok with a remodel LOL, need less permits that way Like you said change is in the air and see how it turns out.  Will be a crazy end to the season and exciting off season and rebuild.

[BLUEBOMBER]

We need more teeth on offence and defence with better schemes. Our players want to play but now everything is so predictable with our offence and defence, it's laughable.

[Pete]

You've been cooking too long. Turn off the gas stove and go outside for some fresh air.

Replacing Brady wouldn't result in a direct improvement at the RB position. That's not what anybody is saying. They are saying that a possible change via trade might improve the team overall. It's ridiculous to suggest trading some asset ( not necessarily Brady ) can't improve the team.

Didn't trading for Dru Brown improve the team? We can argue whether we won or lost that trade overall. But it did improve the team in the short term.

We also realize no logical trade comes to mind and trading a big contract isn't going to happen. Shedding SMS in order to redistribute in free agency happens all the time. Again it's knowing where to shift coming and going with the roster.

The SMS is the same for every team and we haven't done the work well to make those decisions in recent years. This off season there will be some players leaving and new acquisitions made. We'll have to see how that works out.

Trading isnt really a thing in the cfl. Other than qbs for draft picks, how many trades have has any significant impact? One issue is that cfl contracts are so short if you give up a significant asset its only for short term. You might be able to fill a specific need ie lauther in sask but its not going to help a rebuild.
For arguments sake who would you expect to get for Brady?

[Blueforlife]

Trading isnt really a thing in the cfl. Other than qbs for draft picks, how many trades have has any significant impact? One issue is that cfl contracts are so short if you give up a significant asset its only for short term. You might be able to fill a specific need ie lauther in sask but its not going to help a rebuild.
For arguments sake who would you expect to get for Brady?

exactly and yes I'm curious who folks think we could get in return for him even though I'm against it, I think a big salary would come back as they would be taking a big one

I find when the team is weak people start searching for answers a little to hard, which is good but sometimes go down rabbit holes that take you nowhere LOL

[Blue In BC]

Nah Brady is the one cooking and trading your top chef doesn't do much to improve a team with many holes.  We would get a couple line cooks in return and they would just blow up the kitchen by leaving the gas on or cut themselves learning LOL. Trading for Brown was insurance and was costly but necessary due to Zach's injury issue.  100% not a relevant example.  It helped a little.  Trading Brady would ensure we have a massive hole at RB and the return would decent but not an overall improvement imo due to how strong he is.  His loss would be >>>> the new face(s) or picks.

If trading a big contract won't happen as you say then why would some even bring it up.  The return would not improve the club.  I'll say it again.

SMS is important yes.  Roster management is important.  So is retaining your stars that are still awesome.  The idea to spell him was terrible.  The idea to have him pulled out of the lineup was ridiculous.  Trading him is absurd imo.

You nailed it "might improve the team through a trade for Brady".  Might doesn't cut it.  5% chance imo a Brady trade helps.  0% it happens.  Taking bets.  Paying 10:1.

I did find the gas comment funny LOL.

For the record I was 100% for the Brown trade and still am but I was too high on him when he came.  Techno bought us back down to earth on that one.  Was exciting to see him back but we shall see what next year brings.  This year is a wash for him, hopefully.  We need to bring in another decent QB imo.  That won't be easy.

I want to keep cooking Cdn RBs till the end of time LOL.  It's worked for a decade.

Some want to blow up the club and start fresh.  I am ok with a remodel LOL, need less permits that way Like you said change is in the air and see how it turns out.  Will be a crazy end to the season and exciting off season and rebuild.

Suggesting a trade was about being able to redistribute SMS spending. Having the best RB doesn't do any good if you finish last. At $300K for 2027 that's $225K above an ELC player.

All that said we're probably going to see Collaros, Bryant, Nichols and Jefferson shed from the roster. That will free up a lot of SMS going into free agency. Who is available and who we can acquire IDK.

None of that matters if we don't have a solution at QB and I don't think we do at the moment.

[kkc60]

This team came in with flaws (pass rush, old veterans, Condell) and those same flaws could very well cost us the season. Bryant? Cooked. Wilson? Cooked. Nichols? Cooked.

We miss the playoffs, that's the 3rd overall pick to Ottawa. And the future does not look promising either since we've burnt picks for both Brown and Daniels.

[Blue In BC]

Trading isnt really a thing in the cfl. Other than qbs for draft picks, how many trades have has any significant impact? One issue is that cfl contracts are so short if you give up a significant asset its only for short term. You might be able to fill a specific need ie lauther in sask but its not going to help a rebuild.
For arguments sake who would you expect to get for Brady?

I've mentioned something before that I don't see actually happening. Ottawa has not had a good running attack for as long as I can remember.

I'd trade him to Ottawa for our 1st round pick ( back ) and theirs for Brady. That would give us the 1st and probable 3rd ( ours back ) pick in the 2027 draft. We'd shed and extra $225K in SMS to be used in free agency or even re-signing our own players.

We speculated about Chad Kelly in free agency. While I don't like him as a person, it can't be disputed he's a top CFL QB.

If we did acquire him we could also shed Dru Brown. I'd keep him for a lower than his current SMS which is about $350K.

Combine all the other SMS savings mentioned, adding a QB and 2 1st round picks would be interesting. In that instance I could live with a rookie RB on an ELC.

I think only Toronto and Ottawa will be players in acquiring / re-signing Kelly. So that might be possible without needing to shed BO SMS. 

Hmmm. Arbuckle only had an SMS of $131K in 2026. He might be a better option than Brown or at least a veteran back up.

[Blueforlife]

Trading Brady for picks isn't worth it imo

Having less picks does hurt though

I am happy with Brown over Arbuckle but that is cheap!

Brown Arbuckle and Taylor might be o

Kelly is going to get PAID

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Hmmm. Arbuckle only had an SMS of $131K in 2026. He might be a better option than Brown or at least a veteran back up.

Seems too low, still a good bargain for less than $200k

Clarification provided by 3DN.

13) Nick Arbuckle, Toronto Argonauts (A)

Hard money: $135,000
Maximum value: $195,000

Arbuckle earned $130,000 in hard-money plus an additional $50,000 in playtime cash last season with the Argos.

[Blueforlife]

Seems too low, still a good bargain for less than $200k

Clarification provided by 3DN.

13) Nick Arbuckle, Toronto Argonauts (A)

Hard money: $135,000
Maximum value: $195,000

Arbuckle earned $130,000 in hard-money plus an additional $50,000 in playtime cash last season with the Argos.

makes sense thanks, too much cake for a trio here imo