Blue In BC

I said we used a 2nd global player due to the fact we didn't have a healthy Canadian on the PR. That's not difficult to understand. Just look at the week to week changes on the depth chart. He had 6 ST's in `12 gm Cole was the back up SAM for the 1st 4 or 5 games. McGhee was for 1 game until we added Griffin. Bridges also saw some game time on defence ( 7 DT's ). Nick Hallett saw game time on defence in the secondary too. Karamoko was always listed as about the 3rd choice at WIL. Noah Hallett was an ST player and as such more valuable than a global listed as a back up at WIL. He had 6 ST's in 12 games. Karamoko had 2 ST's in 5 games. We use more people on ST's than we rotate through our WIL barring injury. Karamoko was a waste of space on the roster. He's so good he was released outright. I don't know what you're trying to justify his existence in the few games he played when it's very clear that he was just the last man standing to choose from the PR. 2024 depth chart etc are still available. We had between 3 - 4 Canadians on the IR for the 1st 4 - 5 games. All we had on the PR was Murphy and Hubert. Neither of which was needed as positional depth and neither played ST's. Neither are currently with the team. As I said, at least Karamoko was capable of playing on ST's if necessary. Essentially he was the only choice to activate due to the injuries.

No I'm not. We started the season without Noah Hallett, C. Lawson and B. Feltmate. Oliveria missed a game early as did a few other Canadians. Chris-Ike, Charbonneau and Woli missed an early game or more. Our early roster was musical chairs due to numerous injuries. Geez even Murphy had to be added from our PR. Kelly missed 8 games and didn't play until August. That shows how limited our choices were on our PR. Karamoko only played 5 games in 2024. IIRC the other 2 global players only were dressed for 6 or 7 games in total between them combined. I stand by my comment they were added due to numerous injuries where we couldn't field our normal compliment of Canadians. That made adding a 2nd global as our only option. I agree that we didn't draft or have quality global players but playing a 2nd one was a forced issue as I've covered. I might add that we couldn't find a better quality global in the entire world better than the two we had? Only 18 get drafted each season. A few don't even show up after being drafted. Our current roster has 26 Canadians. We'll draft another 9 in 2025. I'd take the bet that barring a large number of early season injuries, we don't roster 2 globals on the AR to start the season.

3 seasons, 7 games and 3 ST stats total. No DT's recorded. You really want to hang your hat on that and the fact we didn't re-sign him?

Last year the Bombers only used a 2nd global player when the injuries mounted up with our Canadian depth. The teams 1st choice seemed to be to not bump the extra Canadian player off the AR. Neither of the 2 non kickers on our roster recorded a stat. We didn't even retain Karamoko and no other team has signed him. Players don't get premium time unless they earn it. Global players idea started in 2019 so 2024 was year 6th.

I'd disagree that we're seeing more global players actually contribute in other positions. I did a search of all the current players on rosters and found squat besides those doing kicking duties. I've in favour of converting global designations to the normal import spot. Add 2 import spots to the roster instead of global players. That would allow global players on rosters to continue if they win a spot. At the moment the Bombers have 3 global players including Sheehan. We'll draft 2 more this draft. I'm not expecting to see a 2nd global player on our 2025 AR roster. Two will win spots on the PR essentially by default. I

Our global punter does not use a spot as a DI. The roster rules we must have at least 1 global on the roster while a 2nd is optional at the cost of a Canadian choice. To that end, choosing a global as a punter is a good choice. Very few globals succeed in any other position on CFL rosters. It's not unusual for a CFL team to have an import K or P as a DI due to the supply demand issue. Most often if tends to be a K while teams roster a global punter. I think we'd all like to see a Canadian K in particular or a K do all 3 jobs but obviously that's easier said than done.

I'd expect we have the kicker, a returner, a DL and a DB as DI's. Since we start 8 Canadians we have roster within the ratio to have one import that is on the AR but not a DI. As you've suggested it's blurred at the moment. Do choose to start 4 imports on the DL with the Canadians as the rotation players and still have an import DL as a DI? Cole could be the DI or extra as a substitute DB but I don't think that would be the direct choice if we add him. IMO he'd be used in a more traditional role as a LB rather than a coverage player per se. All of this is somewhat in the expectation of losing Ford and giving us 1 more ratio option than we'll have needing to start another import at CB. It also presumes we do not lose Ayers and choose not to re-sign Bighill. I'm waiting to see what happens with both of those questions. There should be more players re-signing this week but which happen 1st is a TBD.

Now we have Kramdi at SAM, otherwise there would be 3 starting import LB's and probably a DI. Things have changed with starting more than 7 Canadians overall in the past couple of seasons. I think we expect to lose Ford one way or another. What happens on the OL if we lose Dobson could change our ratio. I'm not against 4 import LB's on the AR so it's a wait and see who we do or don't re-sign including another import LB in free agency. There are always some good ones potentially available like the one the Argos released. Where any of them fit in regarding SMS is the other question.

Sure but like I said, it's a math problem as well. I'm hoping Ayers is back. I can't remember if we had 4 import LB's on the roster at the same time. Cole we be # 4 IMO for the reasons you mentioned but are we convinced O'Shea are willing to not put Bighill on the roster. To a certain degree I was surprised we re-signed Wilson so that leads me to think we might see Bighill returns.

I think the replacement for Benson is Leroux and he's been re-signed. So I'm expecting that transition. Augustine still adds value but I think I'd prefer a younger player on an ELC to fit his role which is primarily an ST player. I don't believe he would be the primary RB is Oliveria is injured longer than an in game situation. To that end, I expect an import RB on the PR or possibly one that is on the AR as a RB/WR/ Returner and has yet to be identified / found. Noah Hallett played relatively injury free in 2024 IIRC but I think his time is done. We'll need to find roster spots for a few 2025 draft picks and / or possibly some form 2024 that have finished school.

Yeah, I thought Bighill might be pushed off the roster. While I think he can still add value, roster size, SMS and younger LB's will make it difficult to find a spot. However, if we lose Ayers and / or choose to not re-sign Cole, that changes the math somewhat. Alexander also falls into this category of thought. Although IMO we do re-sign him but begin the transition to a new starter at safety during the season. Who that player is will be a TBD.

Yes I'm in Vancouver but am not partaking in the festivities dowtown. Retired pension income. So will watch and cheer game on TV and communicate with my Lions friends on facebook. I think the reality of big screen HD at home is not a bad option at this point.

Not disputing that but instead we add Weitz as a 2nd global in lieu of a Canadian. Must mean Woli jut can't play even as a back up. I also don't think we can make the injury argument from 2023 when we had no alternatives but to play players not 100%. 4 of our receivers and Bighill shouldn't have played in 2023.

Just another reason to get rid of the global designation and convert them to import DI spots. Sheehan would be retained as a DI and Cole could have been added instead of Weitz. I don't quite know what Weitz will bring instead of Karamoko but he's a giant question mark as well.

Maybe MCI was nicked a bit. OTOH, they beefed up the DL depth somewhat. He hasn't played and Weitz only was on the Ar for a couple of games. Because you can add a 2nd global in place of a Canadian. You can't add Cole without removing an import somewhere. I'd prefer Cole on the AR but who would we take off the roster?

Why? If he's healthy we could use some depth at receiver. Demski and Whitehead are not 100% so there could be a need especially if our offence controls the TOP. We'll need to rotate receivers somewhat.

Is Pierce in the last year of his contract? Why would he consider moving to BC as a lateral move unless he's being looked at as a HC.

Why would he practice at all is they didn't think he had a chance to play. Noting we lose Kelly so we're down a Canadian at the moment.

We already have 2 globals on the roster. In order to add Karamoko we'd have to delete an import or Weitz. Not sure exactly what Weitz brings but I would have preferred Karamoko as well.

It would be a good decision IMO. At this point in the season we need someone with CFL experience.

If they decide to use Vanderpool as the starting RG because he's better than Eli, I'd have no problem. Adding him as a DI or non starter is a little more iffy of a decision. Taking Johnson off as a result is debatable. He was rotating on offence with Whitehead last couple of games. Woli would move Clercius to back up but if you remove Johnson that doesn't work in the same way. or as effectively IMO. I'd rather see Case added again? Thomas as the 7 OL in emergencies or jumbo is not the worst idea. It really depends on what the difference is between Eli and Vanderpool starting.

He still has the NFL option open to him. There is no guarantee he doesn't try again although he may have some big bonus going into 2025 and big salary to consider now. He won't be on an ELC now.

I think Weitz comes off. That 2nd global is at the expense of another Canadian. Interesting / fair point about whether they consider adding another import OL. Unless they'd plan to start him in front of Eli, I don't think they do that. My expectation is that Thomas gets a few reps on the OL this week as the 7th OL. Bryant is almost a lock to be back after a week of not feeling well with flu/cold etc.

He was cut due to an injury issue in TC. He was a good DB for the Lions before moving to Regina in free agency. I'm not sure about whether Bailey caused that injury in 2023 but possibly.

Rourke improved quite a bit from his 1st game back. It's a little early to judge his success / failure when the entire team has issues. Their defence can't tackle and Brown threw for nearly 400 yards and completed passes nearly at will. I expect they'll add in DB Edwards-Cooper for their next game. He's healthy again in theory. That may help but like many teams have a long list of injured players. Dru Brown has been impressive in Ottawa but note the rest of their roster has been upgraded as well. It takes a good roster to win not just a good QB.