Atomic

I'm also wondering what has become of Brett Carter. The odd thing about MSW is if it is so sure he cannot play, why is he still on the roster? Seems strange.

Awesome!

I'm really hoping Mike Sims-Walker comes back. Sims-Walker, Moore, Denmark, Watson, Kohlert is actually looking like a really good receiving corps.

Ottawa could use a guy like TJ Hill. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he lands there.

No chance, he's 34. Sounds like he just didn't fit in with Chris Jones' plans.

I don't see where he would fit in here. He's a SAM/nickel guy and we already have Korey Banks and Desia Dunn there. Pass.

Goodbye Terrence! You were a bright spot on some terrible teams and a consummate pro!!! http://www.bluebombers.com/article/edwards-announces-retirement

That's just crazy. Assistant coaches come to the CFL from the NCAA every year. Never said assistant coaches don't come to the CFL from the NCAA - but they aren't coming directly from the NCAA to be an assistant coach here. They may have been in the NCAA in the past at various points in their lives (See Gary Crowton who had been out of the NCAA for awhile), but the assistant coaches there make more money in a year than assistants here will make in a very long time. Still not true. For example, Will Plemons came here directly from Fresno State, a Division 1 FBS school, where he was the DL coach for 3 seasons, to become the DL coach here. And that's just one example. There are plenty more.

The Argos released Marcus Ball yesterday, apparently to pursue the NFL. Jim Barker has not been reluctant to release players who feel like they have an NFL shot, whereas other GMs such as Austin with Chris Williams have taken a hard line against releasing players to tryout in the NFL. Barker's rationale is that he will have an easier time signing players if they know they can get out of the deal early to try the NFL. Other GMs have said things like "If I do it for this guy, I'll have 30 other guys knocking on my door asking me to do it for them." In other words, they do not want it to snowball and cause them to lose all their good players early. What do you think? Which side is taking the smarter approach? Should they just bring back the option year? It's been kinda nice not having it the last few years, from a fan perspective at least.

Except Austin didn't come back until he was HC and GM. Didn't he turn down the Riders when they offered him the HC position a couple years ago? Sure but that's two completely different cases. Kent Austin left as a champion. Barrett left after 7 mediocre seasons with no Grey Cup appearances.

That's just crazy. Assistant coaches come to the CFL from the NCAA every year.

Cool!

They didn't HAVE to use an American, they used Schmitt because he was the best punter in the league last year. Bartel isn't far off, but Schmitt is better. Schmitt wasn't going to be on their roster this year so that's kind of irrelevant to the trade

From a pure football point of view, I say the Riders won this trade. #9 pick for #8 - Obvious win. #11 pick for Shomari Williams, a Canadian they can rotate in on defence and great special teamer, and Josh Bartel, a proven Canadian punter, at a spot where they had to use an American last season. That's a win too, IMO. And they still have another pick in the second round because that was the pick they got from the Bombers in the Neufeld trade.

Probably because they've spent the better part of the last 3 years cutting down Shomari Williams

The Ticats also gave up the #8 pick in addition to Williams and Bartel, for #9 and #11. i'd prefer that we don't make a trade like that. The only reason the Ticats did it was that it was likely a salary dump in Williams' case and Bartel became expendable when they signed Medlock.

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I'd still prefer to bring in McCune. Just to be sure.

Did you mean Butler, not Ferri? No. The poster didn't name name the two Canadian starting LBs in his post, so I named two. If he meant Butler, well I consider him a safety first and if he was serious on whiffing on him, then what can I say? Ferri isn't Canadian. Yes I was referring to Butler and Emry. Either one could start at linebacker for us.

I give you an F, for low expectations. Getting Kohlert doesn't improve the team over where it was last year. Just maintains it. I thought we did a good job of playing Ottawa and getting Kohlert back, but the fact remains that it is hardly an "addition". Why is replacing Muamba unrealistic? There were two free agent starting Canadian linebackers out there. I'm sure you will try to tell us all that it was "impossible" for us to land them, but they were out there, we swung and missed. Like I said, A for effort, but C+ for results. An F would have been landing no one. Getting an import receiver wasn't a huge need, but we landed a really good one so that gives us a C right there. Getting Kohlert back and signing Graig Newman helps with Canadian content and upgrades us to a C+. Randle fills a need in the secondary and I liked our aggressiveness in landing him, so I could maybe stretch for a B... but I stick with a C+ because we lost our starting Centre and didn't pick up any OL at all. IF we're planning on moving Morley to center, it would have been nice to have a Myddelton or Andrew Jones to compete with our young guys for the right guard spot, so we aren't left with our pants down if Pencer and Swiston can't hack it. To achieve an A or A+, I would have liked to see us land one of the stud Canadians and improve the depth on the OL... also, landing kicking help and another import defender would have been nice. Besides, a C+ isn't that bad. Many of our trusted professionals in society made it through university on C's and C+'s.

On 1290, Walters said they are pretty much done signing free agents.

Not quite, nobody has a bye in week 8.

Mini camp won't be in Winnipeg this year, it will be in Florida, more for prospects than veterans