Ed Tait discusses the Bomber free agency situation including those already signed and likely free agents, as well as the fact that having already spent significant money on Nichols, Kenny Stafford, as well as former Argos Darvin Adams and Tristan Okpalaugo, they won't be going for high priced free agents on February 14th. Current starters by position holes and depth are also discussed at the end of the article.

Over the last few years, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have approached the opening of the Canadian Football League free agent market the same way deal-obsessed shoppers attack a Boxing Day sale. They would religiously line up overnight to be at or near the line before the doors swung open. And when they did – BOOM! – they attacked the available talent with a fervour, desperate to fill holes on the depth chart.
That changes next week when the 2017 free agent market opens on Valentine’s Day, in large part courtesy of the stability that comes from last year’s turnaround and a desire from more players to want to stay or sign here, not escape.
GM Kyle Walters told bluebombers.com this week. “It’s a busy day, a full day… it’s nuts. But this year is going to be nothing like that. We’re going to follow along and see who signs. It would be nice to get some good value with some young Canadian kids that we like, but we’ve already done a lot of our work.”
That included signing quarterback Matt Nichols and receiver Darvin Adams to new deals, adding receiver Kenny Stafford and, on Thursday, landing their big offseason prize in defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo.
A dozen Bombers will be headed to free agency unless they sign before Tuesday. Walters has already confirmed that linebacker Khalil Bass, defensive tackle Euclid Cummings, receiver Rory Kohlert and offensive lineman Jeff Keeping will not be offered new contracts. The remaining eight include receivers Clarence Denmark and Tori Gurley, linebackers Jesse Briggs, Tony Burnett and Sam Hurl, defensive backs Macho Harris and Teague Sherman and fullback James Tuck.
The Bombers lineup isn’t without its question mark as the offseason talent grab really begins to come into focus, especially with the departures of Shologan, Cummings and Bass. But the Canadian depth – and six of the seven Canadian starters in Andrew Harris, Sukh Chungh, Matthias Goossen, Julian Feoli-Gudino, Taylor Loffler and Jamaal Westerman – is as good as it has been in years and that’s always the starting point to any CFL roster.
Walters said the club won’t be chasing any of the high-end talent expected to become free on Tuesday, but will be kicking the tires on some of the players who might still be available after the initial spending spree subsides. He went go over the club’s salary cap plans one more time on Friday, now factoring in the addition of Okpalaugo, to see what they might have left for next week. “We thought all along that defensive end was the biggest need on our team. Period,” said Walters. “We went out and got our guy and now the ramifications are being felt.”
http://www.bluebombers.com/2017/02/1...nal-breakdown/