Winnipeg Blue Bomber Thread

[Argo57]

Bombers let Hajrullahu walk after his rookie deal without an offer following a 3 win season. Pretty short rope with Mike O'Shea.

Not only is Medlock expensive his 38 yr old personal snapper takes up a valuable roster spot. Medlocks been good but I won't say he is the best. Maybe we have seen the last of him.

Would love to see Legghio take the job but they have had good kickers before and let them go.

I was hoping the Argos would have drafted Legghio with a mid round pick.

[carlos]

I was hoping the Argos would have drafted Legghio with a mid round pick.

Imagine a 65 yarder to win a game. Eventually there will be no limits.

Not seeing anything related to his signing by the Bombers yet. Which means nothing.

[AngeloV]

Bombers let Hajrullahu walk after his rookie deal without an offer following a 3 win season. Pretty short rope with Mike O'Shea.

Not only is Medlock expensive his 38 yr old personal snapper takes up a valuable roster spot. Medlocks been good but I won't say he is the best. Maybe we have seen the last of him.

Would love to see Legghio take the job but they have had good kickers before and let them go.

I would say Medlock is the best especially when combining accuracy and range. He's also become a very effective punter as his directional punting is fabulous. I would say 2nd to Rob Maver, who is not retired.

[carlos]

I would say Medlock is the best especially when combining accuracy and range. He's also become a very effective punter as his directional punting is fabulous. I would say 2nd to Rob Maver, who is not retired.

There are many that would agree with you. It's actually been a few years since kicking was the difference in a game for the Bombers. Not sure why. Not to say it is not a huge part of the field position game that leads to points.

The last, last play, kick for the win attempt was in 2016 against the Lions when they went for it from 61 on 3rd and 4 in the dome and fell short. An earlier miss from the 40 was just as big. Most Bomber fans I know would have gone for the 4 yards and a first down. Matt Nichols was the QB. Dressler across the middle was an automatic at the time.

Point being that while JM has been a nice shiny trophy piece all along he really hasn't been a difference maker. Factor in that they could have had a national in Hajrullahu at less money the whole time it has been a point of mild contention for a while among fans. The big plus with Medlock is he does all three jobs as did LH. Not much of a tackler though.

For my money, on my Grey Cup winning roster I spend less at the position and use the money elsewhere. Ottawa has a nice pairing with the plus of having another kicker if one goes down.

The guy I liked was Ryan Lankford, more known as a kick returner and receiver / db with the bonus of college kicking experience. He kicked one game for the Bombers late in 2018 against Edmonton and did well. Later signed in Ottawa and drew the wrath of Rick Campbell over fumbling a punt and was cut right after a game. Signed in BC where I think Ed Hervey was thinking the same about him as a kicker but had already signed Castillo after losing Lankford to Ottawa in free agency. Fast as lightning so if someone were to cheat leaving early on punt coverage he could take off and same goes for running down anyone busting a return. Only 28 and doubtful he will be back with BC and Campbell. Cheap and versatile. Probably done.

Apologies for the off topic ramble.

The roster spot for Chad Remple is just as costly. How many years ago was it that he started with the Argos? Cost the Bombers a good special teamer and backup long snapper in 25 year old, Winnipeg boy, DJ Lalama last year. Ruffled a few feathers with that move.

I'd take Cameron and Westwood. And Walby.

[AngeloV]

There are many that would agree with you. It's actually been a few years since kicking was the difference in a game for the Bombers. Not sure why. Not to say it is not a huge part of the field position game that leads to points.

The last, last play, kick for the win attempt was in 2016 against the Lions when they went for it from 61 on 3rd and 4 in the dome and fell short. An earlier miss from the 40 was just as big. Most Bomber fans I know would have gone for the 4 yards and a first down. Matt Nichols was the QB. Dressler across the middle was an automatic at the time.

Point being that while JM has been a nice shiny trophy piece all along he really hasn't been a difference maker. Factor in that they could have had a national in Hajrullahu at less money the whole time it has been a point of mild contention for a while among fans. The big plus with Medlock is he does all three jobs as did LH. Not much of a tackler though.

For my money, on my Grey Cup winning roster I spend less at the position and use the money elsewhere. Ottawa has a nice pairing with the plus of having another kicker if one goes down.

The guy I liked was Ryan Lankford, more known as a kick returner and receiver / db with the bonus of college kicking experience. He kicked one game for the Bombers late in 2018 against Edmonton and did well. Later signed in Ottawa and drew the wrath of Rick Campbell over fumbling a punt and was cut right after a game. Signed in BC where I think Ed Hervey was thinking the same about him as a kicker but had already signed Castillo after losing Lankford to Ottawa in free agency. Fast as lightning so if someone were to cheat leaving early on punt coverage he could take off and same goes for running down anyone busting a return. Only 28 and doubtful he will be back with BC and Campbell. Cheap and versatile. Probably done.

Apologies for the off topic ramble.

The roster spot for Chad Remple is just as costly. How many years ago was it that he started with the Argos? Cost the Bombers a good special teamer and backup long snapper in 25 year old, Winnipeg boy, DJ Lalama last year. Ruffled a few feathers with that move.

I'd take Cameron and Westwood. And Walby.

Only looking at whether or not a kicker makes a last second FG is very short sighted. The fact that he hits them earlier in the game often means the team doesn't need a last second FG for the win. Points are points no matter when the are scored. Pointed out an earlier miss from the 40 was big, but overall, how often can you say that about him?

I don't get the rant on havng Rempel as a personal long snapper. Most teams have a long snapper that only does that and doesn't see the field at any other part of the game. Fact is, Rempel can line up at TE in a pinch, and be very effective. so it's not a wasted roster spot.

[carlos]

Appreciate the football chat Angelo. Not saying Medlock is not an asset. He is the robo kicker. I put the miss (loss) in BC Place squarely on the broad shoulders of Mike O'Shea. The time was there and 3rd and 4 was a better shot than a field goal O'Shea got a new 3 year deal out of that.

Part of my disenchantment with JM was the way they threw Liram Hajrullah under the bus in only his second year. Last I heard six years later he was still playing and had something going in the NFL.

Nothing personal about Chad Remple either but the Bombers are deep in veteran special teamers. Mike Miller, John Rush, Jesse Briggs, Derek Jones were all versatile 30 year old guys who could play any role in a pinch. The idea of the personal snapper adds to Medlocks prima donna status. Choosing a one dimensional 38 year old over a 25 year old like DJ Lalama (who also long snaps) is a poor roster call imo. At what point does the 25 year old get the chance to gain playing time. They played Jeff Hecht at safety for the first 16 games in another questionable personnel call.

Bomber strategy is to fill holes around high priced stars with veteran players who need less coaching. They haven't developed anyone since Jake Thomas. If you sense a hint of disenchantment with the three stooges you are correct. Sorry I should be so happy we are the champs for now.

My original point being that for the most part the kickers have not been difference makers. They are all expected to be in the high percentages and capable of placing punts. Things do happen. In a sms world every dollar counts or should I say every dollar they know of counts.

Enjoy your day

[AngeloV]

Appreciate the football chat Angelo. Not saying Medlock is not an asset. He is the robo kicker. I put the miss (loss) in BC Place squarely on the broad shoulders of Mike O'Shea. The time was there and 3rd and 4 was a better shot than a field goal O'Shea got a new 3 year deal out of that.

Part of my disenchantment with JM was the way they threw Liram Hajrullah under the bus in only his second year. Last I heard six years later he was still playing and had something going in the NFL.

Nothing personal about Chad Remple either but the Bombers are deep in veteran special teamers. Mike Miller, John Rush, Jesse Briggs, Derek Jones were all versatile 30 year old guys who could play any role in a pinch. The idea of the personal snapper adds to Medlocks prima donna status. Choosing a one dimensional 38 year old over a 25 year old like DJ Lalama (who also long snaps) is a poor roster call imo. At what point does the 25 year old get the chance to gain playing time. They played Jeff Hecht at safety for the first 16 games in another questionable personnel call.

Bomber strategy is to fill holes around high priced stars with veteran players who need less coaching. They haven't developed anyone since Jake Thomas. If you sense a hint of disenchantment with the three stooges you are correct. Sorry I should be so happy we are the champs for now.

My original point being that for the most part the kickers have not been difference makers. They are all expected to be in the high percentages and capable of placing punts. Things do happen. In a sms world every dollar counts or should I say every dollar they know of counts.

Enjoy your day

I enjoy the respectful discussion as well. I'will finish off by saying Medlock was 10 of 11 in his 2 playoff games last year. Lirim had totally lost his confidence IIRC his second season. That happens with kickers all the time. It is a pressure packed position and he was in such a horrible funk, you can't really blame a team for moving on for a proven guy.

A lot of kickers starting with one team, struggled, then eventually found their mojo with another team down the road. Dean Dorsey, Paul McCallun, Paul Osbaldiston all started elsewhere before becoming solid on new teams. Even Mile Vanderjagt was cut by the Riders before his success as an Argo.

[carlos]

Mentioning Charles Roberts got me searching to see if my memory was correct regarding his playing style. If anything, I underestimated his play.

10,000 yds in seven seasons, 86 tds, CFL All Star RB 7 consecutive years. 300 rushes per season 3 times with a career 5+ yd avg / carry. Did not miss games.

Anyone so inclined can find a Charles Roberts highlight reel on youtube. Worth it imo. More than #1 on the field from the bad joke dept. His selection to the all time team is more than warranted .

2007 was another year that got away on the Bombers. Funny how I remember the name Kevin Eiben.

[jerrym]

Winnipeg has tentatively been named a hub city. Details of how the hub would work are given below.

The Canadian Football League has chosen Winnipeg as the hub city if an abridged 2020 season and Grey Cup are to be held this fall.

And, yes, there are a number of important hurdles to be cleared before this can become reality, not the least of which is significant financial support from the federal government, the CFL Players’ Association signing off on both the hub city plans and a new collective bargaining agreement for the 2021 season AND approval from public health authorities. But as first steps go, the league made official Tuesday the choice of Winnipeg as the hub city following bids from Saskatchewan and Calgary and one day after Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister pledged $2.5 million to the plan. ...

The plan would see 30 games played at IG Field – a six-game schedule for all nine teams – plus the playoffs and the Grey Cup. The amenities in and around the stadium including practice facilities and hotels that would make up the ‘bubble’ were part of what made the Winnipeg bid attractive. ...

Miller also provided some further detail on the testing for players before and after they get into the bubble in Winnipeg: players will be self-isolating for 14 days and then be tested in their home cities before they come to Manitoba and then be tested again upon arrival, at Day 6 and Day 13. He also stressed the players, coaching staffs, CFL personnel and referees will all be in a bubble inside ‘multiple hotels’ in the city. “It means the hotels are exclusive for the coaches, players and staff,” Miller explained. “They will go to the practice fields and IG Field and those will be the only places they go, with very limited interaction with anybody outside of that bubble. “If we do go outside, for example to a restaurants, those venues would be shut down as they would be for a private event.”

All nine teams will be asked to go into the bubble, including the Blue Bombers and players who live here during the offseason like Andrew Harris, Nic Demski, Brady Oliveira, Adam Bighill, Geoff Gray, Thomas Miles and John Rush. No family members would be allowed inside the bubble.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2020/07/...tive-hub-city/

[jerrym]

Here are the rules the CFL must follow to have Winnipeg act as a hub city as laid out by Manitoba public health officials.

To go forward with the shortened 2020 season, the CFL said it needs a new collective bargaining agreement with the CFL Players’ Association, as well as funding from the federal government.

Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, said players will be tested for COVID-19 in their own jurisdictions. Then they will be tested on their first day, sixth day, and 13th day in Winnipeg. “The isolation requirements will be 14 days in their home jurisdiction, tested, come to Winnipeg and then a further period of seven days of self-isolation before they can enter team activities,” he said at a news conference on Thursday.

As for how the province will enforce the 14-day self-isolation period, especially since many players live in the United States, Roussin noted Manitoba has 49 people with active cases of the virus right now who need to self-isolate and there’s no one standing outside their doors watching them. “This is part of the public health response, there’s a lot riding on it for these players and these teams to ensure this bubble is COVID-free,” he said.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen described the CFL’s plan as robust and significant. He said it meets the test and is supported by Public Health. “But I think Manitobans need to understand: no fans in the stands. That’s number one. This is not something that’s going to get fans coming to the stadium,” he said. “Number two: the hotels at which the players and all of the coaches and staff will be staying are closed to everyone else. So they are only there for the players.”

Friesen added that no out-of-town fans will be coming to Winnipeg. “Any violations of those rules, any violation of the bubble principle put in place by the CFL and that player goes home,” he said.

On Friday the province announced a community-based volunteer committee to oversee the plans for the CFL hub city. The committee will focus on economic return on investment, creating community engagement, and providing oversight and support to the CFL.

“A major event like being the CFL’s hub city will bring positive economic benefits to Winnipeg and help return more Manitobans to work in hard-hit areas like tourism and hospitality,” said Economic Development and Training Minister Ralph Eichler in a news release. With public health and safety at its foundation, the committee will focus on engaging the community and ensuring Manitoba gets a good return on our investment.”

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/the-rule...ipeg-1.5037881

[jerrym]

The federal government’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo has also spoken positively of the measures taken by the CFL in making Winnipeg its hub city, comparing them favourably to the NHL's measures. A positive government response to health protocols is an essential component of the government assistance that the CFL needs to have a 2020 season.

[jerrym]

Nic Demski talks about his and his teammates' reaction to their Grey Cup rings below:

“I’m doing a workout just holding it up right now,” Blue Bomber slotback Nic Demski said, showing off his new jewelry at a Winnipeg restaurant, Thursday night. “Honestly, everything about it is just amazing.” ...

A relatively small group got together here in town the next day: Demski and fellow Winnipeggers Andrew Harris, Thomas Myles and Brady Oliveira, along with Adam Bighill, John Rush and Chad Rempel. Receiver Drew Wolitarsky even drove up from Minnesota. ...

“You think that there’s going to be a lot of yelling, a lot of shouting, a lot of oohs and aah’s,” Demski said. “But honestly, everybody was just silent. Your breath was really taken away by this.”

It had been 29 years since the Bombers last hoisted the Grey Cup, so the occasion demanded something unique. The individual inscriptions are one example.

Demski chose “For Life.” “This is something that nobody can take away from us,” he said. “It’s for life.”

Bighill went another direction. “FIFO” is what he wanted on his ring. It’s a mantra of head coach Mike O’Shea’s, and hangs above the door in the Bomber locker-room. It stands for “Fit in or f– off,” a fitting slogan for this team if there ever was one. ...

“To be able to celebrate with this entire province… that’s really what it’s all about,” Bighill said. “You’ll be able to remember this forever, the people you did it with. But most importantly you can celebrate this with everybody here that cares so much about it. Those are some of my favourite things, to see other people’s reactions and see how happy they are that we brought this back.”

Bighill was on the design committee, and saw the drawings progress. And grow. “One of the last things we told Wade (Miller, team president) was, ‘Bigger. Bigger.’ And he came through… it blows you away.”

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/footb...r-historic-run

[jerrym]

Below is an article on the origins of the Winnipeg football team and the Blue Bombers name.

It was spring in Winnipeg in 1930 – the early days of the Great Depression – when Leland ‘Tote’ Mitchell gathered together some local businessmen discuss the future of rugby in our fair city. A World War I vet, Mitchell had helped run the Tammany Tigers rugby club and taken them to the 1925 Grey Cup where they fell 24-1 to the Ottawa Senators.

The Tigers played their last game in 1929 and a year later morphed into the Winnipeg Football Club, which swallowed up the Garrison – made up of Army servicemen – and then merged with the St. John’s Tigers in 1933. The ‘Winnipegs’, as they were known then, fell to the Toronto Argonauts in the 1933 Grey Cup semi-final, but were back two years later to make history.

Yes, on December 7, 1935 the ‘Winnipegs’ captured the 23rd Grey Cup with an 18-12 victory over the Hamilton Tigers in front of 6,405 fans at the Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association to become the first team from Western Canada to win the championship. Critical in the win was the work of the franchise’s first superstar, Fritz Hanson, who scored the game-winning touchdown on a 78-yard punt return in the third quarter. The headline in The Winnipeg Free Press the next day screamed: ‘Zowie! ‘Pegs Win.’

It was during an exhibition game with the University of North Dakota when the Winnipeg Football Club was first called the ‘Blue Bombers.’ Free Press sportswriter Vince Leah referred to the team as the Blue Bombers – they were now wearing blue uniforms after beginning in green – in a reference to boxing heavyweight champion Joe Louis, aka ‘The Brown Bomber.’

The Blue Bombers would fall 4-3 to the Argonauts in the 1937 Grey Cup and then 30-7 in another matchup with their eastern rivals in the 1938 Grey Cup. But in 1939, the club would close out its first decade in existence by claiming its second championship in an 8-7 victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders. The Blue Bombers TD came from Andy Bieber, while Art Stevenson would kick the winning point with 45 seconds remaining. Hanson was again spectacular, with 126 yards rushing in the victory.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2020/09/...decades-1930s/

[jerrym]

Chris Streveler became the first former CFL QB to register a stat in an NFL game since Jeff Garcia in 2009 with a three yard rush for a first down on a key third down in Arizona's victory over the Super Bowl champions 49ers. Streveler was the only backup QB for Arizona.

[jerrym]

HC Mike O'Shea comments on what the opportunities that a cancelled season brings players and coaches.

During the season coaches will spend hours at the office and away from their families. And even when they are at home their minds can still drift to practice planning, to ideas about schemes. Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday becomes Day 1-Day 2-Day 3 of a practice week. Make no mistake, O’Shea isn’t seeking any sympathy for what he and coaches are going through right now. That wasn’t the gist of our conversation. What he is hoping is he and his coaches, given this time to get away from the game, will come back to work with a different and deeper perspective.

“You absolutely should have a different perspective,” he said. “I’ve said it before: as coaches you’ve got to be able to forgive yourself for having fun or taking up a new hobby or not thinking about football for a day. That was a big challenge at the beginning when all the work, all the preparation was done for the season and then the extra projects were done. You’ve got to allow yourself to go fishing, and allow yourself to read a book and allow yourself to idle down a bit without feeling guilty.”

We asked the Bombers boss if he has done any of the above. He chuckled and added: “I’m not good at following my own advice. There’s still lots of things left to do.”

https://3downnation.com

[jerrym]

Danny McManus, the Bombers' Assistant GM/Director of U.S. Scouting, assesses the ten players on the Bomber's negotiation list that were released recently in the url below.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2020/09/...otiation-list/

[jerrym]

RB Andrew Harris doesn't have high expectations for a 2021 season and discusses what he is doing in the prolong layoff in the interview below.

“To have that be stripped away, it’s a weird moment, and your whole routine changes,” Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris was saying on Thursday. “So you’ve got to figure out ways to stay busy and keep your mind, body and soul activated and engaged. That’s probably been a big struggle for a lot of guys, and myself included. There’s only so many things you can do for so long before you start to lose your mind a little bit.”

Keeping the body fit is one thing. The mind and soul are something else, entirely. Harris has found a few things that have helped. ...

And he’s not obsessing over whether or not there will be a 2021 season. “I’m not really counting on it as much I might have been last (season),” he said. “Hopefully it works out and we can get back on the field. I’m going to stay in shape and do the things that I do, but I’m just not going to be fully counting on it and having a high expectation that it will.” ...

Being crushed once was enough. Through the wreckage, Harris has found some closure. And, at 33, a new sense of purpose. An opportunity to better himself for when he comes up against the most relentless tackler every player eventually faces: life after football.

For one, he’s started the Pro Prep Academy, a multi-sport, all-around training program for young athletes. The flag football league that marked the program’s kickoff has been sidelined, but plans are to expand the academies from football and soccer to baseball, basketball and volleyball. ...

Harris also launched an idea of his own this week, called The Check In Challenge. Its goal: get people to call someone that might need it. Just to see how they’re really doing. ...

“I had two people in my life that I hadn’t really been in contact with for a while and found out they were going through some really tough things,” Harris said. “I know I have a voice and there are a lot of people who look up to me as a leader in the community, and I wanted to use that platform to push forward this initiative. It’s just important for people to stay connected and communicate.”

Not just via text, either. But to connect the old-fashioned way, with a call, where they can hear your voice. “People get lost in their phones,” Harris said, sounding like someone from my parents’ generation. “And the art of picking up the phone and calling someone is dying.”

Harris’ idea has picked up some steam. The Bombers are promoting it, and Winnipeg mayor Brian Bowman is among his retweets on Twitter.

“Since Monday, launching this, I probably sent that link out to 10, 15 people that said, ‘I’m personally struggling,’ or ‘I have someone that’s struggling, can you push me in the right direction.’ Just the fact that I’ve helped a handful of people makes it all worth it.”

At the same time, he’s helping himself.

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/footb...emics-wreckage

[jerrym]

The following article discusses how Chris Streveler came back from a high sprain and fracture of his ankle was able to lead the Bombers to victory only 16 days after the an injury that normally takes 8 weeks to heal, something doctors still can't explain.

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/footb...racle-recovery

[jerrym]

Former Argo Zach Collaros and current Argo Matt Nichols discuss the Bombers drive to the Grey Cup below.

“Matt was huge for me coming in so late and helping with the offence. Accepting me into the locker room, accepting me into the quarterback room,” said Collaros, when asked to speak of the influence of Nichols after his arrival last October at the trade deadline. “He was integral for us down the stretch in the meeting rooms, on the field and just his leadership. You could tell guys still looked to him even though he couldn’t be out there on the field during the stretch run.”

Collaros hammered home that sentiment when he recalled a specific moment in the Bombers’ run to glory last November – a snapshot after the team’s West Final win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina. ...

“One of my favourite memories of the entire run was after we won that game in Saskatchewan, coming back into the locker room and the emotion that everybody had – specifically Matt and the quarterback group – and chugging Bud Lights with him in the locker room. That was one of the most vivid memories for me, honestly… just the emotion that Matt had and everybody had. From a quarterback perspective, we all know how much time you put into it and to have a bad-luck injury like that and take that away and keep you off the field is terrible. We’ve all been a part of it. Matt was integral for me, integral for the team,” he added. “That memory really sticks out… I never told Matt that, but Matt knows that was an awesome moment.” ...

During the call Nichols was asked if he still felt like he was part of the championship run after the injury.

“I’ve been in the league 11 years and that was my first experience getting to just go a Grey Cup and experience that,” he said. “So I soaked it all in, celebrated it and had a great time. Who’s to say how much me being around the back half of the season helped out, I don’t know. I know I played half the games that year and won some football games to help us get to that point, so I do feel like I was definitely a part of it. Obviously not playing in the back half of the season out there changed my role. I fully accepted that and had great time celebrating and going on that ride with all the guys that I played a lot of football games with. So, I was super excited to see all my teammates get that experience of going out there to win that championship. I celebrated probably as hard as anyone.”

After the season – and with Nichols still recovering from the shoulder injury – Bombers management opted to sign Collaros as a free agent. Nichols then signed with the Argos. The organization agonized over the decision, knowing how much of a role Nichols played in the turnaround – a subject he weighed in on when asked on Thursday. "

I’ll probably think about that stuff when I’m done playing,” Nichols said. “The things that instantly come to mind are always trying to leave a place better than you found it and I feel like that’s definitely the case. I feel like all the work I did in the community, things that my family were able to do around the holidays with holiday hampers and donating to the Children’s Hospital and just in general with my family being there we helped to make the place better than it was. That’s all you can really hope for. It was a great chapter in my career and in my family’s life and it’s time to move on to the next one.”

https://www.bluebombers.com/2020/11/...-reflect-2019/

[jerrym]

Below is a look at some of the Bombers 32 free agents, including many starters:

Heading the list is Harris himself, the hometown running back and Grey Cup MVP who’s led the league in yardage three years running. There’s no reason to think Harris doesn’t want to stay, nor is there one to think the Bombers don’t want him back, even if he turns 34 in April.

But consider the dozens of other potential departures. No less than four of Harris’s blockers are without deals: two-time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award winner Stanley Bryant, Jermarcus Hardrick, the bookend at the other tackle spot, along with Canadians Pat Neufeld and Cody Speller. Other pending free agents on offence include Winnipeg-born slotback Nic Demski, receiver Rasheed Bailey and backup quarterback Sean McGuire.

On defence, among the players Winnipeg could lose are end Jackson Jeffcoat, one of the stars of the Grey Cup win over Hamilton, safety Brandon Alexander, emerging defensive back Nick Taylor, linebacker Kyrie Wilson and interior linemen Jake Thomas and Steve Richardson. ...

The Bombers are just as exposed on special teams, where kicker Justin Medlock, long snapper Chad Rempel as well as cover specialists Shayne Gauthier and Mike Miller are without contracts.

“A lot of work to do but we are looking forward to it,” Walters said. It’s true, many will want to return, given the success they’ve had here and the close relationships they’ve developed. But money talks, and it’ll be screaming this winter as the pandemic continues to pound the CFL right where it hurts.

You think GMs will be eager to hand out signing bonuses after paying them last year, only to have no season? We’ve already heard teams are planning to save half a million or so by spending to the floor, and not the ceiling, of the $5.4-million salary cap. When the dust settles, the Bombers will look vastly different from the third-place team that upset defending champion Calgary and Saskatchewan, both on the road, to reach the 107th Grey Cup, where they beat the odds once again in rolling over 15-3 Hamilton, 33-12.

They’ve already lost multi-faceted quarterback Chris Streveler, 2019 CFL interceptions leader Winston Rose, defensive back Marcus Sayles and promising D-lineman Jonathan Kongbo to the NFL. Others released early or opting out of their 2020 contracts to find work elsewhere while the CFL sat idle were receiver Kenny Lawler, kick returner Janarion Grant, defensive back Mercy Maston and special-teamer Thiadric Hansen.

Among the key players already re-signed are quarterback Zach Collaros, receivers Darvin Adams and Drew Wolitarsky, linebacker Adam Bighill and defensive end Willie Jefferson. ...

Add it all up, and February 9 will bring a whole new meaning to the term “free-agent frenzy.” Teams have until Jan. 31 to exclusively negotiate with their own pending free agents. On Jan. 31, a window opens allowing all teams to talk contract with players who’ll be free nine days later. This marks the second year of the pre-free agency window, designed to formalize a practice that went on under the table for years.

https://winnipegsun.com/sports/footb...usiness-monday