What are your honest, realistic expectations of this team.

[KCargosfan]

Nah the numbers lie, Ray is over the hill and washed up. No chance that a QB could be successful at 37+ in professional football.

Here is another number: Ray has started 12 games in 2 years. And Ray is a far worse athlete than most of the QBs that hang around that long.

What makes you think Ray can play a good amount of games this season? The fact that other people have past 37? Great logic.

[Neely2005]

I just don't see how Ricky Ray can be considered "over the hill" even if he stays healthy. Last season he completed 74.5% of his passes, second-highest percentage of his career. His TD/INT ratio (2.5/1) was fourth-best of his career and just slightly behind his second-best of 2.7/1 -(2013 was an outlier at 10.5/1). His average gain per pass (8.0) was just 10th-highest out of the 13 seasons in which he played at least nine games, but basically where he has been throughout his career (8.0 last season, 8.3 career).

In his five years with the Argos, he has had a higher completion percentage (71.2 vs. 66.8), higher TD/INT ratio (2.5 vs. 1.6) and slightly lower avg gain (8.2 vs. 8.4) than in his first nine seasons. The only thing he is demonstrably worse at is staying off the injury list. When he's been healthy his play has been at least equal to, and arguably better than, what it was for the first nine years of his career.

Ricky Ray of the @TorontoArgos was the only QB without an INT from numbers to the boundary on both sides. 138.6 is ridiculous!
Details #CFL pic.twitter.com/6iKpk3CCv2

— Derek Taylor 🇨🇦🏈 (@DTonSC) May 23, 2017

[Scooter McCray]

I love Ricky Ray and expect him to be our starter and expect him to put up good stats but other than Kevin Glenn in Saskatchewan is he at present better than any of the other starting QBS? An honest question. What it also says is there is a lot of talent once again at the QB position in the CFL. I don't believe there will be any doormats in the league this year. The Argos should be in every game this year on coaching and preparation alone.

[Will]

It is truthful that many of Ray's injuries were what might be termed "fluky," however I don't think the OL has improved dramatically since last season and thus the potential for more of these "fluky" injuries remains high.

[R.J]

It is truthful that many of Ray's injuries were what might be termed "fluky," however I don't think the OL has improved dramatically since last season and thus the potential for more of these "fluky" injuries remains high.

Left knee sprain in 2012, injured left knee yet again in 2013 against Winnipeg, then partial torn muscle in his throwing shoulder against Calgary, tore his right labrum (throwing shoulder) in 2014, which he played through until he was concussed against Montreal in the penultimate regular season game, 2015 was recovering from his off season shoulder surgery and never looked healthy enough to be out there. And in 2016, Sprained left knee yet again, then the rib and lung injury. Aside from the concussion and rib/lung injuries, there seems to be a recurring theme here.

[paulwoods13]

... there seems to be a recurring theme here.

Truer words were seldom spoke.

[R.J]

Truer words were seldom spoke.

Am I wrong though Paul ?
3 left knee injuries and 2 throwing shoulder injuries in 5 seasons = a trend not a fad/fluke, no ?

[KCargosfan]

Am I wrong though Paul ?
3 left knee injuries and 2 throwing shoulder injuries in 5 seasons = a trend not a fad/fluke, no ?

Some people on here seem to think Father Time isn't undefeated.

[paulwoods13]

Fluke? Maybe. Trend? Maybe. Were the subsequent injuries further deterioration of the original injury? Or new injuries? I don't know the answer.

Regardless, I prefer to see how he does on the field rather than write him off based on what happened to him as long as four years ago. Many players have played at a high level after serious injuries. If he is a sitting duck back there because of poor o-line play or receivers not getting open, chances are he will get hurt (as virtually any QB might). If he is able to avoid taking many extra shots because of good o-line play and/or a quick-release passing attack, I can easily see him playing a full season (and beyond).

[R.J]

Ray is not a quick release QB. Pretty sure it's the same offense as well.

[AngeloV]

Ray is not a quick release QB. Pretty sure it's the same offense as well.

There is more to a quick released than throwing motion. The biggest key to a so called quick release is making a quick decision.

[R.J]

There is more to a quick released than throwing motion. The biggest key to a so called quick release is making a quick decision.

I'm aware, but is Ray going to magically be able to make a quicker decision now compared to say last season, just because Trestman is here ?
Ray seemed and had admitted that he was quick to the dump pass/checkdown last season, I expect to see more of the same. Also, I'm not sure why, but this idea that Ray is Calvillo and/or Burris is based on what ? (to be clear Angelo, that statement is not meant for you)

[argofan81]

I'm not sure why we keep debating the merits of Ray (especially before the season has started and we've had a chance to see him play with the team). The past is the past as they say....old management/coaches set the team up with the players (qbs) on the roster. We can say all we want that the team screwed up by keeping Ray and letting others go....but that was not done by either the current GM or current head coach and cannot be changed now. On the off season, who was available at QB that we didn't go after? Once the new GM and head coach were in place, who could they have traded for? The debate about Ray seems to implicate that they are making a mistake holding on to Ray but as of now, who are the alternatives for THIS season? Perhaps next year, things can be different....Does anyone know if any qbs might be available during free agency next season?

["Issues"Mcgee]

In the event of an awful start to the season, how long does it take for Popp to take over as head coach? I give it five weeks.

[Rich]

Pretty sure it's the same offense as well.

Pretty sure it's not. Trestman is surely bringing a whole bunch of different looks. They don't call him The Professor for nothing. He told the town hall that when he first came to the CFL, he imported all his favourite NFL plays into the playbook and just added a guy to each one. You can bet he's bringing in some more new wrinkles this time around.

[OV Argo]

Pretty sure it's not. Trestman is surely bringing a whole bunch of different looks. They don't call him The Professor for nothing. He told the town hall that when he first came to the CFL, he imported all his favourite NFL plays into the playbook and just added a guy to each one. You can bet he's bringing in some more new wrinkles this time around.

We shall see there. Trestman learned to run a productive CFL offence, but it was pretty standard look: big reliance on pass with 5 pack set; one basic, same old run play to the single back. Hopefully, he can steer Ray clear of way too much short dump / check-down garbage that Millanovich loved in favor of throwing the ball well down the field lots; if Trestman was some sort of innovator or wanted to show some new CFL wrinkles, he might think of going with way more diverse ground game - good luck with that happening. It will be more like same old look IMO, but Trestman's play-calling might be a big advantage.

[R.J]

It's been talked about that Trestman was let go in Baltimore due to his reliance on the dump pass, and his lack of run game. While I do think Trestman is a heckeva better play caller, offensive mind, and Head Coach over Milanovich, I don't think people should be surprised if we see more of the same offence. A lot also depends on the QB as well obviously, but Ray has always been a high percentage passer, it's not like we have a Mike Reilly here to air it out.

[Argo57]

It's been talked about that Trestman was let go in Baltimore due to his reliance on the dump pass, and his lack of run game. While I do think Trestman is a heckeva better play caller, offensive mind, and Head Coach over Milanovich, I don't think people should be surprised if we see more of the same offence. A lot also depends on the QB as well obviously, but Ray has always been a high percentage passer, it's not like we have a Mike Reilly here to air it out.

My guess is the offence will be very similar to what we saw under Milanovich.
Game planning and in game adjustments should be improved with Trestman and his staff.

[Rich]

Trestman is a heckeva better play caller, offensive mind, and Head Coach over Milanovich, I don't think people should be surprised if we see more of the same offence.

The same offence should become a heckeva better offence when it is run by a heckeva better play caller, offensive mind and head coach, all things being equal.

[Rich]

if Trestman was some sort of innovator or wanted to show some new CFL wrinkles, he might think of going with way more diverse ground game - good luck with that happening.

I don't buy this idea that Trestman didn't have any running game in Montreal. Twice his teams finished in the top 3 in team rushing yards. Compare that to the Milanovich-era Argonauts, who finished dead last in team rushing 3 times. Trestman's smart enough to know that you need a running game if you've got an immobile QB. I think the key is having depth at the position, and I think either Wilder or Hunter could end up being a real gamebreaker. They've got to find a way to dress two INT RB along with Coombs every game this year.