Seems like too many hopes and dreams are being dumped on Ray already.

[1argoholic]

So yes he's a great qb but it's obvious already that a team has serious juggling to do because of his huge CFL contract. Huge by CFL standards that is. The next few weeks could really tell the story if this team has a true shot at doing anything. You can't lose a whole bunch of your solid vets just over money issues and hope that you can grow as a team that fast. So we sit hours away from free agency hell breaking lose and I'm not feeling so great about who we may lose. I hope we don't start from scratch from top to bottom. If so I think we'll still be a few years away from contending. Did Barker feel guys were just going to take pay cuts in order to play for us? Well we shall see what happens in the next few days.

[R.J]

Not just Ray IMO, but Milanovich as well. Alot of moves still need to be done, the receiving core is still no where near strong enough to compete with the rest of the league, and Barker indirectly stating that adding Ray is enough for the offense is worrisome. Barnes, Mann, Owens, and Durie (Dure IMO is probably the most athletically gifted players in the league and I do have high hopes for him), does not match up to what MTL, BC, Calgary, or even what Winnipeg has, but some of the young guys could surprise and help out. The Argos also need some O-Line help, might lose the teams starting centre, left tackle (IMO Coughman isn't good enough yet, but obviously could improve). The D-line really needs an influx of talent, Foley should be the only player safe on the line period. LB's we need to bring in some guys as well, even the backfield needs some upgrades IMO. I'm not even confident right now that the Argos will even have a winning season, obviously still too early but with the turnover that this team needs, hopefully people don't expect how Edmonton started last season.

[ArgoRavi]

So yes he's a great qb but it's obvious already that a team has serious juggling to do because of his huge CFL contract. Huge by CFL standards that is. The next few weeks could really tell the story if this team has a true shot at doing anything. You can't lose a whole bunch of your solid vets just over money issues and hope that you can grow as a team that fast. So we sit hours away from free agency hell breaking lose and I'm not feeling so great about who we may lose. I hope we don't start from scratch from top to bottom. If so I think we'll still be a few years away from contending. Did Barker feel guys were just going to take pay cuts in order to play for us? Well we shall see what happens in the next few days.

With the SMS, you have to make choices. Would you rather have Steven Jyles as your starting QB if it meant that Parker, Eiben and Pile could all be re-signed? The Argos added a HUGE ticket in Ricky Ray's salary. I am guessing that even Rob Murphy's and Jeremaine Copeland's salaries combined did not add up to what Ray is making. Furthermore, the Argos have added some other big salaries over the last couple of years. Cory Boyd is making about six figures (and we are lucky that we were able to extend him at a bargain rate), Chad Owens is making well into the six figures, Andre Durie who was recently extended is almost certainly making a healthy six figure contract and Jason Barnes has just been added for six figures. Noel Prefontaine and Ricky Foley on defence were added with large salaries a year and a half ago as well. Something has to give.

It isn't like there still isn't a lot of leadership in the Argo dressing room. Jordan Younger has been re-signed, Prefontaine is still around and new leaders have emerged such as Foley, Durie, Owens and Boyd. This is all about choices and this is a team coming off a 6-12 year and a 22-50 record over the last four seasons with all of the beloved veterans that you want back. Something has to give and that may mean some fan favourites having to leave. It isn't like Chris Jones isn't known for consistently bringing in younger, cheaper defensive players and moulding them into championship-calibre units either.

Keep in mind as well that the Argos want to be strong not only in 2012 but in 2013, 2014 and 2015 (and I assume that you want this for the team as well). That comes into play, along with the SMS and the needs of the team, in deciding who to sign, re-sign and let go.

[Area 51]

I think there's too much being made over Ricky Ray's contract. Seems like everyone forgets they got rid of Steve Jyles and his contract ($125k) to get Ray. Losing Copeland ($150k) and assuming they don't resign Murphy ($175k), that more than covers Ray's contract. Did anyone besides me watch Coughman play LT last year? Believe it or not, he played BETTER than Murphy in 2011. I have no concerns at all with him taking over as the full time LT this year.

The front seven, not just the D-Line, needs an overhaul. Argos could realistically replace 3/4 of the D-Line and at least 2/3 of the LBs and I don't think it would be any worse than last year. Might make more sense to bring in someone like Aaron Hunt or Rod Davis instead of Fantuz. Really, there's nowhere to go but up for the defence.

It always causes hard feelings when "fan favourites" get released - - especially when they're active posters on the fan's message board. So I fully expect that there's going to a lot of crying here when it becomes apparent that Barker isn't going to make the same mistake as last year and resign all of his FAs. Reality is, last year was a disaster - - it's not as if this was a championship team last year that's trying to keep everybody around for a repeat.

[1argoholic]

I guess people just have to have a realization that we won't be in the 100th Grey Cup. No way can a team make this many changes and hope that the team comes together so quickly without any serious growing pains. I'd be happy to see that we're heading in the proper direction. I guess I just didn't envision whole sale ditching of so many vets which seems like we're doing.
I thought we'd be tweeking areas but now it seems like we'll have a pretty much a new O line infront of Ray. I knew we needed D help and receivers. To me it's something that should have been started well before this. Barker didn't do a very good job evaluating what we had last off season. Well we shall see what pans out and hope we can do something in the east.