Anything missing?

[Wobbler]

Our final tryout camp was Saturday, and rookie camp is almost upon us. If we're going to add another few players, what are we looking for?

Looking at the roster we have all of the positions covered, but I'd like to see another receiver (we have plenty, but this is an area of huge need), another LT candidate (important position, no incumbent), and ideally a third legitimate contender for the MLB job.

[AngeloV]

IMO, LB's and DB's should be a key focus.

[OV Argo]

OT (both jobs unless Van Zeyl has really gotten back to his CFL best days); MLB; D-backfield; receivers = so many open positions with no proven, vet or with the team before incumbents.

Tons of new receivers already on the TC roster - including CFL vets SJ Green (100% healthy/able to run though?), and Jeff Fuller; but the battle between all those new NFL resume guys could be real interesting; Brian Jones & Llevi Noel are both capable of starting IMO, but most likely only one, or maybe even zero NI receivers start in the 5 pack?

MLB should have several candidates competing in TC , not one or two - why not sign Greg Jones again?; I guess the position is pencilled-in for imports only. Venable with either Murray or Sears should be able to win the OLB spots to provide some CFL experience.

D-backfield should be wide-open for jobs to be claimed by good TC performances; Gabriel a lock at safety ?

OT - 2 ex NFL draft picks sound like interesting prospects; only one import to start at OT as part of the 7 NIs only plan ? (4 O-linemen + one receiver/ or Coombs some at RB; then 2 on D - Laing/Waud at DT, + a safety) ?

[Argo57]

O Line, MLB and DB's would top my list, have to keep Ray upright.
McFadden's durability at MLB is questionable at best and Argos need an upgrade there IMO.
The more DB's brought into camp the better, has been a week spot on this team since they won the Grey Cup.

[Wobbler]

McFadden's durability is "questionable at best"? You sure do like to exaggerate, '57.

[Argo57]

McFadden's durability is "questionable at best"? You sure do like to exaggerate, '57.

I know injuries happen but I can only base my opinion on what I saw last season.

http://prolinestadium.sportsdirectinc.com/football/canadian-football-league-players.aspx?page=/data/cfl/players/player56211.html

[gilthethrill]

DE opposite of Lemon is still a question mark as well.

[Argo57]

DE opposite of Lemon is still a question mark as well.

Victor Butler could be a possibility?

[OV Argo]

Victor Butler could be a possibility?

Butler has the impressive ex-NFL resume as a good pass rush DE.

Love to see draft pick Evan Foster get a real shot at some DE playing time, but probably doubtful for a rookie with that passport / that position.

[Argo57]

Butler has the impressive ex-NFL resume as a good pass rush DE.

Love to see draft pick Evan Foster get a real shot at some DE playing time, but probably doubtful for a rookie with that passport / that position.

I think the Argonauts D-Line will be very solid this season.

[R.J]

QB, LT, RT, RB, 2 more receivers I'd say, another starting rush end, MLB, boundary corner, 2 halfbacks, and a field side corner.
Still a sizable list IMO. LG and C to a degree are also still question marks (again IMO), but who knows, maybe Trestman and Popp work their magic right off the bat.

[Wobbler]

So our linebackers and long-snapper are OK, SnowRogue? I dunno... you might be getting soft...

[OV Argo]

QB, LT, RT, RB, 2 more receivers I'd say, another starting rush end, MLB, boundary corner, 2 halfbacks, and a field side corner.
Still a sizable list IMO. LG and C to a degree are also still question marks (again IMO), but who knows, maybe Trestman and Popp work their magic right off the bat.



"sizeable list" ? - you named almost the entire team starting positions ;o)

C- McEwen might be a question mark still I guess, but also more like about the most talented C in the league. And 3 CFL vets in Holmes, Deane, and Dyakowski, plus massive draft pick Mason Woods (lots of guard starting experience in Div I ball) - gotta be able to find 2 capable OG starters there.

RB should be just fine with vet Whitaker, plus Coombs and 2 ex-NFL types around for TC competition

If they can't field a good receiver corps out of the likes of Green & Fuller, impressive young NIs Jones & Noel, and about 6 or 7 other guys with significant NFL resumes, then something is really wrong there. That group should blow away the TC field that saw the so-called "big 3" get handed starting jobs a couple of years back. Potential for the most talented receiver group in the league - maybe - but BC and the Riders have a lot of receiver talent IMO.

D-backfield group is the biggest worry/concern IMO; OT (both jobs), would be next on my list there.

[jerrym]

It's always hard to tell with ex-NFLers, as some with relatively good resumes don't pan out in the CFL. I think they still need one stand-out receiver. A lot also depends on healthy Ray can stay and whether the OL can provide better protection for any of the QBs. MLB remains a ? for me.

[ArgoGabe22]

Optimism. Optimism is missing. But I'm sure the organization has a lot more confidence than the fan base.

[Will]

I think the Argonauts D-Line will be very solid this season.

On paper certainly. However, I felt good about the Argonauts D-Line heading into last season and we all know how that turned out. I think once they can nail down a counterpart to Lemon at the other DE spot that the D-Line will be fine.

[AngeloV]

Optimism. Optimism is missing. But I'm sure the organization has a lot more confidence than the fan base.

LOL. Like any of us really know how these players will react to this coaching staff.

I will stay positive, just like the little fan boy I am.

:D

[Will]

LOL. Like any of us really know how these players will react to this coaching staff.

I will stay positive, just like the little fan boy I am.

:D

I can balance optimism while at the same time acknowledging that this team still have holes. No reason to believe that others cannot either.

[doubleblue]

It's always hard to tell with ex-NFLers, as some with relatively good resumes don't pan out in the CFL. I think they still one stand-out receiver. A lot also depends on healthy Ray can stay and whether the OL can provide better protection for any of the QBs. MLB remains a ? for me.

I agree about the MLB position. Could be more signings there. Difficult to get a read on the ex-NFL guys until they get in camp. Always some that get a look at the competition and decide it is better to retire before they are cut. Happens every year. Then some unknown will come in a rise to the top. That needs to happen in the defensive backfield for sure. IMO
They can trot out veterans in most other positions to start with. Whether they're good enough remains to be seen.

[Tobin Rote]

How about another quarterback that can actually play a little. I'd hate to see the whole thing collapse after these past several weeks of good hires and personnel moves... but given the current roster and another injury to Ricky Ray... I'm afraid that's exactly what would happen.

[paulwoods13]

How about another quarterback that can actually play a little. I'd hate to see the whole thing collapse after these past several weeks of good hires and personnel moves... but given the current roster and another injury to Ricky Ray... I'm afraid that's exactly what would happen.

You have any suggestions for a QB who can play and is not currently signed? They aren't in heavy supply.

If Ricky gets hurt, Willy will be first up unless Fajardo pushes past him on the depth chart. Until we see what he can do under Trestman, I'm not ready to write Willy off. But I would love to see Fajardo continue to develop, and expect we will.

[AngeloV]

You have any suggestions for a QB who can play and is not currently signed? They aren't in heavy supply.

If Ricky gets hurt, Willy will be first up unless Fajardo pushes past him on the depth chart. Until we see what he can do under Trestman, I'm not ready to write Willy off. But I would love to see Fajardo continue to develop, and expect we will.

I'm not ready to write of Matthews either. In the past when given his chances, he has moved the football. Untimely interceptions have been his downfall. Maybe a philosophy change helps him more than anything.

[Wobbler]

Well, we signed two QBs today. We're not really going to go into camp with EIGHT QBs, are we?

Edit: Oh wait, the new guys are already on the roster - so we have SIX. That's still a lot of QBs - I'm guessing that one guy will be cut pretty quickly.

[paulwoods13]

Well, we signed two QBs today. We're not really going to go into camp with EIGHT QBs, are we?

Edit: Oh wait, the new guys are already on the roster - so we have SIX. That's still a lot of QBs - I'm guessing that one guy will be cut pretty quickly.]

Yeah, they will want to get down to four by the first PS game, I imagine (unless someone gets dinged early in camp).

[R.J]

"sizeable list" ? - you named almost the entire team starting positions ;o)

C- McEwen might be a question mark still I guess, but also more like about the most talented C in the league. And 3 CFL vets in Holmes, Deane, and Dyakowski, plus massive draft pick Mason Woods (lots of guard starting experience in Div I ball) - gotta be able to find 2 capable OG starters there.

RB should be just fine with vet Whitaker, plus Coombs and 2 ex-NFL types around for TC competition

If they can't field a good receiver corps out of the likes of Green & Fuller, impressive young NIs Jones & Noel, and about 6 or 7 other guys with significant NFL resumes, then something is really wrong there. That group should blow away the TC field that saw the so-called "big 3" get handed starting jobs a couple of years back. Potential for the most talented receiver group in the league - maybe - but BC and the Riders have a lot of receiver talent IMO.

D-backfield group is the biggest worry/concern IMO; OT (both jobs), would be next on my list there.
As I pointed out in the realistic expectation thread, theres too many questions marks on this team.

OL: Can Holmes regain his rookie form or continue to regress ? Will McEwen continue to progress and become a solid starter, or regress the way Holmes has ? And will Van Zeyl continue his downward slide ?

QB: Ray is the teams only bonafide starter. but can't be trusted to be the guy anymore. Willy sucks, Matthews is a pylon with zero pocket awareness IMO, and Fajardo is still very green, from what I've seen in limited spot duty - Fajardo isn't ready. The game seems to be moving too quickly for him, and he struggled going through his reads last season IMO, along with being way too quick to run as well.

WR: Green was a #1 receiver when healthy, but can he get back to that, or has the damage been done ? Fuller can't stay healthy, I'm interested in seeing paden get a real sot to be a starter, but he's a ? at this point IMO, Posey didn't impress me, and I know little of most of the new signees. Noel, Jones, Coombs and Wylie have potential, but until they get regular reps and touches (in Coombs case) = ???

RB - As much as I love Whitaker, I don't think he's a every down back anymore, IMO he's lost a step (thought he lost it 2 years ago) since his heyday in Montreal. Wilder looks interesting, but the rest of the RBs the team has are puny, I've seen enough of those already.

DL - Looks impressive, just need another rush end to compliment Lemon.

LB - Aside from Venable = ??

Secondary = Aside from Gabriel = ???

Again, just my opinion.

[Tobin Rote]

You have any suggestions for a QB who can play and is not currently signed? They aren't in heavy supply.

If Ricky gets hurt, Willy will be first up unless Fajardo pushes past him on the depth chart. Until we see what he can do under Trestman, I'm not ready to write Willy off. But I would love to see Fajardo continue to develop, and expect we will.

It's gotta be our turn to have Kevin Glenn. No?

PS - I like Fajardo a lot too. Good teams almost never have rookie QBs though.

[ArgoGabe22]

It's gotta be our turn to have Kevin Glenn. No?.

We already had him for a day or two. Saskatchewan would be pretty foolish to dump him, given they have an ex-NFLer/CFL rookie in Young and a somewhat experienced but still raw QB in Bridge.

[jerrym]

It's gotta be our turn to have Kevin Glenn. No?


We've already had him and traded him away the same day.



On May 19, 2004, the Roughriders traded Glenn to the Toronto Argonauts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Argonauts) for their best selection (third overall) in the 2005 CFL Draft (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_CFL_Draft), however later in the day, Glenn was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_Blue_Bombers) for their best selection in that draft (also the third overall selection).


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Glenn

[ArgoGabe22]

Are we not dismissing the potential that we may have very good prospects at camp to fill these needs? Shaw, Spencer, Gurley, Hazelton, and Elliot all came as unknown rookies. I'm sure there are potential stars just waiting for an opportunity. Calgary never built their team thru free agency and it has always seemed that they have managed to put in the right player that emerged in camp either as a rookie or someone who had to wait a season. We might come out with a few gems once camp concludes.

[R.J]

Are we not dismissing the potential that we may have very good prospects at camp to fill these needs? Shaw, Spencer, Gurley, Hazelton, and Elliot all came as unknown rookies. I'm sure there are potential stars just waiting for an opportunity. Calgary never built their team thru free agency and it has always seemed that they have managed to put in the right player that emerged in camp either as a rookie or someone who had to wait a season. We might come out with a few gems once camp concludes.
True enough Gabe, every season pumps out some future young stars, but as of now they are ???, so we essentially just have to wait and see which of 'em turn into players that will help the team win.

One thing I'll readily admit is that I have faith in Popp fixing out defence pretty quickly.

[ArgoGabe22]

True enough Gabe, every season pumps out some future young stars, but as of now they are ???,

I'm not the coach or GM so I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy training camp. If I really knew, then I'd sitting in the coaches room like Rossetti and Zimmerman.

[paulwoods13]

It's gotta be our turn to have Kevin Glenn. No?

Question was guys who are not already signed elsewhere.

[Tobin Rote]

Question was guys who are not already signed elsewhere.

Sorry. It was supposed to be a joke. Pretty weak I guess.

[paulwoods13]

Sorry. It was supposed to be a joke. Pretty weak I guess.

Nothing wrong with adding a little levity, successful or not, to this forum. My point, which is not a joke, is that for all those wishing we had someone other than Ray, he is clearly at this moment the best available QB. Maybe Willy outplays him in camp, or Fajardo, or one of the new guys, or maybe another team makes a better QB available by cutting or trading, but right now there is no one better available to the Argos.

[Antwon]

I'm not too worried about the QB position. As much as I've lost faith in Ray as I think he's lost a step and prone to injury. I like the fact that Trestman is not hellbent on playing Ray no matter what, Like SM did. I'm really interested to see what Trestman can do with Willy,Mathews, and Fajardo. Fajardo could be the diamond in the rough and Trestman the one to bring him along.

[Tobin Rote]

Nothing wrong with adding a little levity, successful or not, to this forum. My point, which is not a joke, is that for all those wishing we had someone other than Ray, he is clearly at this moment the best available QB. Maybe Willy outplays him in camp, or Fajardo, or one of the new guys, or maybe another team makes a better QB available by cutting or trading, but right now there is no one better available to the Argos.

No issue whatsoever with Ray as the starter... just wishing that we had a more proven option behind him. Maybe one of the other guys will respond well to Trestman's coaching and become that player. Sure hope so.