Next Steps?

[1971GreyCup]

After the surprise win over one of the CFL’s best teams, what’s next for the Argos? I understood the team was waiting until the bye week to make a big move in coaching and/or on field talent. Do they proceed for the second half or pause and wait and see how the team develops over the second half?

[ArgoGabe22]

I would still make coaching changes.

[Will]

I would still make coaching changes.

I would as well, but they probably won't.

[Topshelf]

You can't make changes after that win.
Cfl really starts on labour day, plenty of time to climb back into contention.

[paulwoods13]

There won't be any coaching changes. The team actually played well in all three phases for the first three times last night (apart from the blocked punt and all the penalties), so if there was a noose hanging around anyone, I imagine it's gone.

To me the most pressing question is what happens now with the QBs. With Collaros eligible to come off the IR next game, and Franklin eligible the game after that, something has to give. My gut instinct is that Franklin is going to be sent packing, with Collaros starting in the very near future, MBT and Prukop backing up and O'Connor going back to IR. I would hate to give up on Franklin, and I hope we can both get something for him and send him somewhere where he won't come back to haunt us this year, but I just don't see how we can (or should) keep five QBs, and his salary has to be an impediment to keeping him now that Collaros is here.

[Bleeds Double Blue]

As you know I think that banking on Collaros with his injury history is playing with fire so we won't go down that road again. I agree though that 5 QBs on the roster is unmanageable and it looks like Franklin with his contract could be the odd man out. Bethel-Thompson, despite his heroic efforts from yesterday must also be considered a candidate for exile as his body of work is just too sporadic for my taste. So where do you think the guy with the short straw goes? Ottawa? Hamilton? Unemployment Insurance line? To be honest the only QB that we have now that I want to see developed is O'Connor.

[1971GreyCup]

Does Hamilton or Ottawa make an offer for James Franklin now? Ottawa has a long term need and Hamilton for this season after the last two games.

[gilthethrill]

You can't make changes after that win.
Cfl really starts on labour day, plenty of time to climb back into contention.

CFL starts in week 1. Games prior to Labour Day have equal importance.

[gilthethrill]

Does Hamilton or Ottawa make an offer for James Franklin now? Ottawa has a long term need and Hamilton for this season after the last two games.

Don't trade a starting type qb to a division rival. I would think Prukop could be the odd man out after MBT and his gutty performance last night.

[Antwon]

Don't trade a starting type qb to a division rival. I would think Prukop could be the odd man out after MBT and his gutty performance last night.

Hamilton has a lot of faith in Evans, so don't expect anything from them.
I lean towards MBT as the odd man out. Not sure we want to give up on Franklin yet. And definitely don't trade to a division rival. Interesting decision to come.
And anyone like Burks style of game a little more than Wilder?

[Argo57]

CFL starts in week 1. Games prior to Labour Day have equal importance.

Fans of teams with poor records often fall back on this notion.

[Argo57]

As you know I think that banking on Collaros with his injury history is playing with fire so we won't go down that road again. I agree though that 5 QBs on the roster is unmanageable and it looks like Franklin with his contract could be the odd man out. Bethel-Thompson, despite his heroic efforts from yesterday must also be considered a candidate for exile as his body of work is just too sporadic for my taste. So where do you think the guy with the short straw goes? Ottawa? Hamilton? Unemployment Insurance line? To be honest the only QB that we have now that I want to see developed is O'Connor.

Banking on Collaros as the starting QB moving forward is both foolhardy and shortsighted IMO, the guy is just too fragile.
Better have a backup plan if the Argos go in that direction.
Personally the thought of casting Franklin adrift makes me cringe as my gut tells me that this guy will be a very good QB in the right situation.
MBT often gets justified criticism due to his play and deserves high praise for his performance last night, he comes across as a stand up guy which I’m sure his teammates love but that aside is he the QB of the future, personally I don’t think so.
MBT in my mind is a capable backup QB in this league which is where I see him fitting in long term.

[Stevoman]

They can't give up on Franklin before this season is over. He has no contract beyond this year and so they are not committed to him beyond this season but he needs more opportunities to showcase if he can do the job and help the Argos decide if they would like to pursue an extension.
Obviously, things have not gone well for him as he has had one good game for the Argos and 2 average ones and 2 bad ones but I do think he has potential to be a very good starter depending on his mental toughness.

If they are as high on O'Conner as they say, why not release Prukop and go with Collaros, Franklin, MBT and O'Conner for this season? Have the top 3 fight it out for playing time and/or audition to be Zach's backup. I heard that $175,000 of Zach's contract was already covered by the Riders.

[Topshelf]

Fans of teams with poor records often fall back on this notion.

It's like the nba doesnt start til Christmas Day.
Just seems like labour day is when people really start paying attention.
The argos are very much still in the race after that win.
In the nfl, if you start 0-6 you arent making the playoffs.

[Neely2005]

Fans of teams with poor records often fall back on this notion.

Yup, I've always hated that saying.

[paulwoods13]

It's like the nba doesnt start til Christmas Day.
Just seems like labour day is when people really start paying attention.
The argos are very much still in the race after that win.
In the nfl, if you start 0-6 you arent making the playoffs.

I agree that people pay more attention starting on Labour Day weekend, which is one of the reasons the idea of moving the season to a May start was IMO insane. More games when people care less about football makes no sense. That said, this year the Ticats will already have played 10 of their 18 games BEFORE Labour Day so the season does not "begin" then. Ground has to be made up well before Labour Day when you start out 0-6, unless you get on an almost impossible run like nine wins in a row.

In the NFL, there are two reasons why it would be difficult (albeit not impossible) to make the playoffs after starting 0-6: a 16-game season, and the fact that fewer than half the teams get into the playoffs.

[AngeloV]

My opinion is that the Argos will try and trade Franklin. Argos did not bring in Collaros to be a back up. MBT is a lot better than many fans think he is, and I think he has the right mind set to be a #2. He's always prepared so if the starter goes down, the game isn't necessarily lost. I still think Franklin is going to be a really good CFL QB, but I don't expect it to be here.

[argolio]

Captain Obvious says the next step is to win more games, but we also need to beat someone by a comfortable margin. Since blowing out B.C. in the last game of the 2017 regular season, we've won 5 regular season games by a total of 10 points.

[Argo57]

My opinion is that the Argos will try and trade Franklin. Argos did not bring in Collaros to be a back up. MBT is a lot better than many fans think he is, and I think he has the right mind set to be a #2. He's always prepared so if the starter goes down, the game isn't necessarily lost. I still think Franklin is going to be a really good CFL QB, but I don't expect it to be here.

It will be a shame if it happens Angelo, could very well end up being a “can’t believe we let him go” scenario.
High probability Collaros gets hurt then they will be scrambling to find another QB which wouldn’t shock me the way the Argos operate at times.

[Will]

Captain Obvious says the next step is to win more games, but we also need to beat someone by a comfortable margin. Since blowing out B.C. in the last game of the 2017 regular season, we've won 5 regular season games by a total of 10 points.

Even in that season which ended in a championship, there were only 4 out of the 11 wins (incl. playoffs) that were true blowouts: vs. HAM, vs. MTL 2 x and vs. BC. The other wins against HAM, WPG, EDM and OTT 2 x were very close as were the two playoff wins.

[Rich]

I don't think Collaros was brought in with any expectation that he would play anytime soon. Watch his interview on the Argo site, he says he's "making progress" with the repercussions from his injury. Nowhere does he suggest he's even close to playing.

I think he was brought in as an insurance policy for next year, or at least for very late in the season this year, in case both Franklin and MBT flame out. To me it looks like a classic Jim Popp PR move, making a splash and sending a message to fans and to ownership that he's on top of the situation. I say we don't see Collaros on the field until late October, if at all this year.

[paulwoods13]

I'm pretty sure Collaros signed only a one-year deal, so that's not much of an insurance policy for next year. He's saying all the right things about making progress and fitting in, but he's one of the most intense competitors in the league. I have no doubt he wants and expects to play, particularly in the Labour Day game.

Even if he is only an insurance policy, I can't see us keeping five QBs around. Too much salary and too little they can all do.

[Neely2005]

I don't think Collaros was brought in with any expectation that he would play anytime soon. Watch his interview on the Argo site, he says he's "making progress" with the repercussions from his injury. Nowhere does he suggest he's even close to playing.

I think he was brought in as an insurance policy for next year, or at least for very late in the season this year, in case both Franklin and MBT flame out. To me it looks like a classic Jim Popp PR move, making a splash and sending a message to fans and to ownership that he's on top of the situation. I say we don't see Collaros on the field until late October, if at all this year.

Collaros was cleared for practice last week. He was brought in to play.

[Rich]

Collaros was cleared for practice last week.

There's a big difference between being cleared for practice and bring cleared to play. If his return to the field was imminent, surely he would have commanded more than a 4th round pick in a trade.

[Rich]

I'm pretty sure Collaros signed only a one-year deal, so that's not much of an insurance policy for next year.

His wife is from the GTA and they bought a house in Aurora. He will be highly motivated to remain with the Argos organization. My guess is that he's got an eye on coaching in the future.

[Argo57]

His wife is from the GTA and they bought a house in Aurora. He will be highly motivated to remain with the Argos organization. My guess is that he's got an eye on coaching in the future.

His performance on the field and ability to stay healthy will dictate how motivated the Argos are to keep him around.

[paulwoods13]

There's a big difference between being cleared for practice and bring cleared to play. If his return to the field was imminent, surely he would have commanded more than a 4th round pick in a trade.

Considering what appears to be a consensus around the league that Zach should retire for his own good, I doubt he'd have garnered anything more no matter how healthy he was. Some people think the Argos gave up too much for him.

[argolio]

There's a big difference between being cleared for practice and bring cleared to play. If his return to the field was imminent, surely he would have commanded more than a 4th round pick in a trade.If you're cleared for practice, you're cleared to play.

[AngeloV]

I’m glad so many here can predict the future and are basically guaranteeing that ZC will get another injury. I predict he will flourish playing back where he started.

So much negativity.

[Joe Barnes]

In the interviews I've seen, Zach keeps referring to 'Coach Popp'. Does he know something we don't? Lol...

[Rich]

If you're cleared for practice, you're cleared to play.

In the interview, Collaros says that he doesn’t know when he will be ready to play and that he will have to work things out with Argos staff and his medical specialists. Meaning that he hasn’t yet been cleared to play.

[bannedforlife]

I’m glad so many here can predict the future and are basically guaranteeing that ZC will get another injury. I predict he will flourish playing back where he started. So much negativity.Totally agree, the subject of concussions has become such a political football (pardon the expression) that they can't be talked about rationally. Many sports can be conducive to a head trauma (ie heading a soccer ball at high speed) and yet only certain sports bear the brunt of the coverage. That's not by coincidence and there is a reason for that.

[paulwoods13]

In the interview, Collaros says that he doesn’t know when he will be ready to play and that he will have to work things out with Argos staff and his medical specialists. Meaning that he hasn’t yet been cleared to play.

Or meaning he is saying the correct things. After all, there are QBs here already -- it would be disrespectful to them, and put the coaching staff in a predicament, if he were to publicly announce "I'm ready" before his place in the pecking order had been established.

Prediction: He will dress as the primary backup to MBT in the upcoming game against Edm, with Prukop third-string and back on special teams. Then (barring any injuries suffered in that game) the situation comes to a head with Franklin also healthy enough to play the following week.

[Bleeds Double Blue]

Captain Obvious says the next step is to win more games, but we also need to beat someone by a comfortable margin. Since blowing out B.C. in the last game of the 2017 regular season, we've won 5 regular season games by a total of 10 points.

Thanks Captain Obvious. Well someone had to say it.

[AngeloV]

Regarding ZC and people other than him insisting he should retire and are so confident he will be knocked silly if he plays again. Pretty sure the same was said about Cory Greenwood and he plays a position where they here is considerable more contact. Glad he’s back playing ball the way we all knew he could.