Argofans

It is likely the management has some plans for increasing the number of Canadian OL players. Perhaps they will pick up a player whos has been released by another team or even claim a player of another team's PR. Wonder if they have some inside information that Henning might become available? In any case, as others have pointed out, the roster will be changed sometime over the next ten days.
It is interesting to see a good many of this years draft, have made the team.

AngeloV wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 12:18 pm They have a week 1 bye. Let’s hold our horses on what the actual roster will be 10 days from now.

Sage advice here.

They do need more o-line depth so let's see who they bring in. They could also use another Canadian receiver.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 7:55 am Here is the makeup of the active roster at this moment, pending moves to injured reserve:

* NAT
** GLO

QB Arbuckle, Horn, Kelly
RB Hicks, Jones, Smith*
FB Parasalidis*, Cassar* (he's listed at LB but played FB in preseason)
REC Grant, Mital*, Polk, Ulm*, Ungerer*, D Miller, Coxie, Herslow
OL Nicastro*, Coakes*, Kemp, Hunter*, Shepley*, Bland

DL Hendrix, Ojo*, Toia**, Shand*, Bell, Chatfield, Kongbo*, Johnson, Holley
LB Judge*, Harelimana*, Darkangelo, McKenzie*
DB Amos, McFadden, Pickett, Gauthier*, Priester, John*, Slywka, Franklin, Goss, Caesar

K Hajrallahu*
LS Guillemette*
P Haggerty**

Nolan Ulm is starting the season on the 6-game injured list. One of his arms was hanging down after a catch and run in Hamilton in the first preseason game.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 7:58 am Total of 48 on "active," so three will go on IR. Perhaps Smith and a couple of DBs.

Ulm is on the 6-game injured list; there are also 2 new reserve spots so the Argos are fine for now, but undoubtedly there will be additional moves before Game 1.

OV Argo wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 12:47 pm Right - game roster in 10 days will tell the roster management story. Moves can still be made.

Lots of D-line listed, but that is the one position group that sees a bunch of different guys rotated in throughout the game (just not 9 of them); this does not happen with DBs and you rarely even see CFL teams play a 6th DB lots for extra coverage.

Teams (including Argos) have dressed and rotated as many as nine d-linemen, but eight (or seven) is more typical. I expect one of the current guys to end up on IR. You are correct that teams typically don't rotate in extra DBs, but I could easily see a scenario in which Darkangelo gets removed for a seventh DB (likely Slywka) in certain passing situations.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 1:29 pm

OV Argo wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 12:47 pm Right - game roster in 10 days will tell the roster management story. Moves can still be made.

Lots of D-line listed, but that is the one position group that sees a bunch of different guys rotated in throughout the game (just not 9 of them); this does not happen with DBs and you rarely even see CFL teams play a 6th DB lots for extra coverage.

Teams (including Argos) have dressed and rotated as many as nine d-linemen, but eight (or seven) is more typical. I expect one of the current guys to end up on IR. You are correct that teams typically don't rotate in extra DBs, but I could easily see a scenario in which Darkangelo gets removed for a seventh DB (likely Slywka) in certain passing situations.

I can't recall a team dressing 9 real D-linemen and all of them getting into the rotation in a game (not including a guy like Benoit Marion (with Argos & Riders) who has dressed and played almost exclusively as a special teamer and rarely gets to play D-line. And to me, 7 D-line should be plenty - back-up & rotation guy at DE & DT plus a third would could play both spots (like Kongbo has or Shand likely could).

I would want back-up secondary guys who could go in at both corner or D-half (sounds like Gagnon could play either with his speed and coverage skills) and at safety; plus a back-up S-OLB (a versatile guy like Slwyka could play safety or S-OLB); so, if we're calling that a 6 man position group (including S-OLB) then 9 total dressed should be adequate.

MLB and W-OLB are similar now in today's CFL and likely interchangeable often IMO; but those types often make good special teams muscle, so 2 starters, with 2 back-ups who also play all the STs makes sense.

SO - that would be 20 defensive players deployed on the game roster.

Dressing only 6 O-line is IMO myopic / dumb (especially with CFL roster sizes now) as is dressing just 2 QBs, or just one tailback; or dressing just one kicker to do all the jobs. Should be no feeble excuses there like we need a 7th LB dressed just for special teams.

OV Argo wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 3:08 pm Dressing only 6 O-line is IMO myopic / dumb (especially with CFL roster sizes now) as is dressing just 2 QBs, or just one tailback; or dressing just one kicker to do all the jobs. Should be no feeble excuses there like we need a 7th LB dressed just for special teams.

For once we agree (re dressing six OL), but I'm fine with waiting to see how things shake down. It's disturbing we are so thin that this is even a remote possibility. If we don't find an adequate reinforcement or two, that could be a major problem for this team. While I'd like to think Dankwah could be the seventh OL, the fact he's already been PRd makes me think he's not deemed rosterable at this time.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 4:18 pm

OV Argo wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2026 3:08 pm Dressing only 6 O-line is IMO myopic / dumb (especially with CFL roster sizes now) as is dressing just 2 QBs, or just one tailback; or dressing just one kicker to do all the jobs. Should be no feeble excuses there like we need a 7th LB dressed just for special teams.

For once we agree (re dressing six OL), but I'm fine with waiting to see how things shake down. It's disturbing we are so thin that this is even a remote possibility. If we don't find an adequate reinforcement or two, that could be a major problem for this team. While I'd like to think Dankwah could be the seventh OL, the fact he's already been PRd makes me think he's not deemed rosterable at this time.

There have been a number of Canadian O-linemen cut during this TC season; i would hope Picard would know about some of them and not be afraid to bring one in (for instance EE 2025 draft pick Dom Piazza (McGill - all-Canadian credentials)

A great piece here from John Hodge: https://3downnation.com/2026/06/01/how- ... tdown-day/

Out of 11 players the Argos drafted this year, six have made the active roster (one of whom is currently injured), one made the practice roster, three were cut outright, and one is currently in the NFL. That's a pretty good draft, in my estimation. It also underscores the belief I have had that accumulating more draft picks is what's most important as it gives you more margin for error.

Last year's draft wasn't quite as bountiful but two picks from there (DL Paris Shand and OL Gavin Coakes) have now joined DL Jeremiah Ojo on the active roster.

The one guy I really wish the Argos had right now for OL depth is first round pick Niklas Henning from this year's draft but hopefully we see him at some point in the next year or so.

Also, on another note, Aaron Casey has joined Ottawa. I suspect that the Argos wanted to keep him on the PR and he didn't want a PR spot but that's just speculation on my part.

ArgoRavi wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2026 3:18 pm A great piece here from John Hodge: https://3downnation.com/2026/06/01/how- ... tdown-day/

Out of 11 players the Argos drafted this year, six have made the active roster (one of whom is currently injured), one made the practice roster, three were cut outright, and one is currently in the NFL. That's a pretty good draft, in my estimation. It also underscores the belief I have had that accumulating more draft picks is what's most important as it gives you more margin for error.

Last year's draft wasn't quite as bountiful but two picks from there (DL Paris Shand and OL Gavin Coakes) have now joined DL Jeremiah Ojo on the active roster.

The one guy I really wish the Argos had right now for OL depth is first round pick Niklas Henning from this year's draft but hopefully we see him at some point in the next year or so.

Also, on another note, Aaron Casey has joined Ottawa. I suspect that the Argos wanted to keep him on the PR and he didn't want a PR spot but that's just speculation on my part.

Ottawa has a deep LB corps as well, but Dinwiddie must not be putting him on PR. Definitely a strength of this new Redblacks defence.