Monday Morning Sentimonies: We… Won?

Riders 30 – Lions 27

I can honestly say I had just resigned myself to the fact that we would never win a preseason game again. For the early part of Saturday’s game there was a distinct chance of it ending in a scoreless tie. Even when the final whistle blew I still really didn’t believe it. We won? I know it was a meaningless game for after last season we are desperate for anything resembling good news and a win counts.

Quick story… as regular readers will know rye is my drink of choice. I’ve put many a Wiser’s executive’s kid through college over the years. Last week a buddy of mine suggested that it might be time to chance things up to try and help shake the team out of their funk. He suggested tequila. Now I despise tequila (even the good stuff) and he was specifically talking about a bottle of gold Cuervo, which is like the Big Bear of tequilas, that was sitting in my liquor cabinet. Long story short he said I should try taking a shot of tequila instead of my normal rye and coke before the game. I’m nothing if not a team player, so I did…. And low and behold we break a 9 year losing streak. So needless to say I am now bound to keep drinking bad tequila as long as we keep wining. Depending on how the season goes I may be trading my beard and robe for a poncho and sombrero. So you’re welcome. I am suffering for the good of the team.

Here are my random observations from the game itself.

-        I sit on the second deck (presumably where all the recently reduced pricing seats are) and the $5 menu was almost non-existent.

-        Jake Dolegala looked good. Most importantly to me he looked calm in the pocket and was going threw multiple reads. I think the back-up role is his to lose at this point.

-        Patterson looked OK but nothing special which I think he needs to be if he wants to unseat the incumbents. Fine is a bit of roller coaster. Certainly not as polished as Dolegala but dammit if he doesn’t make things happen (albeit in the 4^th quarter against 4^th stringers).

-        Speaking of QBs, I still don’t understand how Dominique Davis keeps getting jobs. He is terrible has been terrible for all but that one game where he torched us. Continuing that trend he completed 40% of his passes and threw a pick… in a preseason game. He is a 7 year vet, not a rookie. Who does he have blackmail material on that he keeps getting signed?

-        Mitch Picton just quietly goes out there and does his job and does it well. He’ll never be a 1000 yard receiver but he’s the kind of guy you want on your team.

-        I liked what Kendall Watson showed in terms of the new receivers.

-        I also like what Javian Hawkins showed at RB. He may have the inside track on a practice roster spot.

-        O-line was an area of focus coming into the game and honestly I can’t say I noticed them either in a positive or negative way… and that’s a good thing. Our QBs didn’t get killed. Obviously it will get harder when actual starting caliber DL dress but I would say they passed the first test.

-        I have been very critical of Evan Johnson for a while now and honestly he seems to be doing his best to work himself out of a roster spot. He has already lost his starting role at this point and then he takes a 15 yard roughness penalty while playing with the second stringers… bold choice. He likely sticks on the roster just because you always need depth but his regression from priority free agent signing to now has been something to behold.

-        Another veteran player I noticed a couple times in a negative way was Lokomobo. He hasn’t yet found his stride at the pro level. To be fair this is only his second real season so I’m not ready to write him off yet.

-        Defensively I noticed Harvell-Peel, Williams and O’Neal Jr. in a positive way.

-        One guy who won without even dressing was Brett Lauther. There was one missed FG and a complete inability to hit a convert. Needless to say Lauther’s job is quite safe.  

-        Shoutout to the guy who failed to win a prize because he thought the picture of the giant moose came from the town of Moosomin. Even the announcer was in shock that he got the question wrong. Preseason for the fans too I guess.

-        It was also preseason for the in-stadium announcer who did not understand that we dressed two #35s and he kept crediting the defensive 35 (Kosi Oneyka) for a bunch of offensive plays that the offensive 35 (Rodney Smith) actually did.

 Here’s to more wins… even if that means enduring more tequila.

Riders vs. Lions: Pre-Season Opener

This time of year is always bitter sweet for me. Obviously I’m pumped for the return of CFL football but the downside is that actual games means I need to double my blogging effort. As a notoriously lazy Prophet its quite the conundrum.

As excited as I’m sure we all are for football (at least until the 2^nd quarter when you stop recognizing the names) let me remind you that the Riders suck at preseason. Like, really suck. I’m not sure if it’s a record yet (honestly too lazy to look) but their preseason futility has to be approaching historic levels. We last won a preseason game on June 14, 2014. That is not typo. 2014. We won our first preseason game that year and since then have a record of 0-14-1. Yes, you may recall that in 2017 we managed to tie in the preseason… which is almost seems worse than losing. Now it really doesn’t matter since preseason wins have the same value as my person cryptocurrency Prophetdollaz but its still a notable streak of futility that would be impressive if it wasn’t so depressing.

As for what I’m watching for in the game…

1 – QBs

Trevor Harris is off tending to family affairs so the 3 guys vying for back-up will have full chance to shine. One will earn the back-up spot, one will hold a clipboard and one get to exchange his playbook for a plane ticket. It sounds like no one has really separated themselves from the pack yet. Whoever is able to step up when the lights are one will take a big step forward. The cynic in me says that Dolegala is the one to beat. Mainly because he doesn’t likely get the “boys will be boys” treatment on his DUI if the team didn’t plan on keeping him. (I can't be the only one thinking that). 

2 – RBs and LBs

Practice can only tell you so much about these 2 positions. We need to see who can actually play when the hitting his for real. Hawkins, Emmonds or Smtih would have to do something pretty spectacular to put either Morrow or Hickson at risk, but you never know. 

I’m honestly not worried about our starters at LB (other than making sure Teitz is back to his old self) but depth behind Teitz-Dean-Moncrief is concerning. I will really be watching Kolby Harvell-Peel. I think he’s a guy who makes this team in a back-up role.

3 – O-line

Obviously pretty much every eye in Rider Nation will be glued to the OL. If they perform well, that’s a good starting point. But you can’t read too much into preseason success when the playbooks are vanilla and the opponents are likely not starters. But if they struggle against the future bench-riders/unemployed then there is reason for real/continued concern. Just look mildly competent at one of the tackles… is that too much to ask? I will be interested to see the groupings. Assuming Philip Blake ends up playing guard, one of Ferland or Johnson are out of a starting role. Based on the last 2 seasons, unless he sees a big improvement, it should be Johnson who is in jeopardy. 

4 – Who plays themselves on/off the roster

There will be a couple players who make some eye catching plays and increase their odds of sticking around. Usually they aren’t the players with preseason hype. There will also be a couple who make plays that catch eyes for the wrong reason and make the statement “Now for the easiest part of any coach's job. The cuts.” a reality. I expect a couple too many men due to substitution errors, many offsides on both sides and illegal formations galore. 

Historically the home preseason game is when we play the Official Rider Prophet Preseason Drinking Game. Rising liquor prices have all but ended that but in the off chance the Riders actually come through with $5 menu that includes beer, I’m posting the rules for anyone who wants to partake. (I assume no responsibility for any personal, professional or medical issues that arise from your decision to participate in this activity).

Rules

1. Every dropped pass or fumble you drink

2. Every time the announcer screws up drink

3. Drink two if a flag bearer is out of formation during pre-game

4. Every time count, illegal formation, no yards, offside penalty you drink. Two if its on the Riders Four if its too many men.

5. Every TV Timeout you drink. (note: the game is not televised though I realize they have the timeouts anyway... but hey this is a drinking game after all)

6. If someone calls for a fair catch you shot-gun a beer

7. If a player who is not dressed gets credit for a stat or penalty you drink.

8. If a cheerleader falls you drink

9. If a fullback scores a TD, pound 2 drinks (This is the Jordan Sisco memorial rule)

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Random Quasi-Coherent Thoughts

The CFL preseason starts today and we can finally say that there is Rider football this week. I mean sure its meaningless football played largely by the soon to be unemployed but dammit I’ll take it.

Until I actually get to see the players for myself, I don’t have a ton in the way of thoughts/analysis on how things are going. Hence today you get a smattering of the random sentimonies that pop into my head on this holiday Monday.

-        The Riders announced this week that they had reduced the price of a number of tickets and would be rolling out a $5 concession menu. This is great news and I have been campaigning for both of those things for years. It’s almost as if the Riders are starting to feel it in the pocket book and have realized they may have to try to make the gobs of money they are used to. Nah.. can’t be that. I’m sure they are just doing it out of the kindness of their hearts.

 

-        The skeptic in me fully expects the $5 menu to consist of: a Halloween sized bag of Doritos, a bag of microwavable popcorn that you need to pay an extra $4 for the right to use their microwave to pop, super watered down iced tea made from like 5 good host iced tea powdered crystals and a beer that is entirely just foam taken off t of an actual full price paying customer's beer.

 

-        I am legitimately shocked that while pretty much every other team in the league is unveiling new jerseys, the Riders have not in years. It’s a guaranteed cash windfall on the prairies so I am legitimately curious as to why they have waited so long to unveil even a new alternate.

-        The team must really be high on OL Jordan Tucker. He practiced with the 1^st team briefly until he suffered a pretty significant lower body injury that will keep him out some time. Usually new guys who get hurt in camp are cut and may be brought back later when healthy. Tucker still being part of the roster tells me they don’t want to risk losing him.

-        It appears the back-up QB spot is a wide open competition between Fine, Dolegala and Patterson. Be interesting to see which one steps up on Saturday when they actually have to play against another team.

-        There are a number of second year guys that showed flashes in their rookie year that I am interested to see if they continue progressing. Name like Christmas, Brown, Henderson and Hickson. Remember that last year was year 2 for guys like Robertson, Lanier, Milligan and Clark and they are now key starters.

-        Just for fun. Here is my projected 44 man roster for Week 1. Let’s see how close I can get to the actual thing (back-ups in italics):

QB: Harris, Fine

RB: Morrow, Hickson, LaFrance

FB: Awachie

WR: Wieneke, Walker, Lenius, Emilus, Bane, Picton, Alford

OL: Hawkins, Ferland, Godber, Blake, Lofton, Fry, Johnson

 

DL: Banks, Lanier, Micah, Robertson, Korte-Moore, Dabire, Christmas, Dheilly

LB: Teitz, Dean, Moncrief, Harvell-Peel, Herdman-Reed, Reavis

DB: Marshall, Milligan, Dalke, Henderson, Clark, Lokombo, Ford

 

ST: Hus, Lauther, Vedvik

 

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Training Camp

Football is back.

Training camps opened across the league yesterday. And while this started on a somber note as  the Rider Prophet curse led to the unfortunate release of La’Akea Kaho’Ohanohano-Davis following rookie camp, I am still pumped for the new season to arrive.

Last season was so depressing you couldn’t even drink it pretty. While I am under no illusions that the new look Riders are suddenly Grey Cup favourites, we at least have hope at this point that things may be better. The reality that history has shown that rises in hope in the Riders tend to be followed by it being taken away in crushingly tragic fashion… but that is future Rider Prophet’s problem. Hope springs eternal for now.

Let’s take a look at the key things I’ll be watching in training camp.

1 – Offensive Line

I yearn for the day where I don’t have to talk about the O-line. But until they prove even the slightest amount of competence they will remain the number 1 story in Saskatchewan. We have a new centre, we are looking to find two new tackles and even the spots at guard are not guaranteed to the incumbents, nor should they be. The Day 1 line up was Hawkins-Blake-Godber-Johnson-Lofton. That may change as things progress but its where we are starting. If we can even have just one offensive tackle who doesn't provide the protection level of an imaginary condom I think we can survive. Two would be ideal but expectations have hit pretty much rock bottom, so any good news is progress. I think Harris’ ability to read a defense and have an actual pocket presence will help the O-line but they need to block or we are in for another long season.

2 – Receiver

Training camp needs to establish who is the guy. Shaq, Duke and Moore are gone and Schaefer-Baker is a couple months away. So we enter the season without knowing who the #1 go to receiver will be for Trevor Harris. We have potential but no sure things. Wieneke has talent but has always played beside Geno Lewis. Can he step up now that he’s out of that shadow? Derel Walker is a big name but over 3 years removed from being a top end receiver. Was the tail end of last season the start of an upswing for him or was it just a temporary blip on his overall downward curve? With a full CFL training camp will we see Lenius get back to 2021 form? Is Bane the impact player we envisioned when we signed him? Does a new recruit outshine these presumed incumbents? A ton of questions surround this group.

3 - QB

I expected us to enter 2023 with questions at starting QB. Fortunately we had Harris fall into our lap and secure that. So we are back to looking at the competition for the fan favourite position in Riderville: Back-up QB. It’s a make or break year for Mason Fine. If he can show he continues to progress the spot should be his to lose. But if he has plateaued it opens it up for like Lewis, Patterson and Dolegala. Let’s just hope for his sake Dolegala doesn’t blow this opportunity again because he still doesn’t know what Uber is. 

4 - Secondary

Marshall will be manning his normal corner. Milligan will be a stud at halfback. Clark will be starting (likely at CB but he can play half as well). With longtime steady presence Mike Edem gone, Jayden Dalke steps in a safety. He will have Ford, Lokombo and Beaulieu pushing him to hold the spot. In addition to a new safety, one DB spot remains up for grabs. Early last year I would have penciled in Henderson but he saw his play slip and will need to earn that spot back. Be interesting to see who among the new recruits steps up.

 5 – Chemistry

This isn’t a position specific thing but the overall change in the roster has been massive. The previous veteran leaders (Fajardo, Clark, Evans, Moore, Edem, Leonard, Hughes, Sankey) are gone. The void will need to be filled by additions like Harris, Wieneke, Micah, Blake as well as previous “young guys” stepping into leadership roles like Lanier, Teitz, Lenius, Milligan, Morrow. With so many new pieces it will be interesting to see how they come together and whether the right kind of leadership from within the team will emerge.

Normally I would make predictions about veterans who may be in trouble or potential for surprise cuts. Things is, this year anyone who I normally would have pegged was jettisoned in the offseason. The vets who were retained were retained for a reason. I’d like to think that Evan Johnson is at risk of losing his job to a Blake or Fry because he has been underwhelming in his time here but I don’t see that happening. Maybe LaFrance? Outside shot at Marshall? But generally I don’t expect surprises in terms of veterans come cutdown day. 

One final piece of business, with La’Akea Kaho’Ohanohano-Davis gone, I need to select the Official Rider Prophet endorsement for 2023. It’s historically this kiss of death to any player I bestow the honour on so apologies to Bryan Cox (selected for obvious reasons). It seems you are doomed to join the ranks of Greg Milhouse, Eltoro Freeman, Boo Robinson, Gabe Nyenhuis, Ikenna Ike and Jose Valdez in Rider lore.

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Rookie Camp

It’s been long offseason. There’s been no CFL in 5 months and if we are being truthful, there really hasn’t been Rider football worth caring about in closer to 9 months. I’m pretty pumped for the new season to get here. Rookie camp opens this week and that is the first major milestone on the way to the 2023 season.

In honour of rookie camp I am going to highlight one rookie per position that I think is worth keeping an eye on.

QB

With Harris locked in as the starter new QB recruits will at best be trying to unseat Mason Fine for the back-up role, or more likely looking to secure a practice roster spot. Levi Lewis is a former Ragin’ Cajun (great team name) who had pretty solid college career. He also had a cup of coffee with the Seahawks. His college success was not primarily based on his legs so in theory he has potential as a pure passer.

RB

Tough year to be trying to crack the Riders as a RB. Morrow and Hickson are locks and we have a set returner in Alford. Literally the only way a new RB is making this team barring injury is the practice roster. Javian Hawkin is one to watch. He’s a smaller back but did break the Louisville single season rushing record in 2019.

WR

This is actually a position where there may be a roster spot up for grabs. In theory the American depth chart goes Wieneke, Walker, Bane and Tevin Jones. But Jones has been wildly inconsistent in his time here and is hardly a lock. I was going to highlight Jake Herslow but only so I could comment that I’d prefer if his name was Jake Hefast. So let’s highlight Kalija Lipscomb. He did not have eye popping college stats but did manage to bounce around NFL practice rosters for the past 3 seasons. We all know hype doesn’t guarantee success so an under the radar type of guy like Lipscomb may flourish in the CFL.

OL

If O’Day didn’t manage to find us a couple mildly competent offensive tackles then get ready for another season full of cursing, disappointment and numbing yourself to the pain with rye. Jerald Hawkins is a guy the Riders were very excited to get signed. He was a 4^th round pick of the Pittsburg Steelers in 2016 and has been bouncing around NFL teams ever since. At 6’6, 305 he has the size. He’s still only 29 years old and has been receiving NFL coaching for the past 7 years. I dare not get my hopes up but if anyone has a chance slowing down the steady stream of opposing defenders off the edges, he would be the guy.

DL

The most recent signing Charles Akanno is the one I’m watching. He had 20.5 sacks in his college career at Idaho, 11 came in his final year. He also has 17 tackles for a loss that season. In recent years O’Day has managed to recruit Woodard, Robertson, Lanier and Marino. Hoping Akanno can be the next name in that series (you know from a talent perspective).

LB

Going to give two names here. As soon as we signed him La'Akea Kaho'ohanohano-Davis shot to the top of my favourite player list. I hope he becomes a tackling machine and forces play by play guys to say it over and over. The other name I will give is Kolby Harvell-Peel. For reasons other than his name I think he bears watching. He was a college safety but has the size to move up to LB in the CFL.

DB

The secondary is probably the one place where there may be a starting spot up for grabs. Clark, Milligan and Marshall will be projected to start. If Amari Henderson can show progression he is in theory the 4^th American but he’s hardly a lock. The player I’m keeping an eye on is Leon O’Neal Jr. A 4 year starting at Texas A & M. Spent last year as an undrafted free agent with San Francisco. The 49ers have solid D so if he was someone they had interest in there must be something there.

I apologize in advance for likely giving the Rider Prophet curse to each an everyone of the players I just mentioned.

 

Friday Morning Sentimonies: Assessing the Draft

Based on my pre draft write up, you would assume that I was unhappy with how the Riders drafted on Tuesday. Actually, in a turn of events that surprised even me, despite the lack of O-linemen I did not hate O’Day’s pick this time around. I was fully prepped to pen this post and lambaste him for another year of poor drafting, but I won’t. Based on how the draft fell, I think he did a good job. 

Dontae Bull should have been target #1 but apparently Ottawa agreed with that assessment and swooped him before anyone else had a chance. There really wasn’t another OL worth the 3^rd overall pick so shifting gears and going DL made sense. That said, I guarantee you that our 3^rd pick would not have changed even if Bull had been still available. O’Day said as much. But that is a moot point. O’Day managed to address a lack of top end defensive Canadians and somehow managed to not prioritize receivers for the first time in years.

 Let’s take a closer look at each pick.

Round 1 (3) DL Lake Korte-Moore

Outside of OL, D-line was the biggest need in terms of Canadians. Gone are the days of Evans, Shologan, Shultz. Its about the only Canadian position O’Day has prioritized lower than OL over his time as GM and the fact all we currently had was Dabire reflects that. Korte-Moore is a high motor guy we brings good power. He can step in immediately on teams and rotating at DL and has the potential to become a starter in the near future. I like this pick.

Round 2 (11) DB Jaxon Ford

This one took me a while to warm up to. I would have thought OL Grohovac was the logical pick here. Also, I am always leery of Riders taking hometown kids, wondering if its prioritizing a nice headline over smart drafting. To those who think that doesn’t happen, two words for you… Jordan Sisco. But the more I read about Ford the more I got the sense that he warranted a top 15 pick regardless of his last name. The safety spot is losing a rock solid veteran in Mike Edem. I love Dalke but he’s largely unproven. In theory Lokombo should be a starter by now but injuries have slowed his development. A smart, physical safety is not the worst use of a second round pick. I think out of principle TSN should bring Rod Black for one last CFL game when Jaxon plays. He would certainly have some insightful information to share on him throughout the game.

Round 3 (21) LB Matt Dean

We were one pick away from Grohovac falling to us in the 3^rd but Edmonton swooped him. Dean helps build some potential depth behind Teitz. Dean has good athleticism. I don't think many of us expected Teitz to turn into a starter, so you never know what Dean's ceiling could be. 

Round 4 (30) RB Thomas Betrand-Hudon

Kienan LaFrance turns 32 this season so the search begins for a RB who can potentially fill his role primarily on teams but also as an emergency RB. At 227 lbs he’s a big dude. His university career was hampered by a couple major injuries.

Round 6 (48) OL Sidy Sow

This is what we call a lotto ticket pick. Sow was the 2^nd best Canadian OL in the draft but he was taken in the 4^th round of the NFL draft by New England. So odds are slim he comes north and if he does it will be a while. But honestly for as often as a 6^th round pick pans out, I don’t mind swinging for the fences here. I looked back over the last 10 years and only found 2 Rider draft picks taken in the 6^th or later that amounted to anything that being Jayden Dalke (6^th, 2022) and Alexandre Chevrier (7^th in 2017). I don’t like using early picks on NFL players (i.e. what we did with Oneymata) but for a 6^th round pick I’m totally OK with this. For a very low cost we maintain Sow’s rights forever. Hell our own Philip Blake is an example of a guy drafted in the NFL but ended up coming back. Alouettes had to wait 3 years to get him but once they did he was worth the wait.

Round 7 (57) OL Evan Floren

This is an interesting one to watch. 3DownNation had him rated as one of the best OL in a thin draft class. Now obviously there was a reason that every GM in the league repeatedly passed on him and to be blunt, I don’t really expect a 7^th round OL to amount to anything. But more than one person saw something of value in Floren’s film so he likely warrants taking a chance on.  

Round 7 (60) LB Nick Thomas

With due respect to Thomas who I’m sure will come in and compete with all he has, I sincerely doubt a 7^th round LB is cracking this roster. At least there will be some competition in camp at LB.

 Round 8 (66) DL Tavius Robinson

Exact same comments as Sow. 8^th round picks almost never pan out so taking a chance on the 4^th round pick of the Baltimore Ravens has as good a chance of anything of succeeding. The Riders seem intent on building the best hypothetical Canadian D-line imaginable as we now have the rights to David Oneymata, Neville Gallimore and Tavius Robinson.

 

Monday Morning Sentimonies: Draft Day Approaches

Tomorrow the CFL Draft goes down. If you are new to the CFL Draft a few things to keep in mind… particularly if you just watched the NFL Draft. The CFL Draft is as much like the NFL Draft as a rusted Chevy Cavalier is like a Lamborghini. I mean sure both are technically cars but there are a few features that differ.

The two main things that differentiate the CFL draft are based around the concepts of availability and projected use.

Availability is the big one. The NFL tends not to worry about this concept as anyone with football dreams can be expected to report to the NFL team that drafts them. Hence, the NFL drafts the best player at each position first. CFL is about the best player “available to report”. So for example, the best 2 o-linemen in this draft are Matthew Bergeron and Sidy Sow. But they will not be the first drafted. In fact, it is likely Bergeron goes undrafted because he just went in the 2^nd round of the NFL draft. That means he won’t be coming to the CFL for minimum 3 years if ever. Sow was a 4^th round pick so maybe a team uses a 7^th or 8^th round pick just in case he ever does come north. Or you could use the Chris Jones approach of using a 4^th round pick on an NFL draft pick like David Oneymata when he could have gotten a player with equal impact on the Riders by drafting a bottle of ketchup. So suddenly a guy like Dontae Bull jumps up draft boards not because he is the best Canadian OL but he is the best one who is likely to be in training camp later this month.

Projected use is the other. As much as there are ratio breaking exceptions, by and large CFL teams still exclusively play Canadians at OL, WR, Safety, token LB and token DL. QBs have little to no value. As much as I’d like to think the Nathan Rourke experience will change that, we are a long ways away from any major changes. Prior to Rourke, there has been an endless string of Michael O’Connors, Brandon Bridges and Andrew Buckleys. We can debate the reasons for this another time but odds are overwhelmingly good that taking a QB in the CFL draft will not impact your franchise, other than short term PR.

So where does this all leave the Riders heading into the draft? In my humble opinion (keeping in mind I am by no means a football scout, just some dude who’s been writing about the draft since the day of MySpace), there are only 2 scenarios that can be considered a draft success for the Riders. 

Scenario 1 – Draft OL Dontae Bull in the first round and an impact DL or LB in the second round.

Scenario 2 – Draft an impact DL or LB in the first round and hope to get OL Phillip Grohovac in the second. 

It’s really that simple. Our OL has been garbage for 2 years. This draft is thin on OL worthy of a top 10 pick. So if you are serious about building a line for sustained success you need to prioritize getting one of Bull or Grohovac. Depth behind Teitz is almost non-existent and other than Dabire we don’t really have a Cdn DL. So that’s priority number 2. 

I realize that in a draft/league this small drafting for purely for position and ignoring the “best player available” is not a great strategy. But the reverse is also true. If, of I don’t know, let’s take a purely hypothetical example and say, a GM kept drafting receivers because they were the “best available” but not something we actually needed, that may have some negative consequences on other parts of the team… in theory.

I think it’s likely that one of OL Dontae Bull or DL Lwal Uguak are available at #3 when we pick. I think those should be our priorities in that order. Now, O’Day cares about as much for my opinion as the Bombers care for following the salary cap so I expect the 2022 trend of “expecting to be disappointed to continue”.

If you are wondering, yes, I am always this bright and cheery on a Monday morning.