2017 CFL Season

[BretttheRiderFan]

Riders pick up Derek Dennis, most outstanding o-lineman from 2016. Great gain.

[Horus]

Dionte Spencer also to REDBLACKS. Ottawa is turning into the 2015 Argos

[esquire]

^ Spencer is great, good add by Ottawa. They're getting loaded for bear this season.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by craner

Where is Chris Williams going ?

Looks like BC. The Lions signed him to a 2 year deal today

[esquire]

I forgot to note the passing of Darrell K. Smith, one-time all-star Argo receiver, at the age of 55. He was a big part of their 1991 juggernaut of a team.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Riders pick up Chad Owens!

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by esquire

I forgot to note the passing of Darrell K. Smith, one-time all-star Argo receiver, at the age of 55. He was a big part of their 1991 juggernaut of a team.

This is really sad, one of the greats in the game

[Horus]

Riders in discussion with reps for QB Vince Young, so says Young's agent Leigh Steinberg.
https://twitter.com/leighsteinberg

[BretttheRiderFan]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

This is really sad, one of the greats in the game

Before my time but I've seen him in many ESPN classic games and he was one hell of a receiver.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Originally Posted by Horus

Riders in discussion with reps for QB Vince Young, so says Young's agent Leigh Steinberg.
https://twitter.com/leighsteinberg

Souvenir shoulder pads for everyone in the first ten rows at Mosaic!

[BretttheRiderFan]

I really think our offence is going to surprise a lot of people this year. Adding Duron Carter, Derek Dennis, Chad Owens and now Kienan Lafrance are all making us more dynamic.

[TimB09]

Originally Posted by BretttheRiderFan

I really think our offence is going to surprise a lot of people this year. Adding Duron Carter, Derek Dennis, Chad Owens and now Kienan Lafrance are all making us more dynamic.

CFL is a QB league. Still need a good general to run your offense and you don't have that right now...and don't say Kevin Glenn either

[HomeInMyShoes]

^Our problem wasn't really the receiving core, it was the running game. A couple of pickups on the offensive line make me think there's some promise for this season.

Chad's a bit of a gamble being in the chronically injured camp. Lots of talent if he's close to 100%, but that might not be the case. Bodies only heal so well so often.

[esquire]

^ An improved OL paved the way for Matt Nichols' success in Winnipeg... Derek Dennis could have the same impact in Sask that Stanley Bryant had here in Winnipeg.

[BretttheRiderFan]

Glenn is nothing to sneaze at. He's shown he can produce and I'm still not convinced our QB position is set in stone for this season. The receiving corps, o-line and running game have already improved (on paper anyway) and that'll help things.

[HomeInMyShoes]

How about going with Brandon Bridge and improve the O-line for a running game to support him? If our defense is as disjointed as it was last year we aren't making the playoffs this year anyway so renting Glenn for a season or two just postpones developing our actual future quarterback (again). We'll see though because with only 9 teams it only takes leap-frogging one to make the playoffs any year.

I'm cautiously optimistic that we're a 7 win team which might get us a cross over game. There's also the possibility that we're another dumpster fire with three wins as well. Hard to say at this point. There was lots of optimism with the free-agent signings last year as well.

[esquire]

^ If I were a Rider fan I'd be realistic about this season... the reality likely is that the team will be helmed by KG or some young QB (Bridge?) who makes an impressive showing at camp. KG offers the best shot at a .500 season, but he won't get the Riders to the cup... not at this stage of his career.

The tricky thing for Sask is that I'm not sure they have a QB on the roster who can be groomed to become the starter. I haven't seen much of Bridge so I don't really know... does he have what it takes? So do you just buy some time and use Glenn as the interim guy until you identify someone to hitch your wagon to? Jones & Co. must be getting anxious because it's not like they can afford to write off another season.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Bridge is 6'4" and 229. If he can kind of throw the ball I'd hand it to him.

Glenn could make us reasonably competitive. If you get into the playoffs and it snows you never know. You can be sub-500 and win the Grey Cup.

But we're not a 500 team even if the defense isn't more cohesive. See the Riders from the late 80s and early 90s and Kent Austin on how to lose every game 35-38.

Jones has plenty of more strikes to go given the cost and length of his contract. This might just be in the second coming of Al Ford. Which is totally off base but I couldn't resist. I'm a little fiesty today.

[BretttheRiderFan]

I'd consider .500 and a playoff position a wildly successful season. And let's be real, it's the CFL, if you're in the playoffs in the west you're a contender.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Bridge is 6'4" and 229. If he can kind of throw the ball I'd hand it to him.

Glenn could make us reasonably competitive. If you get into the playoffs and it snows you never know. You can be sub-500 and win the Grey Cup.

But we're not a 500 team even if the defense isn't more cohesive. See the Riders from the late 80s and early 90s and Kent Austin on how to lose every game 35-38.

Jones has plenty of more strikes to go given the cost and length of his contract. This might just be in the second coming of Al Ford. Which is totally off base but I couldn't resist. I'm a little fiesty today.

If you look at our defensive stats we were getting better and better by the end of the year. I think Jones is pretty set with his defence now and when you know who you are playing with every game you can concentrate on your job.
I'm very cautiously optimistic for the upcoming season.