Changes from 2012

Many of the usuals are checking out the site now, thinking about the Bombers. It's been a long off season and already there have been many changes. Let's use this thread to keep track off who's not here or who has been signed.

Let's start with Ian Logan. The guy was our all star Canadian at safety for awhile, but for sure struggled last year. Mack went out and upgraded the position by signing another Muamba (never a bad thing). You gotta think the job is his to lose, but will Aprille still be considered? What about West?

Ofcourse we lost Brink & Elliott, but there are dozens of pages about that already, so let's let that be.

Who did we lose to FA? Who will be going NFL?

Burke said months ago that Aprile will be brought in as a receiver.

Am I blind - I can’t find Aprile on the Bomber roster?

Would’ve been nice to see him at this TC as well.

Is Vega on an NFL tryout?

Jason Vega signed with the New England Patriots on February,19,2013.

Richard

There hasn’t been an announcement that Aprile has been signed. They have said he is expected to be at TC iirc.

Among some of the other things that will apparently be different…

"I've told Joe (GM Mack) I wanted to crack down on a few things and he just said, 'Hey, you're the head coach.' There were some things I didn't like last year. I want to nip that in the bud," said Burke. "Guys were going out at inappropriate times and I want to take care of that. I'm not one that likes to pass up a beer now and again either. But this is a job and your body is the tool of your trade. [b]If you're out boozing it up and come in hung over the next day, that obviously isn't going to wash with me. I'm not asking them to be choirboys but I'm not going to let them be hell-raisers.[/b]"
Also ...
There's been a lot of conjecture about the professional relationship between Mack and previous head coach Paul LaPolice. Mack is a veteran personnel man and LaPolice was a rookie head coach. Certain lines may have been blurred when it came to making roster decisions.

Burke says he’ll pick the players he puts on the field.

“Our position coaches will evaluate and have their opinions on who we should keep,” said Burke. “But then as the head coach, I’ll have the final say. Joe might have a guy he really likes and wants us to give a little more time but pretty much he’ll leave that up to us coaches.”


I wonder if the personnel decision refers to them starting Elliott when they did? I seem to remember hearing some rumbling back then that Mack forced the decision to go to Elliott from Brink. Could the decision to keep Etienne around after his draft year be another one of those decisions? (though given the reports about Etienne in the minicamp suggest he may be ready to start paying dividends). Interesting comments, even if its from a Lawless article.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/burke-wont-stand-for-boozing-blue-205538471.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I'm all for the cracking down on the fun stuff, I think we can all agree there has been too much the past couple years, and we all know who the guilty players are. They need to take their profession more serious. If Cal Murphy was around he'd have their heads. Glad to see Mack & Burke are drawing the line.

Anyone know if that Dexter Davis kid was actually signed?

They were just as crazy back then, just as long as you showed up on the field . Which they did! The coach is not going to come down hard if the team is winning . When a team has been struggling, it needs to be addressed. Trust me, I have heard Chris Walby and company stories from the Bombers hey days. The current crop couldn’t come close to running with those boys, on or off the field!

Dexter Davis and another DB Ian Wild signing were officially announced today.

[url]http://bluebombers.com/article/blue-bombers-add-two-to-defence[/url]

The biggest change should be at QB. depending on Pierce to play more than half the games is a long shot. Two 1,000 yard REC. The easts toop RB in simpson and back ups Ford and even Vony since he would be on the Canadian portion of the roster. Two bookend import T looking to both be ready to play this season.
Chase Clement may have only spent time in the UFL but under former NFL coach Jim Fassell and through the good and very bad Fassel and Clement devised a nice system where he could manage a game. Could be the guy very soon as if I mean when Pierce gets urt riding Clement to see haow he can manage the game an use his all star weapons and protection from 2 Bookend Imports

I think one of the biggest changes from 2012 - its highly unlikely the bombers are sitting at 2-8 the morning after the Banjo bowl like they were last year, regardless of the health of the QBs. A more balanced travel schedule focused on the east to start the season rather than the 4 away game with west-east-west-east travel they had to start 2012 alone should be a big plus. A more cohesive coaching staff, without some of the drama that came out about the goings on between LaPo and Crowton, will be a benefit too. Injuries for the bombers and other teams will always factor in to how things ultimately shake out, but if the bombers can pick up 2-3 wins in those first 10 games and play .500 ball through the end of the year like they did last year, they are easily a playoff team. And the bombers should've been even better than their 4-4 in the last half of the season if Elliott did a better job protecting the football. People outside of Winnipeg may doubt us but I fully expect the team back in the playoffs this year.

Playoffs are always a good chance with 6 of 8 teams making the playoffs but grabbing a home game is important just getting in as a third place team distant from the 1 and 2 teams does not give you much of a shot.
So although it may seem like eveyone makes the playoffs it often counts having home field.
Last season it helped getting the first round game at home. For Toronto it meant a 4th place finishing team from the west who was getting worse as they were hitting there stride.
In 2011 Hamilton was able to go to Montreal and upset the Als in Round one but the cold praires of Winnipeg they were unale to win two road playoff games in a row. That is very tough to do.

Aprile is staying in school for another year to go to teacher’s college. He still has a year of eligibility left so he will play football as well.

I did not realize he had another year I thought last year was his 5th season.
Kirby Fabian also has another year of Eligibility as he redshirted his freshman year in 2008.

http://godinos.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1610

Fabian’s NFL aspirations could lead him back to another year at Calgary but I would not recommend that as we see how it turned out for him and Plesius last year. Fabian By missing last season in BC missed out on almost an assured shot at a starting spot with all of the injuries and coming in this year with both he and Norman penciled in at the two G spots next to top OT’s Archibald and Olifoye with Angus Reid in the center. If that had happend and he signed a 1 + 1 with the Lions he would have been able to seek NFL free agency with two years of pro football under his belt and would still have been only 24 starting the 2014 NFL season.

Couple more additions to the Dline battle -

Marcus Hyde http://m.northernvasports.com/mobile/prince_william/osbourn-graduate-marcus-hyde-headed-to-canada/article_00bc87d6-8c10-11e2-b6eb-0019bb30f31a.html - according to his twitter, though he signed with BC he’s now heading to bomber camp.

Zach Anderson
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=91334&draftyear=2013&genpos=DE
http://nfldraftzone.com/draft-news/exclusive-interview-northern-michigan-de-zach-anderson/

One of the strongest players you will find in the 2013 NFL Draft, Northern Michigan DE Zach Anderson reminds of Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen. Both are rugged 270+ pound pass rushers with outstanding brute strength. Anderson’s weight room capabilities can even be found on Youtube (go check). As a senior Anderson had 71 total tackles with 40 solo tackles and 31 assisted tackles. He had 10 tackles-for-loss, one sack and an interception
With incumbents like Mainor, Hall, Bryant, Gilmore, Carroll and promising NI Jake Thomas, they've added these guys, plus Dexter Davis who has some impressive game tape, Marquis Frazier, Youri Yenga who got some game time at the end of last year, plus a couple more, this is going to be one area to watch in camp IMO. Anderson particularly looks quite promising.

Zach 'attack' Anderson...Now this a very intriguing signing ..Powerful guy that could suit our needs very well...Marcus Hyde as well..Can't understand the on again off again business with Wally but he sure sounds confident that he'll impress at tc...The vying for defensive positions just got a whole lot tighter... :thup: