Chris Jones reflects on 2017

Saskatchewan Roughriders
#1

No excuses. Fair, accurate and clear assessment of the year from Jones.

This team is in very good hands. It's not often in December that the RiderNation heads into a new year already KNOWING we are a competitive club.

Go RIDERS!!

#2

Agreed.

#3

Not sure why so many people have a hate for Chris Jones- he coaches with an edge. His team out performed almost everyone's expectation.

#4

Agreed. And just this week he brought in the leagues highest paid QB, gave him a salary cap respecting haircut, and placed him in a position to win, while still having a competent backup here who is also placed into a position to win. If players earn their salaries and do what they allude that they can do on Twitter - this may be a fantastic year.

This social media chirping is nonsense, thankfully Jones vision is greater than 140 characters.

#5

Agreed, I'm sure the 2018 season is going to be very exciting to watch the Riders improve further from an already impressive improvement year!!

#6

I can't recall any previous offseason where we already KNEW we were a strong competitive team before training camp even began. This is our year!

#7
#8

We didn’t have the majority of our major impending free agents nailed down before the FA deadline those years. This year we do. Indicates eagerness and commitment (in addition to their talents and team chemistry).

#9

Yes they did, or at least in comparison....and it is not like there are no big names unsigned

  • Campbell....probably the best OLman and the LT
  • Bagg is the only national receiver signed who has actually caught one
  • 2 of the national rotation on DL....right now there is Henry under contract on the DL for nationals
  • Jefferson still a FA despite talks that he is all but signed.

Fact....they have 4 players extended and I believe they are all 1 year deals (that is a little out of their hands as players are expecting a favorable CBA renewal). The staff is doing a good job, but don't pretend they are some kind of greek gods in extending players compared to the past. Maybe take a look at the tracker and see how other teams are doing for extending players in comparison and then rethink that comment.

#10

This is what we know (and obviously tweaking and/or rotation will occur, and obviously not all positions were going to be FAs this year):

QBs are signed up by end January
Receivers are signed up by end January
Running backs are signed by end January
Linebackers are signed up by January
Secondary are signed up by January
Placekicker signed up by end January
Punter signed up by end January
D-Line signed up by end January
O-Line signed up by end January

When was the last year we were in this position and at the ready by end of January?

#11

Re read previous post

#12

Thank you Depop. I'm starting to think Iconic is actually Chris Jones himself with the love in he has going on with the guy.

#13

It’s a very nice compliment, but no - I’m not Chris Jones.
However I am fully supportive of his role and his work here. You can mark it down as my position heading into 2018, and we can compare notes at the end of the year.

#14

Thanks. I think that basically everyone here knows I have liked Jones from day one (I'm going to have beefs with any management)...but I'm not blinded by it nor will I ignore the pros and cons of previous managers. Both ET and BT were pretty good at re upping the guys they wanted early...ET, in the years I mentioned, in particular had few holes moving into free agency.

#15

Interesting Depop, you are absolutely correct about ET and BT.

Gotta tell you though, not a big fan of the "1 Year" deals with players.

#16

Yeah...those suck, but players are anticipating a bigger bump in the CBA...honestly, if they don't get something to it I see a shortened season...something the league can not afford. Going to see a PILE of free agency across the league after the 2018 season.

#17

Itd be nice to get another solid db. There are a few available. Itd solidify that defense.

#18

agreed. Specially if Rodgers goes. That said, Butler is probably the best on the team at this point, and Gainey is no dud. Butler/Gainey/Johnson is a good team, and Rodgers did not progress as much as I thought he would last season, he is still ok in there. Hoping he takes a step this season if back...because he was superb in 2016. They still have a couple of other guys who it will be interesting to see if progress after some shell shock in 2017

#19

Who on current secondary roster is at risk to age out soon?

#20

DB?? How about that guy from Winnipeg........TJ Heath
Probably too much $$$$$