Concerns For The Season

Alouettes de Montréal
1

While Habs fans worry whether the team will sign a power forward, Komisarek, etc., Als fans shouldn`t be denied their own concerns!
Mine are the following:

  1. Apparently Skip Seagraves will be dressed to do long snapping and I assume backup on the O Line. To me this is a waste of a designated import spot. Last year we had Canadians in those spots.
  2. Als wanted to get bigger on Special Teams, with more LBs than DBs. However, with injuries to Spencer, Morin-Soucy, etc. this has not happened. And Emry being fulltime MLB will probably have an effect on his special teams performance.
  3. Which brings me to MLB. Would still like to see an experienced guy like Armour there. A team can not be all choir boys.
2

MLB has been a problem ever since Kevin Johnson left.........................

3

If the coaches feel Emry is ready, I have zero problem using him at MLB. A Canadian at that spot gives us flexibility elsewhere. I hadn't heard about Seagraves dressing for long-snapping. What is your source? My understanding was that Martin Bedard was going to handle long-snapping duties.

4

The Seagraves news is from Rue Frontenac:

Proulx confirmé

Au sujet de certains des joueurs québécois de l’équipe, Trestman a indiqué que Matthieu Proulx a conservé son poste de maraudeur partant devant Étienne Boulay grâce à sa performance dès la première semaine du camp, que Skip Seagraves serait sans doute le spécialiste des longues remises contre Calgary, mais qu’il aimait beaucoup la ténacité, l’intelligence et le potentiel de Martin Bédard, et que le centre Luc Brodeur-Jourdain commencerait vraisemblablement la saison au sein de l’équipe de réserve.

5

I am not saying that it will not happen, but I will be surprised if Seagraves is dressed; if he is dressed, who do you delete from 46 players active roster?

Brodeur-Jourdain is on the 46 players active roster; I don't think that he will be on the practice roster. To do so he will have to be released; Mr.Trestman may think so but Jim Popp will decide.

Getting back to Seagraves we have,as on Grey Cup day, 25 imports and 21 non-imports; a minimum of 3 imports will not be dressed;
the 25 imports then compares with the 25 imports now,except: we had 4 QB,we now have 3; we had 4 LB,we now have 3,we had no OL,we now have 1,we had 3 WR,we now have 4. The players not dressed were:Banks,QB,Taylor,LB and Williams,DB. For the Calgary game, I don't expect Seagraves to be dressed along with an import receiver,most probably Hawkins. The 3rd one is more difficult; could be a RB,if Diedrick is dressed; every time he was dressed in 2008, we dressed only 1 import RB. 2 were dressed in the Grey Cup because Diedrick was hurt. The other options would be to dress only 3 import DB or only 1 DE. As you see, dressing Seagraves would,as far as I am concerned, will make us weaker. Jim Popp did not draft Martin Bédard to be a FB-as listed on Als site-but because he was a long snapper; he will be the LS.

Concerning the special team, I don't find it smaller than last year;we will have Martin Bédard,6.03,239,Doug Goldbsy,6.02,220,Ramon Guzman,6.02,232. He made the 2007 NFL Colts team, in his rookie season, because he was a "beast" on special teams; he played the 16 games season. He will excell with the Als.

Concerning Armour, we don't need him; who do you release to make room for him? he is not a natural MLB and will be 33 in 2weeks; bad character. Guzman is 6 years younger,bigger,faster,can play all 3 LB positions and be a rush-end.

Richard

6

There are a few things I am confused about

1- Apparently they are going with Seagraves as LS while Bedard develops... So that would mean Seagraves would be dressed.

2- Hawkins didn't make any plays in pre-season in fact he looked bad and Woldu saved his ar..., he showed up late for camp also and somehow he beat out Hardy and Green???

3- If Emry starts at LB and his backup is Guzman, the Als are really playing him this season to prepare for next year's departures, it will be like playing 8 NI starters in a way.

I'm with you regarding Armour, he turned the Als down last year...However I still think there was room on this team for Hunt at least for the first half of the season.

7

On Wednesday,June 24th,2009 Jim Popp told David Arsenault of RDS that Martin Bédard will be the long-snapper.

Seagraves is a good OL but he is on the roster because an injury-minor- to Woodruff.

Looking at the roster I wonder why M.Giffin is on the active roster; will probably not be dressed unless they-Als-are not sure about Diedrick.-personal problems-.

Richard

8

The Als could also sit out DT Campbell and rotate Wilson, Williams, and Robertshaw.
It comes down to dressing 2 of Dix, Campbell, Whitaker, Hawkins, Seagraves.
Again I think the team is weaker with Seagraves.

9

Aren’t the Als very high on DT Campbell? I doubt they’d sit him for the opening game of the season against a very tough Calgary squad.

10

I can't see this roster being what we are going to see next week....

4 linebackers and 4 fullbacks ! That makes no sense at all. Als have to cut a FB loose IMO or trade one.

Do we need 4 NI safety ???

11

You are right. Campbell was a "hit" during camp; his performane explains why they cut/released Haywood. The most "choix logique",to me, is to sit Seagraves; Eric Wilson could play as OL,if needed.-injuries during game- The 2 others should be amongst Wr and RB. We need both Parker and Dix as DBs.

Looking at the Als roster,on their site, I see that Michael Giffin has been given number 21.-he was 34- A sign that Mike imoh is gone?

Richard

12

Well, considering that Proulx can't take out the garbage without getting injured... :lol: :smiley: :wink:

13

Radio Canada website also reporting Seagraves to be long snapper. HucIack is injured and I guess the Als don`t feel Bedard ready as yet:

Le Québécois Martin Bédard se battait quant à lui pour être spécialiste des longues remises, un poste temporairement vacant pendant la blessure à Cory Huclack. Le joueur de ligne offensive Skip Seagraves devrait toutefois s'occuper de la tâche ingrate.

To me this is a waste of an import spot that could be better used.

14

I like Seagraves and I think what this says is that the Als don't feel Woodruff, Steenbergen or Brodeur-Jourdain can play the outside this year anyway.

15

As far as I know, an import can't replace a non-import as a substitute so I don't see how having Seagraves as a sub. will work here.

16

If Seagraves had to replace an injured Canadian offensive lineman, the Als could take out Bratton and replace with Deslauriers or Desriveaux to maintain the ratio.

17

They would not have to do that; with 4 OL, Cahoon, Proulx,Emry and Sanchez they would still be at 8 non-imports starters; Emry gives them more flexibility.Even if Emry was replaced by Guzman, they would still be at the 7 minimum non-imports starters.

Richard

18

That is incorrect, you are right IF you play the minimum required, if not you can juggle the alignment. Als allways start more for this reaosn, in fact Als are one of the teams in the past that started the most canadian.

19

What's cooking? When the Als made their final cuts,on the 25th,they said that the players on the practice roster were to be known/listed on Friday,the 26th. Now,according to Herb, these players won't be known/"dévoilés"before Monday,the 29th.

Does it mean that a Brodeur-Jourdain will be on the practice roster? More and more I now believe that Skip Seagraves will be dressed; if so, we don't need a Brodeur-Jourdain sitting on the bench;we rather need an Ivan Brown-DE/LB-or a Stan van Sichem-LB- that can contribute on special teams. If Seagraves is dressed, we have a replacement if a guard or a tackle is injured; Brodeur-Jourdain cannot replace at tackle. Seagraves will therefore dress and an import WR,an import RB and an import DB or import DE will not be dressed.

Other moves before departure to Calgary? Your guesses are as good as mine.

Richard

20

Herb mentions 6 on the Practice Roster - Green, Thomas, Nickson, Mohring, Brown, Van Sichem.
I`m guessing that they are negotiating with some C.F.L. cuts to fill the last 2 spots - possibly Armour, possibly a CDN. long-snapper - and then release all the names at one time.
Wilson can back up on the O line, but it will probably be Seagraves. I agree they could use LBs Brown and Van Sichem for special teams.