Joe Lobendahn out, Rey Williams in

Joe Lobendahn has been released, and Rey Williams about to be signed.

Guess I could add that thy started talking at the Combine Saturday, and looked to have struck an accord. I would assume nothing would be 'official' until Monday or Tuesday, but Joe was already released.

I wish Joe the best...he stepped in admirably in 2012!

DID a great job coming in halway point but injury prone and being taken out for big passing downs. Williams a great football player and all star last year a lil supect at MLB but only in his second seson in the CFL last year can be somehting that he can work on with some good coachin

Really disappointed to hear this about Joe :frowning: I really liked what he brought to the Defence and Special Teams and felt he could be a big part of the Defence this year as he got to know the system better .... any reason given for his departure ?

It is a shame, but Rey is likely more familiar with Hall than Joe is. Joe stepped in admirably, but from a pure physical standpoint Rey is better. Few plug the gut like Rey. It may be a slight downgrade on passing coverage, but the Riders seemed poised to sub Joe out on passing downs this season anyways, so it is an improvement.

All of this said, it is still not finalized.

Yes Lobo was pulled out on passing downs. As I said ther were some who suggest that Williams would be better suited to the Weakside LB but in his 3rd CFL season coming up what ever it was that caused people to think this he could be coached up to refine the MLB skills he needed. Fact is though he still was an All star and has had over 90 tackles in his 2 years with Hamitlon and add in some special teams tackles and he has an avg of over 100 tackles in two years.

One other reason to consider and was pointed out by Rob Vanstone is that Lobendahn going from side to side didn’t measure up as to what the Riders had hoped/and or were looking for…I agree on that note.

Yes Williams definitely has the edge there. His down falls that some think he has as a MLB can be coched up in camp and being in his 3rd CFL season may be just getting it down but you cant go bad with a guy who has averaged ofer 100 tackles after two seasons

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=419071

tis official.

I have heard speculation he was paid as a "consultant" at the combine and is now signing at a less than expected rate...likely just rumors...the combine is an ideal place for a vet to chat with multiple clubs.

I have mixed feelings on this, as I rather like both players

I like this move. Nothing against Lobendahn as he was a good player but it is nice to have Rey back.

Lobo is a good player and really came in mid season and gave the defense a huge boost by filling a whole at MLB. Lobo injury issues as well as the need for him to be taken out on passing downs is the problem that the Riders had an issue with. If there was no Rey Williams out there that has come back to the CFL and being an every down MLB and 100 tackle a season player.
Just taking from what was said about Williams in the Media is that he was not a MLB and would be better suited as a weak side. LB The Riders obviously feel that is something that he can be coached up and enable him to be a complete MLB. With his play over the past two seasons probably something that can be fixed.
Lobo should be able to sing with a CFL team for training camp if he so chooses and could possibily get back to that 2011 form before he was injured or he cna be released and wait for a call when a team may need a veteran when injuries may strike. If the minimum salary can go up in 2014 there is a possibilty that he can play a reserve role but at his age will a team use one of the DI spots for him. With Ottawa coming in it may be quite possible that he could land a job there as a free agent if Ottawa can not get a quality MLB from the expansion draft or an NFL free agent or a late blooming Arena League player.
He did show in 2012 that he can be a big contributor to a defense. Perhaps splitting time with a young Canadian MLB until time such player is ready.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Kromah have a crack at MLB, and Rey outside. It would be interesting to try, even if for one ex game

Yeah that would be interesting to see.

They may indeed be a possibility that the Riders may be looking at. With Kromah at MLB and Butler at safety that is some great young talent up the middle. Kromah has a season under his belt and Butler two including an all star selction in his rookie year

That defense is looking really really good. They signed a top rush DE and a NI to boot and have brought is several NFL free agent DEs as well as an NCAA rookie. The one spot that they will need to address that they are still working on is at least another NI DT that can be a serious contributer in the rotation. Sholo and obvious to DT in the CFL Import of NI. Zack Evans is still being brought along coming straight from Junior football to the CFL

A friend made a keen observation over a brew...Rey's D has been ranked 7th against run each year he has been a starting / predominant MLB. I had to look it up...09, 11, 12. I was actually pretty shocked. Coincidence...yeah, most likely...but it kinda makes you ponder no (Granted he was on a pretty bad D the past 2 seasons)? The Riders were ranked 2nd or 3rd in most defensive stats last year, 3rd against rushing YPG, so it will be interesting to observe.

Maybe with a little bit more of a Cap bump teams may be able to keep some popular veteran players around a little bit more past there 30’s or be able to keep both a player Like Lobo and Willimas on the roster splitting some duties and on different defenseive schemes or rotations while staying fresh to split some specials as well.

I don's think cap would help that as much as extra roster spots, and you need the spots or you never develop youth...though i suppose you would need both cap and roster spots. I'd rather the players just get more money.

I agree keeping the rosters where they are at now is not perfect but has enabled for teams to develop more Canadian players at different positions and not just filling the NI spots with strictly specila teams players and the bare Minimum 7 mandatory. 42 game and 46 total are reasonable now and these players will get a more deserving compensation for what they do. No reason why a starter cant also play a special team Unit. Possibility in the future upping it by two 44 game day and 48 total but nothing off the charts.
No Chang in the roster numbers. If teams want to hold on to more players uder salary the CFL has been very lenient to allow teams to add player to injured lists who are really not injured t keep in the Mix along with the one exception to move one off of the 9 game with out any cap penalty in the first half of the season and second.

That’s because he makes a lot of his tackles from behind as they are running away from him. I hope they recruit someone to make Williams expendable, I am not a fan.