PLAYER UPGRADES

now that the coaching staff is in place where and who do we make upgrades with ?
I like strong O and D lines as if their on top of their game the rest will fall into place.
#1 priority is to resign Freeman
#2 try to sign Justin Hickman via free agency
#3 improve on our O line
#4 if theirs money left for Fantuz and he wants to be here sign him but lets not break the bank for him.

:rockin: protect your QB at all costs and put the fear of god in theirs :twisted:

1 - Freeman will likely be gone for at minimum an NFL tryout. If he is not signed by FA season go after Pottinger.

2 - Hickman would be a nice pickup, but I do believe they have the guys there already (Veikune and Rowe). Yes, he would be a nice pickup, but it would not top my list.

3 - The Riders have already brought in some GREAT prospect over the past 16 or so months. Laying in wait are Hutchins, Best, and Dan Clark, plus there is high probability they will be drafting Heenan. The future is there…leave it alone.

4 - Andy, again, will likely be at least trying out down south. It would be great to see him back, but don’t hold your breath.

To me Tristan Jackson is the biggest priority for re-signing, because he was solid in the secondary, and is probably actually re-signable prior to free agency.

My second concern is signing an OLB if Freeman looks like he is gone, which I would say will likely happen.

My third thing is going after Bryce McCall as my second draft pick, or maybe going after Ryan Phillips from the free agency pool. I also really hope Eddie Russ is given a bigger role. I feel he is probably the DB they are looking for!

My next concern is the RB. Firstly, they Riders have a lot of free agency from the backfield. Need to get a guy or 2 signed. I am also looking at FAs like Calvin Mcarty and Jamall Lee.

Those are my big concerns if I were Tanam. Beyond that I am looking at Robb Bagg and evaluating if he is likely coming back. Between Bagg, Fantuz and Clermont a loss of 3 Canadian WR is a big hit. Perhaps Sisco can play…we’ll see I guess. The once high flying canadian air force could be mostly import players in 2012…a big reason to go after a guy like Jamall Lee at RB.

Sisco is a bum. the guy doesn't have it mentally.

I think we'll be just fine.

I agree with the wanting of Jamal Lee, (preferd to McCarty) I also think that '38 Special' should re re-signed. I thought he showed great improvement last year (throughout the year in the secondary)
Yes if we loose all 3 of those WR's it would be a BIG hit on our canadian WR corps, but honestly I dont expect Bagg to be anywhere else but in green and white. ( but i've been wrong before )
I would like the draft to be more defensive minded with a few WR's thrown in there but seriously I think LB is a spot we will need to fill.

[url=http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/football/edmonton-eskimos/coach+likes+what+seen+Riders/5994265/story.html]http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/f ... story.html[/url]

A write-up on Coach Chamblin; feels the Riders need a backup QB nearly as good as Durrant to be successful in 2012. Perhaps Brink or Elliot could fill that void over what they already have?

well, this would seem to indicate Dinwiddie is going to be done. it is a crying shame the club did not take a look at the #3 QB late in the 2011 season. Personally I would role with Bergquist and another rookie. Bergquist should be developed...make him #2 and commit or cut him. I see no point in bringing in a backup with little to no experience when you already have that. I see no point in bringing in an experienced guy for a year or 2 just in case DD goes down...if you are going to do that you will never develop another QB........look at development, not potential replacements....This is something Montreal has done well.

It seems to me, developing quarterbacks is something that the Riders have done a little too well…ie Henry Burris, Kevin Glenn, Drew Tate, Steven Jyles, Graham Harrel, Dalton Bell…all quality quarterbacks, most left because they weren’t given a fair shot.

Plenty of options Durant is pushing 30 so it’d be nice to have a younger guy to groom But bergquist is already 27, maybe draft a Qb and develop him?

I do agree that there have been some good QBs leave the Riders, but…
Burris - was given a shot, they just did not come to terms when the contract was up
Tate - They had Tate and DD…tough call…Both were green, couldn’t keep both
Jyles - In fairness, he started with the Esks, and has not 100% proven himself, though he looks like he might turn into a solid QB
Glenn - I will give you that.Why Greene was the choice i don’t know. I felt in the same era that Butler would have been an even better choice.
Harrel - expected to show up and be the starter in his second year while DD was just emerging…come on…really? Have fun with that clip board bud, and he has done nothing.
Bell - has done nothing so…

Freeman is now gone…time to look for a replacement…