Priority #1 in the off season!!

The number one priority for the Cats this off-season is get an offence that is capable of scoring in the Red Zone, this is what killed this team in the Grey Cup and all-season long was their inability to score points in the red zone other than field goals.

Imagine what this team would be like if we were able to score TD's and finnish our drives? In the Grey Cup we went down four times and came away with three FG's and a blocked attempt, just one TD scored would have made a difference in the game.

The Cats made great strides this year in improving the defence and special teams, now if we could get the offence going this team could unstoppable and certainly have a better opportunity to win a Grey Cup. The Tiger-Cats are a young team and the youngest in the CFL on average age, we need to sign a few key players this off-season and potential free agents who can help take this team to the next level in 2015 and win games in all phases of offence, defence and special teams.

The media experts say that a teams odds increase in winning games by 75% if they score TD's on special teams and defence, this team can do that, now we need the offence to do the same!!

GO CATS GO in 2015!!!

Here here, Beef Up the O line , and get a burner WR like SJ Green that can stretch the field .....

As great it would be to get a receiver as good as SJ Green, I doubt he’s going to move out of Montreal. He’s played in Montreal for nearly a decade, I just don’t see him not staying unless the Als are too close to the cap, which, I kinda doubt.

I can sum up the #1 priority in 2 words.

Sign Banks

here here show speedy the money $$$

A reliable back up QB with CFL experience

A coach who can manage the last two minutes of the half and end of game

1A - Replace Filer at Centre. Austin will probably have to bite the bullet on this and spend some big bucks on a quality NI free agent signing.
1B - Move Simmons back to Tackle and sign/draft a quality NI RG.
1C - Make some sort of trade (possibly involving one of our young NI DT with Ellingson/Koch) for one or both of the above.

2A - Re-sign Banks, Tasker, Reed, Hickman, and Giguere. All have expressed a great desire to remain in Hamilton (if Banks does not get his second shot in the NFL).
2B - Sign/draft quality NI receiver depth. Fantuz’s body is betraying him after all the years of punishment of being a big man being punished by playing SB. At this point, our NI receiver depth is a splash-pad, when it used to be oceanic. Coates and Aprile, in their (very) limited play, have done very little offensively except for ST play. FWIR there are a few decent prospects in this year’s draft, this should be good opportunity to develop a very good NI receiver.
2C - I firmly believe the team needs a powerful north-south RB - someone on who you can depend to get the short yardage, the hard yardage, the grinding yardage, the yardage that wears down a defence in the 4th quarter, the type of RB that opens things up for a Grigsby, Madu, or Gable to bounce a run outside and take it to the house.

3A - Sign/draft a DHB to push or replace Brandon Stewart. I like the guy, but he kept getting beat like a government mule (usually by the best SBs in the league, mind you) but he also took far too many bad penalties. I’m not talking about TD-saving DPI in the end-zone (anything can happen with a goal line stand) but the UR and OC penalties that he has selfishly taken as well.
3B - This may cost a bit, but re-sign Breaux. Just joking, I wish him all the best for a long NFL career, but “losing” him will leave a big hole in our secondary to fill. This is something Scouting has to earn their paycheques for, as I don’t think there is a FA CB out there with his coverage abilities.

4A - I think the Great Masoli Experiment may be over. With McGee and LeFevour entering free agency, some decisions need to be made regarding backup quarterbacks. I don’t even know where to begin with this, as I haven’t seen McGee or Harris throw a ball in practice, let alone a game.

on the oline filer and oneil were the weak links on the line as for trading ellingson is he not a free agent already

Resign Dan Lefebvre
We have in house replacements for Speedy Banks. Like him but it won't cripple the team if he does not come back.
Would like a Canadian FB that can contribute a bit on offence.
Gable should be our answer at RB. Guy is a beast!

  1. re-sign Banks

  2. re-sign LeFevour (IMO, this will be impossible because I believe the Lions will sign him to make him their new starter)

  3. sign S.J. Green to improve our red-zone TD production

  4. draft the best possible O-Lineman and fullback with our first and second picks in the draft

  5. bring in more DB's to fight it out for Breaux's spot (although I already think Emmanuel Davis is good enough to start there next year)

To improve RED ZONE performance we don’t need better players, we need better plays sent in. Why use another set of plays anyway, the big book o plays got the team to the red zone why mess around with something new??

Unfortunately, I don’t agree with you re: players. How many times has a bad snap taken us OUT of the scoring zone, or the interior line parting like the Red Sea for a big sack/tackle for loss, blocked kick, etc. We need better personnel on the O-line - Dyakowski at left guard being back and Simmons moving back to his natural position at tackle is the immediate help. O’Neill needs to find greener pastures. Filer never worked out at Centre, and I wonder if he would be better at Guard where he does not need to snap the football and can concentrate on punishing defensive linemen. If not, he can go as well, and that would mean we need two QUALITY STARTING Non-Import O-Linemen via Free Agency or the draft.

I DO agree with you about not signing a guy like SJ Green, the guy has reached the highest he will ever get, and you can never predict the length of his remaining career. Do we want instant gratification, or prolonged excellence? Do we want to be like SK in 2013 and BUY a GC only to crap out last year, or be more like EDM and win 5 in a row?

  1. Agree,resigning Banks is a must,but if Speedy does get a shot at the NFL at least we are covered with Sinkfield and McDuffie around for next year.

2)Agree on both fronts,would love to have LeFevour back…but depending on his rehab I think he will sign on with another team where he will get a legitimate chance at the starters job. I believe as well that you could see him on the coast with the Lions or perhaps Montreal if he chooses to stay in the East.

3)Agree,would love to see S.J. in Black “n” Gold but I have a feeling that it’s not going to happen. I’m thinking that the Al’s probably resign him as losing both Carter and Green would cripple their offense next season.

4)Agree,hopefully Dyakowski moves back to his starting guard spot and Simmons moves back to Tackle. The jury is still out on Filer as the starting center and O’Neill who turns 36 next year is a FA and should be replaced and I have my doubts if the team will want him back or will attempt to resign him.If they do resign him,my guess is that it won’t be as as starter,but as a rotational backup at guard and center. As for the Fullback position,C.O. Prime I thought for his 1rst year at the position didn’t do a bad job but there’s lots of improvement still to be had.It’s interesting that the team carried two fullbacks on the roster earlier on in the season with Mike Dell being the other,but went with only one fb halfway through the season when injuries forced some roster shuffling.

5)Agree but I’m not too sure about Davis and where he stands with Austin and Steinauer as he was a frequent healthy scratch much of the second half of the season. I was though totally impressed with Gainey and his versatility last year as a DI and would love to see him get a shot at being a regular starter next season.