If Rob Bagg can stay healthy and return to that form of 2009 and 2010 before injured it will give the Riders that 2nd Quality non import starting receiver and gives Durant that 3rd receiver that he can depend on.
Bamba fell fast. from a top 15 pick before the 2012 draft and fell almost out of the draft until the Riders grabbed him up in the late rounds. Spending a whole season on the practice roster. Being a small speedy receiver he may have been a guy who could return punts possibily and as a non import that wold be big giving the Riders a chance to use one of the desiganted import spot on another position like say kicker or punter. Also he was talked as a good coverage team sp teamer with his speed he would have made a good gunner on punt coverage teams.
I do not know that this is a roster move where if no one signs him he would be able to re signed to the Riders later or he is just not what Chambalain is looking for. Maybe they feel that former 1st round pick in 2012 Jordan Sisco will find a niche with the reccieng corp. Although McHenry was a crowd favorite he is not a starting WR in the CFL.
Bamba is the kind of guy who may fit into an Arena1 roster to get some PT. receiving and working on returns and coverage teams.
With better athletes playing n the CIS and Canadian players in the states at Rec that i would think that teams may begin to looke at these non imports as return men. Quincy Hurst in Toronto a smilar player with return experience in the CIS was on and off the Argos PR but I think he is currently signed to the Argos roster.
the Younger Lumbala RB from Calgary Dino is eligible for this years draft and talking about making him a return guy is already been brought up.
Im happy Bagg will be back
McHenry is better than Sisco in my opinion.
i do not understand why Bamba was released. Im glad Bag will return, but hes let me down the past few seasons being hit by the injury bug. I guess we will see what happens. And yes i think Bamba would've been fine to stick back as a returner.
Tweet from Lee Jones on the release of Bamba; Bamba didn’t develope enough to the Riders liking, thus [Also Taman did say they worked with him for a year…]
Bagg - should be relinquished to the practice roster till needed ( I am very surprised when I read the G.M. of the Riders re-signed him ) Riders must have deep pockets , I suspect Rider management will watch this one keenly
I agree sisco was a bit of a let down but I dont think that McHenry is a starting WR either. It would be really great if Bagg can come back and stay healthy. he was off to a good start and when he went down the Rec carousel started.
As for Bamba i guess if he did not develop then it is justified. He may not have developed as a receiver but I think they should have gave him a shot at Return specialist. I think every return specialist in the CFL is an Import. There are a lot of good athletes coming out of the CIS. They may not be able to cut it as a starting WR or RB but could be great at returns. It may be time to start looking in their own backyard in the CIS for these guys. Bamba was small and quick. Another guy to look out for is Quincy Hurst in Toronto. Drafted about the same time as Bamba in the draft and did not start the season with the team but evenually was added to the practice roster. Owens broke all of his all purpose yards records last year and he is 30 and was Toront’s leading rec. It may be time for him to cut back on his returns o a full time basis. If no one should pick up Bamba he should definitely hit the Arena League for sure and get some PT as a returner and cover guy on returns. If you can be successful returner on that small field.
Sisco is better than McHenry.
Sisco needs to shake the injury bug. Back to back wrist breaks have killed his opportunies in 2011 and 2012.
Signing Sisco as backup and compliment Bagg is a serious need right now for the Riders. Rob Bagg is one knee injury away from calling it nighty night. His scenario is no different from Matty Dominguez trying to stretch every ounce out of knees that had no more juice? I hope Bagg can do it.............but the risk of not having a quality non-import backup is troublesome.
Sisco can play that position. McHenry can compliment Sisco. The two can have a great training camp battle as well, best man plays.
If you look around the league for non-import receivers.............the quality and numbers of guys is very high. I am not sure which club needs a quality non-import receiver. I am not sure Sisco will have a big market. BUT, Kent Austin knows this guy well, as does Kavis and Marcus Crandell? Not sure if those clubs will focus on non-import receivers or not?
Bamba is a goner. We can't go into camp with Bagg, Hargreaves, Soloman and McHenry. That talent pool isn;t deep enough.........especially when compared against against other teams and their receivers.
just my thoughts. Sign Sisco..............if he gets away if will be a blow.
Another problem is all GM's have to structure contracts thinking about expansion drafts possibly next year in Jan-March? Protect so many guys and those that are un-protected might be gone? Canadian talent will be pillaged next year and depth heading into 2014 will seperate some teams in the standings. Many clubs will loose talent and forced to rebuild/retool a little.
Tough gig as a GM right now.
Just curious how Austin would know Sisco well? He was drafted in 2010. Austin left the CFL after 2007. Crandell might know him a bit as he was with us for 2010, but Sisco didn’t show up till after NFL training camp.
I'm sorry...how was Bagg off to a good start last season? 9 catches in 3 games is ok. He was hesitant on almost every snap.
Don't get me wrong, he has skill, but has never pushed 1000 yards. I hope he beats the odds, but chances are he will never come back the same. I was always a big fan, but under 2000 yards in 45 games...seems like people are over-remembering what he has accomplished.
Hamilton is loaded with Non Import receiver talent if possible too much with vetrans, guys hitting there prime and young 1st or second year pros already signed for training camp. Not sure what Edmontons situation is they do have two top young Non import receviers in Coehern and Chambers but some solid depth could be needed. Sisco since NFL training camp in 2010 has had the injury bug for the last two seasons so it is really hard to judge what he can actually do or become. Coming in last year the Riders looked fairly solid with Getz and Bagg being tow of the top three receivers. Sisco healthy and in his 3rd full camp and rookie Bamba but that changed very quickly. definitely need to upgrade from McHenry as a starter. Possibily signing a Lavoi type receiving and blocking TE that is over 6 feet tall seems to be the wave of the future and the Ti Cats have yet to sign a potential player to fit that mold in Daryl Stephanson at 6’1" 230 Hec Creithon RB with skills. Just a thought
McHenry was the only receiver constantly catching passes by the end of the year...and yes, I am even lumping Dressler in there.
Oddly enough your right, Dressler dropped a key 2 Point Conversion either vs Montreal, or Toronto he was wide open
the last 6 games, not including playoffs, he probably dropped 8-10. Dressler has some of the best hands in the CFL, so that is concerning.
It is a contributing factor to why I have said the following a few times:
I don't mind signing Bagg as long as it is to a small contact. He has shown enough talent to warrant at the very least a shot at the team. I just hope he is less scared coming out this year than last year. Last year before he got injured he was playing scared and it showed..
As far as the release of Bamba it saddens me because he was the guy that drove all the way out to BC for the final game of the year.. I would have liked to at least seen them give him a chance in training camp.. but who knows what sort of personality he brought and if it didn't gel..
And as for Dresslers drops I am not concerned, he got the Getzlaf problem late in the season. He was trying to do to much! Him and Sheets became our only real threats near the end of the season so it was placed purely on them and Durant to win games of us. Dressler was focusing to much on what he was going to do after he caught the ball as opposed to what he used to do when we had other guys who would contribute and just focus on making the catch.
This is a problem Getz has had since Fantuz left, he has felt the pressure of being the #2 and constantly tries to do far to much! If he would just focus on breaking the game down one piece at a time he would do far better! Step one know your QBs drop whether it be 3 or 5 or whatever! Step two run your route. Step three watch for the ball. Step four Catch the ball. Step five try to get the first down/ extra yardage.
Getz is a step ahead of himself he seems to be thinking about what comes after the catch before he has caught the ball. He feels pressure to make plays like Fandy did.
Hamilton is loaded with non import receivers. Fantuz, did have 900 yards receiving last year in a down year, Giguere, Stala, 2012 draft Pick Charbeneau-Campeau and signed Windsor receiver Brescacin who was in camp as a free agent last year and went back to Windsor for his 5th year. They could be willing to deal Giguere who was underused with all of the receivers and is also a great Kick Off returner and can play all of the specials as needed. Strong and fast.