I like doing stuff like this, might do one tomorrow as the NHL is about to start. Couple issues I have with this. No Sholo or Newman? Sholo will likely be starting, especially since George is suspended game 1. Newman is the backup safety at this point also, and Waldo is more of back-up CB.
While I agree TB will likely be Safety, Butler did not look great at LB. What is better…a Great Safety and a weak LB, or a Solid Safety and an All-Star LB? Perhaps Butler will develop into the role, but I have seen him unable to fulfill the role thus far.
I must admit that if the Riders can start 2 NI LBs it opens a lot of options ratio wise, and also builds towards a long term goal of 2 NI LB, and a S. Someone made the comment that Chamblin’s secondary bias may be shining through here…hope it doesn’t bite back, but I think it will.
They are, IMO, carrying too many DB. I think they simply had a hard time making final decisions. Not all of these guys will be on the roster in a month. 7 DB + 3 CB seems ridiculous to me (over 20% of the roster, where most clubs carry 5 DB +3C B?). I would rather be heavy on the lines and LB where rotating is a huge perk. I know there were tough decisions to make there, but they should have cut one more and kept either Evans , an OT, NI Alexander. There are only 24 active NIs on the roster…that is a little light. considering a minimum of one must go to the PR.
Geez, the Riders should have no issue with the ratio this year. It is looking like they should have a dozen Canadians starting! Really good year having that moving into expansion draft.
Yes it does. He was able to play pre-season games, but not the first regular season game. That likely saved him a spot being able to play in the preseason, as I thought he was maybe a bubble player coming into the season, but had a solid TC and preseason.
Yes, coming in I figured him as a cut, and I believe coaching staff did to. He clearly worked hard in the off-season, and is like a whole new player! Honestly, if he had shown like this last season, McElveen likely would not have been picked up.
The Riders have went from WTF do we do about our DL, to, wow...who do we cut.
That line up was fairly right on target. The Riders are pretty loaded this season. Last year they brought in a lot of guys everywhere and spent last year sorting through everyone to land the core that they will start with this season. The one spot that they were in need was DE and they brought in a long list of potential DEs a lot of Imports and then signed Foley hoping to find two others to be able to have a three man DE rotation in which they can rotate freely with Foley being part of the three but not a part of the ratio. Then Chick came in and that all changed they will still rotate but Foley and Chick will be starting and rotating another one or two guys.
They did not bring in a ton of O lineman like last year because they have their core and are very confident that after playing for a full season together they will be fully gelled. Neufeld went down and so far Heenan is ahead of the curve. Already becoming a quality starting interior lineman last season they allowed him to focus on just RG and moved other vets around when heenanstarted. now having RG mastered and Neufeld going down on day one he has focused strictly on RT and guess what so far so good.
Taman did say they will need to find another import OT for depth. Whether a younger rookie they can placeon the practice roster or a vet NFL free agent that would be on the 46 as a scratch each week unless he needs to start.
No mistake with the kicking game this year either import or not Ricky S has a huge leg for both punting and Kick offs and in game one it showed almost 50 yard average per punt and Kick offs to the goaline. Out kicking the all in one kicker shaw easily in both punting and Kick offs. Milo can concentrate on just his place kicking which should pay off. McKnight had his chance but in the end Milo was just better and McKnight did not have a shot at the punting spot with Milo also having big leg. Field position is key in the CFL and Chamblain admitted his mistake last year to go with a one inall young kicker to save a spot and did not let that happen again