Do I need to state the obvious?
no we don't go and re-sign him.
I was surprised that the riders bothered to release comments about his release. With Chamblin having coached Baggs last year, it doesn;t seem as though we would be too high on his list of places to go anyway... given the comments about him being unhappy with how he was used and/or playing time.
If he was making the plays, then Hamilton would have stepped up with the money.
He is a solid player and good in the community, but his one allstar season was when teams left him alone to concentrate on the other DE
very odd that we have publicly stated we are not interested... that position was one of many weaknesses last year, and it was a glaring one.
maybe because they've found people who are younger, less expensive and probably better?
Why is it that we always justify now going after a former star player by saying he's washed up or we have younger and cheaper players to do the job. We haven't had a pass rush since Chick and Baggs left. Its been pathetic. I don't see why the Riders wouldn't go after Baggs, at least to see him in training camp. You can always cut him or trade him if you do find some diamond in the rough during training camp. However, I don't think it will be someone we saw in the revolving door of DE last year.
the only reason why Baggs even had a good year was because of Chick… it was too bad that he was too stupid to realize that… he has done virtually nothing since then…
Agreed. Pass rush has been absolutely pathetic for two whole years. There is no excuse for that. An opportunity falls into your lap to significantly improve your weakest spot on the depth chart and you’re not interested? This is precisely why I’ve been saying for two years that the Riders will lose a lot of games.
His 2010 stat line of 5 sacks and 4 turnovers in a half a season says otherwise.
And 5 sacks and 0 t.o. In 2011 means he has averaged under 1/2 a sack per game since he signed with the Cats. Not a bad number…not a great number as one of the highest paid defensive players in the CFL.
there is no denying Baggs is a solid player, but he was not earning his paycheque in Hamilton. He will sign with the Als, perhap BC, but I say Als. His woes may have been from how he was used, but thats sports…doesnt matter how good you might be if you are not the right fit for a club. Baggs excelled in 2009 when teams doubled up on Chick almost every down.
Ps… Tearrius George had 5 sacks in 2011… Baggs numbers…should the Riders renegotiate a 150+k and 50k signing bonus with him?
Most CFLers, especially defensively, come in as unknowns…Baggs and Chick included…if the Riders feel even 50% confident…heck 20%…should the cut said player in favor of aging Baggs who is coming off a disapointing season, who was embarrassed in an Argo game, who would come at a premium, and who was very vocal that he should have been MOP over teammate Chick?
I like Baggs, and would love to see him back, especially because of who he is away from the game, but I can understand hesitation…plus, if there is some interest the club took away some negotiation power via thier comments
Also...did Chamblin not sit him last year due to his innefctivity?
Je crois que Baggs était un joueur fait pour travailler dans un système défensif comme celui d'Etcheverry. Un système en apparence plus anarchique, mais qui avantageait la poursuite du quart. Est-ce que Baggs a bénéficié de la présence de Chick, ou l'inverse, ça demeurera toujours une question sans réponse. Mais il est clair que Baggs était très à l'aise dans ce type de système et le fait de se retrouver à Hamilton avec un système plus conventionnel ne lui permettait pas d'exploser comme il l'a fait à Regina.
Je le vois moins dans le système défensif actuel des Roughriders, qui est devenu lui aussi plus conventionnel.
Anwar Stewart a affirmé qu'il discutait avec les Alouettes, mais je ne crois pas que Baggs viendra à Montréal. La philosophie de Marc Trestman ne convient pas aux joueurs qui ont de gros egos (Dwight Anderson est un exemple de ceci), et sans placer cette caractéristique de Baggs comme un défaut, il demeure que si on lui demande de demeurer plus modeste, ça risque de lui nuire plus que de l'aider. Certains joueurs ont besoin des projecteurs pour performer, et je crois que Baggs est un de ceux-là. Et le système défensif des Alouettes (quoique nous ne savons pas encore ce qu'il sera avec Reinebold) est plus conventionnel que le système d'Etcheverry.
Disons que pour le prix que Baggs demanderait, les Roughriders pourraient se trouver deux bons jeunes prospects, avec qui le pire casse-tête serait de faire une place aux deux dans l'alignement, pas de savoir s'il leur resterait assez de marge de manoeuvre sous le plafond salarial.
Even if the Riders were interested in Baggs, is he at all interested in coming back? When he returned from trying out in the NFL, he didn't seem to want to re-join the Riders. Regardless, the Riders appear to have decided to avoid signing aging, high-priced veterans. You gotta respect that. They're sticking to it. Let's just hope it works out.
LeStaf, thanks for the link to the translator. Not sure why I didn't think of it earlier, I have one on my iPad. I agree with most of what you said. Baggs doesn't play as well in a conventional defense and at his age, I'm not sure he is worth what he was paid last year. Also, rumors here was that he did not fit I with the other players in the locker room. Fans loved him and he was active in the community. I don't see him landing here but I did like him when he was here.
yeah, I don't think it was too hidden that he ruffled the locker room when he was a Rider, especially when Chick got the MOP nod over him.
Yea, they were so ruffled after the nominations that they whooped the Stamps in a first place showdown, punched them in the mouth again in the West Final and lost the GC by basically the slimmest margin ever. The defense was fantastic throughout. Totally ruffled. 8)
Awkwardness in the locker room does not automatically translate to bad play. You got a gut mouthing off that he was the mvp, not who the club nominated and you suggest that it might sit well with the rest of the team?