So you’re “OK” with unproven Haidara (who has a career total of 7 receptions for 77 yards) and Woodson (whose natural position is RB with a career total of 9 receptions for 57 yards) backing up an injury-susceptible Andy Fantuz who had 62 receptions last season.
I realize that Fantuz isn’t the player he once was and has been surpassed by Tasker as Collaros’ go-to possession guy IMO, but you must have a low opinion of Fantuz’s contributions if you are “OK” replacing him with Haidara/Woodson (career totals 16 receptions, 134 yards)!
Concerning Spencer Watt, I think the odds are against him returning to his full potential after an Achilles tear. That is in addition to a seemingly chronic knee problem that kept him out of action with the Argos intermittently over the past couple of seasons.
Yes, the team can have too many national linebackers if, as in this case, the Austin/Tillman man-crush for national linebackers leaves the team lacking in the area of national offensive lineman and national receivers!
How many LB's do you really need considering the National receiver group has no one other than Fantuz to get the job done. Can someone answer me why Austin drafted Byron Archambault when Lemar Durant was available? If Fantuz goes down, and I expect he will because of his age and injury history there is no proven replacement. The Junior Haidara trade was a stupid trade considering the person named on the neg list is Grover Covingtons son.
Every team passed on Durant,
I have no probs with Archie @ #17, the guy is a total beast, bench pressed 250lbs /41 reps at the combine(1st)
and then was first in the shuttle at the combine, outstanding specimen(reminds me of me!)
The neglist player for SJ Haidara was DT Andre Monroe of Maryland. It was the 5th round pick we gave up that BC took Covington with
No guarantees that 4 LBs will be around in 3 weeks time, after camp. Probably 2 make it, one on special teams and one back up. That was probably Austins thinking, he can use National LBs on special teams and as backups, you can only use “O” linemen up front blocking, they can’t run down field and make tackles.
Agreed that going from Fantuz to either Woodson or Haikara is a serious downgrade, looked at in isolation. But going from Tasker, Fantuz, Banks, Grant, Sinkfield (say) to Tasker, Banks, Grant, Sinkfield, Woodson/Haikara would only result in a slight drop in level across four of the five receivers. The backup coming into the game wouldn’t necessarily come in at the same slot as the player he’s replacing, so you can’t look at those two players in isolation.
We will probably be starting eight (at least) nationals, which means that if Fantuz gets injured during a game, we could end up replacing him with any of our receivers, not necessarily one of the national backups.
We have enough national depth elsewhere, especially at DL and LB, that we could start another national player somewhere else and go with five international receivers the following game if we absolutely had to.
That is definitely a concern. We’ve seen a lot of great players suffer injuries and never make it back over the years. And Achilles injuries are quite possibly the worst for that. But until we know for sure, I’m still hopeful.
We currently have seven national offensive linemen on the roster, none of whom are raw rookies. Some better than others, of course, but still seven experienced players. To cover three spots. How many more do you think we need?
And we have five experienced national receivers (including Woodson, and excluding Watt) to cover one spot. Yes, only one is of starter quality and there appears to be a significant drop-off between the #1 and the #2 player there - at least until we can see how Woodson and Haikara do on the field. But as we don’t actually need to start a national at this spot, is that really that critical?
What I'm impressed with is how Team Austin drafted, it would seem, for the new rules and the very good possibility that at least a couple of draftees from recent previous years will head for the hills or their home province as F.A.s next February. They studied the success rate of previous CFL draftees and were convinced that the draft wasn't the way to fill their most urgent needs. Getting Haidara and Bomben first, allowed them to draft as they did. I do believe though, reading between the lines of comments made by Austin, that they definitely wanted Archambault more than Durant (@ #17) and thought, that there was a decent chance that Calgary would not take Durant (@ #18 or #19). I think they would have taken him @ #20 if he was still available.
That seems to confirm my comment that you have a rather “low opinion” of Fantuz’s contributions. Replace him with Woodson or Haidara and the result is a “slight drop” (your words) in receiving corps capability.
I think that strategy works if the eighth national starter is not a huge drop-off talent-wise compared to the international who could be starting in that position.
Hence there will be a drop-off in talent level at some other position in place of receiver. It’s not only the quantity of national depth, it’s the quality that matters.
But “being hopeful” is not a valid personnel strategy. With an injury like a torn Achilles, I think history demonstrates that a receiver will most likely never play again at the same level, if at all. You plan your personnel moves at receiver around the worst case scenario (ie: Watt will not be available) and if he should return at full speed, everybody wins.
Until the centre position is upgraded and solid, we don’t have enough IMO.
Before seymore hijacks yet another perfectly good thread, the easiest thing for KA to do is start 8 Nats (3 OL, 1 REC, 2 DL, 2 DB) and simply NOT designate Andy as one of the 7 National Starters. That way, IF he gets injured, a receiver of ANY nationality can sub in for him. Imagine, say, Tiquan Underwood COMING OFF THE BENCH to play SB in relief of Andy. Would that be a drop-off in abilities? I would think: not too much...
Still wonder why the Cats didn't draft a DB, given they are starting Butler and Stephen. Anyone know why no one took Kahlen Branning? Forde said he has potential at CB and kick coverage and had him ranked as 3rd on his DB list (ahead of a bunch of players who were taken). Decent size 6'1" 185 and combine results (4.53 in the 40, 21 in the bench press, third overall in vertical jump, everything else OK).
Perhaps because the people who make the draft selections are long-tome football personnel professionals who earn their living by judging and evaluating talent and building football teams. Duane Forde isn’t.
Eric Fraser was released by the redblacks, 28yr old NAT DB, 6’1" played 4 yrs for Hufnagal in CGY, good on special teams,
can play REC in a pinch, versatile.
NAT WR Akeem Foster, 28 yr old, 6’5" just got released from EDM also.
I would like to see these guys come to camp. NAT DB and REC are positions we could use some depth and experience.
Could come cheap and they have the right passport
Duane Forde is one of the most knowledgable draft analysts out there. He is probably better at evaluating talent than some people who work for some CFL teams. If you don’t think Forde knows what he’s talking about, you are being foolish.
Forde is paid to give his opinion of CIS players on TSN. He is NOT paid to evaluate talent by specific teams for their own specific future needs. That's the difference between him and a team's General Manager, Head Coach, and Chief Scout. THEY are the ones making the decisions, not Forde.
IMHO, the question I have is, Why wouldn’t the Cats take the #1 ranked DB TEVAUGHN CAMPBELL?
He was still available at #20 along with RB SHAQUILLE MURRAY-LAWRENCE and OL JAMES BODANIS.
Instead they chose steroid user 5’9" LB JONATHAN LANGA .
I thought they had a good draft except for that #20 pick, It was a real head scratcher for me.
But he’s a CIS DB, and I don’t think there are any starting CIS DBs in the CFL? He may have impressive stats but so do NCAA and ex-NFL DBs and they have the experience to cover ex-NFL or NCAA calibre receivers or running backs.
A CIS DB has never covered an ex-NFL or NCAA player, they don’t have the resume. He could be groomed as a safety but they are set at safety. Why waste a pick on a player that most likely won’t make the team.
What is needed is national “O” linemen, national receivers, maybe a national RB that is big enough to become a FB/blocking back and national backup linebackers that can double as special teams player.
