Win/win as I see it. Due to injuries, the Riders need help in the receiving corps, and also due to injuries we need help on the D line.
Both teams address their problems with this trade. From our end, we don't give up much, with our overloaded receiving corps there really wasn't a whole heck of a lot of room for Baker anyway.
Seems to me, and I do stand to be corrected, Mullinder has played more end than he has tackle; guess that means that Anwar better get used to playing inside. . .
A win-win trade with a non-division rival
Dallas Baker was the odd-man out in the Alouettes receiving corp
And Saskatchewan was in dire need of receiving help
Especially a receiver with size…and Baker definitely has that
I’d say the Alouettes can finally put McElveen back at tackle
Where he excelled last year
And rotate Stewart in at defensive end
Which will improve our d-line by 150%
Of course the Riders have had trouble bringing pressure this year too
But their greatest need has been for someone to replace the loss of Fantuz and Bagg
Baker will get the shot he deserves
This is a great move IMO
And goes a long way to bringing this team back
To what arguably is championship contending status
Very excited to see what Mullinder can bring to the Alouettes D
Quite surprised by this trade; surprised and mad if I was a Riders 'fan. Yes,they need help at WR,but Mullinder was one of their best DL; furthermore,he is a non-import. Definitely a very good move by the Als. We did not need Baker and we do need a Mullinder,who has also played as a DT. When Baggs,Hawkins,Chick were with the Riders or not injured for Hawkins,Mullinder was a DT. Unless there are/were unknown reasons,I don't understand this trade by the Riders.
Holy hell, how did we get Mullinder from the Riders for Dallas Baker? If I were Taman, I'd have pushed for Brandon London at the very least and maybe even a pick in there.
I was just mulling (no pun intended) over the possibility a few days ago of us swinging a deal with the Riders, who desperately need help at receiver. But then I didn't think we could get anyone of quality from their roster. I was wrong.
I wish Baker all the best. He's a talented player who could have a future in this league, but there was no earthly way he was going to crack our receiving corps with Watkins, Richardson, Green, Bratton, Deslauriers, and London ahead of him on the depth chart.
I understand that Taman wasn’t in a position of strength, given the Riders’ record and their receiving corps, but I am really quite surprised that he didn’t push for a more established Montreal receiver and some pick compensation for a good NI lineman like Mullinder.
Montreal is getting a great character player in this trade and in turn is good for the Riders on who they got as well.
In the article Mullinder spoke to his team before practice in prep for the game in Montreal. Rider coach says this is a good thing, but on the other hand; Could it have not sat too well for Coach Marshall? Who knows.
‘Journeyman’ Mullinder has better stats than Eric Wilson. He also has 1 sack on the year, placing him ahead of anyone on our defensive line not named John Bowman.
I think he’s a good player, not a journeyman at all, and at 30 years old, he’s still relatively young.
It’s a fair question
If the release of Kournegay didn’t sit well with Mullinder
The Riders may have been looking at something of a player-revolution
Saying that…getting rid of a leader like Mullinder might have disastrous consequences
Further damaging the confidence between players and coaches/GM
From the comments I’ve read so far on Riders’ forums
This deal doesn’t have much fan support
If Baker doesn’t bring the receiver help the Riders seem to need
This deal may be the last straw
And a death knell
For Marshall, Taman and co
Baker has talent but has proven nothing in this league. I hope, for SSK's sake, that he pans out, but if they're expecting Dallas Baker to turn that offense around, they're likely in for an unpleasant surprise.
Well, I don’t think he’ll 'drastically improve our defensive line either. But I do expect him to have a substantial impact. He’s not just a gap-control body like Wilson; the guy actually makes plays. He has one more sack and only a few less tackles than Bekasiak – is Bekasiak also a journeyman to you?
Funny thing stats
One could easily say…for instance…that a quarterback like McPherson is terrible because in the years he’s been with the Alouettes he’s thrown for less than 1000 yards…and his rushing average is pathetically low.
Anyone who knows the Alouettes will immediately inform you that McPherson has been a backup for that whole time…what action he’s seen has often been in meaningless games or “junk-time” and the majority of his rushes have been in 3rd and long situations.
My point is…how many of those 8 years has Mullinder been languishing on the bench…waiting for his chance to start?
How good has the Riders line been for that time…how many starts at tackle…etc etc.
Popp points to Mullinder’s success over the past four years…so I’m guessing that’s been his “effective production”
And the best gauge of Mullinder’s effectiveness…other than waiting and seeing what he’ll bring to the team…is how Riders fans feel about his departure.
And in this case it seems obvious…their loss is our gain
To me, he adds depth,particularly non-import, to our DL. I don't consider him a good regular starter; he will play behind Bekasiak,when he returns. In his first game of the season he had 6 defensive tackles; since then,he has had 3 and a sack.Improvement over Lucas.
I still strongly feel that our defensive line has to improve/add new players.
Agreed, but as you yourself have noted, those changes are unlikely to help us out this season. Whatever help Popp brings in from NFL camps won’t really affect us positively until next year.
