Trade with the Riders

[Senior_Ah_Me]

@"RichardVeilleux"

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.

Richard

Agreed

My expectation is that Popp and our scouts are scouring the states for a rush-end
To fill that one essential need on our defensive squad
I have to think there’s someone out there that can bring some QB pressure
And make the Alouettes once again a force to be feared in this league

It is a crucial missing ingredient on our defensive squad
And I’ve no doubt will be the difference between being “middle of the pack”
And actually being serious contenders for that 3-peat we all want

I doubt Jim Popp needs to be told this by the likes of me
I’d just like to add my voice to those who hope he can pull it off

@"disciplineandpunish"

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.

I see no logical reason to assume that a rush-end can’t simply be plugged into the defense to help us immediately
Unless someone can provide one
I’ll continue to hope

Go Als Go!!!

[disciplineandpunish]

It's not that a rush end can't help us now, but that Popp's midseason additions usually don't pay off for us until the following season at the earliest. I too will continue to hope that Jim can find a stud d-lineman to augment our pass rush and take some pressure off our secondary.

[RichardVeilleux]

Correction. 6 defensive tackles and 2-not 3- + 1 sack since then or in last 5 games.

When I write addition or improvement to our DL,it is not with NFL cuts,but within -Hopkins or player on other teams practice rosters or trade,or Klecko.-- I don't expect than we will be helped by some NFL cuts,not this season.

Richard

[idealsheldon]

From Herb last week:

"Als go scouting: With NFL training camps now in full swing, the Als are headed south in the hopes of finding that diamond in the rough.

General manager Jim Popp will attend Tennessee, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Miami, Carolina and Cincinnati. His assistant, Marcel Desjardins, has drawn Minnesota, Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Oakland.

Former offensive-lineman Uzooma Okeke, who now scouts for the team, is off to Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Kansas City. Mike McCarthy, another scout, gets to Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago and Green Bay.

Finally, Jeremy Snyder, an American-based scout, will watch Philadelphia, Washington, New England, Baltimore and the two New York-based teams, the Giants and Jets."

This is some serious scouting! Another reason we should be thankful for an owner like Wetenhall.

Assuming one of the above gentlemen can find that stud DT and/or DE, there is no reason he couldn`t be plugged in this year. There will certainly be more of a sense of urgency with Winn. and Ham. having closed the gap.

[MadJack]

Be nice if they found a kick returner as well. . .

[disciplineandpunish]

@"RichardVeilleux"

Correction. 6 defensive tackles and 2-not 3- + 1 sack since then or in last 5 games.

When I write addition or improvement to our DL,it is not with NFL cuts,but within -Hopkins or player on other teams practice rosters or trade,or Klecko.-- I don’t expect than we will be helped by some NFL cuts,not this season.

Richard

If Popp had interest in Klecko, wouldn’t he already have moved on him?

Somehow, I have an uneasy feeling that Popp doesn’t see a lot wrong with our D-line, which he only moved to improve after Bekasiak got injured. But our line wasn’t in great shape even when JP was healthy.

[Senior_Ah_Me]

@"RichardVeilleux"

Correction. 6 defensive tackles and 2-not 3- + 1 sack since then or in last 5 games.

When I write addition or improvement to our DL,it is not with NFL cuts,but within -Hopkins or player on other teams practice rosters or trade,or Klecko.-- I don’t expect than we will be helped by some NFL cuts,not this season.

Richard

With all due respect
I simply don’t accept:
“Because it hasn’t happened before”
As any kind of reasoned argument
For why the Alouettes won’t help themselves with NFL cuts…as you say

I might deduce an explanation or two myself
Like, “Any addition of NFL talent may smack of desperation…sending the wrong message to the team…and to the opposition”
Or, “In the past we’ve found NFL players…but had no pressing need at any position mid-season that would force us to insert them”

But the first is a circular argument, inasmuch as a continued losing streak is likely to cause more psychological damage than the addition of any new players
And the second simply doesn’t apply…we have a pressing need for help on the d-line…without which this season may well be a failure. At this point I might point out that so far we’ve played last, or near-last teams and things are arguably about to get much more challenging.

I’d be interested in other theories as to why the Alouettes can’t, won’t or shouldn’t add an import defensive lineman (and perhaps a kick returner). But so far no one has offered the slightest justification for this opinion.

I might accept d&p’s explanation that Popp has pulled a sack over his head
But we don’t have one to spare

:wink:

[disciplineandpunish]

They're way too stuck on using a bunch of imports at receiver, which is hamstringing their ability to add quality import depth along the defensive line. Is there a reason for us to dress Richardson, Watkins, Green, Bratton, London, and Maypray in a single game, when we use four-receiver (with Carter at fullback) and tight-end sets (with Bomben) with some regularity and thus don't even always put all those players on the field at the same time? Bratton could return kicks, which would allow us to delete Maypray and add an import lineman. Honestly, I think Trestman is just plain wrong in his ratio philosophy at the moment. It's too skewed toward our offense.

[Senior_Ah_Me]

@"disciplineandpunish"

They’re way too stuck on using a bunch of imports at receiver, which is hamstringing their ability to add quality import depth along the defensive line. Is there a reason for us to dress Richardson, Watkins, Green, Bratton, London, and Maypray in a single game, when we use four-receiver (with Carter at fullback) and tight-end sets (with Bomben) with some regularity and thus don’t even always put all those players on the field at the same time? Bratton could return kicks, which would allow us to delete Maypray and add an import lineman. Honestly, I think Trestman is just plain wrong in his ratio philosophy at the moment. It’s too skewed toward our offense.

That’s probably true

But I hope it’s no discouragement for Popp and our scouts to go out and acquire the talent we need
After all…if we find a good young defensive end and want to put him of the IR or whatever
Until it becomes clear that the addition of Mullinder is/isn’t the d-line solution
We can always sit Maypray or another receiver to bring in that d-line help

There’s always the salary cap issue
But I’m guessing there’s an NFL cut or two that wouldn’t mind making his mark in the CFL
And would be willing to do so for a reasonable price

[disciplineandpunish]

@"Senior Ah Me"

But I hope it’s no discouragement for Popp and our scouts to go out and acquire the talent we need
After all…if we find a good young defensive end and want to put him of the IR or whatever
Until it becomes clear that the addition of Mullinder is/isn’t the d-line solution
We can always sit Maypray or another receiver to bring in that d-line help

There’s always the salary cap issue
But I’m guessing there’s an NFL cut or two that wouldn’t mind making his mark in the CFL
And would be willing to do so for a reasonable price

I hope it doesn’t stop Jim either, but my feeling is that he is going to prioritize according to what his head coach wants. If Trestman doesn’t need/want import linemen, then IMO Popp is less likely to go out of his way to land a stud defensive end. Just my impression, though. I will be very happy if I’m proven wrong.

[HfxTC]

This is a good trade, it won't hurt either team but could help them out.

[Senior_Ah_Me]

@"disciplineandpunish"

I hope it doesn’t stop Jim either, but my feeling is that he is going to prioritize according to what his head coach wants. If Trestman doesn’t need/want import linemen, then IMO Popp is less likely to go out of his way to land a stud defensive end. Just my impression, though. I will be very happy if I’m proven wrong.

So what are the Alouettes’ priorities…if not on the d-line?

[disciplineandpunish]

@"Senior Ah Me"

@"disciplineandpunish"

I hope it doesn’t stop Jim either, but my feeling is that he is going to prioritize according to what his head coach wants. If Trestman doesn’t need/want import linemen, then IMO Popp is less likely to go out of his way to land a stud defensive end. Just my impression, though. I will be very happy if I’m proven wrong.

So what are the Alouettes’ priorities…if not on the d-line?

Secondary help, maybe? Kick returner, certainly. But judging by the fact that Maypray continues to play, I’m getting a bad feeling that maybe the coaches don’t think we have any positions that need to be addressed.

[234ever]

Sorry. offtopic here. Just wondering if anyone in this group was attending the alouettes golf tournament september 12th so I can say hello to.

[LeStaf]

Si nous avons tous vu que le maillon faible de l'équipe est la ligne défensive, je crois que Popp l'a vu aussi. Et il va donc chercher à amener du renfort. Par contre, je ne crois pas que Trestman ait le dernier mot sur qui Popp amènera dans l'équipe ou pas. À mon avis, l'équipe couve de jeunes canadiens pour épauler la ligne défensive (Sagesse, Ihekwoaba, et d'autres repêchés mais qui ne sont pas encore avec l'équipe) mais cherche aussi des renforts plus immédiats. C'est Popp et ses dépisteurs qui décideront ultimement à qui ils feront des offres et qui ils laisseront. Trestman peut bien passer une commande en disant qu'il veut un américain à telle ou telle position, mais si le meilleur choix disponible pour cette position est un canadien, Popp ne choisira pas l'américain juste pour plaire à Trestman.

Pour revenir à Mullinder, sans être le gars pour faire le gros jeu, c'est un type qui commet peu d'erreurs. De ce point de vue, il pourra contribuer à la défensive sans vraiment nous affaiblir.

[idealsheldon]

“Anybody who watches us the last couple of weeks, we haven’t gotten to the quarterback enough and haven’t had many hits,? head coach Marc Trestman admitted. “We’ve gotten close and forced poor throws, which is just as important. We’ve got to find other ways to get hits on the quarterback. That has a residual effect throughout the game.

“There’s no denying that. We’ve got to get it done and will continue to try and get better.?

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/a ... z1UXxHRujJ

Well at least the coach admits there is a problem. Now will he sacrifice a Maypray or a London to help solve it? But I guess this is still a moot point until Popp & Co. can come up with a quality DT and/or DE.

Daunte Akra who left the practice squad a couple of weeks ago to go to Detroit has been cut by the Lions. But he was a longer term project at best.

[jkm]

I would sacrifice maypray in a heartbeat, but not London. He has done some good things for us, hauling down passes in traffic and a few YAC. I like his moxy. My feeling about maypray is that he is not right as a PR/KO return specialist. Lest we forget Avon started off as a DH until they found his true vocation. So, it's either insert Maypray into the O scheme of things, or trade him for someone else. Trouble is, we still need a returner. I believe we have guys on the roster who can get the job done.

[HfxTC]

London has a ton of potential and he's young enough that he has plenty of time to master the Canadian game.

[idealsheldon]

What I meant by sacrificing Maypray or London was as others have mentioned, their import position in order to add a d-lineman.

London is definitely a keeper. Maypray is workmanlike, doesn`t fumble and is a popular teammate. He is just not an instinctive returner. Kind of like the blind date equivalent of great personality, just not very hot.

[disciplineandpunish]

He doesn't fumble because half the time he misjudges the ball while it's in the air and has to backpeddle as the ball sails over his head. Guy can't even field the ball cleanly on the run. He's not getting the job done. Yes, the blocking is poor, but we need more from the KR position. At this point, I can't see how Bratton, Ferri, or even Slaughter would be a step down from Maypray.