The Riders' potential free agents are receiver Jordan Sisco, offensive lineman Alex Krausnick-Groh, defensive end Odell Willis, linebackers Tyron Bracken-ridge and Shomari Williams and defensive halfback Chris McKenzie. Willis has reportedly drawn interest from NFL teams and is unlikely to sign with a CFL team. Taman said the Riders expected that Willis would file for free agency when they acquired the veteran defensive end from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers prior to the 2012 season.
"We were hoping to avoid it, but realistically we thought it may happen,'' Taman said. "We haven't even made an offer to him because we're sure he'll be looking around to see what he wants to do. The trade helped us for one year, but it didn't help us for two.''
I mean, I know he has his yes set for down south, but come on. I mean, I'm sure they have talked to him and he has basically said he wants to look, but it is surprising they haven't even made an offer.
I didn't expect this. I thought he'd bide his time looking for NFL offers.
Obviously Edmonton stepped up with a significant lift in money? I agree what a shock that the Riders could not even get a contract on the table?
I guess the way this looks now is he was never coming back? He always said he'd look south and then give the green a shot if nothing panned out. I think I'm left to assume that we offered some money but the Esks outbid us.
We keep our conditional 3rd round pick instead of W'peg getting it. We also picked up a 5th round 2013 draft choice? In earlier threads I was unsure of how many picks we have coming up. These developments might get us to 5 picks?
No consolation. This guy was good on our D. Way better than Hawk. My opinion but we now need two stellar DE's with speed.
The only hope is they offered Tyron the money? We don;t have very much room to throw money around I don;t think?
Can these teams not at least try to cover up the tampering that goes on. How do you get in touch with a guy, make an offer, have the guy think about it for a bit and then get him signed, all in a 20 minute span, if their wasn't discussions going on before the free agancy period started?
IMO he was clearly doing lip service. He always adamantly said that the club was his first look if things didnt pan out down south. The thing that makes me scratch my head most is that the Esks, I thought, were already pretty set on the DL.
I do agree that Hawkins is not the answer as a rush end, but his is top notch for containment.
Well, lets hope that Kenny Rowe can step it up big time and be an everyday,, and that Ryan Wellman can develop quickly.... Other than that ,, what are some options ?
David Veikune will get the start I would assume. I have said it a few times on here, IMO he looked the best of the DEs last season, though in limited capacity. I don’t know why he is listed as a DT, he is an End. He is big enough to line up as a DT in a pinch, but he is an end, was drafted in the 2nd round of the NFL as such. I do believe he is the answer.
Rowe will also likely step up and see more action. They have kept him around for a couple years for a reason.
The club released Chris Ellis a while back, but I believe he will be invited back to camp. Not only can he play DE, but also OLB.
Willis was struggling a bit by mid-season, but more than anything, his energy will be missed. He seemed to be the guy to light the fire for the Riders, and often the fans. As much as it sucks to see Willis go, I believe the Riders are positioned well. Veikune has been slowly groomed, seeing tastes of action slowly, learning the CFL, learning the D, melding into the thick of things.
The drafts were for 2012, with the exception of a 2013 conditional pick (5th round) that the Bombers were supposed to get, which they now do not. Pretty huge, because the Riders were light on picks this year.
Perhaps the was actually part of BT’s plan! They like him, but would rather have the draft pick…so, lets not pressure him with an offer…let him see whats out there…hmmm
As a GM:
In 2007 he brought the Bombers to the Grey Cup and lost, to the Riders. He really was the GM during the entire re-building of that team.
In 2010 he was GM for the Riders when they lost the GC
In 2011, recall that they missed the playoffs, and there was the HV Marshall issue, but that was entirely Ken Miller’s decision. Taman was very vocally not having him as his choice. He really wasn’t the real GM until Miller was gone.
I believe he narrowly missed out on a ring in 1989 when he moved over to the other Riders. He also was on the losing side in 2001 as assistant GM for the Bombers.
Turns out you have to add on, filing for free agency, and go from 20 minutes to 4 minutes. They deserve the $10,000 fine more for that display of integrity, than for the actual tampering. I’m sure half these free agent contracts were pretty much sewn up beforehand, but to put that effort into disguising it is pathetic. Wait an hour or two at least.