2025-2026 Offseason thread

[dealerd]

https://x.com/dionjerz88/status/2026...826661240?s=46
this is great news , Esks get 2 extra second round picks in upcoming CFL draft for playing extra Canadians

[Esks4ever]

https://x.com/dionjerz88/status/2026...826661240?s=46
this is great news , Esks get 2 extra second round picks in upcoming CFL draft for playing extra Canadians

noice!

[bone]

https://x.com/dionjerz88/status/2026...826661240?s=46
this is great news , Esks get 2 extra second round picks in upcoming CFL draft for playing extra Canadians

I'm reading it as just one. One for Edmonton and one for Winnipeg, but regardless, good stuff.

Assumed all along when Hervey and Killam were starting so many Nationals (as many as 11 if I remember correctly) they were targetting this in what was a year for them to test a lot of players. This is one of those rewards that make it easier to keep getting the reward as it increases your odds of getting quality Nationals.

[Hammer24]

https://x.com/dionjerz88/status/2026...826661240?s=46
this is great news , Esks get 2 extra second round picks in upcoming CFL draft for playing extra Canadians

They only get 1 extra 2nd round pick, not 2..

[Hammer24]

Assumed all along when Hervey and Killam were starting so many Nationals (as many as 11 if I remember correctly) they were targetting this in what was a year for them to test a lot of players. This is one of those rewards that make it easier to keep getting the reward as it increases your odds of getting quality Nationals.

I don't buy that they'd be setting up their roster to possibly gain an extra pick. Only reason to start more than the minimum is because they are your best options which may say more about lack of American talent than depth of National talent. If those extra NATs aren't starting because they are the best option then you're weakening your roster to chase a chance at the 19th or 20th best draft prospect. The starting spots should be doled out with only one objective; putting the team in the best position to win that game. Winning games is what GMs and HCs are measured by and what keeps them employed, not maneuvering to gain a bonus pick.

As many like to opine the draft is a crap shoot and the farther down you go the greater the crap shoot becomes. And of course no matter how many you start you can't control the offensive and defensive reps the other 8 teams are doling out to their NATs. In the first year of teams getting the bonus picks for NAT reps BC took Tiede. He lasted 1 year and is now with Toronto. Winnipeg followed up taking Kyle Samson. He's already on his 3rd team. Last year Winnipeg took Elgersma who is still pursuing the NFL dream. BC had the other pick but swapped it to Toronto to move up 3 spots to take Jackson Findlay. Argos took Paris Shand who recently signed after an NFL stint.

[bone]

I don't buy that they'd be setting up their roster to possibly gain an extra pick. Only reason to start more than the minimum is because they are your best options which may say more about lack of American talent than depth of National talent. If those extra NATs aren't starting because they are the best option then you're weakening your roster to chase a chance at the 19th or 20th best draft prospect. The starting spots should be doled out with only one objective; putting the team in the best position to win that game. Winning games is what GMs and HCs are measured by and what keeps them employed, not maneuvering to gain a bonus pick.

As many like to opine the draft is a crap shoot and the farther down you go the greater the crap shoot becomes. And of course no matter how many you start you can't control the offensive and defensive reps the other 8 teams are doling out to their NATs. In the first year of teams getting the bonus picks for NAT reps BC took Tiede. He lasted 1 year and is now with Toronto. Winnipeg followed up taking Kyle Samson. He's already on his 3rd team. Last year Winnipeg took Elgersma who is still pursuing the NFL dream. BC had the other pick but swapped it to Toronto to move up 3 spots to take Jackson Findlay. Argos took Paris Shand who recently signed after an NFL stint.

Maybe I could have phrased it differently, but what I meant is that to me it appeared the year was a establishing strong Canadian depth and as such they sought it out and played it as much as possible to find the real keepers while also knowing this was an added benefit in addition to making roster adjustments mid-season easier with a surplus of National players that were starting.

I wouldn't put much stock in which specific players were picked with these picks but rather the fact the teams have an extra pick to work with making it more likely to get a starter or starters out of a draft.

[Looner]

I don't buy that they'd be setting up their roster to possibly gain an extra pick. Only reason to start more than the minimum is because they are your best options which may say more about lack of American talent than depth of National talent. If those extra NATs aren't starting because they are the best option then you're weakening your roster to chase a chance at the 19th or 20th best draft prospect. The starting spots should be doled out with only one objective; putting the team in the best position to win that game. Winning games is what GMs and HCs are measured by and what keeps them employed, not maneuvering to gain a bonus pick.

As many like to opine the draft is a crap shoot and the farther down you go the greater the crap shoot becomes. And of course no matter how many you start you can't control the offensive and defensive reps the other 8 teams are doling out to their NATs. In the first year of teams getting the bonus picks for NAT reps BC took Tiede. He lasted 1 year and is now with Toronto. Winnipeg followed up taking Kyle Samson. He's already on his 3rd team. Last year Winnipeg took Elgersma who is still pursuing the NFL dream. BC had the other pick but swapped it to Toronto to move up 3 spots to take Jackson Findlay. Argos took Paris Shand who recently signed after an NFL stint.

They may not have purposely taken that approach but by signing a bunch of starting Canadians (Smith, KJG, Beard, Kongbo, Ford and Metchie) they put themselves in a position to gain the extra pick, which could be used to draft a player that may have NFL aspirations or used to move up the board. If they had stuck with what they had going into the 2025 season, they wouldn't have had enough quality starters to gain the extra pick.

[Hammer24]

They may not have purposely taken that approach but by signing a bunch of starting Canadians (Smith, KJG, Beard, Kongbo, Ford and Metchie) they put themselves in a position to gain the extra pick, which could be used to draft a player that may have NFL aspirations or used to move up the board. If they had stuck with what they had going into the 2025 season, they wouldn't have had enough quality starters to gain the extra pick.

My main point is that the carrot of that bonus pick should be the furthest thing from Hervey's mind when he was building the roster.

[Looner]

My main point is that the carrot of that bonus pick should be the furthest thing from Hervey's mind when he was building the roster.

oh ya I'm sure its not the main reason behind signing a bunch of Canadians but it doesn't hurt, that's for sure. The teams that win consistently have impact Canadians, that is the primary motivator for sure.

[BeaverSports]

I always thought this was a "rich get richer" sort of rule, but it's nice when Edmonton is the beneficiary. The EE are in a position where they have more capable Canadian starters than mandated and a good pool of back-up talent to support those guys. The extra pick is just one more chance to augment that group. All in all, there's also good flexibility to bring in non-imports if needed positionally because you know the bases are covered for the ratio.

[bombervu]

They may not have purposely taken that approach but by signing a bunch of starting Canadians (Smith, KJG, Beard, Kongbo, Ford and Metchie) they put themselves in a position to gain the extra pick, which could be used to draft a player that may have NFL aspirations or used to move up the board. If they had stuck with what they had going into the 2025 season, they wouldn't have had enough quality starters to gain the extra pick.

Credit to Chris Jones for an eye for talent and the many good picks he made. Unfortunate Tre Ford was not one of the ones that worked.

[Esks4ever]

Credit to Chris Jones for an eye for talent and the many good picks he made. Unfortunate Tre Ford was not one of the ones that worked.

Meh in the past Jones was great. Recently I'd say no.

On Ford to jones he was a good pick. However, he did not view him as a QB but wanted him to switch positions. Only drafted him because he's a hell of an athlete.

[SKIP12]

I just want the EE to field the best team each and every week. If that means starting more then the 7 required National starters that fine. But i have always thought that starting more then the required 7 Nationals for the sake of saying we have so much national depth at times has hurt the EE. Many teams just start only 7 Nationals and make sure that they have adequate National depth at that position. The EE have started 10 Nationals many time over the years and what has it got us?

My 3 Cents...

[Hammer24]

Meh in the past Jones was great. Recently I'd say no.

On Ford to jones he was a good pick. However, he did not view him as a QB but wanted him to switch positions. Only drafted him because he's a hell of an athlete.

I struggled to believe that theory. Why draft a guy in the 1st round if your intention is to make him a conversion project that may or may not succeed? Better to select his equally athletic brother or Tyson Philpot who were both available. No need for a conversion project. Even if the thought was develop him as a QB as Plan A with a position switch as Plan B the interview process should have brought out how willing he'd be to be another Jones lab rat.

[Looner]

I struggled to believe that theory. Why draft a guy in the 1st round if your intention is to make him a conversion project that may or may not succeed? Better to select his equally athletic brother or Tyson Philpot who were both available. No need for a conversion project. Even if the thought was develop him as a QB as Plan A with a position switch as Plan B the interview process should have brought out how willing he'd be to be another Jones lab rat.

I think Jones's philosophy is to take the best athlete and there is no doubt that Tre is an athlete. Just didn't work out like we had hoped.