don corleone wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 2:56 am
Bombers have kept Johnny Augusrtine around for 6 years but it still doesn't make me think he is a starting RB. We'll see what they do. Evan Johnson might be a good fit for them and appears to be available. There was earlier concern about Geoff Gray not being back. The times they are a changing in Winnipeg.
Worst part of the Riders signing Hardrick is the road block it puts in the career path of Logan Bandy, Noah Zerr, and Zack Fry along with a couple others that won't get the reps they need to get better. They talked about pushing Ferland out to Tackle which now seems unlikely. Also never mentioned a word about moving on from Brett Boyko at age 29.
2025 is already a roster disaster for them and no point drafting a O lineman. Go Riders
NATs are a different kettle of fish from Americans. Many of depth NATs are kept around because they have value beyond their depth role for a given position. In many cases they are first and foremost special teams players and secondly a backup RB, LB or DB etc. Augustine is a regular on Winnipeg's kick coverage teams. He has performed well coming off the bench at tailback over his 5 seasons. Agreed while Winnipeg could use him as a spot starter he isn't looked at as a permanent solution especially as he turns 31 early in the season.
When you're an American offensive tackle you're either starting or sitting on the PR as next man up starter should an injury occur to a starting tackle. Richmond could be looked at by Bomber staff as being better than any of the NAT backups who dress and maybe one or two of the NAT starters as well. Thanks to the ratio that still won't get him into the lineup unless they want to start 3 Americans on the OL or use a DI spot on an OL. It's very rare a team uses a DI spot on an OL. They want to use those DI spots for special teams specialists and rotational DL, LB, DB or receivers.
I was reading an article a few weeks back that indicated Winnipeg might move on from Gray. The gist was despite starting all 18 in 2022 & 2023 he's never really lived up to his potential. Similar to having Richmond waiting in the wings for an opportunity they also have their replacement for Gray sitting there on their roster in Tavita Eli. Eli was drafted in 2019 drawing in for 5 games + 2 playoff games and the Grey Cup. He played all 14 plus the WDF in 2021 before being suspended for the GC due to his Covid vaccine status. He sat out 2022 before returning to the Bombers when he signed a 3 year deal last January carrying him thru 2025.
I don't know where Evan Johnson sits career-wise. Johnson was revered by Rider fans as a huge signing in 2021 like the proverbial prodigal son returning home. RiderNation has definitely soured on him since then. Last year they looked at him as being perhaps the biggest liability on their OL, an OL they believe was their biggest problem area. They are quite disappointed in the way he's played. Few tears will be shed if the local kid moves on.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
