Outlook for the 2025 BC Lions

[Hambone]

Kudos to you for staying on top of the ratio changes. There are way too many deviations of what constitutes a National for my liking. That said I thought Brandon Bridge was instrumental in getting the QB position to count as one of eight at the time.

Think of it this way. There are 23 positional starters + 1 starting QB.

Scenario 1: If the starting QB is American the team must field a minimum of 8 NAT starters amongst those 23 non-QBs, one of which may be a Nationalized American. The remaining 15 starters may be Americans or Globals from their combined total of 21 on the game roster.

Scenario 2: If the starting QB is Canadian the team must field a minimum of 7 NAT starters amongst those 23 non-QBs, one of which may be a Nationalized American. The remaining 16 starters may be Americans or Globals from their combined total of 21 on the game roster.

The edge in having a NAT starting QB as in Scenario 2 is it gives the team the option to start one of the 6 American or Global backup/depth players in Scenario 1. If the team chooses to do that it would turn a NAT starter into a depth/backup player. Keep in mind if the game roster turned in lists 5 NAT starters on offense then they must field 5 all game long. Example if Rourke gets replaced by Masoli then one of the American receivers, OL or RB would also have to come out and replaced by a NAT or Nationalized American. This could be where Schleuger provides value as he qualifies. If he's dressed as a backup and NA he could provide injury depth for both NATs and Americans.

Just to clarify an American qualifying as a Nationalized American (at least 5 years in the CFL or 3 with their current team including current season) does not count as one of the minimum 21 Nationals who must be on the game roster. He remains one of the max 20 Americans.

Great breakdown Hambone. Farhan mentioned one of reasons the Lions liked Awe is he qualifies as a Nationalized American.

Yup. And that he does isn't necessarily all about starting him as a Nationalized American. That he qualifies gives them more flexibility in making rotational changes. With Woods, Hladik, Awe and to a lesser extent Konar, who I think will be used primarily on STs, they should be able to almost freely move the main 3 in and out without need to make other ratio adjustments.

[B.C.FAN]

Farhan mentioned one of reasons the Lions liked Awe is he qualifies as a Nationalized American.

That makes sense. With a potential rotation of Awe, Hladik, Auclair, Konar, Messam and Ganyi, weakside linebacker will definitely count as a national position.

Betts, Covington, Beaulieu, Rene, McInnis, Cottoy, Rourke, Couture and Foucault are other leading candidates to be national starters. They only need 8, so they can easily afford to start 3 Americans on the O-line, and that appears to be their plan.

[David]

As you recall, we received bonus pick last year (2nd round, 15th overall - THEO BENEDET) for having the most National snaps in 2023.

Does anyone know if we were/are (being) awarded the same in 2025?

(excellent job on the depth chart as well, B.C.FAN).


DH

[Toppy Vann]

Agree Horvath could play FB especially with the QB being a National. What will be interesting is how they intend to use the position. St Pierre will be a special teamer and available as a backup or maybe training camp will decide. I have no doubt he will make the team.

Again, the Buck offence in the Peg rarely deployed a fullback / H-back (as little/less than any other team except maybe the Argos); so, unless Buck has had a change of thinking, I highly doubt he all of a sudden starts using a fullback; though having one around on the roster for a tiny bit of duty might make some sense as that body type can usually do lots of ST duty as well.

You're right that his offense was not a traditional FB or H-back but he often had slots and RBs in motion and ball carrying out of the backfield. His offense was misdirection, quick reads and toughness. That variation from from "well the FB is on the field, we're running" says half the stadium will be welcomed by fans. The Bombers would show run in RPO formations and pass vertically to the slots or they'd run - but do so in a way that was less predictable for the DEF. That to me is what makes football exciting versus everyone in the building and at home knowing it's a run play..

[Hambone]

As you recall, we received bonus pick last year (2nd round, 15th overall - THEO BENEDET) for having the most National snaps in 2023.

Does anyone know if we were/are (being) awarded the same in 2025?

(excellent job on the depth chart as well, B.C.FAN).


DH

There's really no way of knowing who will be rewarded with the bonus picks until they are announced. That should be any day know based on the timing of last year's announcement. Unless somebody has the scoop on how many O & D reps every team accumulated it's a pure guessing game.

For the record it was Tieide BC took with their bonus pick at 19 last year. They took Benedet with their own 2nd rounder at 15. Going into the draft I thought, knowing he'd already signed a UDFA deal with Chicago, they'd use the bonus on Benedet if still available. Likely when their turn came around at 15 they figured it was too risky to wait until 19, especially with Winnipeg choosing at 16 & 20. Like BC the Bombers also earned one of the bonus picks making for an ideal opportunity to use one on a "futures" prospect but not necessarily waiting for the bonus pick to do so.

[Hambone]

A JC Abbott 3D take on the costs of BC free agent signings including perceived depth charts.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/24/what ... he-roster/

[B.C.FAN]

A JC Abbott 3D take on the costs of BC free agent signings including perceived depth charts.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/24/what ... he-roster/

Interesting insights, especially on the depth chart predictions. They all sound reasonable.

[Hambone]

As would be expected it only took hours for Ace Eley to find a new team. He's been scooped up by Ottawa. I'm pleased that he resurfaced out East instead of with one of BC's West rivals.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/24/otta ... b-c-lions/

[Hambone]

A JC Abbott 3D take on the costs of BC free agent signings including perceived depth charts.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/24/what ... he-roster/

Interesting insights, especially on the depth chart predictions. They all sound reasonable.

I got bad flashbacks when I saw D.Carter listed on the depth chart under one of the slot positions.

[don corleone]

Some of those deals are quite surprising. Foucault for $94,000 is dirt cheap.

[Hambone]

Some of those deals are quite surprising. Foucault for $94,000 is dirt cheap.

Cheap if he wins a starting job. Otherwise backup pay to be a backup and that might not be a lock.

[don corleone]

Some of those deals are quite surprising. Foucault for $94,000 is dirt cheap.

Cheap if he wins a starting job. Otherwise backup pay to be a backup and that might not be a lock.

There are many possibilities in the event of an injury. Foucault like Masoli is good insurance.

Might shed some light on what David Knevel is looking at.

[Hambone]

Some of those deals are quite surprising. Foucault for $94,000 is dirt cheap.

Cheap if he wins a starting job. Otherwise backup pay to be a backup and that might not be a lock.

There are many possibilities in the event of an injury. Foucault like Masoli is good insurance.

Might shed some light on what David Knevel is looking at.

Comparables for sure. I really like Knevel and wanted to see him do well. I think his undoing from a Lions perspective is his injury struggles. He missed all of 2022 and more than half of 2024.

[Toppy Vann]

JC Abbott lines the 2025 existing roster quite nicely. Gives fan some assurance they've got good personnel.

For an independent website 3 Down Nation does a pretty remarkable covering all the CFL teams in one place.
Some stuff is just filler but valuable.
I go there before TSN as I read faster than loading a video and only go there for the articles or X for Naylor and Lalji chats.

Two things seem headscratchers a bit here. Eley and Hladik.

Is not seeing Hladik as a starter not a surprise.

Is losing Ayinde Eley not a bit of a head scratcher? Was it just they couldn't agree on money.

Well it didn't take long for Ottawa to bring him in.

The 26-year-old Eley was the BC Lions' Most Outstanding Rookie nominee in 2024, appearing in 17 games, while recording 60 tackles, six special teams tackles, and a forced fumble. He also suited up in BC's Western Semi-Final matchup with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, making a pair of tackles and forcing a fumble.

[B.C.FAN]

Two things seem headscratchers a bit here. Eley and Hladik.

Is not seeing Hladik as a starter not a surprise.

Is losing Ayinde Eley not a bit of a head scratcher? Was it just they couldn't agree on money.

Signing Micah Awe was a head-scratcher. Demoting Hladik and releasing Eley were the inevitable result of that signing. The Lions want to get quicker and more aggressive at linebacker. They see Woods and Awe as the two starting inside linebackers, with Awe’s pass coverage giving him an advantage over Hladik. I hope they’re right. We can still expect to see a lot of Hladik, especially in short-yardage packages.