Has Buono given up on 2013?

[Shi Zi Mi]

By refusing to trade for help for the oline, has Buono decided to write off 2013?

I understand the pending entry draft to stock the Redblacks has thrown a monkey wrench in how things are done.....but IMHO, Buono sees no way to fix his oline.....and by doing nothing at the trade deadline pretty well ensures an early exit from the 2013 playoffs.

[ziggy]

Hope not, I haven't :-)

[CardiacKid]

I checked the CFL site and TSN and didn't see any activity listed for any team today. The biggest splash reported so far is the Riders getting Alex Hall for Neufeld. If it wasn't obvious already, the Riders are desperate to make the Grey Cup this year and were willing to get a guy who is likely NFL bound next year.

I don't know if a lack of trade activity is an indication of giving up on the year. It seems the most pursued avenue of shoring up a team's weaknesses at this time of year is signing NFL cuts to the practice roster. Don't know anything about Nick Speller but his size is definitely impressive; maybe we will be seeing him some time soon?!?!

Not sure how I feel about Stefan Logan coming back. Loved the guy when he was here not just for his talent and his ability to excite but his drive and commitment; he always seemed to have that ability to dig deep on every play. I haven't watched him in the NFL so I don't know if his play is still characterized by those traits.

I hope Logan returning to the Lions isn't an indication the Lions have given up on Harris. In some ways, I worry more about what I perceive as his lack of touches as a receiver (haven't compared that stat to the previous year); a skill that does truly set him apart from other backs. When I think of Harris, I also think of a guy like Andre Durie who played as a back at Waterloo but has pretty much been reinvented as a slotback who occasionally gets thrown into the mix with a run play. That's how he contributes and he is a valuable part of the Argo offense.

[David]

He's not given up. According to an article I read today, he had one deal in place but couldn't decide if it was worth it, and another was a tire kicking exercise for Simeon Rottier in which the asking price from Hervey (ironically enough) was far too high (why he didn't try these moves earlier in the year, or scoop up a PR player, or sign one of several non-import O-linemen released by their team is beyond me).

Problem is, upgrades on the O-line in the form of non-imports aren't as easy as driving to the corner store to pick up a quart of milk. Not only are standout non-import O-linemen staying put, but who wants to help BC upgrade its one glaring weakness? Obviously no one in the West. Wally and Bene could decide the interior of the line is in such a shambles that they're going with a 3rd import at Guard, and play an extra non-import somewhere else (likely receiver). I am also surprised they haven't at least experimented with putting Valli back at Centre (where he has some experience and his foot speed is less of an issue) and line Matt Norman up at Guard, where he may be a little more comfortable and his strengths better demonstrated.


DH

[TheLionKing]

Perhaps the other team is asking too much in return. Don't mortgage your future for a short term cure.

[B.C.FAN]

There was nothing on the market worth trading for, at least not for a reasonable price. When Ed Hervey is demanding a high price for a player that he personally benched and blamed for his team's offensive woes, it's obvious that the trade deadline is really a no-trade deadline.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Does anyone here truly believe that the Lions can succeed in the playoffs with their current oline?.......Because I don't....and I really doubt Buono believes they can.

Replacing Archibald is not difficult to do and may help some.......but the Lions don't have the ratio flexibility to start imports at the Guard positions (the obvious weak spots).

[notahomer]

There is no way Buono can give up on 2013. Its the CFL, who knows how things will be in a month? Wrong player goes down at the wrong time and there goes your season. I don't know who that player would be on the Lions. In the West I don't see the Riders doing ANYTHING if Sheets goes down. Stamps without Cornish? Who knows?

Guess we'll see how the O-line turns out. IMO, Shi Zi Mi, you are right, I don't feel this current O-line can get it done. The great thing is everytime I give up on the Lions, I end up eating

[Rammer]

Does anyone here truly believe that the Lions can succeed in the playoffs with their current oline?.......Because I don't....and I really doubt Buono believes they can.

Replacing Archibald is not difficult to do and may help some.......but the Lions don't have the ratio flexibility to start imports at the Guard positions (the obvious weak spots).

Go with more NI receivers, Lions have enough. Better to get the ball to an NI receiver when you have time, whereas it is pretty tough to get the ball out to an import receiver without any time to run a route. Archibald isn't the answer to the LT position anymore, he began his decline last season and continues to whiff much too often for our QB's du jour sake.

As for succeeding, I am hoping that the Lions have only used half the playbook at this point and plan on implementing the surprise attack run game in the playoffs....yes I dare to dream, but don't call me Arnold.

[TheLionKing]

Does anyone here truly believe that the Lions can succeed in the playoffs with their current oline?.......Because I don't....and I really doubt Buono believes they can.

I don't have faith in our offensive line. Seen too many breakdowns this season. Has Jon Hamiester-Rees retired for good ?

[Shi Zi Mi]

Does anyone here truly believe that the Lions can succeed in the playoffs with their current oline?.......Because I don't....and I really doubt Buono believes they can.

Replacing Archibald is not difficult to do and may help some.......but the Lions don't have the ratio flexibility to start imports at the Guard positions (the obvious weak spots).

Go with more NI receivers, Lions have enough. Better to get the ball to an NI receiver when you have time, whereas it is pretty tough to get the ball out to an import receiver without any time to run a route. Archibald isn't the answer to the LT position anymore, he began his decline last season and continues to whiff much too often for our QB's du jour sake.

As for succeeding, I am hoping that the Lions have only used half the playbook at this point and plan on implementing the surprise attack run game in the playoffs....yes I dare to dream, but don't call me Arnold.

Who do you sit? Arceneaux? Moore? Taylor?......Tim Brown?......or maybe you go back to a 5 man dline rotation and sit Keron Williams (totally ineffective this season)?

Who's going to sit if they actually get Stefan Logan into a uniform?

[JohnHenry]

As is Buono's style, this could be a rebuilding year (2 rookie OL, 2 new receivers, 2 new DB's) in anticipation of playing in the home Grey Cup next year? So any success the team has this year is a bonus and a learning experience.

[Shi Zi Mi]

As is Buono's style, this could be a rebuilding year (2 rookie OL, 2 new receivers, 2 new DB's) in anticipation of playing in the home Grey Cup next year? So any success the team has this year is a bonus and a learning experience.

x2

Injuries to Lulay and on the oline were not predictable, but I believe you are 100% correct......Buono is far more concerned with 2014 than 2013.

[Cougar Country]

Not sure how I feel about Stefan Logan coming back. Loved the guy when he was here not just for his talent and his ability to excite but his drive and commitment; he always seemed to have that ability to dig deep on every play. I haven't watched him in the NFL so I don't know if his play is still characterized by those traits.

I admit I haven't watched him much in the NFL either but I posted these links in the Logan thread... it sounds like he had a couple good years but played with this head up his butt all last year, capped off with a bizarre play where he took a knee on the 4 yard line during a return. Mike Tirico from MNF said “There have been more bizarre, bad, bonehead decisions by Stefan Logan as a returner than I have seen by anyone else in the league this year" (2nd link)

I'll be pleasantly surprised if he has stuff left in the tank, but to me this move is just one of a growing number of head scratchers coming from this team.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... return-man

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/the-lions ... ehead-play

[Hambone]

The day Buono gives up on a season before his team is either mathematically eliminated from the playoffs or has lost its playoff game is the day he hands in his resignation. It's just not in his DNA and silly to even contemplate. I think he's constantly looking to upgrade at both positions of need and depth. That's what good GMs do. Looking to upgrade is easy. Being able to pull off a deal that serves that purpose is another story.

As David said you just don't pick up the phone or snap your fingers and acquire an NI OL upgrade. It's especially more difficult when approaching an expansion draft where all teams are concerned about maintaining their own NI depth once the draft is over. Teams in playoff races are also highly unlikely to erode their own NI OL depth. So you're probably down to trying to pry something out of Edmonton or Winnipeg whose OL haven't been all that and a bag of chips either. Anybody in a race is unlikely to move an OL capable of upgrading BC's OL unless they have a glaring need of their own and BC is willing to send a starting calibre player the other way.