Potential New Receivers for BC

[JohnnyMusso]

Wally expects other veteran receivers to step up to fill the void left by Manny's injury.

There are veterans on defence. You have to give a lot of kudos to Odell Willis for what he’s done (with Elimimian out). Shawn Lemon has been vocal since he’s joined our team. We have veterans on offence, too. The offensive line are veterans. The receiving corps are veterans. The running backs are veterans.

“This gives somebody else an opportunity to get a little bit more of the limelight, and there’s also nothing wrong with bringing other guys into more of a leadership role. Guys can step up.”


While I agree with his assessment about the defence, the receivers Lions have left are just not good enough. If Lions go status quo which now I think they will from Buono's comments they will continue to lose. I for one will be happy with Buono is gone. Heard he got angry at Matt S suggesting Hubbard should not have played and says it is unfair to point to him at their last 18 games and blame him for their record.

I predict Lions will finish 5 and 13 and what Hervey does then who knows.

[Dusty]

I remain mystified by the reluctance to throw the ball to Vandervoort. The times I saw him last game, he was driving off the line very fast and moving the single coverage defender backwards 15 years before hooking back or turning to the outside. No lazy play that I saw. However there was not even a sniff his way. Instead, the ball was going to the other side into typically double coverage or for short gains.

[Islander]

Why not give some of our younger guys a shot? Why did we draft Vandervoort is we're not going to atleast give him a look? Or give Will Watson a look a wideout? Surely with the amount of drops last game , and our season hanging by a thread , we can start trying some different looks?

[TheLionKing]

Vandervoort is not the only player that has not been given a fair look to see what he can do under this coaching regime. Jamal Lee, Lyle Green .........

[David]

What is the status of Chris Matthews the former Blue Bomber standout who played (I thought effectively in stretches) for the Seattle Seahawks? Isn't he a FA wide receiver?

6'5" 228. He's a west coast guy from LA. Only 28 years old. This guy would make the most sense a big target wideout.


DH

[Gridiron Ernie]

What is the status of Chris Matthews the former Blue Bomber standout who played (I thought effectively in stretches) for the Seattle Seahawks? Isn't he a FA wide receiver?

6'5" 228. He's a west coast guy from LA. Only 28 years old. This guy would make the most sense a big target wideout.


DH

David, good question. And another current free agent receiver with CFL experience is Dontrell Inman. Some years ago was with the Argos of course (Grey Cup winner), and active in the NFL in recent years. He'd be maybe about the same age as your mentioned Chris Matthews and is also a tall one as I recall (not quite 6'5" though I don't think.) Sheesh, that's starting to get up there, almost into Harold Carmichael's stratosphere!

[Toppy Vann]

I would really like to see Vandervoort given an actual opportunity. We drafted him 3rd overall in 2017 and haven't bothered to use him yet. Either play him or release him so he can go to another team that will play him, because right now they're just ruining his career.

I still think we also need to go out and acquire another receiver. Neither Elliott or Collins will draw much attention. Teams can now focus solely on double teaming Burnham and we don't have anyone else in there to make them think twice.

Duron Carter would have been the purrfect signing for this team, but Hervey didn't want him (huge mistake). No word on anything definitive for Zylstra or Posey, though one of those two would help (both would help, as even with Manny in the lineup I felt we needed receiving help).

Grant might be an upgrade on someone like Collins, though if we're bringing him in here to replace Manny's spot we're in trouble.

Vanderwoort is not the first Canadian to get the no play treatment from Coach Buono.

Marco I. sat for a long time before he got regular duty.

Farhan says that Ed Hervey did make Duron Carter an offer. He's on TSN video saying that.

[David]

Farhan says that Ed Hervey did make Duron Carter an offer. He's on TSN video saying that.

Farhan said Ed and Duron initially had talks (after the Edmonton win) and determined that they weren't going to bring him in (presumably, all key stakeholders on the Lions were contacted including Jarious and Markus Howell who coached Duron last year).

So if any contract offer was made, it was after our receivers got a bad case of the "dropsies," two devastating losses, and Manny goes down for the season. Why am I not surprised he said "no thanks?"


DH

[Hambone]

What is the status of Chris Matthews the former Blue Bomber standout who played (I thought effectively in stretches) for the Seattle Seahawks? Isn't he a FA wide receiver?

6'5" 228. He's a west coast guy from LA. Only 28 years old. This guy would make the most sense a big target wideout.


DH

According to Wiki he was with the Ravens last year, released in November.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Just skimming through this I notice Sinkfield has been cut by the Jets (they had him as DB, not receiver). Also DeVier Posey cut by the Ravens. On the other hand, it seems Zylstra (not surprisingly) has made it with the Vikings for the time being anyhow. http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... er-rosters

[Dusty]

I don't see the point of bringing in a new receiver to be a starter at this point of the season. At worst, you will get a player who has a lifetime of standing at the LOS until the snap and at best, you will get a player who flamed out of this league and did not catch on down south. Sinkfield was a huge disappointment... if your complaint is that Elliot and Collins can't catch, then Sinkfield is another slice of the same piece of toast. Posey is potential, but will likely spend another 2 - 3 weeks trying to catch on with another team

If you lose one player to injury and are actively looking to replace 2 disappointing players with NFL cuts, then it speaks more of your overall recruitment strategy and bench strength. I still think that Vandervoort has a chance to replace Manny's slot position. He has the size and strength to do it. Sub Elliot and Collins with Watson (s) and put one on the practice roster. I cannot see another team picking up Collins or Elliot from the PR.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Agreed, Dusty. As others have said also, would love to see Vandervoort given a legitimate and sustained chance to show his stuff! I don't know what the hitch is. Even if he (perhaps--dunno) doesn't show particularly well in practice, there's guys that shine brightly in game action when it truly counts. I keep hoping (dreaming?) he's another Jason Clermont type just waiting in the wings. I'd be interested to hear more about him from Lionbackers who isolate and closely analyze the play at various individual positions. It would be a very small sample size, alas. But someone on this forum had mentioned/ observed lazy patterns run by Danny V., whereas someone else disagreed and observed crisp and vigorous routes run, even though he never got a sniff at the ball. Whatever the case, for whatever reasons, he doesn't seem to yet be on either Jarious or Travis's radar. Anyhow, agree with you that the ideal solution would be to see an already in-house receiver or two or three coming into full bloom.

[B.C.FAN]

LU said on the radio last week that he had asked Wally about Vandervoort, and the answer was that Vandervoort was struggling to understand the offence and make the quick reads that are necessary for a receiver to be on the same page as the QB.

[Gridiron Ernie]

LU said on the radio last week that he had asked Wally about Vandervoort, and the answer was that Vandervoort was struggling to understand the offence and make the quick reads that are necessary for a receiver to be on the same page as the QB.

Thanks B.C.FAN, that's enlightening. Didn't know this to be the reported situation with Danny. And so, it brings up a couple questions for me:

One being -- couldn't Jarious & co implement some alternative (simpler?--if that's the word) plays into the grand scheme of the Lions' offence, to accommodate/suit the various levels of mental 'agility' among players?

Secondly, wouldn't part of due diligence when drafting be parsing out any individual prospective player's capacities (not necessarily speaking of Vandervoort here) in that regard, i.e. any drafted player's compatibility regards mentally picking up the team's playbook -- in this instance being Jarious's offence?

Whatever the case, back to my first question/comment; they should be flexible enough to work a player into the offence, whatever his strengths and weaknesses, especially in light of him being such a high (apparently once coveted) draft pick. Perhaps that's naive to say, but that's my thought on it.

[Dusty]

I think the line that Wally is peddling is self-serving nonsense.