Just because the Saskatchewan Roughriders season is over doesn't mean we can't keep talking about them. Announcer Jonathan Charlton and work experience student Brody Hinz - both former football players and thus qualified to call themselves experts - sat down to figure out what the Riders need to get sorted out for next season.

First, the big one. Who is starting at quarterback next year?

Jonathan: So before you got in today, I did some research to find out how Kevin Glenn and Brandon Bridge compared to other quarterbacks in the league - and the answer surprised me. Turns out Bridge had a better passer rating - a metric that takes into account multiple factors but excludes rushing - than any starting quarterback on any other team. (That’s not counting B.C. Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, who only played six games.)

Matt Nichols (Winnipeg), Trevor Harris (Ottawa), Mike Reilly (Edmonton), Ricky Ray (Toronto), Glenn and Bo Levi Mitchell (Calgary) were all bunched together relatively closely. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the teams not on this list didn’t make the playoffs. Hamilton pivot Jeremiah Masoli wasn’t rated too far behind Mitchell, but only played 12 games. You don’t need an all-star quarterback to have success, but he does need to stay healthy.

If Bridge’s numbers can stay that high over the course of a full season, he’d easily be the best quarterback in the league. But that’s a big ask, and Glenn hasn’t played himself out of the starting role. I’d sign Bridge to a multiple year deal and have him be the understudy for a second season, and give him lots of time to develop into the face of the franchise. It also gives the team some insurance.

Brody: This is simple. Brandon Bridge. Bridge showed throughout the year that he has the capability of being a starting QB in the Canadian Football League. Bridge is going to be 26 in March and he'll be heading into his fourth CFL season. He's a lot younger than Kevin Glenn, who will be 39 next June. Glenn is a pocket QB he doesn't move around and to survive in today’s Canadian Football League you need to be able to move. Bridge can do that. Bridge is able to move around in the pocket and his arm is so good that he throws crisp, accurate passes. Bridge had 127 yards rushing and was averaging 6.4 yards per carry which for a QB is unbelievable. Bridge reminds me a lot of Doug Flutie. I never got to see Doug Flutie play but Bridge's and Flutie's styles really mesh together and I think if Bridge can be half the player Flutie was Bridge is going to have a solid career.

Will receiver Duron Carter return, and if not who will be the face of the franchise?

Jonathan: It sounds like he wants to take a shot at the NFL. So … maybe? There’s money to be made south of the border, but would he be as loved as he is in Rider nation?

Brody: Unfortunately, I don't think Duron Carter will be back in Rider Green in 2018. I think he's going to the NFL. Ever since that Tweet stating the Washington Redskins were interested in Carter as a DB I think they've been interested and I believe they're going to sign him. He had a breakout year catching 72 balls for 1,040 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season and in the playoffs caught 11 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. Those are good enough numbers to garner NFL attention. Plus, his dad Cris had a Hall of Fame career as a receiver in the NFL so his dad will likely get him in the door to an NFL team.

As for who'll take over as the face of the franchise I'm not too sure. I've been a big fan of Ed Gainey since he had that four-interception game against B.C. Gainey had 10 interceptions on the year and Gainey was the top defensive player on the Riders. I can see either him or Brandon Bridge being the face of the franchise if Carter leaves.

Do we need better offensive linemen to protect the quarterbacks?

Brody: I didn't really think about this until I watched the game on Sunday where our O-Line got demolished by the Toronto defensive line. Dan Clark needs to go. He basically just let the Toronto D-Line run right through. I love Brendan LaBatte and Peter Dyakowski. Both guys are Canadian and you have to have a certain number of Canadians on your roster and these two guys need to stay on the roster and play every game.

LaBatte is the only member of the Grey Cup winning team from 2013 that's still on the roster and is a former winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award. LaBatte has been a very underrated player every year and he is the glue that keeps that O-Line together. Plus, he's from Weyburn and you don't get a Saskatchewan born player on the Riders that often. Dyakowski I have always been a fan of. I think Dyakowski is a shut-down offensive lineman and if the Riders are expecting big things out of whoever their starting QB is in 2018 I know I'd want Dyakowski on my O-Line. I think overall our O-Line is fine but a few tweaks here and there wouldn't hurt for 2018.

Jonathan: You can always use more and better offensive linemen. Can’t win the game if you don’t win in the trenches. I don’t think this is a huge area of concern, though I do note that seven teams had a running back that ran for more yards than the Riders’ Cameron Marshall. The offensive line will hopefully punch more holes for him to run through next year.

How would you evaluate Chris Jones?

Brody: I like Jones. He has four Grey Cup Rings so I believe he knows what he's doing. Now, I know that Saskatchewan in their history haven't had the best of luck when a big name head coach has come here but I think this is different. Before he took over as coach, we had an aging roster who was no longer in their prime and now Jones has rebuilt this roster the same way he did when he was coach in Edmonton and he has turned it into a contender.

Yes, he almost signed Greg Hardy, a former NFL star defensive tackle who faced charges of domestic violence before they were dropped, (and I wasn't happy with that move) and he got fined $10,000 for bringing players to Regina to practice when they weren't under contract with the Riders. But if you look on the field Jones has done well. He has a 41-31 regular season record and a 4-2 playoff record with that Grey Cup title that he won with Edmonton in 2015. He took the Riders from an abysmal 5-13 record as the worst team in the league, to 10-8 and two wins shy of a Grey Cup. If that doesn't make a great coach I don't know what does.

Jonathan: Last year they were tied with Toronto for the worst record in the league. This year they not only made to the playoffs, but to the East final. I’ll call that a win - as long as Jones has learned that Rider fans care just as much about the team’s conduct off the field as they do victories.

Can they repeat their success next year?

Jonathan: See above. The CFL is weird and fluky. If Carter comes back, and Glenn and Bridge both have good years, and the team stays healthy, then sure. But the Western Conference is a meat grinder, so their work is cut out for them.

Brody: Saskatchewan could have 11-12 wins with Bridge as QB. If we bring back Glenn we'll have the same record. I know the West is really deep but I believe we can finish second and even challenge Calgary for the West Division crown if we make the right offseason moves. This is a new era of Roughrider football. New stadium, new hope. Gone are the days of signing big name free agents and relying on 30-plus year old veterans to carry the way.  This team, now that they have playoff experience are going to be scary next year. If everything goes right come this time next November at the 106th Grey Cup in Edmonton the Roughriders should be Grey Cup Champions.