Travis Lulay? Have we seen his last game?

[Coast Mountain Lion]

I'll wait for a doctor's diagnosis before I start playing "Miss Cleo" on his career. At first blush, no, it did not look good. Even more so given Travis's shoulder injury history. But I'll stop short of saying he's done even though I must admit, I'm not filled with optimism.


DH

I'm sorry, but he's done. Somebody call Keith Price and Matt Scott's agents.

Seriously.

Price signed with the Riders today http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=461424

[notahomer]

When Lullay was hurt last year I was worried that it might be career ending. But now.....

When the ball slipped out of Lulay's hand I immediately wondered if the reason that he dropped the ball was because his arm fell out of the socket prior to him hitting the ground. But the replay seems to show otherwise.

I thought the same thing DanoT but he claims it was just a really wet ball (or part of it was really wet?).......

[Lions4ever]

I'll wait for a doctor's diagnosis before I start playing "Miss Cleo" on his career. At first blush, no, it did not look good. Even more so given Travis's shoulder injury history. But I'll stop short of saying he's done even though I must admit, I'm not filled with optimism.


DH

I'm sorry, but he's done. Somebody call Keith Price and Matt Scott's agents.

Seriously.

Price signed with the Riders today http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=461424

Tolja. I gather he's been on their neg list for a while tho.

[Toppy Vann]

100% Travis will be back. If not this season, he'll be back next season in a worst case scenario. it was a freak injury, a 330-lb OL fell on him. After healing-up, Travis will have years of great football to play for the Lions yet to come!

I agree that this will be his preferred route.

As to the freak injury - yes - and that was the problem for Buck Pierce - more than half of his injuries were freakish.

The few sentences Wally made on this sounds like the Lions too will review their options and reading a ton of stuff between the lines it could end up being another Buck Pierce type decision or at best force him to redo his deal. All speculation on my part but these teams have little loyalty to guys hurt and especially the guy earning huge starter money.

If I were a HC I would not tolerate my starter getting in the mix and risking injury as you do not good on the IR list. Now that doesn't mean I'd not want a guy who could come in and run the ball like the Ticats did a lot last year out of the QB slot but riding the high risk QBs (all fantastic fan favs and great to watch) never ends well - I can't think of any although Matt Dunigan lasted a long time.

[DanoT]

I can see Wally wanting to renegotiate Lulay's contract for next year so he gets big QB starter $ for games played. Part of the persuasion we be that if Lulay can't go, then a lower non starter salary will lesson the need to be put on the 6 game IR and thus the opportunity to be game to game on the one game IR.

[notahomer]

I can see Wally wanting to renegotiate Lulay's contract for next year so he gets big QB starter $ for games played. Part of the persuasion we be that if Lulay can't go, then a lower non starter salary will lesson the need to be put on the 6 game IR and thus the opportunity to be game to game on the one game IR.

Only makes sense. LU has certainly chatted a bit about some of Buono and the Lions options due to Lulay's injury woes. LU (like many of us including me, I'm sure) thought there would be some options available to the Lions due to saving so much this season on Lulay's salary. Apparently thats not the case though.

[B.C.FAN]

There was nothing freakish about Lulay's injury. He was hit, the same thing that happens any time he's sacked or runs with the ball unless he hook slides or runs out of bounds. His shoulder will dislocate again, with or without surgery. There's no point in writing off the rest of the season to have surgery and try to get back next year. He'd still be at risk of further dislocations. There's also a risk that Wally would release him before the season if he doesn't renegotiate his lucrative contract. Wally won't want to commit another $450,000 next year to a player at risk of spending most of the season on the injured list, as he has this year.

Lulay might as well try to come back on Nov. 1 when he's eligible to come off the 6-game list and play a couple of games before the playoffs. That could prove that he's worthy of starting in the playoffs and retaining his No. 1 job (and $450,000 salary) next year.

[JohnHenry]

I'm sure Travis already has a "game start" bonus in his current contract, same as K. Glenn. To renegotiate his contract, the Lions would have to extend the term. With the increase of the SMS to $5.1M next year, the Lions should have plenty of Cap room to keep both QB's. If he's still injured, his salary won't count on the 6-game IL, so I'd highly doubt the Lions would re-neg Travis' contract.

[MexicoLionFan]

There was nothing freakish about Lulay's injury. He was hit, the same thing that happens any time he's sacked or runs with the ball unless he hook slides or runs out of bounds. His shoulder will dislocate again, with or without surgery. There's no point in writing off the rest of the season to have surgery and try to get back next year. He'd still be at risk of further dislocations. There's also a risk that Wally would release him before the season if he doesn't renegotiate his lucrative contract. Wally won't want to commit another $450,000 next year to a player at risk of spending most of the season on the injured list, as he has this year.

Lulay might as well try to come back on Nov. 1 when he's eligible to come off the 6-game list and play a couple of games before the playoffs. That could prove that he's worthy of starting in the playoffs and retaining his No. 1 job (and $450,000 salary) next year.

I agree...Travis will try to come back this season and play because if he doesn't, he gets released before next TC...the Lions simply cannot commit those dollars to his shoulder...as for renegotiating his contract, I believe John Henry is right...

[Blue In BC]

IMO the Lions must re-negotiate his contract. The new SMS is irrelvant. You have to plan the roster around the budgeted salaries. If you " plan " his current salary into the mix it may mean not being able to re-sign other players to extentions etc. If he ends up on the IR to start the season or some significant portion of the season, it's already too late to have spent that money in the budget on free agents etc.

It's a a large payroll expense whether it counts against the SMS is only partially relevant to the rest of the team budget and overall payroll. It's not like the Lions are making millions of dollars every season and a $400K-$500K salary is not relevant.

[JohnHenry]

IMO the Lions must re-negotiate his contract. The new SMS is irrelvant. You have to plan the roster around the budgeted salaries. If you " plan " his current salary into the mix it may mean not being able to re-sign other players to extentions etc. If he ends up on the IR to start the season or some significant portion of the season, it's already too late to have spent that money in the budget on free agents etc.

It's a a large payroll expense whether it counts against the SMS is only partially relevant to the rest of the team budget and overall payroll. It's not like the Lions are making millions of dollars every season and a $400K-$500K salary is not relevant.

The SMS is not irrelevant. If Travis spends all next season on the IL, his entire salary won't count towards the Cap. So the Lions would still have $5.1M to spend on resigning other players, on top of Lulay's $500k. Would the Lions expand their player budget to $5.6M next year to keep an injured Lulay? I think they would. If it was determined Travis couldn't come back for 2016, then it might be time to move on. I believe the Lions have plenty of Cap room this year to sign extensions for all the players who want to sign.

If Lulay's salary next year, handicapped the Lions from signing another high-priced QB, that's just tough luck. That's the contract they signed. I believe K. Glenn is still under contract for next year and if he isn't the Lions should sign him long-term and have Kevin finish his career in Vancouver (either as the starter or premier backup).

[DanoT]

IMO the Lions must re-negotiate his contract. The new SMS is irrelvant. You have to plan the roster around the budgeted salaries. If you " plan " his current salary into the mix it may mean not being able to re-sign other players to extentions etc. If he ends up on the IR to start the season or some significant portion of the season, it's already too late to have spent that money in the budget on free agents etc.

It's a a large payroll expense whether it counts against the SMS is only partially relevant to the rest of the team budget and overall payroll. It's not like the Lions are making millions of dollars every season and a $400K-$500K salary is not relevant.

The SMS is not irrelevant. If Travis spends all next season on the IL, his entire salary won't count towards the Cap. So the Lions would still have $5.1M to spend on resigning other players, on top of Lulay's $500k. Would the Lions expand their player budget to $5.6M next year to keep an injured Lulay? I think they would. If it was determined Travis couldn't come back for 2016, then it might be time to move on. I believe the Lions have plenty of Cap room this year to sign extensions for all the players who want to sign.

If Lulay's salary next year, handicapped the Lions from signing another high-priced QB, that's just tough luck. That's the contract they signed. I believe K. Glenn is still under contract for next year and if he isn't the Lions should sign him long-term and have Kevin finish his career in Vancouver (either as the starter or premier backup).

Really, it is tough luck for Lulay as the Lions might offer to release him if he doesn't renegotiate for terms more favourable to the Lions (big $ only in games he plays). Once released, as an injured QB, not yet proven that he can survive a tough hit, Lulay will NOT be able to command a $450k salary.

[MexicoLionFan]

There's NO WAY the Lions will pay Lulay his contract next season if he doesn't come back this year and finishes the season without injury...and let's face it, that UNLIKELY to happen. And if it doesn't, then Wally MAY choose to keep Lulay, but only at a fraction of his existing contract, which might not work for Travis, who would then be released. Now would say OTT take a flyer on Lulay for $300,000 a season to sell tickets and hope he stays "sound"? I don't know...but I do know that unless Travis is back this season without mishap, his career will have changed drastically!

[Rammer]

100% Travis will be back. If not this season, he'll be back next season in a worst case scenario. it was a freak injury, a 330-lb OL fell on him. After healing-up, Travis will have years of great football to play for the Lions yet to come!

I agree that this will be his preferred route.

As to the freak injury - yes - and that was the problem for Buck Pierce - more than half of his injuries were freakish.

The few sentences Wally made on this sounds like the Lions too will review their options and reading a ton of stuff between the lines it could end up being another Buck Pierce type decision or at best force him to redo his deal. All speculation on my part but these teams have little loyalty to guys hurt and especially the guy earning huge starter money.

If I were a HC I would not tolerate my starter getting in the mix and risking injury as you do not good on the IR list. Now that doesn't mean I'd not want a guy who could come in and run the ball like the Ticats did a lot last year out of the QB slot but riding the high risk QBs (all fantastic fan favs and great to watch) never ends well - I can't think of any although Matt Dunigan lasted a long time.

I wouldn't really call Lulay's injury freakish by any means. If you mean by freakish that it shouldn't have happened, well that I agree with. How many times do yo see a QB come out with a separated shoulder on a play like that....once every couple of years? A QB survives that hit more often than he doesn't. You have to think that Lulay's shoulder isn't going to get better with more surgery, you and the coaches will always be holding their collective breath everytime Lulay sustains any contact. With Buck Pierce the injuries were limiting to his ability, with Lulay, they are on his throwing shoulder, something that needs to be 100% for him to be effective. He could have the same problem on his other shoulder and I would agree with those that think that he could make a comeback. As a team it would be hard to count on Lulay being your number 1, that is a lot of investment (TC running number 1 reps, at the expense of your other QB's, putting the money aside. Then if the injury occurs on that shoulder again, it may cost you playoff time and revenue) in a player that you hold your breath on each play for.

[Solar Max]

Now would say OTT take a flyer on Lulay for $300,000 a season to sell tickets and hope he stays "sound"?

Ottawa has one qb already that plays like he's injured; they don't need a matching pair.