J-Jax to return but not Crawford

[nelson95]

Glad to see the end of Tad

[Hawkballer 14]

In his first two seasons or so, Tad looked promising in spot duty. The more he played, the more he was exposed.

It happens. You see it in hockey, an injury-depleted team when players play more than they should, 12 minute players playing 15 minutes for an extended period of time. They get tired, they start getting caught/burnt/picking pucks out of their own net.

I think Crawford can still be a CFL player, probably not as a safety. He's a big kid (6'3", 195), might be better served as an OLB, where he doesn't have as much ground to cover.

[joe kapp22]

Well, don't toss dirt on Tad just yet, we have all seen a player we were down on wind up somewhere else and do a solid job.

[Rammer]

Well, don't toss dirt on Tad just yet, we have all seen a player we were down on wind up somewhere else and do a solid job.

He may still end up being a Lion, as his release doesn't mean that he can't re-sign in BC. Crawford was frustrating to watch in the red zone, often picked upon and that has to tell you that he needs to steepen his learning curve.

[The_Pauser]

JJ deserves a chance to start. Even Maas got his chance.
Printers is not a team guy...But he got to start????...and he wasn't that effective.
I just don't get this business...
if your a JJ fan, why would you want him to be The Back-up. A mediocre existence.Become a CFL starter or go away JJ. Don't become a Maas.
Your so much better than Lemmon.

Ugh...

Casey very much was a team guy. He said the right things and he believed it. If you want to point to his outburst, well then why don't you look at when Jarious complained to the media about not being given another chance to start or backup late in the season? What about everytime Geroy pouts when whoever is in at QB overthrows, underthrows or doesn't even throw to him? Nah, instead we make these guys captain and completely *poop* on Casey. How would you expect a QB to play when he's playing with one knee, no offensive line (crucial when you consider Casey's lack of an ACL meaning his scrambling ability was hampered), and an absolutely lousy OC? Need I mention that Jarious looked absolutely horrendous in his only start of the season? Oh, but I guess his sore shoulder from last year counts as an excuse, but Casey's torn ACL isn't? Let it die already and stop taking potshots at Casey! It's over and done with. I think he got the *poop* end of the stick, while others (IMO) have a second criteria to judge him by and completely crap on him, but at the end of the day he's no longer a member of this organization and his return would be as likely as George W's return to the White House.

Personally, I think Jackson is okay as a backup, depending on his price. I'm not aware of the Lions SMS situation, so it's tough for me to say whether or not we can afford a $150k backup, but I like the leadership he brings and he's a solid veteran presence off the bench. Having said that, he's not a starter. He's had one good season, and that was back in 2007. And even then he didn't look like he was taking control of the team and was the one leading us to victory...it was Joe Smith and our superior running game that allowed us to mask the defficiencies of Jarious's game. Since then he hasn't been able to grab the bull by the horns and solidify himself as a number 1. Hey, even Michael Bishop had some good moments...doesn't mean he should be a starter in this league going forward either. He gets a lot of love because he can throw a deep bomb, and a lot of people like to ignore that he has a tendency to throw interceptions, fumble the football, and stall countless drives on end. He's great in relief, but as a consistent starter he's sub-par. Better than Lemon? Probably. Better than Lulay, Ray, Burris, Durant, Pierce, Calvillo, Glenn? Not a chance. But nonetheless, I wouldn't be against seeing him return as a potential backup/number 3. We don't really have any proven options and I highly doubt we go out and try to grab someone with experience like a Ryan Dinwiddie (example), so we do need some sort of veteran presence. Reilly could be good, but he's still untested and a complete question mark. I would like to see us try out some Canadian QB's. I think Toronto may have a potential star on their hands with Brannagan, and Canadian college QB's could be a potential gold mine as no one really scouts the Canadian collegiate level for QB's. Worst case scenario we have some training camp fodder...

[Blitz]

Crawford was a funny one.

In his first two seasons or so, he looked promising in spot duty. The more he played, the more he was exposed.

Crawford did look good in spot duty before he became the starter this season. Safety is not an easy position to play in the CFL, tough learning curve. Not easy to say goodbye to a Canadian who still has potential. Tad Crawford replaced a legend. Perhaps it was a factor in his play. I don't believe our Leos had pencilled in Crawford as a starter next season and Crawford decided to look at his options. It might be better for him to go to another team. He still may turn out to be a decent safety.

I don't have the same view of David Hyland. I really like him as a safety. He stepped into a new position as a free safety, a position he had never played, with little time to learn the postition, which is very complex in the CFL game, and he played very well. He can hit a ton and that's an intimidation factor. He has excellent speed. I also thought he did a good job at wideside corner and a couple of missed tackles doesn't effect my view of him, as a rookie. We saw Dante Marsh be absolutely burned his first season and that never happened to Hyland. The missed tackle on Clermont looms large because of the big play it was but Clermont should not have been able to take a simple dig route and turn it into such a long gain either.

I'm excited about the potential of Hyland being a starting safety for us next season..he has the potential to be a very good one.

I certainly concurr with other's views of Reddick...I was impressed by his play and hope we'll consider him for the starting wideside halfback position instead of Franks...and if he doesn't start there we still have a very good dimeback in Reddick next year.

[Area51]

I think Crawford lost his confidence once he started to struggle and it was just downhill from there. Seemed like he wasn't breaking instinctively - - almost like he was second guessing himself and thinking rather than just reacting. A fresh start somewhere else is the best thing that could happen to him. I'd expect him to be signed somewhere at least as a back up.

Not too sure about the certainty of Jackson returning to BC. With the resigning of Lulay it looks like Jarious would be back up at best. Do you really think he enjoyed that role over the past few seasons? My understanding is that his first choice is signing with Toronto.

[joe kapp22]

I think Crawford lost his confidence once he started to struggle and it was just downhill from there. Seemed like he wasn't breaking instinctively - - almost like he was second guessing himself and thinking rather than just reacting. A fresh start somewhere else is the best thing that could happen to him. I'd expect him to be signed somewhere at least as a back up.

Not too sure about the certainty of Jackson returning to BC. With the resigning of Lulay it looks like Jarious would be back up at best. Do you really think he enjoyed that role over the past few seasons? My understanding is that his first choice is signing with Toronto.

Wouldn't surprise me if he did sign in Toronto as this is sort of his last real chance to prove he is a full time Starting Qb and everything that comes with stepping up in the pecking order.

[WestCoastJoe]

I think Crawford lost his confidence once he started to struggle and it was just downhill from there. Seemed like he wasn't breaking instinctively - - almost like he was second guessing himself and thinking rather than just reacting. A fresh start somewhere else is the best thing that could happen to him. I'd expect him to be signed somewhere at least as a back up.

Not too sure about the certainty of Jackson returning to BC. With the resigning of Lulay it looks like Jarious would be back up at best. Do you really think he enjoyed that role over the past few seasons? My understanding is that his first choice is signing with Toronto.

Wouldn't surprise me if he did sign in Toronto as this is sort of his last real chance to prove he is a full time Starting Qb and everything that comes with stepping up in the pecking order.

Wherever Jarious ends up or goes, he has my support. He is at the absolute highest level of character team guys. As an athlete he seems better in the clutch than as a day to day QB. A big strike guy, not nickel and dime.

Is Toronto interested in him? That would be cool.

Re Crawford ... Couldn't handle the expectations? Not enough speed? Couldn't read the play? Couldn't react to the ball without getting a bit lost? Could he do it with another team? Dunno.

[David]

Looks like Jarious wants to return and I hope we can re-sign him. With the frequency of injuries in pro football these days, you really need to have (at least) two competent quarterbacks.


SOURCE: Vancouver Sun 12/7/10
VANCOUVER — One of the longest-serving members of the B.C. Lions is being asked to serve with the team a little longer.

Coach and GM Wally Buono said he would like to have veteran quarterback Jarious Jackson return next season as a mentor and competitor for incumbent starting quarterback Travis Lulay.

“Jarious has a good rapport with Travis and [third-stringer] Mike Reilly, a lot of insight into the position, and we’re hoping to get something done,” Buono said. “Jarious told me he’d like to be back, too. We’re going to try and get it resolved.”

Jackson, who has been with the Lions since the start of the 2005 CFL season, is eligible for free agency on Feb. 15.

“I just think it’s a blessing to even have the opportunity to come back here [B.C.],” Jackson said. “Casey [Printers] was supposed to be The Guy. He signed for pretty decent money. And then you had Lulay, a younger guy, and myself. But, hey, things work out, in different ways. So, here it is now [a chance for Jackson to return].”

Jackson was bothered by a shoulder problem for much of the 2010 CFL season but, according to Buono, he provided a much-needed “ mentorship role. And there’s value to that.”

Buono also believes that Jackson’s throwing mechanics have improved to the point where he is still a valuable asset as a player.


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