2014 free agents

[notahomer]

Well according to the piece on BC lions.com this was a team that didn't have any pressing needs.....

Well the other teams certainly can't accuse the Lions of going out to BUY a good showing at a hosted Grey Cup!

[MikeAK]

Sheesh... Some more subtractions with no additions. Not a big fan of what we see right now. You have to think Butler had to be a key target and probably at the top of the list. They really blew that opportunity and the rest of free agency is looking rather lackluster. Still time to look at other options but in a league where trades are rare it looks like we need to find a couple of diamonds in the ruff if we are to have any hope at fielding a contender. I feel a little let down right now.

[TheLionKing]

I hope I am wrong Pauser...but what I have seen from KW over the last 2 years is that he has lost a gear and some of his leverage, making him an undersized DT and perhaps a little too slow to play DE...we will see, but the DLine isn't doing it for me...

Doesn't help with the Lions moving him to tackle and then back to defensive end.

[Hambone]

I'm not surprised at the lack of Lion activity. The red flag was the lack of activity in moving out older veterans. Outside of the Banks trade there really has been nothing done to shed salary from a payroll that is reportedly right up against, if not over the cap wall last year. Failure to dump more of the thirtysomethings holding above average contracts put them in an uncompetitive position. Just Also I think there are some market conditions that work against any team tight against the cap. We have an extra team in Ottawa with a ton of cap space. Hamilton has a young roster with very few older vets commanding bigger dollars. BC has 18 players 30+. Hamilton has 6. Hamilton has a ton of cap room to use. Winnipeg is similar to Hamilton with few bigger dollars contracts in tow. They have a ton of cap room to use. This impacts the old laws of supply and demand. There's a ton of money out there for the limited supply of prime FAs. Those with oodles of cap space can drive prices up out of reach of teams with limited cap space. It's something we're going to see in the upcoming NHL offseason if the cap jumps from $60 to $70 million or more. It puts $300million in extra money out there for a limited supply of quality FAs. Anybody wanting to make big splashes has to outbid the other guys wanting to make big splashes by severely overpaying.

[WestCoastJoe]

"Good morning! 10 minutes until the opening of Free Agency, are you ready?"

Well, the fans were certainly ready. Chomping at the bit. Checking the tweets, the news.

We made a few offers. Whooo hoooo ... We were in the FA game. Somebody might have accepted our offer. So Hamilton signed Craig Butler, and we made a respectable offer. Within $20,000 of what the TiCats offered? $25,000? Well at least we show we recognized the need to upgrade at safety. We made an offer. (Pardon the sarcasm)

Is our team too old? Too many veterans? Did we stay with the comfortable choice of experience over youth and speed? Is it Wally's fault if we are up against the cap? Ummmm ... Yeah, it is.

Anyway, it is my view that the team should build from within first. Draft picks. American free agents. Negotiation list. And then a couple of CFL free agents here and there.

My bigger concerns are that we have so many holes on such a veteran team. Up against the cap. Not developing within. New OC. New DC. Unproven HC. Methinks there is enough cause for concern.

Oh yeah, one more cause ... Who is our spiritual leader on the field? Oh oh, that was Korey Banks. He is gone.

[David]

But if I am a GM in a year in which I am hosting a Grey Cup, I want to load up on free agents, SMA be damned. I'll gladly pay the fine.

The key is to have a competitive training camp. You can always shed salary as and when required.


DH

[South Pender]

When I read that Nick Moore had signed with the Bombers, I wasn't too upset, feeling that not having to pay his price would free up dollars to improve our D-line and safety needs. I think we're OK at receiver without Moore. Taylor will likely go to the Ranger position, and we have two other imports who can play (Arceneaux and E. Jackson), and one who may be able to play (Korey Williams, who reportedly has great speed). We also have good NI receivers in Gore, Haidara, and Iannuzzi (well the first two anyway). I'm now a little disappointed to see that we haven't offered enough from what we saved with Moore to land Butler.

Still, I think it's too soon to hang the crepe. I'm planning to remain optimistic for a little while longer....

[lion24]

we may not have to worry about Keron Williams, he hasn't signed anywhere yet, Farhan Laljis tweet said IF he signs. So we kept Ryan Phillips but everyone else has or is leaving great ,Butler may have masked Phillips now he is out there on his own,good luck

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.bclions.com/article/nothing- ... ing-gained

BCLions.com Staff

It’s tough to throw a party when the guests don’t show up, but the BC Lions chose to put their fans first when CFL free agency began on Tuesday morning.

Letting their followers on Twitter on Facebook know exactly who they were targeting was a decision fully endorsed by Lions VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono. A measured risk for the Lions however, as one by one their invited guests decided to attend parties in other CFL cities.

“It's a new world out there and we wanted our fans to be part of the process this year,” says Buono. “They support this club and they had a right to know what our plans were going to be today. We would have liked to have had a bit more success, but to think we would have signed every player we targeted would have been unrealistic. I don't regret letting them know we tried to sign these players and improve our team.”

Many times, players enter free agency if for no other reason than to ensure they received the best possible offer from their current club and have every intention of returning to that same team. For others, it’s an opportunity to see what their value is on the open market and potentially cash in with teams that have a specific need or feel a need to make a statement with their fans.

“We made very competitive offers to players such as Steve Myddelton, Nick Moore, Josh Bell and Keron Williams before this process started and I don’t blame them for wanting to know what was out there, it’s human nature and it’s also business. We also had the fewest free agents of any CFL team to begin with so at this point we’ll improve on the strong depth we already have here in BC.”

Also a consideration for Buono is to not get caught up in the emotion of the day and start making decisions for the wrong reasons; a philosophy that has served him well as the Lions currently ride a 17-year postseason appearance streak.

“When you go about building your team you do have to maintain a vision of two to three years down the road. We’re not going mortgage long-term competitiveness simply to make a splash in February with one or two players. We owe our fans a team that’s stable over the long haul.”

The Lions have yet to begin their annual trek to the U.S. for their free agent camps meaning there are still a lot of players to be evaluated and CFL free agency doesn’t necessarily guarantee you'll pick up all the ingredients needed for championship team.

“One of our best signings in 2013 was Cord Parks,” notes Buono. “He had no CFL experience and ended up being an all-star while the free agent signing we did make, Julius Williams, didn’t work out well for us in the end. Yes, there are some proven commodities that come available each year, but I believe the best teams I’ve had were built from within so the pressure to find and develop your own talent is greater than making headlines today.”

[WestCoastJoe]

“It's a new world out there and we wanted our fans to be part of the process this year,” says Buono. “They support this club and they had a right to know what our plans were going to be today. We would have liked to have had a bit more success, but to think we would have signed every player we targeted would have been unrealistic. I don't regret letting them know we tried to sign these players and improve our team.”

Sharing info with the fans.

“We made very competitive offers to players such as Steve Myddelton, Nick Moore, Josh Bell and Keron Williams before this process started and I don’t blame them for wanting to know what was out there, it’s human nature and it’s also business. We also had the fewest free agents of any CFL team to begin with so at this point we’ll improve on the strong depth we already have here in BC.”

“When you go about building your team you do have to maintain a vision of two to three years down the road. We’re not going mortgage long-term competitiveness simply to make a splash in February with one or two players. We owe our fans a team that’s stable over the long haul.”

“One of our best signings in 2013 was Cord Parks,” notes Buono. “He had no CFL experience and ended up being an all-star while the free agent signing we did make, Julius Williams, didn’t work out well for us in the end. Yes, there are some proven commodities that come available each year, but I believe the best teams I’ve had were built from within so the pressure to find and develop your own talent is greater than making headlines today.”

Nothing rash in Wally's decision process.

"built from within" I agree whole heartedly. Not so sure we have been leading the league in that department lately, however.

Not so sure we are the flagship of the league any more, which it seems we were acknowledged to be during much of Wally's tenure here from 2003 to 2011. We seem to be more of a middle of the pack squad at this point.

And we keep on truckin' ...

[Toppy Vann]

LU reported yesterday that BC was going to be active in FA Day 1 but with LOTUSLAND offers...meaning, Wally was going to offer decent/average money to the FAs and hope to attract them by the quality of living, the players (Lulay), the team history, and the stadium...it didn't work...Day 1 is pretty much a major failure for Buono and resigning Keron Williams could turn out NOT to be a good thing...I was more than happy to see him go...

But I will leave you with this...I have really noticed an edge to Wally that last couple of years...almost an arrogance...and with the kids of today, in today's market, playing it aloof/laid back doesn't work with them...they want HYPE and an aggressive pursuit...I didn't see this from the Lions at all, save a useless tweet from Wally late in the day...

Now HUGE pressure has fallen onto McEvoy and Shivers to search the heavens for what we need.

I had read how MB said too that they wanted to hype the life here in BC.

You are right that younger players want better communication and openness but Wally is walking the line like Hufnagel does with this stuff. Read yesterday a story in Calgary Sun on their 2014 approach and Hufnagel says he won't max the cap and wants players he believes want to be there.

As to what happened with Kevin Glenn, I suspect that as someone here said he might have typed that tweet but meant it private and it went the wrong way - public. I Tweet for biz but really have no freaking idea of how to do the private messages.

Where I suspect Glenn has a point to be angry is they might have said he'd be playing a ton and this meant he 'd get his start bonuses paid but now it looks like he'd be number 3 there due to age if DeMarco pans out well.

Shea Emry would have brought some high intensity but don't forget the objectionable conduct penalties (3). I read a comment on TSN that suggested by an Als fan that they may be fine with him going and how often Popp appears with a cheaper guy who develops well.

Craig Butler might want too much and I am sure the Lions won't overpay at any position.

[MexicoLionFan]

When it smells like it Joe, and looks like it, and even tastes like it...don't step in it...

Buono and the Lions PR Dept. was serving it up rich today...yep, forget Craig Butler, Matt McGarva, coming off a major knee injury is going to make us soon forget about JR LaRose...

[lion24]

Looks like we are content on missing the playoffs next season, now Bell may be signed by Ottawa or Calgary. Not sure where people got their info Keron Williams resigned, he hasn't. This is turning the Lions into a joke joke apparently we have no pressing need to sign our own or other free agents

[Blitz]

Looks like we are content on missing the playoffs next season, now Bell may be signed by Ottawa or Calgary. Not sure where people got their info Keron Williams resigned, he hasn't. This is turning the Lions into a joke joke apparently we have no pressing need to sign our own or other free agents

"Seven minutes after the free agency period opened at 9 a.m. PST, the Lions conspicuously tweeted that they had made offers to offensive tackle Josh Bourke, defensive back/linebacker Craig Butler, linebacker Shea Emry, offensive lineman Wayne Smith and receiver Nick Moore.

All but Smith, whose destination had yet to be announced, signed with other clubs. But Lions GM Wally Buono doesn’t like his chances of landing Smith either." (Vancouver Sun)

None of the big free agents wanted to sign with us, Moore (my favorite Lion receiver) is off to Winnipeg, the inability to sign Butler even though he loves it here in B.C.) are all disappointing. Looks like Bell is leaving too.

Doesn't look like free agents are clamoring to sign here in B.C. even with equal money on the table in many situations.

[JohnHenry]

Wally knows his price points and stays disciplined to them. I commend him for that. It's a lot easier to just throw around money and make things copacetic from an optics standpoint.

Moore, in my opinion is easily replaceable. Would've felt real greasy to throw 170k+ at him. I also think he lacks competitiveness/heart. IMO.

Anyways, hopefully we get Ted Laurent after he's done his NFL tryouts.

I agree, the Lions like to build from within rather than overspend on FA. They'll bring in a bunch of import DL and OL to camp to plug some holes. Along with a LB, a DB or two and some receivers. The Lion struggled for many years trying to find 2nd import receiver to bookend Geroy....ever since Chris Brazelle left, going through a dozen prospects before developing Arseneux and Moore. Unfortunately neither of them is a Geroy Simon. (Arland Bruce might become available? )

I think some of the GM's are using "funny money" this year to sign FA (Bourke signed for $225,000, Burris $400-$450k, Moore $170k?) With the SMS still to be negotiated for 2014, I can't see the league punishing teams too harshly for going over the Cap this year...since nobody knows what it is. So Kent Austin went on a shopping spree!

There's no saying these high priced FA will play any better than a college or NFL recruit the Lions will develop. Butler got benched in Sask, had to change positions and they didn't want him. Emry is a bit of a hothead, gets a lot of penalties, not sure how he'd fit in with Bighill and SolE? (Jamall Johnson may still be available?)

Not broken up about Moore leaving. I saw him as weak-armed, not hanging on the ball securely, nor giving much of a fight for the ball in the air, with a blase attitude and with bouts of the dropsies, even last year. FA Jock Sanders might be an option along with returnee Kory Williams. The Lions could also start 2 import receivers instead of 3 like last year.