Free Agent Wish List

[MexicoLionFan]

Let's be honest in saying that EJ had a month where he was all CFL and then wasn't, again. Now a lot of that was an offence that couldn't create space for their marquee players, but still, EJ hasn't been a beast of burden for this team. Burnham looked great until he got hurt..Tuinei impressed me the most, because he was SO RAW and yet was getting open, catching the ball and making plays...IMO Tuinei is the one with the biggest upside.

Personally David I would have been in favour of keeping EJ and letting Arceneaux go...Manny suffered too many injuries last season for a guy that actually didn't get hit that much...EJ is a similar, bigger target with better speed and a LOT less miles!

As for Lulay, as I have said before, I have gone through the exact same shoulder problem as Lulay and I know what is and isn't possible. Granted medical technology has improved over the last 20 years, but that shoulder joint is so small and precise with so many working parts that all have to react perfectly with one another to function! I just don't see Lulay having the same throwing motion or arm strength as before, and he was NEVER the most accurate of passers! As for the shoulder staying in joint, unless they did to him what happened to me (sever a tendon and wrap it back through the shoulder joint and staple it back to the bone, then there is NO WAY to prevent that joint from coming back out upon contact. For the Lions not to pursue "the next" QB is a reckless approach IMO. Clearly Tedford feels he can develop a young guy who can play next year.

IMO, next year is NOT shaping up very well at all...some of you are "fine" with Washington returning as DC, I'm unsure, as he had ZERO answers to the adjustments every other team made against him late in the season. His defence allowed 50 points in 3 quarters against a RAW rookie QB that passed for under 150 yards in a PLAYOFF GAME! Sorry, but a Pop Warner coach would have prepared a better game plan against MTL than Washington did...plus, let's see what happens during the draft now that Bates is gone!

The Lions are an injury to Lulay away from finishing dead last in the west...and none of us know how Harris' severe ankle will respond in TC!!!

[WestCoastJoe]

Points well made, MLF.

Many cautionary notes out there.

Having been around as long as I have, I know fans mostly want the good news. And many fans ride the emotions of both winning and losing. For myself, I am at a stage where the wins and losses don't set off as huge reactions any more. I am thankful for that.

It is not all apple pie, and it is not all doom and gloom.

Andrew Harris is one of my all time favourite players. IMO we rode his horse too much, with too little support. A major injury was bound to happen, even as tough as he is. Hoping for a full recovery.

Mark Washington, as a DC, is still an unknown to us. Talking attack, and playing attack are worlds apart. Benny talked it, but did not walk it. Mark W talked it, but did not walk it. Wally never liked attack defence, and his presence and shadow ruled.

Our personnel will evolve and take shape.

We have hope with our new Head Coach. But it would be premature to think he can coach circles around Hufnagel or Austin, or even some of the others in place in the CFL.

But we have hope for a competitive team.

Burnham was so exciting. Tuinei was promising. We know what Manny can bring. Collie is in the den. "Got some makins" at receiver.

One would hope Tedford shows some magic with our QB corps.

[The_Pauser]

With Free Agency set to kick off on Tuesday, I'll provide my updated list of players I would have interest in (including some targets which we are not likely to be in on such as Brett Jones):

In no particular order..

Justin Hickman - Not sure if he's going to try the NFL again, but he was an all-star in his last full season in the CFL and would be our top defensive end...a place where we definitely need some improvement and added depth.

Brett Jones - What needs to be said? We need OL help and he was the best in the game in 2014. Not likely to come here though as Buono has pretty much ruled that out.

Matthew O'Donnell - If his listed height/weight are true (6'11 350lbs) he's an absolute beast. As an OL he can provide some solid depth.

Chris Rwabukamba - Gonna need help pronouncing his name, but he's probably the best safety available. If we have really moved on from LaRose then Rwabukamba isn't a bad replacement.

Dan LeFevour - We need another good young QB who's had proven reps at the CFL level. Like many, I do not want to risk our season on the health of Lulay's shoulder. I love Lulay, and I really hope he is fully healthy, but on any given hit he could go down and be out for an extended period of time. Can Beck step in and be the guy? Is Partridge ready? Rodgers? I like Partridge and Rodgers as prospects but they aren't ready to be the guy just yet. LeFevour is young, he's mobile, and he has a strong arm. I would want to know how his knee is progressing first, but he would be one of my top targets.

[Toppy Vann]

LU or someone was suggesting the Lions would not want to risk Dan LeFevour as he is coming off surgery and they have enough risk in Lulay so that might end that one. Also LeFevour no doubt will want some big bucks.

I lean in the direction that Wally will not want the risk but I do like the player in the right offense that can use his talents BUT he is a relative unknown as a FT full season QB.

I can't help but think Tedford is desperate for a QB who can play as he has seen film and must surely know that Lulay is high, high risk.

As the former Bomber coach (whose name escapes me) says - you better have a QB or access to one or you're not going to survive. Jeff ?

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/ho ... ee-agency/

How did Lions, CFL keep Elimimian’s status secret?

Solomon Elimimian. (Aaron Lynett/CP)

Arash Madani

February 9, 2015, 10:22 PM

The most outstanding player in the Canadian Football League officially remains a pending free agent, but at no point did the B.C. Lions and league office reveal that Solomon Elimimian had an expiring deal following his banner 2014 season.

Instead, in the lead-up to CFL free agency (which begins at noon ET on Tuesday), the CFL promoted a number of players that could hit the open market on Feb. 10, and Elimimian’s name was never part of the conversation.

But multiple CFL sources have told Sportsnet that the league’s most outstanding player last year absolutely had an expiring contract, and would have been a pending free agent — except Elimimian’s name was intentionally kept off the public radar ahead of free agency.

As Sportsnet first reported Monday night, the Lions have come to terms on a contract extension with Elimimian, also the top defensive player in the CFL. The announcement will likely come before free agency gets underway.

While the Elimimian deal — and the Lions being able to lock him up longterm — will draw headlines, the process leading to his signature on the dotted line is murky at the team and league level. That Elimimian’s name was at no point floated as a pending free agent is a disturbing revelation.

Some background: Shortly after the Grey Cup, the league office submits lists of players to teams that would be pending free agents. It is done to cross-reference with the organizations, and to eliminate the names of those recently retired or no longer in the league (but still under team control). The league also grants organizations some leniency with players close to extensions, so teams can execute a marketing strategy in announcing deals (in the days before and after Jan. 1) to get some off-season publicity.

Soon after, the league will send out an “official” free agent list to each team, and then will make that list public. The CFL actually began a “free agent tracker” on its web site on Dec. 9, monitoring the dozens of potential players who would be eligible to sign elsewhere as of Feb. 10.

Some have been released, others locked up, a few exploring NFL options. But at no point has the league’s MVP — and best defensive player — been mentioned. How someone of Elimimian’s calibre could be left off free agent lists distributed to teams requires an explanation — to fans and the other eight organizations.

The pending free agency of the best player in a professional football league is a big deal. The lack of transparency is about as significant.

Said one team executive: “What if I told you Aaron Rodgers was a free agent tomorrow, and nobody knew?”

Which all means you can expect the Lions to roll out a song and dance that they have signed Elimimian to a hefty deal. AM News 1130 in Vancouver reported fellow Lions linebacker Adam Bighill is also close to an extension. It’s likely the Elimimian extension was wrapped up long ago, that the signed contract has been “in the drawer,” for quite some time, but the team has waited to announce it.

The Lions did not immediately respond to Sportsnet about Elimimian’s contract status, but on Monday night did send a link to a free agent tracker on their website that did not include Elimimian’s name.

[TheLionKing]

I think all teams try to do what the Lions did ie. keep the contract situation with their players fluid. Other teams need to do their homework. Remember how the Canucks drafted Pavel Bure. All the teams thought Bure was illegible for the draft but Pat Quinn and his staff did their due diligence and found that Bure was indeed eligible.

[DanoT]

I was under the impression that Solly had signed a contract extension early in the 2014 season.

[B.C.FAN]

I was under the impression that Solly had signed a contract extension early in the 2014 season.

Like this extension, he signed a series of one-year contracts. According to LU, that still gives him the option to explore NFL opportunities at the end of the season. If nothing materializes on that front, he comes back to the Lions. Teams and players have found a way to reinvent the NFL option clause after the league eliminated it and introduced one-year contracts for veterans.

Lions extensions for dynamic LB duo

[The_Pauser]

Lions have apparently contacted Keenan MacDougal (S), Chris Rwabukamba (S), and Stanley Bryant (LT)

[DanoT]

I was under the impression that Solly had signed a contract extension early in the 2014 season.

Like this extension, he signed a series of one-year contracts. According to LU, that still gives him the option to explore NFL opportunities at the end of the season. If nothing materializes on that front, he comes back to the Lions. Teams and players have found a way to reinvent the NFL option clause after the league eliminated it and introduced one-year contracts for veterans.

Lions extensions for dynamic LB duo

I always liked the old system where a player got to try out the NFL and if unsuccessful had to return to his CFL team to play his option year. It was good for the fans to have one of their best players return to the club.

So this new deal for Eliminium sounds great to me and good for him as well.

[David]

After the heat he took last year, I have a feeling these deals for Sollie and Biggie were reached a little while ago, stuck in a drawer and pulled out today, just so Wally can't be accused of not being active on Free Agent signing day.

Still, good news nonetheless.

(**we now return you to your regularly scheduled chirping crickets**)


DH

[The_Pauser]

EJ signed in Ottawa

[Lions4ever]

EJ signed in Ottawa

S#!*

[TheLionKing]

Lions have agree to terms with Rwabukamba

[pennw]

EJ signed in Ottawa

Not to surprising he went elsewhere after being held back in BC for too long .