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Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:59 pm
by CardiacKid
Lionsfan65 wrote:I think a lot of the recent player movement also has to do with the popularity of one year contracts. Free agency has always been a part of any major sports league, however there was an unprecedented amount of player movement over the past couple of seasons (and its shaping up to be the same this year). While the one year contract benefits the player, as they are able to earn more money with new contracts, and also extending their NFL window, these contracts hurt the teams, and the league in general. With more players going to free agency it leads to more roster turnover and therefore makes it difficult for successful teams to hold onto all their players and remain competitive. It also hurts the league as a large chunk of revenue comes from the fans, through ticket sales, and merchandise sales. Being a smaller league fans identify with certain athletes, and this becomes harder to do as players change teams every couple of years. Just my
Happy New Year
I also find it worrying that the league's identity will be impacted negatively by a lot of movement amongst players. A huge selling point for the league are the players, their connection with their respective communities and fans. If players are constantly changing rosters, it obviously makes it harder for a player to establish an identity and goodwill with the fans.
That said, this era of the one-year contract is still young and maybe the movement of players between teams won't be as massive in the end as the potential could indicate.
As for the Leo's, just be glad they aren't in the same boat as the RedBlacks who have the largest numbers of pending FAs. And they recently lost 3 of their starting defensive secondary.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 6:33 pm
by B.C.FAN
Players won the right to one-year contracts in the salary-cap era. Teams can't afford to turn back the clock and overpay to keep their prized free agents from seeking better deals elsewhere in the CFL or NFL. For players, the decision often amounts to sacrificing a CFL starter's salary for the prospect of bouncing around NFL practice rosters for a few years in pursuit of their childhood dream. Many choose to chase that dream, knowing that they can return to the CFL if the NFL door closes.
Wally and other CFL GMs know they can't compete financially with NFL salaries. All they can do is wish players well and offer them an open door if they return.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:43 pm
by CardiacKid
Josh Bourke has been released by the Argos, one year after being a free agent signing. At 34, he might find it bit of a slog getting picked up by another team. The Argos are really going to be a huge question mark next year; it will be intriguing to see what direction they go in during the free agency period. Last year they loaded up on vets like Bourke, Bulcke, Raymond, Hall and Hickman...3 of them are already gone.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:33 pm
by maxlion
CardiacKid wrote:
As for the Leo's, just be glad they aren't in the same boat as the RedBlacks who have the largest numbers of pending FAs. And they recently lost 3 of their starting defensive secondary.
Tough for the Redblacks, but not sure that our situation is any better.
Dline - lost Bazzie, probably Brooks, will need to win a bidding war for Westerman.
Linebackers - lost Bighill, Lokombo a free agent, haven't heard anything about Purifoy but a possibility that he gets signed in the NFL too.
Secondary - Lee, Yell and Clarke all coming off season-ending injuries and all free agents, Gaitor gone, Stewart and Philips likely gone.
At this point, the only sure returning starter on D is Elimimian. Of course, there are many free agents around the league to choose from, but we could easily see over 50% of the starters in 2016 replaced in 2017.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 12:56 pm
by WestCoastJoe
maxlion wrote:Tough for the Redblacks, but not sure that our situation is any better.
Dline - lost Bazzie, probably Brooks, will need to win a bidding war for Westerman.
Linebackers - lost Bighill, Lokombo a free agent, haven't heard anything about Purifoy but a possibility that he gets signed in the NFL too.
Secondary - Lee, Yell and Clarke all coming off season-ending injuries and all free agents, Gaitor gone, Stewart and Philips likely gone.
At this point, the only sure returning starter on D is Elimimian. Of course, there are many free agents around the league to choose from, but we could easily see over 50% of the starters in 2016 replaced in 2017.
True that.
But of course the RedBlacks did win the Grey Cup. They could rest on their laurels a bit. Desjardins will no doubt find the talent. He has been very, very astute thus far.
There is plenty of talent available for sharp GMs. We had loads of talent last year. No reason it cannot be the same this year.
This fan expects our philosophy of O and D will be much the same however. And I expect that is OK with some of the fans. Just not so much with this one.
Just IMO ...
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:14 pm
by Hambone
It's been surprisingly quiet re: Purifoy and Sinkfield for that matter. Aside from perhaps Leone out of all the 2016 Leos they seemed to be at the top of list of most likely to head south. Yet it's pretty much been crickets for both.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 7:52 pm
by DanoT
Anyone know what is happening with Burnham?
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:43 pm
by maxlion
Purifoy may not have completed his penance yet, still on the NFL blacklist?
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:47 pm
by Hambone
DanoT wrote:Anyone know what is happening with Burnham?
I believe he was working out with the Eagles. At this point for BC I guess we can only take no news to mean good news.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 9:52 pm
by David
Hambone wrote:I believe he was working out with the Eagles. At this point for BC I guess we can only take no news to mean good news.
There's simply no way of predicting. We thought the same of Bighill. No news. Not even a sniff; we all said he was under-sized. And yet he was (surprisingly) the first guy signed.
DH
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 4:04 pm
by Qman
David wrote:Hambone wrote:I believe he was working out with the Eagles. At this point for BC I guess we can only take no news to mean good news.
There's simply no way of predicting. We thought the same of Bighill. No news. Not even a sniff; we all said he was under-sized. And yet he was (surprisingly) the first guy signed.
DH
wally said today on 1040 that seems to be more crossover with the type of players the NFL and CFL wants to sign ... lots smaller coverage LBs, 3rd down REs and dime/nickle DBs have been signed by NFL last few years, that are similar to CFL style player
On bighill, i think there was no way that we can have 500k tied up in our LBs under the salary cap and solly wouldn't have been signed if bighill didn't exercise his NFL window. The fact that bighill left, then wally signed solly.
Other FAs that left .. meh
Brooks looks to be gone ... that will be the biggest lost
Burnham ... wally said he was still deciding whether to stay up here or go south, and that he would be aggressive if he stays north
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 4:46 pm
by BC 1988
^This.
Team 100 was going to be broken up one way or another. Wally got the cap space leeway to sign Solly once he knew Bighill wanted to try the NFL.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:11 pm
by The_Pauser
BC 1988 wrote:^This.
Team 100 was going to be broken up one way or another. Wally got the cap space leeway to sign Solly once he knew Bighill wanted to try the NFL.
Breaking up the strength in our defense and best LB duo in the league sounds like a fantastic idea. Glad people are happy about this. Now don't complain about our LB's this year.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:29 pm
by DanoT
The_Pauser wrote:BC 1988 wrote:^This.
Team 100 was going to be broken up one way or another. Wally got the cap space leeway to sign Solly once he knew Bighill wanted to try the NFL.
Breaking up the strength in our defense and best LB duo in the league sounds like a fantastic idea. Glad people are happy about this. Now don't complain about our LB's this year.
Well I am happy that in the Salary Cap- One Year Contract-Free Agency era, Wally was able to keep team 100 on the roster for as long as he did. I am happy Wally was able to keep Solly and just as happy if he can re-sign Bo Lokombo to replace Bighill.
I will complain if they try to use a linebacker as a dime back/safety like the Lions often did with Bighill.
Re: Upcoming Free Agent Market
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:39 pm
by Qman
The_Pauser wrote:BC 1988 wrote:^This.
Team 100 was going to be broken up one way or another. Wally got the cap space leeway to sign Solly once he knew Bighill wanted to try the NFL.
Breaking up the strength in our defense and best LB duo in the league sounds like a fantastic idea. Glad people are happy about this. Now don't complain about our LB's this year.
were not saying its a fantastic idea. Its just the reality of the salary cap. keeping both would means you have no money to spend on the rest of the defence, especially the Dline which has been brutal needs to be totally rebuilt with quality free agents (not rookies making $60k)