2021 CFL free agency

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Hambone
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It would seem that in all likelihood Bighill and family live year around in Winnipeg and spent the last year growing his business as a financial adviser. He might now be similar to Marco Iannuzzi in his last few years; full time financial adviser moonlighting as a football player.

https://www.investmentexecutive.com/new ... al-advice/
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Murdoch
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NFL television rights are being discussed and up for renewal in 2022. Rights to Monday night alone expected to increase from the current $2 billion. 4 different packages all over $1 billion.

TSN has a very inexpensive source of programing with the CFL. 180 games deserves far more than $50 million Canadian by comparison.

Still don't understand why they are emphasizing squeezing the players so much. If they do get the season in under the existing player agreement I see a contentious negotiation shaping up for 2022.
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Hambone
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Murdoch wrote:
Sun Jan 17, 2021 12:37 pm
NFL television rights are being discussed and up for renewal in 2022. Rights to Monday night alone expected to increase from the current $2 billion. 4 different packages all over $1 billion.

TSN has a very inexpensive source of programing with the CFL. 180 games deserves far more than $50 million Canadian by comparison.

Still don't understand why they are emphasizing squeezing the players so much. If they do get the season in under the existing player agreement I see a contentious negotiation shaping up for 2022.

It's all about the ability of the sport to generate the advertising revenue that justifies how much networks will spend on TV rights. NFL is top dog in the US. All others are literally afterthoughts. As such Corporate America is willing to pay through the nose for a piece of the action.

In comparison the CFL has become almost a niche sport in Canada. The big dogs of Corporate Canada will want to invest their advertising capital in NHL opportunities. Failing that with 40% of Canada's population and most of Corporate Canada residing in Ontario the Raptors and Blue Jays also offer very stiff competition for advertising bucks.

I suppose it could be said that in terms of attractiveness for advertising investment the CFL's place in Canada is not unlike the NHL's lot in life in the US.
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Murdoch
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True Dat what you say. And yet we all know the game that the CFL can be.

Curious how it is going to work with the new single game betting legislation. I notice the LeoVegas advertising up on the cfl.ca website. Sky is the limit once that kicks in I would guess.
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Hambone
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Kenny Ladler returns. Looks like we'll have a rock solid secondary with excellent options at SAM.

https://www.bclions.com/2021/01/19/db-k ... rns-lions/

Now to get to work on Burnham and the DL.
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B.C.FAN
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Hambone wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 11:04 am
Kenny Ladler returns. Looks like we'll have a rock solid secondary with excellent options at SAM.

https://www.bclions.com/2021/01/19/db-k ... rns-lions/

Now to get to work on Burnham and the DL.
This is incredible. I don't know how the Lions can get all their signed American starters on the field:
Kenny Ladler (2020 FA re-signed for 2021, former CFL West all-star in Edmonton)
Anthony Cioffi (2021 FA, 2019 starting SAM in Ottawa, considered one of the league's best at his position)
Marcus Sayles (2021 FA, 2019 CFL West all-star in Winnipeg)
T.J. Lee (5-year starter at halfback, Lions' 2019 nominee as defensive player of the year, tied for team lead in interceptions)
Aaron Grymes (considered one of the best shutdown halfbacks in the league, former CFL all-star in Edmonton)
Garry Peters (2019 starter at boundary corner, led the Lions in knockdowns and tied for team lead in interceptions)

That's not counting promising second-year DB Victor Gamboa, recently re-signed for 2021 and previously projected as starting field corner.

This puts even more pressure on Grymes to renegotiate his 2021 contract. It also gives the Lions the option of trading Grymes or another American DB to bolster an area of greater need.
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Gridiron Ernie
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Indeed, just what I was thinking, B.C.FAN! Pretty incredible! All we need do is get the likes of Branden Dozier (almost certainly not affordable) back at safety and we're really smiling so far as the secondary goes. I suspect a National needs to fill that slot. Guzylak-Messam comes to mind, but he IMO played better at linebacker than safety, and he's not been re-signed yet, so who knows. Have any of the signed 6 on your list (above) ever manned the safety position? Anyhow, you might be onto something regards a trade (Grymes). We'd really miss him though (skill-set and leadership). A healthy Grymes is stellar. Anyhow, however it all shakes down, having Ladler re-signed is making my day.
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SammyGreene
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Great and somewhat surprising news on Ladler. However, Farhan tweeting Lions likely will not be re-signing Micah Johnson and he was to anchor the new look d-line.
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Hambone
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Gridiron Ernie wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:09 pm
Indeed, just what I was thinking, B.C.FAN! Pretty incredible! All we need do is get the likes of Branden Dozier (almost certainly not affordable) back at safety and we're really smiling so far as the secondary goes. I suspect a National needs to fill that slot. Guzylak-Messam comes to mind, but he IMO played better at linebacker than safety, and he's not been re-signed yet, so who knows. Have any of the signed 6 on your list (above) ever manned the safety position? Anyhow, you might be onto something regards a trade (Grymes). We'd really miss him though (skill-set and leadership). A healthy Grymes is stellar. Anyhow, however it all shakes down, having Ladler re-signed is making my day.
Given the alignment in 4 down football with 2 corners and 2 safeties I think it's safe to assume most of these guys have spent time in a safety role somewhere along the way. 3 down and 4 down football are different for sure but the basic instincts, smarts and ability to read plays to succeed are the same. Somebody amongst the group should be able to easily adapt to safety.

What the signings appear to signal is that unless Campbell thinks somebody like Ladler or Cioffi can play WIL they will be going with an all American secondary and NAT MLB.
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OV - 54:40
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For the 7 NIs only need apply? = 3 interior O-linemen + 2 receivers (Durant & Johnson), and then they would need 2 on D = Will & MLB, or one LB and a safety ? Doesn't seem like a NI would get a shot to start on the D-Line ? Or could they go 3 NI starting receivers again for 6 on O (i doubt this very much with Campbell, but maybe ?), and only one NI starting on D ?
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Hambone
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OV - 54:40 wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:59 pm
For the 7 NIs only need apply? = 3 interior O-linemen + 2 receivers (Durant & Johnson), and then they would need 2 on D = Will & MLB, or one LB and a safety ? Doesn't seem like a NI would get a shot to start on the D-Line ? Or could they go 3 NI starting receivers again for 6 on O (i doubt this very much with Campbell, but maybe ?), and only one NI starting on D ?
I assume in addition to Durant and Johnson who remains unsigned there will be the obligatory CFL Nat 5th receiver/FB starter. Cottoy has been getting a couple of NFL workouts. Hopefully he will be opting back in by the deadline at the end if the month. There's not much to the Lions' signings to date that point to them filling out the ratio the same way Desjardins and Campbell did in Ottawa.
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OV - 54:40
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Hambone wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:32 pm
OV - 54:40 wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:59 pm
For the 7 NIs only need apply? = 3 interior O-linemen + 2 receivers (Durant & Johnson), and then they would need 2 on D = Will & MLB, or one LB and a safety ? Doesn't seem like a NI would get a shot to start on the D-Line ? Or could they go 3 NI starting receivers again for 6 on O (i doubt this very much with Campbell, but maybe ?), and only one NI starting on D ?
I assume in addition to Durant and Johnson who remains unsigned there will be the obligatory CFL Nat 5th receiver/FB starter. Cottoy has been getting a couple of NFL workouts. Hopefully he will be opting back in by the deadline at the end if the month. There's not much to the Lions' signings to date that point to them filling out the ratio the same way Desjardins and Campbell did in Ottawa.
Ottawa had used an H-back some over the past few seasons (Beaulieu was a real good one IMO); so, when the H-back goes in, he replaces one of the starting NI receivers? Not really so in Ottawa where Sinopoli was a starting fixture at slot and would not come out for the H-back. Still going to be mostly 5 pack look IMO, but Mackie could play a role a bit at H-back ? Will not be 2 NI receivers plus an H-back as the main set.

Ottawa went with 5 starting NI O-linemen some of last season = not in the cards for Campbell in BC - he will have to get to 7 only some other way. 4 starting NI O-line is only a remote possibility unless one of Figueora or Ryker M (or another import ?) do not start at OT ?
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Hambone
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Another day, another extension. Joel Figueroa will be back to patrol Reilly's blindside.

https://www.bclions.com/2021/01/20/lion ... -figueroa/
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Hambone
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OV - 54:40 wrote:
Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:45 pm

Ottawa had used an H-back some over the past few seasons (Beaulieu was a real good one IMO); so, when the H-back goes in, he replaces one of the starting NI receivers? Not really so in Ottawa where Sinopoli was a starting fixture at slot and would not come out for the H-back. Still going to be mostly 5 pack look IMO, but Mackie could play a role a bit at H-back ? Will not be 2 NI receivers plus an H-back as the main set.

Ottawa went with 5 starting NI O-linemen some of last season = not in the cards for Campbell in BC - he will have to get to 7 only some other way. 4 starting NI O-line is only a remote possibility unless one of Figueora or Ryker M (or another import ?) do not start at OT ?
BC just extended Figuero this morning. With Mathews being a prized FA signing last year they will be starting bookend tackles leaving a max of 3 NAT OL. There are only 2 reasons Figs or Mathews them might not start; serious training camp injury or some rookie comes in an blows Bates and Campbell's socks off. They are significant signings who don't come at minimum salary. Mathews was a 2019 East All-Star and Figueroa was BC's nominee for Outstanding OL the past 2 seasons. Teams just don't sign players of that calibre and salary if there are doubts about them emerging from camp in starting roles.

When I say obligatory 5th receiver/fullback I'm talking that position almost every team uses. One or the other gets listed as the starter and they typically rotate from there depending on the package the OC wants on the field for the given situation. H-Back? Sure but to me that's more an exercise in semantics. Quite often the FB plays that role lining up more like a TE or in a slot role. Mackie could do that. He's yet to record a carry in 2 years but has been used as a receiving target. Cottoy if he returns could also do that. He's certainly big enough.

Until we get closer to opening of free agency and see who else of their own pending FAs the Lions sign it's hard to guess what positions will be used for the final couple of NAT starters. It is looking like 3 OL and 2 receivers for sure (Durant and 5th WR/FB/H-Back). Everything points to a starting NAT LB, most likely MLB. I think the secondary will be 5 Americans.

The DL will also be all American starters. They would have to go on a free agency spending spree to turn a DL position into a NAT starter as not only would they need to find a starting calibre but also others to back him up. BC has no experienced NAT DL under contract.

So where does the 7th starter play? Re-signing Shaq Johnson would take care of that. With his brother already extended I'm thinking it's only a matter of time. As you are well aware I'm big on Cottoy. If he opts back in he, Durant and Johnson would lock in 3 starting receiver positions. Failing that it might be easier to find a NAT receiver in free agency than some other positions. Could Sinopoli be in play to follow Campbell out west? I doubt it as he's an Ottawa area guy plus I think he'd be too expensive. One NAT pending FA whose name does catch my eye is former Lion Bo Lokombo. He's not yet been extended by the Argos. I wonder if a repatriation might be in the cards there.
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Hambone
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Another thing I noticed in CFL transactions is that there are DELETE then ADD transactions yesterday for Hunter Steward, TJ Lee, Ryker Mathews and Peter Godber which usually indicates they have renegotiated their contracts. I'm curious if they are simply adjusting 2021 or if any involved adding more term beyond 2021.
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