Who will be the First FA LB to Sign?

[Rammer]

Three prominent linebackers available and several teams on the prowl for a LB, who will sign first?

[B.C.FAN]

JJ seems to be the only one on the radar. It's just a question of money.

[Rammer]

JJ seems to be the only one on the radar. It's just a question of money.

Armour was offered a contract as well as JJ by the Lions, but I suspect that it will take JJ's signing to have the others fall into place.

[notahomer]

My vote was for JJ. It is cool all three have connections to BC (played here or brother still does).

[AC/DC Rocks]

Yesterday, on the Team, they said Calgary and Edmonton both offered more money than the Lions have so far, for JJ.

[TheLionKing]

Johnson wants to be a starter. He'll probably sign with which ever team can accommodate his wish.

[Shi Zi Mi]

Johnson wants to be a starter. He'll probably sign with which ever team can accommodate his wish.

Exactly.

Supposedly Armour is heading to Montreal.....so that leaves.......

[B.C.FAN]

LU expects the matter to be resolved before Monday morning's practice. The priorities seem to be Johnson, Armour and Hunt, in that order:

Tales of the lion-backers
Anyone find it ironic what is happening these days with the Lions' linebackers?
Considered by some as the area in need of the greatest upgrade after last season, they cut Otis Floyd, alter the role of Javy Glatt, sign Anton McKenzie and make Korey Banks a hybrid player.
No problem there. But now they want to add some veteran experience and the feeling is the Lions aren't getting a lot of love from players who believe they can still play a starting role.
Jamall Johnson, a situational player with the Lions last year, is still trading contract proposals with Wally Buono. JoJuan Armour is waiting to see what happens with Johnson. Reggie Hunt has to wait for Armour and Johnson.
The Lions can realistically only sign one of the three, and the way they've restructured their defence there really isn't room for any of them. All would work primarily on special teams. McKenzie's not going anywhere as the big free agent import off-season signing, that's for sure.
Buono will give the Lions the day off Sunday but will be behind his desk. The case of the plentiful linebackers, he said, will have a resolution before the team reconvenes Monday.

Link

[NiteHawk]

Yesterday, on the Team, they said Calgary and Edmonton both offered more money than the Lions have so far, for JJ.

With Mo Lloyd signed in the off season, why would the Esks have an interest in Jamall Johnson? Unless the plan is to sign him, then trade him to the Riders for a stud defensive end. John Chick would look good in green and gold.

[B.C.FAN]

Mike Beamish in the Vancouver Sun quoted Wally Buono about the linebacking situation on the Lions.

“It’s very unlikely,” he said Sunday. “We’re in the process of getting ready to play a game and I just don’t see it happening this week. It could, but I doubt it. I’m not uncomfortable with the players we have. We’re just trying to get better.”

The Lions still have three import linebackers on the roster —free-agent signing Anton McKenzie, Terna Nande and Courtney Smith, who joined the Lions late in camp after Richardson’s release. And Buono is professing satisfaction with all three, even while stating that he is still looking to improve the club in the linebacking area. Smith was moved to the practice roster and is probably the most vulnerable to an additional roster move, one would think.

“He’s a young kid who came in late, and we like the fact he’s very athletic and very fast,” Buono says of Smith, a 6-0, 225-pounder from Texas State. “He does seem to be aggressive. He’s one of the guys I would have liked in camp earlier.”

[WestCoastJoe]

“It’s very unlikely,” Buono said Sunday. “We’re in the process of getting ready to play a game and I just don’t see it happening this week. It could, but I doubt it. I’m not uncomfortable with the players we have. We’re just trying to get better.”

New LB?

"unlikely" ... "don't see it happening" ... "It could" ... "I doubt it" ... "not uncomfortable" ... "trying to get better"

All clear now? Thought not.

Buono is professing satisfaction with all three, even while stating that he is still looking to improve the club in the linebacking area.

"satisfied" ... "looking to improve"

That clears it up. Not.

Smith was moved to the practice roster

“He’s a young kid who came in late, and we like the fact he’s very athletic and very fast,” Buono says of Smith, a 6-0, 225-pounder from Texas State. “He does seem to be aggressive. He’s one of the guys I would have liked in camp earlier.”

Smith sounds like a younger Jamall Johnson.

Puzzling. All this uncertainty. If Jamall Johnson joins the Lions, would it be just for ST duty? That would not make sense. JoJuan Armour and Reggie Hunt, at this time of their careers, IMO are not going to make much of a difference on STs. Who would they replace on starting defence? Anton McKenzie? Ain't gonna happen. Kory Banks, in a more regular 3 LB set? Possible I guess.

Linebacking personnel and schemes for the Lions. Seems to be a lot of uncertainty there.

[ziggy]

I think there is a lot of uncertainty here, and elsewhere, where teams are looking at essentially increasing DB's at the expense of a LB. Aren't the Riders also toying with a system that calls for anywhere up to 7 DB's. Seems to me that their is an assumption out there that you can get by with 2 LBs and a tweener or just another DB. Might work well for defending the pass, but it would sure encourage the opposition to try and run the ball down your throat. I'd guess no one is sure how this new unorthodox D is going to work or even if it will. I have reservations and can't quite fathom where this is all comming from, maybe Wally just wants to keep his options open if it fails to work, hence the mixed messages ?

[Rammer]

Tales of the lion-backers

By L. Ullrich 06-27-2009 COMMENTS(5) The Fifth Quarter


Anyone find it ironic what is happening these days with the Lions' linebackers?
Considered by some as the area in need of the greatest upgrade after last season, they cut Otis Floyd, alter the role of Javy Glatt, sign Anton McKenzie and make Korey Banks a hybrid player.
No problem there. But now they want to add some veteran experience and the feeling is the Lions aren't getting a lot of love from players who believe they can still play a starting role.
Jamall Johnson, a situational player with the Lions last year, is still trading contract proposals with Wally Buono. JoJuan Armour is waiting to see what happens with Johnson. Reggie Hunt has to wait for Armour and Johnson.
The Lions can realistically only sign one of the three, and the way they've restructured their defence there really isn't room for any of them. All would work primarily on special teams. McKenzie's not going anywhere as the big free agent import off-season signing, that's for sure.
Buono will give the Lions the day off Sunday but will be behind his desk. The case of the plentiful linebackers, he said, will have a resolution before the team reconvenes Monday.

Unless the Lions aren't contemplating signing any of the high profile LB's, our answer isn't here just yet.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions cleared a spot on the developmental roster today by releasing RB Emmanuel Marc. Something may yet happen.