The lure of Lawler

[MacNews]

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/16/hami ... arterback/

I don't understand it. Lawler is a good receiver, sure, but not the best in the CFL. Like Edmonton, Hamilton will rue the day they signed him to such a large contract.

[B.C.FAN]

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/16/hami ... arterback/

I don't understand it. Lawler is a good receiver, sure, but not the best in the CFL. Like Edmonton, Hamilton will rue the day they signed him to such a large contract.

I don't understand it either. I thought McInnis deserved to be the league's highest paid receiver. Lawler has never played a full season, and only reached the 1,000-yard plateau once, with 1,014 yards in 13 games in 2021.

[Toppy Vann]

The connection to Hamilton GM Ted Goveia and this quote says why:

“Kenny Lawler’s story’s awesome. It’s one that I’ll lean on to have him redirect to the next young rookie that comes from the NFL and struggles to find his way early in the CFL. Football is a transformational game,” general manager Ted Goveia said.

“Daily competitiveness, work rate, catch radius — he’s grown a lot. Kenny’s route to success was not a straight line. I was there for part of that growth and lessons he learned along the way. Kenny’s made a few mistakes along the way, grown and changed from it.”

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/13/kenn ... ton-foray/

His name might help sell some tickets there.

Here's the Bombers side of the story:

“(Lawler’s price) was above what we thought and above what we could do. It was similar to last time (Lawler left Winnipeg when he signed with Edmonton in 2022). It was good for Kenny and his family — when you get that kind of contract offer, it’s hard to turn it down, that’s for sure,” said Walters.

“It was a difficult decision because Kenny’s an unbelievable football player and dynamic and great in the community and everything about him. But for that receiver room, I just wasn’t prepared to be able to do that for that amount of money.”

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/13/blue ... bson-ford/

[SammyGreene]

I think GMs love his big play ability even though he never seems to stay healthy for an entire season. Lions offered him $250,000 in 2022 only to be beaten out by the Elks. This year it was a bidding war between the Tiger-Cats, Stamps and Bombers.

He has absolutely scorched us in the past although he missed all 3 games last season vs BC with a broken arm.
2023 season however:
9 catches 97 yards
7 catches 200 yards
West Final
6 catches 83 yards

He also dismantled the Riders on his own in last year's Western Final and not many receivers are capable of it:
4 catches 177 yards 3 TDs