BC loses 1st & 2nd round picks for exceeding cap by $350,000

[Hambone]

Two picks and a $350k fine to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Awesome. Worth every penny. Glad we're bad at drafting anyway.

On the flipside if they didn't do what they did they'd have the 2 picks, no Rourke and no Betts for at least the next seasons and get no further in the playoffs than they did.

I had no confidence they'd win any games with Dolegala trying to hold serve. 7-11 instead of 9-9 = tie with EE and missing the playoffs on the tiebreaker the Elks already had in the bank.

[OV:54-40]

Two picks and a $350k fine to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Awesome. Worth every penny. Glad we're bad at drafting anyway.

On the flipside if they didn't do what they did they'd have the 2 picks, no Rourke and no Betts for at least the next seasons and get no further in the playoffs than they did.

I had no confidence they'd win any games with Dolegala trying to hold serve. 7-11 instead of 9-9 = tie with EE and missing the playoffs on the tiebreaker the Elks already had in the bank.

Plus, the signing and playing of both Rourke & Betts likely was the factor that pushed them into 2nd place in the playing of Nationals / snaps derby for the bonus 2nd round draft pick - so there's that.

[cromartie]

Two picks and a $350k fine to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Awesome. Worth every penny. Glad we're bad at drafting anyway.

On the flipside if they didn't do what they did they'd have the 2 picks, no Rourke and no Betts for at least the next seasons and get no further in the playoffs than they did.

I had no confidence they'd win any games with Dolegala trying to hold serve. 7-11 instead of 9-9 = tie with EE and missing the playoffs on the tiebreaker the Elks already had in the bank.

I mean, I'm fine with the outcome but man, this is a lot to give up to end as poorly as it did. I mean, when Edmonton used to cheat, they'd at least get a Cup out of it.

[DanoT]

Two picks and a $350k fine to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Awesome. Worth every penny. Glad we're bad at drafting anyway.

On the flipside if they didn't do what they did they'd have the 2 picks, no Rourke and no Betts for at least the next seasons and get no further in the playoffs than they did.

I had no confidence they'd win any games with Dolegala trying to hold serve. 7-11 instead of 9-9 = tie with EE and missing the playoffs on the tiebreaker the Elks already had in the bank.

I mean, I'm fine with the outcome but man, this is a lot to give up to end as poorly as it did. I mean, when Edmonton used to cheat, they'd at least get a Cup out of it.

Bringing in NFL cuts mid season, more often than not, doesn't show big results until the following season when the guys get the benefit of an off season and full training camp. Rourke and Betts where no different, so the real ROI of absorbing fines and lost draft picks will unfold over the next few seasons.

[Hambone]

Bringing in NFL cuts mid season, more often than not, doesn't show big results until the following season when the guys get the benefit of an off season and full training camp. Rourke and Betts where no different, so the real ROI of absorbing fines and lost draft picks will unfold over the next few seasons.

The old days when the much bally-hooed mid-season NFL cuts could make a difference on a team's season are long over. That's simply the reality of the season structure in the 2020s.

Back in the mid 70s when the 14 game NFL season start until mid Sept. The CFL season, which started in mid July, was just hitting its halfway mark with most teams still having 7 or 8 of their 16 games remaining on NFL opening day. In 1978 the NFL expanded its schedule from 14 to 16 games starting on Labour Day weekend. As was common BC had a bye on Labour Day but still had 8 of 16 games left.

Fast forward to 2024 and the NFL schedule starts weekend after Labour Day while the CFL schedule starts 2nd weekend in June. By the time final NFL cuts occur most CFL teams already have 2/3 of their games behind them. Betts was an exception to what would be normal. He was totally familiar with BC's defense and his role in it. It was more like he was returning from injury except he was in game shape and ready to go. As a result he was able to be literally airlifted in to Victoria to play 72 hours after clearing NFL waivers. He played BC's final 7 (39%) games.

Extremely few, if any other, NFL cuts are in that same position. If they are new to the CFL or former CFLers who aren't intimately familiar with the scheme they're walking into are not playing that soon. For BC that means they wouldn't be playing in TDP and probably need more than the 2 practices prior to the Montreal game before stepping into the lineup. By then the Lions are down to only 5 games left, a bit over 25%. Betts is an impact player, even if he didn't immediately return to 2023 form. It's improbable that any other NFL cut is going to step in and make a difference over 4 or 5 games.

[Toppy Vann]

Bottom Line:

Regardless of whether anyone thinks the contracts for Nathan Rourke and Mathieu Betts were too expensive, or whether the Lions made the right call in transitioning to Rourke as the starting quarterback when Vernon Adams was healthy, the fact remains:

No one would have defended keeping the two draft picks if it meant missing out on Rourke or Betts.

Not only that, it would have put Vernon Adams and the Lions under immense pressure this upcoming season if Rourke were elsewhere lighting up the league, and if Betts were dominating offenses the way he was before heading to the NFL.

If the Lions had kept the picks and they failed to pan out, McEvoy—who defended letting the picks go for Rourke and Betts—might have been left flailing, with media and fans complaining that 70% of the time, these picks don’t work out.

[cromartie]

Bottom Line:

Regardless of whether anyone thinks the contracts for Nathan Rourke and Mathieu Betts were too expensive, or whether the Lions made the right call in transitioning to Rourke as the starting quarterback when Vernon Adams was healthy, the fact remains:

No one would have defended keeping the two draft picks if it meant missing out on Rourke or Betts.

Not only that, it would have put Vernon Adams and the Lions under immense pressure this upcoming season if Rourke were elsewhere lighting up the league, and if Betts were dominating offenses the way he was before heading to the NFL.

If the Lions had kept the picks and they failed to pan out, McEvoy—who defended letting the picks go for Rourke and Betts—might have been left flailing, with media and fans complaining that 70% of the time, these picks don’t work out.

This is the right take. I'm just cranky. But, then again, it isn't my money paying the fine so....

[Hambone]

Exactly right Toppy. Signing Rourke was a long term investment that required some short term pain. As we all know the most important position in the CFL is the starting QB. BC opted to invest their future in Rourke a player incredibly popular with their fanbase. As much as VA earned the respect of the BC fans I don't think their management would have been forgiven if Rourke went on to star for the next decade elsewhere, quite possibly with a West rival. While fans warmed up to VA considerably his playing style led to frequent injuries. He has not made it thru a season unscathed going back to when he started seeing regular action as a starter in 2018. Seems like right up there with death and taxes as sure things is VA missing 2 to 8 games per season. That had to play a small part in jumping at the opportunity to get Rourke back in the fold.

[Hambone]

This is the right take. I'm just cranky. But, then again, it isn't my money paying the fine so....

Lol. If you're like me Cro you'd have more difficulty paying a parking ticket that Doman had paying the SMS fine.

[johnchow604]

Intentionally breaking the rules to go over the cap in mid-season—because the punishment is worth it—makes me wonder whether the league needs to increase the penalty. Is the cap a rule or just a guideline?

Although I'm a Lions fan, I still think its wrong, even if its for Rourke.

[Hambone]

Intentionally breaking the rules to go over the cap in mid-season—because the punishment is worth it—makes me wonder whether the league needs to increase the penalty. Is the cap a rule or just a guideline?

Although I'm a Lions fan, I still think its wrong, even if its for Rourke.

I think you first have to consider what a unique and unprecedented set of circumstances that were in play. When was the last time 2 NAT players the calibre of Rourke and Betts had the opportunity to return to the CFL from the NFL after the halfway point in season? I'm thinking never. I'm thinking whoever signed Rourke who have put themselves in the same jackpot. If BC didn't make the sort of pitch they did to secure him thru 2026 somebody else would have felt the subsequent fine and loss of draft pick was a price they'd gladly pay.

I'm thinking if BC, reduced to trying to hold on to a playoff spot with Dolegala and Brice until VA was healthy, passed on doing what they did then Rourke would now be the long term solution in Calgary or Saskatchewan. It was evident that Calgary badly wanted to upgrade on Maier and the Riders would have jumped at the opportunity to put themselves in the position of having to nurse one more year out of oft-injured 39 year old Trevor Harris.

Another way I look at it is thank goodness it wasn't Braley and Wally in charge. God bless Wally but more than anybody else in the CFL he would staunchly honour the SMS and let Rourke wind up elsewhere to avoid exceeding the cap.