2014 free agents

[Hambone]

That would be very interesting if Butler has, in fact, moved to Vancouver. If he does sign here, I will obviously be ecstatic. I kept hearing how he wanted to stay a Rider. In fact, this quote can be found on Page 2 of this thread, from November 2013:

....That's where Butler finds himself. The London, Ontario native could certainly be tempted to play closer to home, much like a former receiver who left for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Butler, however, was adamant on the Green Zone earlier this season that he wanted to return to the Green and White. He stayed on that message this week.

"I want to be a Rider. I think they know that," said Butler. "I'm optimistic that we can make it work."

SOURCE: TheGreenZone (11/28/13)


DH

Kinda doubt he'd say anything different 2 days after hoisting the Grey Cup. One interesting thing in his Rider bio was a comment that he'd taken up snowboarding and was also wanting to finish his degree to get his teaching certificate. Can't think of many ski hills in Saskatchewan other than that little man made thing south of Toontown. Vancouver sounds like a place that could be a desirable year round landing place where he could fit in football, teaching and snowboarding.

[B.C.FAN]

Butler, indeed, recently moved to Vancouver but was still insisting as of a few weeks ago that he preferred to re-sign with the Riders. Is he hoping to use a B.C. offer to get more money from the Riders? We'll have to see what happens.

"Obviously we had a lot of (potential) free agents this year, so from (the Roughriders') standpoint, they knew it was going to be difficult to get everybody they wanted before Feb. 15," Butler said Monday from his new offseason home in Vancouver. "During the season, I was waiting on something to get me back under contract with the Riders for a couple more years, but for different reasons, I guess it hasn't happened yet. I think I'm going to wait and see what Feb. 15 has to offer."

That said, the non-import would like to stay with the team that selected him in the second round (12th overall) of the 2011 Canadian draft.

"My mindset hasn' t changed; it just comes down to having the right situation work out," Butler said. "There isn't really any reason why I wouldn't want to come back to the Riders. Being the defending Grey Cup champions is a big enough reason by itself."

Regina Leader-Post article

[SammyGreene]

Butler, indeed, recently moved to Vancouver but was still insisting as of a few weeks ago that he preferred to re-sign with the Riders. Is he hoping to use a B.C. offer to get more money from the Riders? We'll have to see what happens.

"Obviously we had a lot of (potential) free agents this year, so from (the Roughriders') standpoint, they knew it was going to be difficult to get everybody they wanted before Feb. 15," Butler said Monday from his new offseason home in Vancouver. "During the season, I was waiting on something to get me back under contract with the Riders for a couple more years, but for different reasons, I guess it hasn't happened yet. I think I'm going to wait and see what Feb. 15 has to offer."

That said, the non-import would like to stay with the team that selected him in the second round (12th overall) of the 2011 Canadian draft.

"My mindset hasn' t changed; it just comes down to having the right situation work out," Butler said. "There isn't really any reason why I wouldn't want to come back to the Riders. Being the defending Grey Cup champions is a big enough reason by itself."

Regina Leader-Post article

Wow! That's potentially great news he lives here now in the off-season. If there ever is a good example to somewhat overpay a free agent it's a 25-year-old hard-hitting safety/nickelback for a team that really could upgrade its Canadian talent on the defensive side of the ball.

[TheLionKing]

Muamba signes with Indianapolis Colts

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=443182

[Shi Zi Mi]

Butler, indeed, recently moved to Vancouver but was still insisting as of a few weeks ago that he preferred to re-sign with the Riders. Is he hoping to use a B.C. offer to get more money from the Riders? We'll have to see what happens.

"Obviously we had a lot of (potential) free agents this year, so from (the Roughriders') standpoint, they knew it was going to be difficult to get everybody they wanted before Feb. 15," Butler said Monday from his new offseason home in Vancouver. "During the season, I was waiting on something to get me back under contract with the Riders for a couple more years, but for different reasons, I guess it hasn't happened yet. I think I'm going to wait and see what Feb. 15 has to offer."

That said, the non-import would like to stay with the team that selected him in the second round (12th overall) of the 2011 Canadian draft.

"My mindset hasn' t changed; it just comes down to having the right situation work out," Butler said. "There isn't really any reason why I wouldn't want to come back to the Riders. Being the defending Grey Cup champions is a big enough reason by itself."

Regina Leader-Post article

Wow! That's potentially great news he lives here now in the off-season. If there ever is a good example to somewhat overpay a free agent it's a 25-year-old hard-hitting safety/nickelback for a team that really could upgrade its Canadian talent on the defensive side of the ball.

.....and at 6'2" 196lbs.....is he the bigger body that Buono wants at Korey Banks' old spot?

Starting Butler would also allow the roster flexibility to start an import at Safety.

Ahhhhh.....one can only dream.....

[Rammer]

Muamba signes with Indianapolis Colts

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=443182

They like the CFL players in Indy.

[South Pender]

Muamba signes with Indianapolis Colts

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=443182

They like the CFL players in Indy.

Muamba at 6-0, 230 is small for an NFL LB, as I noted earlier, but it should be said that Jerrell Freeman, at 6-0, 232, went from the Riders to the Colts in 2012 and has been outstanding as an inside LB in their (usually) 3-4 base defense. The Colts have good linebackers, but maybe Muamba will make the team. It won't be easy.

Edit: Here's the brief report by Josh Alper from Pro Football Talk:

Colts sign CFL linebacker Henoc Muamba
Posted by Josh Alper on February 7, 2014, 6:49 AM EST


The Colts found themselves a productive linebacker in Canada when they signed Jerrell Freeman a couple of years ago and they’ve headed back to our neighbors to the north in hopes of landing another helpful player at the position.

The team announced that they have signed linebacker Henoc Muamba, who was recently released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as he tried to make the move from the CFL to the NFL. Muamba also had workouts with the Ravens and Patriots, but his signing fits right in with Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson’s search for talent in every corner.

Muamba was the first overall pick of the 2011 CFL draft and played three years for the Blue Bombers before deciding to seek his fortune in the United States. Muamba was second in the CFL with 106 tackles in 2013 and has been a standout on special teams with 53 tackles across his three seasons on those units.

The Colts could wind up with an all-Canadian twosome at inside linebacker if Muamba makes as quick a transition to the NFL game as Freeman did.

[WestCoastJoe]

Muamba is very athletic. Even securing an ST gig could make for a lucrative career in the NFL as happened with Brandan Ayanbadejo. Very similar in size.

[OV - 54:40]

[/quote]
Regina Leader-Post article[/quote]

Wow! That's potentially great news he lives here now in the off-season. If there ever is a good example to somewhat overpay a free agent it's a 25-year-old hard-hitting safety/nickelback for a team that really could upgrade its Canadian talent on the defensive side of the ball.[/quote]

.....and at 6'2" 196lbs.....is he the bigger body that Buono wants at Korey Banks' old spot?

Starting Butler would also allow the roster flexibility to start an import at Safety.

Ahhhhh.....one can only dream.....[/quote]


Wally/Lions would be wise to look at Butler at safety if they could sign him; played both S and OLB for the Riders and was good at both; Wally wants/likes bigger OLBs and has big need at safety = Butler could be a stud there and IMO is more suited there than at OLB - good tackler, big hitter, nose for the ball and has shown he can make picks.

[notahomer]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

[South Pender]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

The statement from that piece: "BC doesn’t have any truly pressing needs which is a testament to the work of GM Wally Buono over the last number of years" is a head-scratcher. Who the heck wrote this? How about an entire D-line that can impose its will. And a couple of new pieces on the O-line so that it can do the same. And maybe a replacement for Korey Banks, a safety who can cover....

[DanoT]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

The statement from that piece: "BC doesn’t have any truly pressing needs which is a testament to the work of GM Wally Buono over the last number of years" is a head-scratcher. Who the heck wrote this? How about an entire D-line that can impose its will. And a couple of new pieces on the O-line so that it can do the same. And maybe a replacement for Korey Banks, a safety who can cover....

A totally stupid article which is not even worth reading imo. Just like a lot of stuff from CFL.ca it is a total head scratchier.

[The_Pauser]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

The statement from that piece: "BC doesn’t have any truly pressing needs which is a testament to the work of GM Wally Buono over the last number of years" is a head-scratcher. Who the heck wrote this? How about an entire D-line that can impose its will. And a couple of new pieces on the O-line so that it can do the same. And maybe a replacement for Korey Banks, a safety who can cover....

Signing Craig Butler, Josh Bourke, Keron Williams/Jermaine McIlveen, and Shea Emry would be a huge coup for BC.

[Hambone]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

The statement from that piece: "BC doesn’t have any truly pressing needs which is a testament to the work of GM Wally Buono over the last number of years" is a head-scratcher. Who the heck wrote this? How about an entire D-line that can impose its will. And a couple of new pieces on the O-line so that it can do the same. And maybe a replacement for Korey Banks, a safety who can cover....

Signing Craig Butler, Josh Bourke, Keron Williams/Jermaine McIlveen, and Shea Emry would be a huge coup for BC.

Your sounding like half the Rider fans who think they should re-sign all their pending FAs plus go after the cream of the FA crop and still come in under the cap. It's highly improbable your wish list will come true. If BC can land two of those names it will be a coup. If the reports are true that the Lions were right up against the cap last year, if not over a little bit, there is very little wriggle room to go FA shopping unless some more salary is dumped in the meantime. Banks is gone. If Moore is to return it will be at a significantly higher salary even if they can get him at a more realistic number than his reported asking price. A Bourke signing can only happen if Archibald is released. That could be a salary wash. But as an Ontario guy who spent his collegiate and pro career east of Lake Michigan would he be attracted to come all the way out to the left coast?

[notahomer]

Hmmm, the Lions perspective (okay, bclions.com) is a little different than many here on Lionbackers, methinks.....

http://bclions.com/article/syndicated/4 ... t-bc-lions

The statement from that piece: "BC doesn’t have any truly pressing needs which is a testament to the work of GM Wally Buono over the last number of years" is a head-scratcher. Who the heck wrote this? How about an entire D-line that can impose its will. And a couple of new pieces on the O-line so that it can do the same. And maybe a replacement for Korey Banks, a safety who can cover....

That line is what got me to post the piece. I realize its the Lions home page but come one. THankfully, there is no way BUONO actually believes that drivel.........

A totally stupid article which is not even worth reading imo. Just like a lot of stuff from CFL.ca it is a total head scratchier.

I don't disagree, it is to be expected coming from bclions.com. They are going to be biased, it is exactly why a place like lionbackers.com We are biased too, IMO, but there is a bigger range of opinions......