Lions 2022 free agents

[B.C.FAN]

The way the ratio works next starter up NATs are kept on the 46. Next starter up Americans are kept on the PR. QBs get more leeway there as they typically go from PR to backup. More often than not American positional players go from PR to starting.

Yes. Case in point, national linemen David Knevel and Andrew Peirson dressed as backups in all 14 games last year with no starts. I’m not sure if Peirson ever got on the field. Americans Kent Perkins (13 starts), Phil Norman and Jarell Broxton (1 start each) jumped directly from the practice roster to the starting lineup.

[David]

As Hambone has pointed out, there are few LT options in free agency, so what choice do the Lions have but hope for a Figueroa that can remain healthy in 2022. And try to find some rookies that the NFL has passed on, which is always a bit of a crap shoot. Although there are lots of US free agents, CFL rosters are not big enough for the most part, to develop American players.

Very small sample size but LT Jarell Broxton looked very good in the one game he played (August 28th in Ottawa) before suffering a torn bicep that kept him out for the remainder of the season. As far as I know, he is under contract for 2022 and, presumably, legit training camp competition for Fig.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

Very small sample size but LT Jarell Broxton looked very good in the one game he played (August 28th in Ottawa) before suffering a torn bicep that kept him out for the remainder of the season. As far as I know, he is under contract for 2022 and, presumably, legit training camp competition for Fig.


DH

Phil Norman was recently re-signed for 2022. He took first-team reps at both tackle positions at various points in training camp last year while Figueroa and Mathews were injured before being released and brought back to the practice roster. He played the final game of the season at LT. He started the final 13 games of the 2019 season at centre and seemed to acquit himself well. He could be an option at centre if the Lions change the O-line ratio, which should be feasible with a Canadian starter at QB.

[DanoT]

Very small sample size but LT Jarell Broxton looked very good in the one game he played (August 28th in Ottawa) before suffering a torn bicep that kept him out for the remainder of the season. As far as I know, he is under contract for 2022 and, presumably, legit training camp competition for Fig.


DH

Phil Norman was recently re-signed for 2022. He took first-team reps both tackle positions at various points in training camp last year while Figueroa and Mathews were injured before being released and brought back to the practice roster. He played the final game of the season at LT. He started the final 13 games of the 2019 season at centre and seemed to acquit himself well. He could be an option at centre if the Lions change the O-line ratio, which should be feasible with a Canadian starter at QB.

I would prefer to have Rourke as an 8th N starter, otherwise if he has to go out for a play or part of a game due to injury, then an A lineman, RB, or receiver would also have to come off the field and then be replaced by a N.

[David]

Very small sample size but LT Jarell Broxton looked very good in the one game he played (August 28th in Ottawa) before suffering a torn bicep that kept him out for the remainder of the season. As far as I know, he is under contract for 2022 and, presumably, legit training camp competition for Fig.


DH

Phil Norman was recently re-signed for 2022. He took first-team reps both tackle positions at various points in training camp last year while Figueroa and Mathews were injured before being released and brought back to the practice roster. He played the final game of the season at LT. He started the final 13 games of the 2019 season at centre and seemed to acquit himself well. He could be an option at centre if the Lions change the O-line ratio, which should be feasible with a Canadian starter at QB.

Yes, indeed. I would be quite comfortable with Norman at centre and either Fig/Broxton at LT or Mathews/Perkins at RT and either an extra American receiver if Rourke starts at QB, or we sign Boateng/Menard to rotate at DE.


DH

[Hambone]

I would prefer to have Rourke as an 8th N starter, otherwise if he has to go out for a play or part of a game due to injury, then an A lineman, RB, or receiver would also have to come off the field and then be replaced by a N.

True Dat. No big deal if they want to swap QBs for sneaks as they'd likely be pulling an A receiver and bringing in a N OL for blocking.

However if they lose him mid game due to injury adjusting.the ratio is the least of their worries. Not ideal but not devastating. They seem to have the N depth and flexibility to adjust to get them through the game. Have to pull an A tackle.out and put in Knevel or pull Butler and put in Lyles.to finish a game? I can live with that.

[Hambone]

Are we being a bit harsh on Godber? He didn't seem to live up to Lionbacker expectations but for all intents he was very much a rookie thanks to injury and the canceled season. Does Bates see it that way? Does he think Godber has already reached his plateau or did he see signs of someone with untapped upside?

[TheLionKing]

Are we being a bit harsh on Godber? He didn't seem to live up to Lionbacker expectations but for all intents he was very much a rookie thanks to injury and the canceled season. Does Bates see it that way? Does he think Godber has already reached his plateau or did he see signs of someone with untapped upside?

Too many holding calls for my liking.

[Reg18]

If Cotoy tries the NFL and it doesn't work out his cfl rights still belong to the lions right?

[B.C.FAN]

If Cotoy tries the NFL and it doesn't work out his cfl rights still belong to the lions right?

No. That was true in 2020 when he opted out to pursue NFL tryouts but his 3-year B.C. contract expires next week.

[SammyGreene]

If Cotoy tries the NFL and it doesn't work out his cfl rights still belong to the lions right?

If his NFL tryout process extends beyond Feb 8 then he is a free agent up here and can sign with anyone.

I’ve suddenly cooled on the need of an impact national receiver.
If the Lawlor deal is true and he signs here that is over $700,000 spent on 4 American receivers. Can’t see another decent cap hit for a 5th national receiver but who knows. Maybe they draft 1 of the Philpot twins to fill that spot. After all, there is only 1 football and you’re not looking for another potential 1000 yard receiver.

Lions could be bucking the league trend and starting at least 3 nationals on defence. Bombers started 1 last year.

[Hambone]

2021 secondary is all back now. Peters re-signs.
https://3downnation.com/2022/02/01/back ... ry-peters/

[Hambone]

If Cotoy tries the NFL and it doesn't work out his cfl rights still belong to the lions right?

If his NFL tryout process extends beyond Feb 8 then he is a free agent up here and can sign with anyone.

I’ve suddenly cooled on the need of an impact national receiver.
If the Lawlor deal is true and he signs here that is over $700,000 spent on 4 American receivers. Can’t see another decent cap hit for a 5th national receiver but who knows. Maybe they draft 1 of the Philpot twins to fill that spot. After all, there is only 1 football and you’re not looking for another potential 1000 yard receiver.

Lions could be bucking the league trend and starting at least 3 nationals on defence. Bombers started 1 last year.

I'm not sure where BC will be finding a 3rd NAT on D. Having just extended Peters they have him, Lee, Sayles, Hardin and Edwards-Cooper all coming back. After rotating several thru the SAM LB during the season they settled on 24 year old Austin Joyner who is also under contract for 2022.

Concerns about how much is potentially being invested in receivers are valid. However I think one needs to look at the entire picture. Different teams invest big money into different position groups depending on their wants, needs, existing personnel and scheme priorities. For some that might be at DL or OL. For other teams it might be LB or WR or QB. Yet another team might want to spend elite money at RB or in the secondary.

So while it may be BC is spending too much on receivers they have very affordable money tied up in other position groups. Last year they got 35% of their starts out of players on their rookie deals. Coming down the stretch they had 10 starters playing under such contracts. Included in that was Edwards-Cooper and Hardin in the secondary, Joyner and Williams at LB, 5 or 6 in the DL rotation, Butler at TB and Perkins at RT. As of now all are still with the club.

Barring FA signings and assuming the likes of Cioffi and Tavai aren't returning BC will be at the bottom of the CFL in spend at RB, QB and DL with affordable money at LB and in the secondary. The OL looks to be stacking up as mid-pack in terms of spend.

In a quirky way maybe they are spending at receiver because a) they have lots of cap space overall and b) they are in good position with very affordable money committed to other position groups and c) there's not a lot of options to spend it elsewhere.

[Hambone]

All I can say is wohoo. Cottoy extended for 2 years.
https://3downnation.com/2022/02/02/phys ... b-c-lions/

[DanoT]

I am very pleasantly surprised by the Cottoy signing. I had kinda figured that part of the Lions strategy for making the big offer to Lawler was that the Lions had some inside info that Cottoy was going to get an NFL contract offer, so $ could be spent elsewhere.

At this point, I'd say Bombers need Lawler more than the Lions.