Lionbackers.com

Have to admit I didn't see this one coming. By all accounts had a very solid season. Due a $30,000 bonus on Feb. 14. What are the Lions thinking here? Maybe better run defence options with stop gap vets Sewell or Micah Johnson?

https://3downnation.com/2024/02/09/b-c- ... ter-bonus/

Caught me by surprise too as he had a very solid season in 2023. Keep in mind they do still have Josh Banks and extended Tibo Debaillie. Nathan Cherry will be back to health and they're bringing back Stove Richardson. Tack on needing to get reps for Francis Bemiy and it's rather crowded in the middle.

SammyGreene wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 09, 2024 11:02 am

Have to admit I didn't see this one coming. By all accounts had a very solid season. Due a $30,000 bonus on Feb. 14. What are the Lions thinking here? Maybe better run defence options with stop gap vets Sewell or Micah Johnson?

https://3downnation.com/2024/02/09/b-c- ... ter-bonus/

It sounds like they’re clearing cap space for Betts. Baron was a solid DT but never quite lived up to expectations or his salary.

For what it's worth PPF graded Baron 3rd in the league last season among all defensive linemen behind Betts and Montreal's Mustafa Johnson,

https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/01/player-gr ... 23-on-top/

BC FAN is right in the Lions signed him for huge dollars heading into the 2022 season. The deal was re-structured last February with a year added.

The Lions are stacked inside. Stove Richardson, who was expected to line up beside Baron in 2022, should finally make his debut this year. The Lions also have Tibo Debaillie, Josh Banks, Nathan Cherry, Francis Bemiy and rookie Jonah Tavai, younger (and bigger) brother of former Lion J.R. Tavai.

Ok, so what are the Lions up to? They have also announced Quincy Mauger and practice roster RB Vance McShane have been released.

With Edwards-Cooper possibly gone and Lee hurt there are not exactly a lot of options in the secondary right now.

I might be more surprised about Mauger than Baron. McShane is no surprise. With them signing Stanback and another prospect or 2 to compete with Mizzell for what is effectively 1 PR spot they needed to do some weeding out. Even with McShane deleted they still have Stanback and Mizzell plus 4 other American prospects on the roster.

Lee, Edwards-Cooper and Mauger were the best tacklers in the secondary. It's hard to believe the Lions could start the season without any of them. Mauger lost his safety position to Adrian Greene for part of last season, seeing rotational duty with Manny Rugamba at SAM and dime back. I'm not sure what the Lions are expecting to do with the ratio on defence, but they have Greene and Bagayogo as national options in the secondary, plus Hladik, Lokombo and Varga as options at linebacker, and Betts (if re-signed), Menard, Cherry and Bemiy as options on the line. That's pretty healthy national depth, with only two or three nationals likely needed on defence at any time.

Releasing Mauger is probably a sign they plan to go with Greene at safety which would keep the ratio on D in balance as I believe Woods will be starting at WIL.

I don't know if they're ready to go as far as starting Bagayogo at field CB. One thing Rigmaiden's crew has proven is that are very good at find receivers and young guys for the secondary.

SammyGreene wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 09, 2024 11:18 am

For what it's worth PPF graded Baron 3rd in the league last season among all defensive linemen behind Betts and Montreal's Mustafa Johnson,

https://www.cfl.ca/2023/11/01/player-gr ... 23-on-top/

BC FAN is right in the Lions signed him for huge dollars heading into the 2022 season. The deal was re-structured last February with a year added.

PFF had this to say on DBs also noted in an Oct 2023 article on choosing all stars by Chris O'Leary proving that grading alone doesn't tell the whole story:

PFF’s coverage grades among DBs reveal some interesting stuff. Dequoy is the highest graded DB at 90.6, which could separate him from other players in the eyes of some voters. Hamilton’s Richard Leonard (with three interceptions) is behind Dequoy with an 88.7 grade. Other standouts include BC’s Garry Peters (87.8 grade with four interceptions), BC’s Quincy Mauger (85.4 grade with one interception), Toronto rookie Qwan’tez Stiggers (84.8 grade with three interceptions) and Montreal’s Reggie Stubblefield (83.5 grade with two interceptions).

https://www.cfl.ca/2023/10/13/oleary-th ... ne-player/

The timing of the releases might be about cap space and/or a ratio issue with the view to sign Betts given how late these are.

I'm sure the Lions won't open the vault for one player.

Jackson Jeffcoat retires. Surprised that no one was interested in him despite injuries over the years. He played 14 last year.

I assume he wanted to be back with WPG or retire as his options given he's not waiting any longer to see if there is other interest before that decision. Even though he's had injuries it strikes me that in any game he was in, the opponents had to account for him and on TV games his name was always mentioned and some players simply aren't. I'm not meaning to suggest that if they don't say your name you're not doing your job effectively but more along the lines of how offenses and QBs were always taking account of what he was doing when he was on the field.

The 33-year-old played 14 games for the Bombers in 2023, recording 21 defensive tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. However, he continued to be nagged by injuries and ends his CFL career having never played a complete season.

https://3downnation.com/2024/02/09/vete ... -from-cfl/

It's fair to say when healthy Jeffcoat is an impact player or at least I think that way.

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/player/jackson-jeffcoat/192109

If BC does something at QB I'd be excited if it were to be Dolegala or Locksley.

The jury is out on Stove Richardson. 2 achilles injuries.

Not totally surprised about Baron as he was pretty well paid and our d line should be okay without him. Mauger is more surprising as he seemed to be just coming into his own and likely is good value for what he earns. Maybe there is something else going on there that we are not privy to.

I thought Bagayogo was getting picked on a bit last year. Not sure he is ready for full time duty but, whatever way they go, I trust Philips to know these things better than me.

This development is just another curve ball from McElvoy/Campbell since the negotiation window began. We were told on separate occasions they were happy with Smoke Mizzell and focused on signing their own FAs only to throw a huge multi/year offer at Oliveria. Then Plan B proved to be Stanback.
Now it’s releasing a pair of mainly 2023 starters just 48 hours before the negotiation window is about to close and teams have already committed a good chunk of their cap space to players.
Baron ($150,000) was only behind Betts in defensive starter salaries. In a Grey Cup hosting year, have a hard time believing they are counting Stove Richardson to overcome two Achilles tears and a now healthy Nathan Cherry to upgrade Baron’s role.

Mauger was still on his entry level deal and we just cut him lose with Edwards-Cooper apparently signed by the Riders too?

I don’t mind at all seeing them shake things up, especially our front 7 that was owned by the Bombers ground game in the early going of the West Final. As our dear friend Blitz pointed out at the time you can’t just rely on run blitzing all the time when you are getting dominated at the line of scrimmage.

But the timing of this odd. I’m sure Baron and Mauger would have liked to have known their fate before the FA neg window opened. Hopefully there is more to this than having extra cash to throw at Betts.