Argo cuts?

[ArgoRavi]

I have to admit that one of the reasons I don't like the huge rosters these days is that the excitement and anticipation and worry has largely disappeared from the cut-down process. Between the 46-man active roster, the expanded practice roster and the lack of any limitation on injury lists, teams come out of camp with 60-plus players. In the "good old days" when rosters were 34 men, you had to make some very difficult cuts to get to the limit, and there was often movement from team to team by late-cut players. Now we head into the second ex game knowing that almost everyone on the roster will still be here a week later.

On a related note, it won't come as a surprise to those who have heard me bleat on this issue before, but I'm disappointed (altho not surprised) that the game rosters are expanding to 44 this year. IMO it will lead to the dressing of more specialists whose primary or only role is to stop teams with the ball, either as extra DBs or kick-coverage specialists. I realize that more bodies means less wear and tear, but I would still prefer to see starters forced to play on special teams and staying in the game most of the time on offence and defence.

I have expressed similar concerns to you over the last few years, Paul. I am trying to look at the expanded rosters as a player safety issue now to feel better about it. It is funny though that back in the 1980s, the NFL active roster consisted of 45 players and we used to laugh at that and now CFL rosters consist of only one fewer player.

By way of comparison, look at player participation for the 1978 Edmonton Eskimos: http://stats.cfldb.ca/team/edmonton-...s/roster/1978/

They used only 38 players for the entire season and followed that up by using 40 the next season. Of course, a few of those players had a tough time post-retirement with three of them dying in recent years (David Boone, York Hentschel and Bill Stevenson) and the effects of repeated concussions have been suggested to have played a role in those early deaths.

[Rich]

IMO it will lead to the dressing of more specialists whose primary or only role is to stop teams with the ball, either as extra DBs or kick-coverage specialists.

I don't get why the 2 extra roster spots is necessarily an advantage for the defence. Wouldn't dressing a 2nd INT RB be a big advantage for the offense, some fresh legs that could counteract any fresh legs on defence? An extra KR specialist, ST blocking specialist, or WR could do the same thing, no?

[ArgoRavi]

I don't get why the 2 extra roster spots is necessarily an advantage for the defence. Wouldn't dressing a 2nd INT RB be a big advantage for the offense, some fresh legs that could counteract any fresh legs on defence? An extra KR specialist, ST blocking specialist, or WR could do the same thing, no?

IIRC, a roster size increase in '06-'07 coincided with what I like to call the "dead ball era" in Canadian football. Those two years saw scoring decline considerably and one of the reasons that has been proposed is that teams loaded up on defence and special teams coverage with extra imports. Having said that, the same effect did not appear to happen when rosters increased again a few years ago.

[Wobbler]

When asked about the roster increase last week, Milanovich said that they were still deciding what to do, but indicated that his priorities were to add an extra DB and LB. If that is a typical attitude (which seems likely) then yes, we can expect somewhat more effective defenses.

[ArgoRavi]

When asked about the roster increase last week, Milanovich said that they were still deciding what to do, but indicated that his priorities were to add an extra DB and LB. If that is a typical attitude (which seems likely) then yes, we can expect somewhat more effective defenses.

One thing that I hope that the Argos do - and I think that they are in a great position to do this given the continuity on offence - is to run a no huddle offence with frequency. With the change in rules this year, if they can run a no huddle offence, then defences won't be able to make substitutions.

[Invader]

Until 1950, Canadian football players had to play offence, defence and ST, because if you left the field for any reason, you couldn't re-enter the game until the start of the next quarter. It was also a penalty to "coach from the sidelines"...them's was the good 'ole days.

[paulwoods13]

I don't get why the 2 extra roster spots is necessarily an advantage for the defence. Wouldn't dressing a 2nd INT RB be a big advantage for the offense, some fresh legs that could counteract any fresh legs on defence? An extra KR specialist, ST blocking specialist, or WR could do the same thing, no?

Yes, but I will believe it when I see it. Teams have tended to use DBs and LBs in their DI spots. If any team would make sense to load up with offensive weapons, it would be the Argos. Keep giving RR fresh legs at receiver, and a second RB who can block and catch -- makes sense and I hope they try it.

[paulwoods13]

One thing that I hope that the Argos do - and I think that they are in a great position to do this given the continuity on offence - is to run a no huddle offence with frequency. With the change in rules this year, if they can run a no huddle offence, then defences won't be able to make substitutions.

Absolutely correct. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to use no huddle regularly.

[Rich]

When asked about the roster increase last week, Milanovich said that they were still deciding what to do, but indicated that his priorities were to add an extra DB and LB. If that is a typical attitude (which seems likely) then yes, we can expect somewhat more effective defenses.

This falls under the category of your typical, play-it-safe CFL "groupthink", does it not?

[Wobbler]

Adding an extra DB makes perfect sense to me. At the other positions we have backups that don't end up doing much (as position players). Every DB we dress usually sees quite a bit of action, because we only carry one extra guy and he comes in on nickel defense. If anyone gets hurt, it causes significant problems. The other extra guy could be used in several different ways. I can certainly see the case for a run-, pass-, or ST-specialist LB, but having another WR might also be the way to go. Hopefully we'll experiment a bit.

[bluto]

when i consider the amount of field that DBs and pass coverage LBs need to cover (usually at a sprint) every 20+ seconds i reckon that you could never have too many of these guys. i know they're all fit, but pass coverage in our league is more than enough to test anyone's fitness.

[ubbullrun]

Depend on the DB and LB they add

[Wobbler]

Kent Richardson (DB) was released today and has already signed an AFL contract.

[Wobbler]

The #Argos released 2014 6th round pick and #SFUClan alum SB Tore Corrado today following their final pre-season game last night

— Mac D (@SFUMacD) June 20, 2014

[Argocister]

Corrado .... Will he make the practice roster? I can't recall him showing much during the preseason games .

[gilthethrill]

Kent Richardson (DB) was released today and has already signed an AFL contract.

It's good to see a player get cut & have another opportunity to continue to play pro football.

[1argoholic]

Yes it's a good thing except Richardson is playing in a bush league now. Just can't get into AFL.

[Will]

Based on a few tweets from yesterday it appears that Eric (Matt's brother) Black will be making the team.

[paulwoods13]

Based on a few tweets from yesterday it appears that Eric (Matt's brother) Black will be making the team.

At the expense of Herbert, perhaps? Both guys played with the third DB unit in the second half, Herbert at CB (altho the latter also got some first-half reps). I can't see dressing all three of M Black, Gabriel and E Black unless E Black is a monster special teamer, or unless M Black is moved to CB and we start two NATs in the secondary.

[ArgoRavi]

Kent Richardson (DB) was released today and has already signed an AFL contract.

I suspect that Richardson had that job lined up just in case things didn't work out in Toronto. He might even be returning to the same team if he had left the AFL to try his luck in Toronto.

BTW, why are Argo cuts treated like such a state secret? They were made yesterday but, according to Zicarelli, won't be announced until tomorrow. Why? Ottawa announced their cuts this afternoon.