2015 Season Player Transactions Thread

[Argo57]

LOL...You think I was worried? You should have seen Lori Bursey that day. I think his first scrimmage punt went 7 yards.

I think the kid was playing mind games with all of you, his field goals had me doing the "be good" lean, his punting into the wind however was rather impressive, loved his reaction after his first field goal.....priceless.

[Wobbler]

It seems like a remarkable improvement after a few days of practice. At this rate he'll be a Hall of Famer by next week!

[R.J]

It seems like a remarkable improvement after a few days of practice. At this rate he'll be a Hall of Famer by next week!

If so, does that mean we'll start saying, Swayze who ?

Can't find the wink smiley.

[Wobbler]

We have brought Isaiah Green - who played a little last year but was cut early in camp - back and put him on the PR. To make room, Embernate was released.

[ArgoRavi]

Here are Pfeffer's numbers so far: http://cfl.ca/roster/show/id/8333

The punting stats are out of this world.

[OV Argo]

Here are Pfeffer's numbers so far: http://cfl.ca/roster/show/id/8333

The punting stats are out of this world.

Like I said before - the guy was the leading punter in CIS ball with a very good average for that level; plus he seems like he is a good place kicker too = he has a very good leg.

Why this guy was not drafted ? - good ole CFL "scouts" are often dismissive of or downright ignorant of outstanding CIS players.

[Argo57]

Like I said before - the guy was the leading punter in CIS ball with a very good average for that level; plus he seems like he is a good place kicker too = he has a very good leg.

Why this guy was not drafted ? - good ole CFL "scouts" are often dismissive of or downright ignorant of outstanding CIS players.

Even when Waters comes back the Argos need to keep Pfeffer around, he has been pretty impressive.

[Argocister]

Even when Waters comes back the Argos need to keep Pfeffer around, he has been pretty impressive.

I don't know why they couldn't ...... The
Stamps have been able to keep Crapigna around even though they have
Mavers and Parades.

[AngeloV]

I don't know why they couldn't ...... The
Stamps have been able to keep Crapigna around even though they have
Makers and Parades.

Well, if he impresses enough, and the Argos practice roster him, any team can pluck him. The Argos would then have to activate him to the 46, and I can't see that happening if Waters is healthy.

[Mookie Fan]

Well, if he impresses enough, and the Argos practice roster him, any team can pluck him. The Argos would then have to activate him to the 46, and I can't see that happening if Waters is healthy.

Great points. Maybe there should be an extra roster spot for a national kicker, to allow a player like Pfeffer to develop and stay on a roster, and help out in an emergency? That would prevent teams from using players who play other positions as kickers in emergencies due to injury and would lead to a better product on the field. It might also mean more national kickers get drafted and get jobs. Considering how important kickers are, and considering how many are Canadian even in 2015, I think it is crazy that the leading CIS kicker (Pfeffer) was not even drafted in the CFL draft, whereas players that have almost no chance to make a team are drafted.

I'm torn, because in the past people have complained that forcing international kickers to count as part of the player ratio has led to subpar kicking and a lower standard of play. That may have been true at times, as there are only so many good kickers out there, and the CIS has fewer kickers than the NCAA in the USA. That said, now we have the situation where teams are often going with one kicker for punting, kickoffs and field goals and even a top CIS kicker has trouble landing a CFL job. There seem to be fewer jobs for kickers of any nationality.

Even in 1996 & 1997, the Argos had Mike Vanderjagt do all kicking duties, but (correct me if I am wrong) that seems to be more common now than in the past. This makes injuries to the one kicker more problematic. Obviously there are still teams that have at least 2 kickers, and in the past there were some that had only one, but considering how common injuries are in today's CFL, I don't understand the Argonaut philosophy on relying on Swayze Waters to do everything, praying he doesn't get hurt and not always carrying another kicker, at least to back up Swayze.

If teams were allowed another roster spot for a kicker alone, and it could be a national or international, this could lead to Canadian kickers being squeezed out of the league. That said, if the player counted towards the player ratio it might not. Adding an international kicker as a second "designated" kicker (designated for that position but not for the purpose of avoiding the ratio) would mean 1 international that couldn't play somewhere else, (at least on special teams?)-- I'm not sure as I don't know exactly what the rule says and how this potential scenario could work. Adding a second national as a kicker in a new roster spot for a designated kicker would mean more flexibility to play an international somewhere else, though I don't know if that would matter as much as kickers usually only play on special teams.

When I hear people on here talk about the ratio, and how it will work for each upcoming Argo game, people never seem to talk about how it works on special teams and how that relates to the rest of the game, on offence and defence. There must be some disadvantage to having say two international kickers regarding the ratio, but yet some very decent Canadian kickers often have trouble landing a job. I realize there are only so many jobs in a small league, but the fact the Argos didn't have someone like Pfeffer around before Swayze's injury is puzzling. Having the equivalent of one or two "designated import" kickers would definitely hurt the chances of CIS players making the CFL, but I don't think many people are suggesting that.

The kicking in the CFL is often a problem, and I'm sorry, the idea that we should have the rely on players who aren't regular kickers to fill in may make the game more interesting, but it is a bit embarrassing for the league. To me that's like having pitchers bat as they do in the National League in Major League Baseball. I'd rather see someone who can be more consistent. The Argos have had people who can do a good job filling in as a kicker in the past (I forget their names, sorry), but that is not a given, and I believe Dave Stala struggled kicking in the game that Swayze Waters got hurt. Even a full-time kicker can struggle, and I know if two kickers had been available, and one or both only specialized in either punting or placekicking, they would also have been more likely to struggle than if they were good at everything like Waters and Pfeffer...but a least a full-time kicker would have more time to work on all aspects of the kicking game, and would more likely be able to fill in, even if they were to specialize at either punting or placekicking, and/or kickoffs and of course (don't forget!) onside kicks.

I don't get the logic of the Argo coach and GM. They said they brought in Stala in part because he can kick in an emergency. We have other younger national receivers, so why not use a roster spot on someone like Pfeffer instead of Stala, or why doesn't the CFL add one more roster spot that can only be used for a kicker? Has Stala even played in a game yet as a receiver?

We even had to give up on Kevin Bradfield initially--supposedly because we couldn't spare another precious rosters spot. I think CFL rosters are too small, though I know many disagree with that. The NFL is the other extreme, with bigger rosters where teams have often employed a third kicker simply for kickoffs due to their greater leg strength. I'm not suggesting NFL-sized rosters and the salary expenses that come with them, but the Argos should have been able to keep more of the players they drafted, and teams need to have at least two kickers on their active roster at all times.

[argolio]

NFL game day roster is 46 vs 44 for the CFL, so not much difference.

Yes, Stala has dressed.

[Argocister]

Well, if he impresses enough, and the Argos practice roster him, any team can pluck him. The Argos would then have to activate him to the 46, and I can't see that happening if Waters is healthy.

Crapigna is on the 6 game ...... What happens after 6 games? Parades on the clock?

[AngeloV]

Crapigna is on the 6 game ...... What happens after 6 games? Parades on the clock?

Prabably afraid that Saskatchewan would have plucked him, so they 6 gamed him. A player can stay on the 6 game for as long as needed I believe, so they are basically just hiding him. Parades needs to regain his form of 2013, or he may be in trouble. It has become such a cut throat business. Gone are the days when a 70% accuracy rate is acceptable.

[doubleblue]

NFL game day roster is 46 vs 44 for the CFL, so not much difference.

Yes, Stala has dressed.

I think the NFL game day is 53.

[argolio]

I think the NFL game day is 53.

That's the full roster. On game day it's 46 active, 7 inactive. Sort of how the CFL is 44 and 2.

[ArgoRavi]

That's the full roster. On game day it's 46 active, 7 inactive. Sort of how the CFL is 44 and 2.

That is a far cry from the days when CFL gameday rosters had 34 players and NFL gameday rosters had 45. Many of us CFL fans would make fun of the NFL for that.

[Wobbler]

Matt Norzil, who we drafted this year but cut in camp, was signed by Saskatchewan the other day.

[ArgoRavi]

Matt Norzil, who we drafted this year but cut in camp, was signed by Saskatchewan the other day.

Alex Suber was signed the other day by the Riders as well. Taman didn't seem to do a great job with his off-season recruiting this year and is now relying on other teams' cuts to help his squad.

[OV Argo]

Aston Whiteside - signs with Ottawa - and has a great first game there: 2 forced fumbles (one which he recovered himself), including the one in OT that basically won the game. Argos should have kept this guy IMO and after his CFL learning experience last year - why did Barker want another team's cast-off in Varga I'll ask, since the question gets applied to other teams' GMs ?

[argolio]

Whiteside was outperformed in camp, so I have no problem that he was let go. If he does well in Ottawa, then good for him. That's just the nature of the beast.