Around the CFL

[jerrym]

They must like Spencer Watt. They reportedly paid big bucks for him last year in free agency.

That doesn't sound like a good investment.

I assume that was meant as an understatement.

[AngeloV]

That doesn't sound like a good investment.

Hard to say. He has great speed and we can't judge that until we see whether or not he recovers from his achilles tear.

[jerrym]

With so many free agents, teams have to be careful they spend on any one of them.

The Ottawa Redblacks weren’t huddled in negotiations with defensive end Justin Capicciotti and his agent.
The B.C. Lions said this week they wouldn’t be making another contract offer to running back Andrew Harris.
Word from Hamilton was that the Tiger-Cats maintained they won’t be held up for ransom by defensive tackle Ted Laurent.
Money was the sticking point in all three cases, and the fact those three “ratio-breakers” remained unsigned illustrated the discrepancy between the premium placed on national talent by Canadian Football League teams when constructing their rosters and the relatively tough talk preceding the start of free agency on Tuesday.
With one eye on the salary cap of $5.1 million and another on the unprecedented crop of free agents — 52 nationals among an overall total of 131 as of mid-day Friday — teams seem to be thinking of trying to find other ways of retaining the required ratio of nationals to internationals on the roster and in the starting lineups on offence and defence while replacing higher-priced Canadian starters with (cheaper) Americans.
Doesn’t that sound a little bit like the Temporary Foreign Workers program that created such a public controversy before the last federal election campaign?
OK, that’s an overstatement, but hopefully it makes the point.
Many players entering the CFL will find their starting salaries trending toward the $52,000 annual minimum, and contracts are guaranteed for the current season only after a designated number of weeks on the schedule: nine games for six-year veterans, 10 games for five-year CFLers, etc.
As well, given the extreme physical demands of the sport, there’s time or opportunity for players to make significant financial gains.
A league notes package from the start of the 2015 regular season said the average player had 2.62 years of previous experience; 46% of all players were in their first or second year in the league. That meant they were still working under terms of their first CFL contracts and hadn’t yet benefited from the opportunity to sign second, third or fourth contracts that, with their abilities having been proven, would provide for presumably larger salary increases.

http://ottawacitizen.com/sports/foot...ootball-league

[jerrym]

CHED‘s Dave Campbell says don’t expect to see pending free agents JC Sherritt, Kenny Stafford, Aaron Grymes or Kendial Lawrence extended before the start of free agency:

http://www.cfl.ca/2016/02/07/fa-rumour-mill/

[R.J]

BC Lions free agent primer. http://3downnation.com/2016/02/07/15289/

Huff outright told me he’ll be a player in free agency “once the smoke clears.” AKA, Wednesday or Thursday. https://t.co/nmZYvNi6QB

— Scott Mitchell (@ScottMitchellPM) February 7, 2016

Huff: “Wally is right. If you're going to go get young international RBs, they're going to be a lot cheaper than what you pay an AH.” #CFLFA

— Scott Mitchell (@ScottMitchellPM) February 7, 2016

Hearing #Ticats are expected to make big push for FA-to-be WR @ShamawdChambers. #Esks. Close friends with @Simoni_Lawrence.

— Drew Edwards (@scratchingpost) February 7, 2016

Solomon Elimimian has had his deal reworked and will become available after this season. - @FifthQtr #CFL #BCLions

— CFL News (@CFL_News) February 7, 2016

[KCargosfan]

I find the news on Elimimian a bit weird? Isn't he making something like $235K per year and the highest paid defensive player in the league? Why make that contract shorter? I would assume it would be harder to make more than $235K per year for Elimimian in 2017?

[jerrym]

He will be 30 in October, just after the start of the NFL season and failed to make the Vikings or Browns in 2012, so I think he'll have a hard time making it now. The Lions may be hoping to keep him happy for the shorter contract. He may also have agreed to come back to them if he doesn't make it.

[jerrym]

You don’t need to give Mercer Timmis a lesson on the machinations of the Canadian Football League ratio.

He already knows.
If you have one Canadian running back, you need two. Ideally, maybe even three.
That has the University of Calgary Dinos tailback eyeing up CFL free agency this week with keen interest, as his landing spot in the 2016 CFL Draft three months from now could be tied to where veteran ball-carriers Andrew Harris and Jerome Messam land.


B.C. Lions GM/head coach Wally Buono has already thrown in the towel on trying to re-sign Harris, and the 28-year-old Winnipeg native will definitely hit the market Tuesday at 10 a.m.
Messam could follow if the monetary gap that exists between the 30-year-old running back and the Calgary Stampeders can’t be bridged by the time the frenzy starts in 24 hours or so.
Once those two players sign, Timmis will have a pretty good idea of which teams will have him on their draft radar.
“Definitely,” Timmis said when asked if he’s been tuned in to the CFL hot-stove talk this off-season. “A big thing for me right now is just watching the free agency and seeing what happens with Messam, what happens with Harris because just for the teams that want to draft me, from what I’ve heard, they need a Canadian running back if they have one of those guys. I’m just excited to see what’s going to happen here.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/02/07...ing-backs-land

[jerrym]

Riders add college RB Malcolm Cyrus.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today international running back Malcolm Cyrus has signed with the team. As per club policy, details of the contract were not released.
Cyrus (5’10 – 185) joins the Green and White after playing four seasons at Alabama State University. The 23-year-old totaled 2,903 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on 488 carries while adding 646 receiving yards on 59 receptions through 43 career collegiate games. As a senior, Cyrus was named 2014 SWAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year after piling up a conference leading 1,662 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Cyrus recently attended the Riders free agent camp in Montgomery, Alabama.

http://www.riderville.com/2016/02/02/38580/

[R.J]

Expecting former #BCLions Josh Johnson to sign with #Jaguars #NFL #CFLFA

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) February 9, 2016

shoot. my mind is spinning. make that: told @Wpg_BlueBombers making a push for RB Andrew Harris @cfl #CFLFA

— gary lawless (@garylawless) February 9, 2016

can also report @Wpg_BlueBombers are deep in talks with WR Ryan Smith @cfl #cflfa

— gary lawless (@garylawless) February 9, 2016

[R.J]

#BCLions have made offers to Canadians: DE Justin Capiccotti, Rec Shamawd Chambers, DB Mike Edem & OL Cory Watman. #CFLFA

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) February 9, 2016

[R.J]

Hearing former Ottawa DL Keith Shologan is closing in on a deal with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. #CFL #Bombers

— David William Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) February 9, 2016

Reports that RB John White has signed with #BCLions are false. They haven't made him an offer. Have offered RB Jeremiah Johnson though. #CFL

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) February 9, 2016

Kyle Walters not done. While waiting for Ryan Smith signature he's also in negotiations with Euclid Cummings agent @cfl #cflfa

— gary lawless (@garylawless) February 9, 2016

[R.J]

Hearing the #Als have made an offer for @REDBLACKS CB Jovon Johnson. Also am told #Als continue working on a deal for Winston Venable.

— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) February 9, 2016

one @cfl GM tells me until Ted Laurent signs, lots of big name #cflfa defenders won't sign. He sets the mark.

— gary lawless (@garylawless) February 9, 2016

[R.J]

#BCLions closing in on a deal with DB Mike Edem. #CFLFA

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) February 9, 2016

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[R.J]

Am told #Als in negotiations with DT Vaughn Martin, one of their 2011 draft picks. He's been in NFL with San Diego, Miami, Detroit and KC.

— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) February 10, 2016

[R.J]

I'm told #Bombers yesterday put in an offer to DE Justin Capicciotti, who said no. So they turned to Shologan. #CFLFA

— Kirk Penton (@PentonKirk) February 10, 2016

[Will]

At least somebody resisted the lure.

[R.J]

Roughriders release Jake Doughty and Ray Early.
http://www.riderville.com/2016/02/10...s-release-two/

[Will]

Hearing the #Als are shopping non-import MLB @HenocMuamba. Edm would seem to be most-likely destination.

— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) February 11, 2016

[R.J]

^ Surprised to say the least. Whomever gets him will get an elite MLB.