BC Lions Thread

[jerrym]

DT Alex Bazzie and DB Anthony Gaitor have been released early by the Lions to see if they can catch on with a NFL team.

nthony Gaitor and Alex Bazzie are headed to the free agent market early, as the BC Lions announced Monday they’ve granted both internationals their release.
While the two were due to become free agents on Feb. 14, now they are eligible to sign south of the border with National Football League teams.
Bazzie, 26, recorded a career-high 11 sacks in 2016, reaching double digits for the second time in three seasons since joining the Lions in 2014.
Gaitor, 28, completed his first season in the CFL, recording 35 tackles and two interceptions in 11 starts.

[jerrym]

The following article discusses what the loss of Bighill and Bazzie mean to the Lions. It also discusses the loss of Derel Walker and Deon Lacey to the Eskimos.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/10/departu...holes-to-fill/

[jerrym]

BC has signed International LBs Gionni Paul and Dave Perkins.

Paul was an undrafted free agent signing of the Cincinnati Bengals last April before joining the Leos during the 2016 season as part of the CFL’s annual practice roster expansion period.
The former University of Utah standout made 20 starts for the Utes over two years including a dominant senior season in 2015 in which he was a First Team All-Pac 12 selection with 55 solo tackles, 10 stops for a loss and four sacks. ...

Perkins was an undrafted signing of the Seattle Seahawks and attended training camp with the club this past summer. He was waived as part of the club’s final roster cut-down.
The Indiana native began his collegiate days at Ohio State before transferring to Illinois State in 2013. The hard-hitting linebacker who can also play the defensive end position appeared in 38 games for the Redbirds amassing 81 tackles, 25 tackles for a loss and 17 sacks.
“Both Gionni and David are key signings for us as we begin the process of replacing Adam Bighill and Alex Bazzie,” said Lions’ director of player personnel, Neil McEvoy. “They’re mobile guys who play with an edge and provide us with some solid positional competition down the road.”

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/10/li...david-perkins/

[jerrym]

The Lions have added receivers Levi Norwood and Darrin Peterson to their roster.

Norwood (6’0”, 195) joins the Leos following NFL stops in Chicago, Denver and most recently Pittsburgh in 2016. The Baylor grad compiled a significant collegiate resume at one of the NCAA’s most notable programs of late. A talented receiver and extremely dangerous kick returner, he appeared in 49 games over four years at Baylor recording 1,626 yards on 128 receptions with 11 majors. A threat to score each time he touched the ball, Levi was an All-Big 12 honorable mention as kickoff and punt returner in both 2013 and 2014.
Norwood comes from a football family: his brother Jordan plays wide receiver for the Denver Broncos and helped them win Super Bowl 50 last year. Norwood had a 62-yard punt return in the victory over Carolina, setting a new Super Bowl record. Jordan has also played for Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Their father Brian played defensive end for the Calgary Stampeders in 1989 when Wally Buono served as defensive coordinator. Since then he has been a defensive position coach at various programs including Baylor and Penn State.
Peterson (6’2”, 215) brings his talents north following a successful run at Liberty University where he tallied 214 receptions for 3,154 yards and 27 touchdowns over 42 career appearances. He enjoyed a record-setting junior season in 2014 setting single-season school marks with 85 receptions and 1,379 receiving yards with 12 touchdown catches. Darrin was an undrafted signing of the Chicago Bears last year and attended training camp with the club.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/12/li...-and-peterson/

[jerrym]

Richie Leone who has signed a three year contract with Arizona after being released early by the Lions discusses why he liked BC and what attracted him to Arizona besides money.

Although he only played here for two seasons, Leone is leaving behind a lasting legacy: whether it was his booming leg, million dollar smile or award-winning comedy on BC Lions Cribs segments, the 24-year old had a connection with both the community and the fan base that he says he will miss greatly.
“I’m going to miss them a lot,” Leone says of the club’s orange-clad supporters. “It’s so neat how every practice we have more than a few loyal fans who come watch. Even on Cribs, Mike Benson and I got a lot of recognition and once it came out that I was leaving I had fans tweeting me saying they were going to miss it. I also can’t say enough about missing my housemate Jonathon Jennings. I made a lot of friends up there that I will be friends with for life.” ...

Leone’s placekicking may have been inconsistent in 2016, but it was his average of 49.8 yards per punt that had multiple NFL teams calling. He had also received interest from the likes of Green Bay, Philadelphia and was on his way to a workout in Kansas City before agent Gil Scott informed him of the Cardinals’ persistence to get a deal done. In the end, Leone could not pass up the chance to kick in the familiar surroundings of a retractable roof and controlled environment that University of Phoenix Stadium has to offer.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/09/leone-salutes-lions/

[jerrym]

James and Davis are back in 2017 and on this episode they’re joined by three-time Grey Cup Champion Geroy Simon to talk off-season and his personnel role with the BC Lions.

http://www.cfl.ca/thewaggle/

[jerrym]

After being released early, BC Lion DT Alex Bazzie has signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

Extremely Blessed to announce that I'm officially an Indianapolis Colt.Time to put the hard hat on again for this next journey #ColtsNation https://t.co/JShfvkhRxK

— BadManBazzie (@T_cat53) January 9, 2017

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed another prototypical CFL QB in Alex Ross.

If Alex Ross is a prototypical CFL quarterback, Carson Wentz is the model of what the NFL wants. At 6-5 and 237 pounds, Wentz has four inches and 30 pounds on Ross and flips on the power switch when he throws the football. After leading North Dakota State to its fifth straight FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) title, Wentz became the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, by the Philadelphia Eagles, despite the fact his college mastery came against the likes of Missouri State and Western Illinois.
Ross — whose signing was announced this week by the CFL’s B.C. Lions — went head-to-head against Wentz in their respective junior seasons, quarterbacking the Carolina Coastal Chanticleers in a playoff game against the Bison in Fargo, N.D., shown nationally on ESPN. While the Chants lost, 39-32, Ross ran for two touchdowns, though he completed just 11 of 24 pass attempts for 197 yards — for good reason. He separated his right shoulder in the first quarter. ...
The quarterback worked out for the Lions at a free-agent camp last year in Dallas. Still, believing that Ross remained fixated on NFL opportunities, and not truly committed to the CFL option, the Lions decided not to invite him to mini-camp or training camp.

“I’ve seen him a ton,” Lions scout Ryan Rigmaiden says. “He broke every passing record Coastal Carolina ever had. He’s a good decision-maker, really accurate and throws a good ball. He can sling it. He’s a humble kid, too. His intangibles are off the charts.” Coastal Carolina’s all-time leader in a host of passing categories, Ross was the first quarterback selected to the All-Big South first team for three consecutive seasons. He was 33-8 as a starter (.805 winning percentage). In 2015, Ross became just the fourth Chanticleer to be named an FCS All-American. The other three — quarterback Tyler Thigpen (2006), a Vikings draft pick, Panthers/Redskins super villain cornerback Josh Norman (2011), and Bears rookie offensive lineman Chad Hamilton (2014), who retired before his pro career began — were all NFL-bound after graduation. ...
“I’m a realist,” he says. “I’m just over six feet (and 200 pounds). And a lot of teams overlook you because of it. Despite my production in college, I was a long shot (for the NFL).

http://theprovince.com/sports/footba...make-an-impact

[jerrym]

New recruit Levi Norwood discusses playing as a freshman receiver with Rober Griffin III, and his family, which is steeped in football, as his fatter, Brian played as a DL in the CFL for Wally while his brother Jordan not only won a Super Bowl with Denver, he set a punt return record in the process. With four Lion starting receivers still unsigned Norwood may have a good chance of making the team.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/16/no...y-ties-to-den/

[jerrym]

Rumours suggest the Riders may be looking at trying to make a trade with BC to get Lulay. However, Wally denies that he is likely to trade him because he likes having QB depth. We know what happened in Toronto when the QB depth was pretty shallow, so as usual Buono is playing it smart.

Travis Lulay, a leader, a terrific club guy and a former league most outstanding player, is an unlikely trade chip, according to B.C. Lions head coach and GM Wally Buono. But it didn’t surprise Lulay to be told that his name is being mentioned — occasionally and cavalierly — in a possible trade scenario with Saskatchewan, despite the lack of reputable sources or even if the notion makes sense. ...
While some big-name franchise players have ended up in surprising places — the most famous Lion of them all, Geroy Simon, was traded to the Roughriders — Lulay being peddled to Saskatchewan, is a reach, to hear Buono explain it.
“When you have quarterback depth, you better your chances to get better quickly,” he says. “Travis is a lot of things to this team — a mentor, a player the locker-room looks to for leadership, a sounding board for the coaches. And he’s the next guy in. Fans want consistency and continuity. At this point, as a club, that’s how you grow.

http://vancouversun.com/sports/footb...ours-to-regina

[jerrym]

Bryan Burnham, after a breakout year with the Lions in which he finished fourth in reception yardage, is touring NFL tryout camps hoping to become the fifth free agent Lion to sign with a NFL team. However, all of the contracts so far have been reserve/futures contracts.

A “futures” contract — which NFL teams use to lock up practice roster players and free agents before they can be poached by other teams —usually pays a minimum salary (NFL rookies are entitled to a max of $US465,000 in 2017) and can contain a token amount (as little as $500) or no signing bonus. And there’s no limit to how many futures contracts a team can tender, as long as they’re under the 90-man roster cap at the beginning of the league year (in 2017, that date is March 9).
Most “futures” will be happy just to make it to training camp and fight for a roster spot.
Still, for a player who was recruited by only one Division I school — Tulsa University — who fought through a star-crossed, injury-plagued college career and went unnoticed by the NFL in his draft year, it’s something of a kick for Burnham to even be in this position. He received an invite to a Lions free-agent tryout in Seattle in 2014 only after his sister, Shannon Burnham-Ulmer, who worked for the club, did some lobbying with player personnel director Neil McEvoy.

http://vancouversun.com/sports/footb...s-in-nfl-camps

[jerrym]

Anthony Thompson, who was the only 2016 Lion draft pick to appear in every game, discusses the upcoming season below.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/19/ve...pson-year-two/

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed two International OL - Nate Isles and Adrian Bellard.

Isles (6’5”, 325) attended training camp with the Montreal Alouettes in 2016 and began his pro career with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014 before making stops in Arizona and the Arena Football League’s Orlando Predators. The North Carolina A&T grad was a three-year starter for the Aggies playing both guard and tackle.
Bellard (6’5”, 310) attended training camp with the Chicago Bears in 2016 following a standout career at Texas State where he appeared 47 games over four years. The hulking tackle started 36 consecutive games and was the school’s Lineman of the Year for three seasons earning Sun Belt Conference second-team honours in 2014 and an honorable mention in 2015. He capped his days as a Bobcat with a selection to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl last January.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/18/li...isles-bellard/

[jerrym]

Gerry Simon discusses his offseason's scouting below, including going to the Senior Bowl where Canadians Jordan Herdman and Justin Senior will play.

http://www.bclions.com/2017/01/23/the-super-scout/

[jerrym]

Despite his size, his workout for the New Orlean Saints left them highly impressed.

Bighill signed with the Saints on Jan. 4. His futures contract is basically identical to a standard NFL active-roster contract, with the same salary structure and signing bonus. It takes effect in March. ...
Asked in an interview why he signed Bighill, Saints Director of Pro Scouting Terry Fontenot reportedly responded, “He blew us away in the workout. He’s explosive and fun to watch.”

http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/lo...orleans-saints

[jerrym]

Bight's climb from NCAA Division II to the CFL and the NFL is a result of his incredible work ethic.

There’s no easy path to the NFL, but Bighill’s was more challenging than most. At 5-foot-10, he’s more Molehill than Bighill, which is why he didn’t pass the eye test for major college recruiters and ended up at Division II Central Washington, in Ellensburg. There, he conducted himself like a walk-on, only one late practice arrival from being cut, even though he was a first-team Division II All-American linebacker, one who made it a point of pride by being the last guy out of the weight room.
“He (Bighill) has the biggest drive of anyone I’ve ever known,” Wildcats teammate John Koopman told the Ellensburg Daily Record. “I’d get a nosebleed just trying to keep up with him.”
That was seven years ago, when Bighill was an undergraduate in exercise science, a university discipline he gravitated to expressly to make himself a better football player.
“I was just infatuated by ways to increase my performance level,” Bighill says. “I knew I’d have to be a physical specimen to play at the elite level. I started young by subscribing to muscle fitness magazines, training hard and learning ways to be a better football player and a better performer. In college I studied the science of what actually translates into better performance.
“The drive has always been there. I’m willing to put in more work than anyone else. I think that’s why I’m in the position I am now.” ...

Abdominal crunches, rack-rattling lower-body weight training, squats and legs curls, cardio work on the treadmill or stationary bike, Bighill is capable of turning gym watchers into gawkers by the sheer intensity of his workouts.
Still, it wasn’t enough. He wanted to transform and toughen himself down to his core. He found his answer in Rob Williams, a kinesiologist and personal fitness trainer from North Vancouver whom Bighill believes has made the difference. Bighill began working with Williams two-and-a-half years ago, months before he was named the league’s most outstanding defender.
No coincidence, says the linebacker.
“I’m probably 300 per cent better since I starting working with Rob,” Bighill maintains. “I was always aware of how I was executing things, technique-wise, and trying to be specific with movement. But I was missing some of the key things that you really need to make it to that top level. He focused on some key points I wasn’t using. It made everything I was doing that much better.”

http://vancouversun.com/sports/footb...th-van-trainer

[jerrym]

Mike Reilly was happy to recommend former college teammate Adam Bighill to the BC Lions when he played with them, and now he is happy to see him succeed in achieving his dream of reaching the NFL, especially since he will no longer have to deal with Bighill's savage hits.

http://vancouversun.com/sports/footb...-him-leave-cfl

[1971GreyCup]

Tweeted by @CFL

BREAKING NEWS: Welcome back to the #CFL @swayzewaters.
The @BCLions have signed the P/K.

For More➡on.cfl.ca/fXBk308Mfc0

[argotom]

A great singing for the Lions.
Was injury prone and that's the X factor with him.
Notwithstanding and even with the risk of injuries, I would have signed him back and have him compete with Liam.

[gilthethrill]

A great singing for the Lions.
Was injury prone and that's the X factor with him.
Notwithstanding and even with the risk of injuries, I would have signed him back and have him compete with Liam.

Before he was fired, Barker signed a good looking young kicker to compete white LH. Glad to see Swayze (Bridge Over Troubled) Watters back in the CFL.