Montreal Alouettes Thread

[jerrym]

Here are three videos the Als have recently put out on Bear Woods. Maybe the Argos should do some in depth videos to help fans get to know players and build interest during the part of the year when it's lowest.

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/2016...-woods-part-1/

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/2016...-woods-part-2/

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/2016...-woods-part-3/

[1971GreyCup]

Mark Weightman "Swap to French2016 is coming to an end, and my 21 year old adventure with the Alouettes too. The decision to leave was heartbreaking, but the timing was good. During these 21 years I have had the privilege of working with exceptional people, and I will be friends with several players, coaches, staff, media, and sponsors forever.
I am proud of what my team has accomplished; Expansion of the Molson Stadium, Grey Cups 2001 & 2008 with 65,000+ fans, Vanier Cup in 2014, the Alouettes Foundation which encourages school perseverance, and three championships ... these are some of the achievements to which I am proud to have contributed.
Good luck to the Alouettes and thank you all, I look forward to seeing you again!"

Montreal has plenty Alouettes have plenty to be proud of since returning to the CFL.

[jerrym]

Nik Lewis has resigned with the Als through 2018.

The Montreal Alouettes announced on Wednesday that international slotback Nik Lewis will return with the club in 2017 as he has signed a two-year deal.
Lewis, a 5-foot-10, 240-pound slotback, continued rewriting the CFL record book in 2016, having finished first on the team with 102 receptions and 1,136 receiving yards. This marks the second time in his illustrious career that he has reached the 100-reception plateau in a single season, his total being the third highest in the CFL this past year.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/04/nik-lew...more-with-als/

[jerrym]

GM Kavis Reed sees the rebuilding of the Als offence as his primary task.

Reed, and to a lesser extent Chapdelaine, have three major areas of concern as they embark on a new era for the franchise.
Reed has identified the quarterback position as his top priority. It’s not that the organization’s brain trust doesn’t believe Vernon Adams and Rakeem Cato are capable of performing — and if they don’t think so, they’re not saying. Instead, Reed and Chapdelaine have spoken about the importance of having a veteran presence at the position, if not to necessarily play, to at least groom the young pivots.
All eyes will be focused during the coming months on Saskatchewan’s Darian Durant, and whether he reaches free agency on Feb. 14. Durant has experience with Reed and Chapdelaine, most recently the latter, in 2015, when he was the Roughriders’ offensive coordinator. ...

The Als’ offensive line allowed a league-high 64 sacks and must be strengthened. One immediate solution would be to play a pair of imports on the outside, at tackle, but that would require changing the ratio — potentially replacing two Americans with Canadians. That might be easier said than done.
And while Reed still has 24 potential free agents to re-sign, should he choose, he’ll be alarmed the majority — 16 — are on defence, the team’s strength the last two seasons.
He has his work cut out, as does new president Patrick Boivin, who must make this team relevant again. Of course, winning usually cures all.

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/fo...s-reed-in-2017

[jerrym]

Pat Sternberg argues in the article below that the extending of Nik Lewis for two more years helps build stability for the Als. While I've always admired Nik, at 34 years of age and two so-so years in Calgary followed by two good years in Montreal, I'm not so sure. He may continue his good play but at his age the question mark about when will his skills drop off sharply remains.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/09/steinbe...r-of-business/

[KCargosfan]

Pat Sternberg argues in the article below that the extending of Nik Lewis for two more years helps build stability for the Als. While I've always admired Nik's, at 34 years of age and two so-so years in Calgary followed by two good years in Montreal, I'm not so sure. He may continue his good play but at his age the question mark about when will his skills drop off sharply remains.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/09/steinbe...r-of-business/

Agreed. And it's not like he's someone who is in good shape, either. There aren't too many Geroy Simons out there who can be effective at ages 35-37.

[jerrym]

The Als have added three players to their roster.

Defensive-back Desmond Cooper, running-back LaVance Taylor and defensive-lineman Reuben Frank joined the CFL team.
Cooper, a 6-foot-2, 215-pounder, played for two seasons at the University of North Carolina. In 22 regular-season games, Cooper had 89 tackles, three interceptions, nine knockdowns and three forced fumbles playing mostly at the safety position. The 24-year-old also spent time with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015. ...

Taylor, a 5-foot-10, 194-pounder, finished his college career at Central Missouri University in 2014. He recorded 3,941 rushing yards and 6,231 combined yards while scoring 44 touchdowns. He has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Ottawa Redblacks, B.C. Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Frank, a 6-foot-4, 246-pounder, started his collegiate career as a fullback for the University of Connecticut Huskies before moving to defensive lineman, recording 50 tackles and three sacks in 24 games. The 24-year-old played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2016, registering six tackles and a sack in seven games.

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/fo...a-running-back

[jerrym]

Duron Carter is close to signing a deal with the Riders being the most likely team.

Duron Carter is close to signing a contract with a new CFL team, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders the frontrunner for his services according to a report from TSN's Gary Lawless. ...
Carter, 25, was released in October by the Alouettes after a slew of disagreements with coaches and teammates. He recorded 938 yards receiving with five touchdowns in 2016 before the release.
In parts of three CFL seasons, all with the Alouettes, Carter has amassed 2,877 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

http://www.tsn.ca/report-carter-clos...urite-1.649873

[jerrym]

The Als have signed Durant to a three year contract.

The Montreal Alouettes announced on Thrusday that the club has signed quarterback Darian Durant to a three-year deal. ...
“We are extremely happy to have reached an agreement with Darian and we are looking forward to see him lead our offence out on the field,” Alouettes’ general manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. “The negotiations came to this rapid conclusion because both parties were anxious to get a deal done and start working together to bring a championship to the city of Montreal.”

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/19/als-ink...ree-year-deal/

[jerrym]

While Vernon Adams knows Durant is the starting QB,

Although Vernon Adams, a rookie at the time, completed the season with three successive victories after replacing Rakeem Cato, he knows last Friday’s acquisition of veteran Darian Durant in a trade from Saskatchewan, in all likelihood, will relegate him back to the bench. ....
“I don’t believe it’ll be an open competition,” Adams told the Montreal Gazette in a telephone interview from his winter home in Boulder, Colo. “I heard he asked for $350,000 and Saskatchewan offered $300,000. Obviously Montreal’s going to give him that $350,000.
“Nobody’s coming in to get paid $350,000 and not going to play. Therefore, I already know he’s going to start in Week 1. No matter how good I do — unless he gets hurt. He’s a vet and the No. 1 guy, but this is professional football. I’m not going to let him just come in.
“I’m going to try to be the starter, but I know it most likely will be him. I’m going to work hard and push him.” ...
Adams did admit he was told by Reed that Durant would be the Als’ starter, although Reed quickly advised Adams he’s the quarterback of the future, considering Montreal traded a 2017 first-round draft choice to British Columbia for his rights. ...

“I’m going to make sure I’m behind him, I’m learning from him and have his back. But I’m still going to fight for that starting job.”
Adams has two years remaining on his contract — and it certainly behooves Reed and the Als to sign Durant for at least two seasons, if not longer. How that might potentially impact Adams moving forward remains to be determined, although it’s unlikely he’ll want to re-sign with Montreal if he’s relegated to the bench for extended periods or seasons.
“I’d probably ask for a trade. I’d probably want to get out of there,” Adams said. “I don’t know. It’s a tough situation.”
While Adams posted impressive collegiate numbers at both Eastern Washington and Oregon, he was unable to stick with both the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins before coming north. At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Adams isn’t the prototypical NFL quarterback. But his mobility and leadership qualities make him ideally suited for Canadian football.
“So many people don’t believe in me because of my height, because of the way I play quarterback,” he said. “But I know I can get it done. Once I get my real shot, my real opportunity as a starter, I promise you it’s over from there. I won’t give up the starting spot.”

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/fo...es-starting-qb

[jerrym]

Montreal has extended veteran centre Luc Brodeur-Jourdain through 2018.

“Luc’s signing immediately stabilizes our offensive line for this upcoming season. He possesses all the characteristics we look for in an offensive lineman, as he hungers for wins and is smart on the field,” Alouettes General Manager Kavis Reed said in a statement. “Luc takes the success of this team to heart and we have the sentiment that we are a better team by retaining his services.” ...
Brodeur-Jourdain helped the Als capture back-to-back Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010 while keeping Anthony Calvillo upright and was named a CFL All-Star in 2012 and an East Division All-Star in 2012 and 2014.
The 33-year-old dressed for 12 games last season, after seeing his 2015 campaign abruptly end following a knee injury. His courage and dedication to getting back to the field made him the Alouettes nominee for the Jake-Gaudaur Veteran’s trophy last season. In eight seasons, he played in 136 games, starting 106 of them. He was also a starter in six playoff games.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/01/18/als-sol...deur-jourdain/

[jerrym]

Here's a video interview with new Alouette Darian Durant.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3192778/mo...ree-year-deal/

[jerrym]

Kavis Reed discusses the importance of obtaining Darian Durant below while Durant responds to Jones comments about him.

“We want that wheel to stop. The wheel of fortune has to stop,” general manager Kavis Reed said Friday at Olympic Stadium, his newly signed quarterback just off to the side, having addressed the media for the first time. “We know Darian has a track record of championship-calibre play. He’s a tremendous leader and competitor. He’s done it for 11 years.
“At 34, he’s at his maturity level — probably at his peak. We’re going to get the very best of Darian Durant. We also feel the change in scenery re-energizes athletes and re-motivates them. You have something to prove again.” ...

Durant, who turns 35 in August, has two Grey Cup championships on his resumé but hasn’t played a full season since 2010, which should be of some concern. In 2014, he suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow. He then missed most of 2015 with a ruptured left Achilles tendon. A high ankle sprain last season forced him to miss three games.
Perhaps that’s why Roughriders GM and head coach Chris Jones was unwilling to extend Durant’s deal before he could become a free agent next month. The wheels were set in motion last November, when Jones declared the team had only been “moderately successful” with Durant, who immediately knew his time in Regina was over.
If nothing else, the Als have secured a quarterback who’s motivated and will have a burr up his posterior. That can be a recipe for success, as Ottawa’s Henry Burris proved last season, his ego having been bruised — but only provided the quarterback is surrounded by the necessary pieces on the chessboard.
“I guess a sarcastic smile would be the answer (to what Jones said),” Durant noted. “When it comes from your boss, it bothers you. He’s entitled to his opinion. But when someone calls you average … he basically said we had five wins because of me. It takes a total team to win games.
“I think we set the CFL record for the most (different) lineups, ever. There was no chemistry. There was no continuity. We didn’t have a single all-star. We were a last-place defensive team. I was the leading rusher until week 16. And we had one touchdown from a running back. We were not set up to be a successful team.”

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/fo...of-qb-carousel

[jerrym]

Controversial Joe Mack has been hired by the Als along with Catherine Raiche as assistant GMs.

Kavis Reed probably knows there’s this, shall we say, perception of Joe Mack throughout the Canadian Football League.
But if there’s one thing that will mark Reed’s reign — which just began — as Alouettes general manager, it will be his penchant for going against conventional wisdom.
“Perception is not necessarily reality when it comes to this business,” Reed told the Montreal Gazette on Wednesday, after the hiring of Mack as assistant general manager (player personnel) was announced.
Reed’s other assistant GM (football operations) will be Catherine Raîche, who has been with the Als full time since December 2015, when she was hired as the coordinator of football administration. Raîche, 27, has a law degree from the University of Sherbrooke and is becoming highly regarded throughout the league. Indeed, she has expressed her desire of one day becoming a CFL GM. ...

Mack knows what that’s like. He was the GM of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 2010 until he was fired six games into 2013, with the team at 1-5. While the Bombers finished first in the East Division in 2011, going 10-8, and advanced to the Grey Cup, the team struggled during his tenure, going 21-39 overall.

His firing wasn’t surprising.
“I appreciated my time there and the support we had. Sometimes things, for whatever reason — happenstance or injuries — don’t go well. Anyone in this business understands that,” Mack, 62, said in a telephone interview from Mobile, Ala., where he and Reed are scouting players at the Senior Bowl.
Mack may well have been miscast as a GM. His Canadian college drafts were viewed as a nightmare and he didn’t allow Paul LaPolice the freedom to become a good head coach. As well, the fact Mack spent much of his time working from his home base, in Charlotte, N.C., rubbed many of the team’s supporters, and Winnipeg media, the wrong way.

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/fo...-assistant-gms

[jerrym]

The Als have signed National DE Jesse Joseph.

Joseph (6’3″, 262 lbs.) will suit up for his third campaign with the Alouettes, after playing four seasons for the University of Connecticut Huskies. He was then drafted in the third round (21st overall) by the Alouettes in 2013 CFL Canadian Draft. The 28-year-old athlete recorded ten defensive tackles, including a sack in 30 regular season outings with Montreal. He also added four special teams tackles.
“Jesse really managed to establish himself with the club and made his presence felt with solid performances during his two first years with us. He is a hard-nosed, versatile asset with a very high football IQ and we are happy to be able to count on him for the next two seasons,” stated Alouettes General Manager Kavis Reed.
Joseph played 37 career-games in four seasons with the University of Connecticut Huskies, recording 118 tackles and 13 sacks. His most dominant performance came against North Carolina on September 8, 2012 where he picked-up eight tackles in a single game. He completed his senior year in 2013 with 40 tackles, including six for losses and a sack. The former Vanier Cheetah took part in the Chicago Bears rookie mini-camp in 2014.

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/2017...louettes-nest/

[R.J]

http://www.tsn.ca/alouettes-release-qb-cato-1.665863

Not surprisingly, Cato has been released by the Alouettes.

[argotom]

Young guy who showed potential, I can't help to think the Als gave up on him way too early.
A perfect pick up for us as we have zilch.

[gilthethrill]

Is this the same Raheem Cato that lit up the Argos on a Sunday afternoon in October? How did he get cut ahead of Crompton?

[Will]

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

PLAYER	POS	NAT/INT	STATUS
Bedard, Martin	FB	National
Bede, Boris	K	International
Blanc, Jean Samuel	DL	National	Extended (12/22/16)
Boulay, Nicolas	LB	National
Brodeur-Jourdain, Luc	OL	National	Extended (01/18/17)
Brouillette, Marc-Olivier	LB	National
Cash, Alan-Michael	DL	International
Durant, Darian	QB	International	Acquired in Trade (01/12/17) | Extended (01/19/17)
Evans, Dequin	DL	International
Fera, Anthony	K	International
Finley, Jeffrey	DL	National
Graves, Kyle	WR	National
Hebert, Kyries	LB	International
Henry, Marcus	WR	International
Hollins, Tyree	LB	International
Johnson, Jovon	CB	International
Joseph, Jesse	DT	National	Extended (01/26/17)
Klassen, Michael	DL	National
Knapton, Gabriel	DL	International
Lavarias, Aaron	DL	International
Lewis, Nik	WR	International	Extended (01/04/17)
Parker, Billy	DB	International	Retired (01/31/17)
Rutley, Brandon	RB	International
Townsend, Daryl	DB	National
Venable, Winston	LB	International
White, Ryan	OL	National

[Antwon]

Is this the same Raheem Cato that lit up the Argos on a Sunday afternoon in October? How did he get cut ahead of Crompton?

I believe his public blow up with Carter, and ripping into a reporter before the Hamilton game showed he doesn't have the mental toughness to handle being a pro QB.
Hence why the Argos should pass on him.