Thread for the Team that Cannot Be Named

[jerrym]

Tiger Cats DBs Ennanuel Davis and Craig Butler discuss the upcoming season on 1150 radio.

http://www.tsn.ca/radio/hamilton-115...ition-1.715828

[jerrym]

Another CFLer has retired very early to seek other opportunities. National OL Mathieu Girard quit football at age 25.
Leaving his retirement until late in the offseason may have helped the Argos be able to sign Peter Dyakowski, who likely wouldn't have been cut if the Cats knew Girard was retiring.

While his departure makes perfect sense on a personal level, there's little question his sudden departure will make things more difficult for the team in the short term.
Girard has taken a full-time job in information technology with KPMG, an international professional services company with revenues in excess of $25 billion (yes, billion) in 2016.
For a guy with one degree in the field — he's also working on his master's — it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"As much as I love football, I'm looking at my long-term goals," Girard said. "I didn't want to finish playing at 35 years old without any job experience."

There were other, albeit lesser, factors as well. The job allows him to live full-time in his native Montreal where he and his fiancée have just purchased a home. And after suffering a head injury that forced him to miss the final game of the 2016 regular season and playoffs, Girard is more aware than ever of the risks involved in playing.
"I've always been healthy but the concussion did scare me a little," Girard said. "Physically, I'm feeling good, but it got me thinking, 'Is it worth it?'"
A sixth-round draft pick in 2014 out of the University of Montreal, Girard has developed into a useful, versatile player after converting from defensive line. He played in all 18 games his rookie season in 2015 as backup offensive lineman and long snapper, then made six starts at centre last year in place of the injured Mike Filer.
With the release of Peter Dyakowski on Feb. 16 — before the Ticats knew Girard was retiring — the third-year man would have likely been in contention for a starting spot, particularly if the team was looking to use four Canadian offensive linemen among their seven national starters. With his departure, that's almost impossible.
Would the Ticats have released Dyakowski had they known Girard was walking away from the game? Unlikely.

http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/...ing-the-shots/

[jerrym]

Below is an interview with former Argo QB Zach Collaros covering his offseason, the upcoming year and the addition of three well known former NFL QBs to the Hamilton negotiation list.

http://www.cfl.ca/2017/04/11/checkin...n-arrives/#als

[jerrym]

Former Tiger Cat and Bomber LB Leo Ezerins will be inducted into the Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame.

For his all-star accomplishments on and off the field, CFL Alumni Association (CFLAA) executive director Leo Ezerins has been selected as a member of the 2017 Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame Class.Known for his on-field determination and leadership, Leo Ezerins spent 10 seasons in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Leo was a CFL all-star and a key member of the Tiger-Cats 1986 Grey Cup Championship team. He is also sixth on the all-time list for interceptions by a CFL linebacker.
A graduate of Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, Ezerins was a perennial Conference All Star and named NAIA All American in his senior year. Ezerins also played for Gridiron Great Inductee and CFL icon Hugh Campbell and Mike Riley, the current head coach at Nebraska.
His biggest impact after retiring from the game came in 2008 when he founded the CFL Alumni Association, where he currently serves as the executive director. Under his leadership, the CFLAA board createdthe CFL Alumni Support Fund. This fund was created to help former players experiencing financial limitations due to medical and life challenges. The fund was modelled after Mike Ditka’s Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.
One of his biggest accomplishments was being asked to take an active role on the advisory board of the Canadian Concussion Centre and the clinical research team for the Canadian Sports Concussion Research Project.The study focuses on the long-term impact of repeated concussions of professional athletes and looks to build a brain bank for post-mortem autopsy evaluation.
His off-field compassion and dedication to his fellow alumni is what makes Ezerins a very worthy selection for the 2017 Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame Class. He now joins an elite group of past CFL inductees including: Angelo Mosca, Hugh Campbell, George Reed, Matt Dunigan, Ray Elgaard, and Danny McManus.
Gridiron Greats was formed to provide hands on assistance to retired NFL players and their families in dire need. Gridiron Greats assists with medical, housing, financial and social services support. To date they have assisted over 2,500 players and their families.

https://press.cfl.ca/leo-ezerins-to-...s-hall-of-fame

[jerrym]

Hamilton has added four International DBs to its roster: Will Hill, Isaiah Lewis, K.J. Morton and Cheatham Norrils. Hill in particular has a lot of NFL game experience.

Hill, 27, appeared in 50 National Football League games over four years with the New York Giants (2012-13) and Baltimore Ravens (2014-15), registering 221 combined tackles, four interceptions, two interception return touchdowns, 14 passes defended, three forced fumbles and one sack. The 6-1, 228-pound native of Jacksonville, Florida, went undrafted in 2011 out of the University of Florida before signing as a free agent with the Giants on May 14, 2012. He also spent time with the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League.
Lewis, 25, spent time in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015. The 5-10, 211-pound native of Indianapolis, Indiana, originally signed as an undrafted free agent, attended training camp and played in three preseason NFL games with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014. Prior to turning pro, Lewis played 53 games with 40 starts at safety over four seasons (2010-13) at Michigan State University, posting 227 tackles, eight interceptions and 26 passes defended with the Spartans. His 158 interception return yards rank 10th in MSU history.
Morton, 26, spent the 2016 season with the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League. The 5-10, 190-pound native of Macon, Georgia, played 31 games starting 29 times at cornerback over three seasons (2011-13) at Baylor University. He collected 156 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight interceptions, 17 pass break ups, four forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks in his career with the Bears.
Norrils, 23, attended mini-camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016. The 6-0, 195-pound native of Toledo, Ohio, played 34 games starting 24 times at cornerback over four seasons at the University of Toledo from 2011 to 2015. He accumulated 133 total tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, seven pass break ups and two forced fumbles. Norrils was redshirted in 2014 to retain his senior eligibility and missed the entire season due to illness.

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-sign-fou...fensive-backs/

[jerrym]

The Tiger Cats have signed six DL, namely:

Defensive tackle Davon Coleman, defensive ends Mike McAdoo, Jason Neill and Ryan Mueller, and defensive linemen Claudell Louis and Giorgio Newberry.

Coleman, 26, played in four games with one start at defensive tackle for the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys over two seasons (2014-15), registering three defensive tackles. The 6-2, 285-pound native of Kent, Ohio, also had stints in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (2015), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016) and New York Giants (2016). Prior to turning pro, Coleman played in 39 games starting 22 times at both defensive tackle and defensive end at Arizona State University (2011-13), totaling 166 career tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two blocked kicks (one extra point, one field goal).
McAdoo, 26, spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, serving on their practice roster in 2015 before attending training camp and playing in four preseason games in 2016. The 6-7, 250-pound native of Antioch, Tennessee, also spent two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2011-12) after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of the University of North Carolina. In 2013, he suited up in two games for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL, posting a quarterback sack and one pass knock down.
Neill, 24, had stints with three different teams in 2016. The 6-2, 266-pound native of Flower Mound, Texas, signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent on May 6 and attended mini-camp. He was then signed by the Cleveland Browns on August 1 and attended training camp before ultimately joining the Calgary Stampeders’ practice roster on September 27. Neill played four seasons at the University of Texas-San Antonio and graduated as the Roadrunners’ all-time leader in tackles for loss (23.5) and sacks (14).
Mueller, 25, converted to fullback and had a short stint with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. He was originally signed as an outside linebacker/defensive end by the San Diego Chargers after going undrafted in 2015, and served time on the team’s practice roster. The 6-2, 245-pound native of Morristown, New Jersey, played four seasons at Kansas State University (2011-14) at defensive end, posting 119 career defensive tackles and 20.5 quarterback sacks.
Louis, 26, attended training camp with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings in 2016 and suited up in three preseason games at defensive tackle. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills on May 2, 2016 but was released before training camp. Louis played two years at Fresno State University (2014-15) as a defensive end before turning pro. The 6-4, 294-pound defensive lineman was born in Haiti and moved to Boynton Beach, Florida at the age of 11.
Newberry, 25, signed with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2016, attended training camp and played three preseason games before being released. The 6-6, 295-pound native of Fort Pierce, Florida, played 53 games at Florida State University over four seasons (2012-15), lining up at multiple positions, including defensive tackle, defensive end and tight end. As a senior, Newberry notched 21 defensive tackles, two quarterback sacks, three tackles for loss and six pass knock downs.

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-add-six-...nsive-linemen/

[jerrym]

Hamilton keeps adding more TC players.

The #Ticats have signed running back Jeremy Stewart and wide receiver Gary Chambers.

DETAILS > https://t.co/nhv4AnY0BG pic.twitter.com/FEsAyzX7UT

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) April 17, 2017

[jerrym]

Stewart, 28, played 23 games over three seasons in the National Football League with the Oakland Raiders (2012-13) and Denver Broncos (2014), posting 33 carries for 125 yards with one rushing touchdown, and adding 10 catches for 68 receiving yards. He also returned eight kickoffs for 138 yards during his NFL career. The 5-11, 215-pound native of Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles and also spent time with the New York Jets in 2012. Prior to turning pro, Stewart played four seasons at Stanford University (2007-10), collecting 920 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 209 carries, while adding 18 receptions for 123 yards and a receiving touchdown.
Chambers, 24, attended training camp with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills in 2016 before being released on August 7. The 6-3, 210-pound native of Glendale, Arizona, was originally signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State University on April 30, 2016. Chambers played 34 games with seven starts at wide receiver for the Sun Devils over four seasons (2012-15), registering 36 receptions for 690 yards and four touchdowns.

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-sign-run...iver-chambers/

[jerrym]

Hamilton has signed 15 International DBs in an attempt to improve their secondary and SAM LB positions.

There is one other glaring hole in the roster: the absence of a proven strong-side or SAM linebacker. The position poses some unique challenges. It requires a linebacker’s tackling ability, but the coverage skills of defensive back. It is the toughest spot to play on a CFL defence and no real NFL comparison. So knowledge of the Canadian game is a must.
Hamilton has had some great players in recent memory at the position: Markeith Knowlton, who was named the league’s top defensive player in 2010, and Erik Harris, who is now with the New Orleans Saints, are two recent SAM standouts.
But, the position was a bit of a no man’s land last year, as the Ticats started four players – Rico Murray, Brandon Sermons, Keon Raymond and Jeremaine Robinson – none of whom are currently under contract with the club
While SAM was a concern last season, the biggest trouble spot was actually the entire secondary. So it’s hardly a surprise that the Ticats went looking for upgrades this off-season. They brought Abdul Kanneh over from Ottawa, and brought back all-star Emanuel Davis in free agency. They signed two American rookies in Keon Lyn and Axel Ofori, Jr., traded with Montreal for Ethan Davis, re-signed Cleshawn Page and recently added four other American DBs, including former New York Giant, Will Hill.
Add in holdovers: Cassius Vaughn, Demond Washington, Dominique Ellis, Chris Davis and Travis Lee, and the Ticats currently have 15 American defensive backs on their roster. Obviously, not all these players will make the team out of training camp, but they’ll have plenty of competition – and the option to convert a defensive back to the SAM spot.
That evolution is par for the course in the CFL. Raymond and Harris came into the CFL as defensive backs, but were moved to SAM linebacker, where they excelled. The same could happen again with the Ticats in 2017. And there are a couple players that make some sense and one that fans seem to be clamouring for: Craig Butler, Demond Washington and Dominique Ellis.
Butler’s name is one you see a lot of fans bandy about when it comes to finding someone to fill the SAM role. They will talk about how he was a SAM in Saskatchewan, how moving him to SAM will give the team better ratio flexibility. Butler at SAM would allow for Courtney Stephen to stay at safety, but it could also allow Stephen to move back to field corner (where he started from 2013-2015) and start Mike Daly at safety. That flexibility would allow the Ticats to potentially start an all-American receiving corps. It is a very appealing idea for fans.
But it is not going to happen. The role Butler played in Saskatchewan was not a traditional SAM. He played some SAM, but it was more of a hybrid position. He would not have that luxury in the Ticats system, where he would have to be a traditional SAM and his skills are not suited for that role. So as much as fans may want it, Butler will not be the team’s SAM linebacker, so we have to move on to other possibilities. That is where Washington and Ellis come in.
The cases for Washington and Ellis are pretty similar, as both have the skills necessary to succeed. Washington played halfback with the Bombers in 2015, and the Ticats have both their halfback spots taken care of with Kanneh and Davis. And with Butler at safety and Stephen at field corner, the only open spot in the secondary is at boundary corner. Washington could play that position, but that seems to be where the team is loading up at the moment.
Of the American DBs the team has, both Vaughn and Page have started for the Ticats at boundary corner, as has the recently acquired Ethan Davis. So perhaps the Ticats have tipped their hand slightly and we’ll see a battle in camp between Vaughn, Page and Davis at boundary corner, and we will see Washington get a crack at joining Lawrence and Dean in the LB corps.
Like Washington, Ellis has the skills necessary to play the position. With the acquisition of Kanneh and the re-upping of Davis, there really isn’t a spot in the secondary for Ellis, who has started at halfback for both Hamilton and Montreal over his career. With his mix of coverage skills and physicality, Ellis is basically a healthy version of Johnny Sears. Moving Ellis makes a lot of sense, and he might be the perfect candidate to take over as the team’s new SAM linebacker in 2017.

http://3downnation.com/2017/04/17/ho...s-sam-problem/

[jerrym]

Tiger Cats are using their mini camp as an "extended evaluation session".

That’s exactly what the team will look to accomplish by bringing more than 60 players to Hamilton for three days of meetings and on-field sessions. Beyond the team’s quarterbacks, however, there won’t be many recognizable names in attendance as the roster will be compromised of players entering their first CFL season, negotiation list guys and a few free agents.
After bringing in a mix of veterans and rookies his first three years at the helm, vice-president of football operations Kent Austin went to the current format last season. As the team has developed into more of a veteran squad, the Ticats have used the three-day window to more thoroughly evaluate up-and-coming talent and identify contenders for jobs they expect to be open come training camp in May.
One of those vacant positions is undoubtedly kicker and the Ticats are expected to have at least six players at mini-camp hoping to impress Austin and new special teams coordinator Dennis McKnight. Jordan Gay, who served as a kickoff specialist for 33 games over three seasons with Buffalo Bills before being released last December, will be among them. So will Sergio Castillo, who was originally signed by the Ticats before seeing limited time with Winnipeg and Ottawa the last two seasons.
Beyond the kicker, the Ticats will likely be looking for qualified candidates at a couple of other key spots. The departure of American starting defensive tackle Drake Nevis via free agency has created an opening along the defensive line and the secondary will feature fierce competition for at least two and potentially three vacancies: the team currently has a whopping 22 defensive backs under contract and as many as a dozen of them could be in attendance next week.
On offence, quarterback Zach Collaros will get the benefit of a full off-season training regimen after missing mini-camp last year as he rehabbed from a knee injury. Beyond veterans Luke Tasker and Terrence Tolliver there’s expected to be competition in the receiving corp and the team will need depth at offensive tackle if they plan on starting two Americans again this season.
And while the mini-camp roster will be packed largely with unknowns there will be a few quasi-familiar faces in attendance, mostly players who still qualify as rookies because they have not yet appeared in eight CFL games. That list likely includes defensive backs Cleshawn Page and Elroy Douglas as well receiver Brian Tyms, who played well in limited action late last season.
Finally, there’s the issue of culture. One of the main benefits of a Hamilton-based, three-day mini-camp is that it allows coaches to see players over an extended stretch incorporating both on-field and meeting room sessions: how fast a guy learns the nuances of the CFL game can go some way to determining his future. Even amongst rookies, leaders emerge.

http://3downnation.com/2017/04/19/ti...ion-mini-camp/

[jerrym]

Hamilton has signed QB Matt Johnson.

Matt Johnson, the former Bowling Green star who had a cup of coffee with Cincinnati Bengals last season, is the latest in a long line of pivots the team has brought to town in hopes that they would become the next big CFL star. It hasn’t happened since Mike Kerrigan came to town in 1986 and won a Grey Cup in his very first season.
In Hamilton’s defence, developing a quarterback is one of the hardest things to do in professional football, never mind the CFL. Just two of the nine CFL teams have starters they built from scratch: Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell and B.C.’s Jonathon Jennings. They are — and this probably isn’t a coincidence — two of the league’s best. ...

In recent times, that kind of succession plan has been hard to come by for the Ticats. The team has alternated between bringing in veteran guys who were ready-built — Danny McManus, Jason Maas, Casey Printers, Kevin Glenn, Henry Burris — or pushing younger players who weren’t ready for the role. Anthony Calvillo would be the most painful example, but there are plenty of others, from Quinton Porter to Timmy Chang to …
Johnson, assuming he shows some ability, will get the chance to develop. The team’s hierarchy is set going into the 2017 with Collaros the undisputed starter, Jeremiah Masoli the experienced backup, and Everett Golson the presumptive No. 3. Jeff Mathews — who for a brief shining moment looked like he could the The Next One — and Jacory Harris have moved on to try their luck elsewhere. ...

Austin, who won a Grey Cup with veteran Kerry Joseph at the helm in Saskatchewan then inherited Henry Burris his first season in Hamilton, has yet to definitively show he can morph raw talent into greatness right from scratch.
Which isn’t to say he can’t, especially with the right raw materials. Golson led Notre Dame to the 2013 BCS championship game in 2013 (they lost 42-14 to Alabama) then moved on to Florida State. He got a couple of NFL looks before arriving in Hamilton last summer.
Johnson, meanwhile, is an undersized guy — he’s 5-foot-11 — who set all kinds of passing records at Bowling Green and seems, based on light reading, to have the kind of football-lifer, film-rat approach that’s helped Collaros enormously. The guy spent last summer coaching high school quarterbacks.

http://3downnation.com/2017/04/22/ti...lopment-cycle/

[paulwoods13]

Hamilton has signed QB Matt Johnson.



http://3downnation.com/2017/04/22/ti...lopment-cycle/

Good to see that the original report's erroneous suggestion that the Eskimos developed Reilly has been excised from the report.

[jerrym]

Clicking on the url within the tweet below takes you to an interview with Jeremiah Massoli on his role on the team and the Hamilton mini-camp.

"It's like another study session for myself." - Masoli on his role in Mini-Camp.

FULL INTERVIEW > https://t.co/sn8E8Nn3Og pic.twitter.com/auD06S8CLY

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) April 25, 2017

[jerrym]

Hamilton has signed Internationals QB Matt Johnson and WR Devon Breaux.

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-transactions-22/

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

Resilient. Suffered broken hip during first game of 2014 season and had to learn how to walk again during rehab process. Film eater. Outstanding production despite one year in new offensive system throwing for 46 touchdowns. Throws deep ball with adequate touch with 20 touchdowns coming on deep balls. Makes good high/low reads against zone corners and is willing to attack intermediate sideline. Elected team captain in 2015.

WEAKNESSES

Short quarterback gets shorter with side*arm release. Struggles to see over defenses and has too many balls batted. System stat-*piler. Struggles to drive throws and has to swing entire lower body through his throw like a pitcher. Won't be able to make all the NFL throws. Will hang onto ball too long. Took 35 sacks this season despite high percentage of short throws. Just over 68 percent of his attempts were inside of 10 yards. Poise in pocket is very average.

DRAFT PROJECTION

Undrafted free agent

BOTTOM LINE

Johnson rung up some very impressive passing numbers in Dino Babers' offense and took full advantage of the deep ball counters when they were available. His size is below the NFL norm and the arm strength is well below the line. Johnson lacks special mobility traits to make up for his physical deficiencies and might have to wait for a camp invite to get his shot.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profil...son?id=2556235


Devon Breaux highlights video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE-xilPd7xM

[jerrym]

The Tiger Cats have signed International DB Delonte Hollowell.

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-transactions-23/


Delonte Hollowell bio

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-foot...ll_765121.html

[jerrym]

Hamilton signed 12 other Internationals before mini-camp.

INT – LB – Quinton Alston
INT – WR – Demarr Aultman
INT – DB – Jabari Gorman
INT – WR – Greg Jenkins
INT – WR – Jay Lee
INT – OL – Nathan Locke
INT – WR – Royce Pollard
INT – LB/DB – Torri Stewart
INT – OL – Jordan Swindle
INT – DT – Tani Tupou
INT – OL – Torian White
INT – WR – Ed Williams

http://ticats.ca/tiger-cats-transactions-21/

[jerrym]

HC Austin discusses the Tiger Cat mini-camp below including how some QBs understand the game instinctively when they arrive in the CFL.

http://ticats.ca/video/kent-austin-april-26

[jerrym]

Hamilton has released veteran OL Jeremy Lewis along with 13 other players in order to get down to the 75 man roster.

The 27-year-old Lewis made 39 starts over three seasons with the club, including 14 last year. He suffered a knee injury in an August game against the Calgary Stampeders and missed the last four games of the regular season as well as the East Semi-Final loss to Edmonton. The Florida native also missed nine games due to injury in 2015.

Here’s the full list of cuts, which were made as teams around the CFL got down to the league-mandated 75-player roster limit:

http://3downnation.com/2017/05/01/ve...g-ticats-cuts/


But Lewis’ recent Twitter activity indicated he expected to be healthy for training camp, however.

Grind to be great. Hill work! #OLine pic.twitter.com/BZ3birKuBP

— Jeremy Lewis (@J_LEW68) April 26, 2017

[jerrym]

The #Ticats have acquired DB Khalid Wooten from @MTLAlouettes & moved up in 2 rounds of the '17 CFL Draft.

MORE > https://t.co/YlV1nbjdDo pic.twitter.com/S7ztVlTn5G

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) May 1, 2017

[jerrym]

Ticats, who are looking for a kicker, have a chance of getting Brett Maher back now that he is released by Cleveland.

#Browns have released kicker Brett Maher, signed March 20 after 3 seasons in CFL. Drafted K Zane Gonzalez in 7th round out of Arizona State

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) May 2, 2017