Quote Originally Posted by jerrym View Post
The Tiger Cats have signed only one free agent - former Argo Lirim Hajrullahu, but have extended most of their free agents including National valuable starters OL Brandon Revenberg, DL Ted Laurent, DL Justin Capicciotti, and promising LB Nicholas Shortill. They have also extended Internationals WRs Luke Tasker and Brandon Banks, LB Larry Dean, QB Jeremiah Masoli, OL Tony Washington, and DB Demond Washington. While continuity in personnel has its advantages and these are good players, I wonder if this involves a pattern of overvaluing those he is familiar with and/or enamoured with, as happened with his signing of assistant offensive HC Art Briles despite his being fired for covering up sexual assault allegations by players at Baylor, of 76 year old Jerry Glanville, a 40-year friend of Jones who has been out of full-time coaching since 2009, and of his pursuit of Johnny Manziel, despite all the warning signs. Did Jones and Austin overspend to extend these players and to sign Hajrullahu, leaving them little money to sign others?
It's hard to say there, and I like the idea of maintaining continuity on the roster by re-signing key players.

The Ticats have some good talent on the roster that June Jones seemed to put together nicely at times after he took over.

Only FA signed Liam H as kicker but they did add QB Vernon Adams in a trade (and maybe learned Manziel is a total @$$-hat?) - Adams has some CFL experience and lots of potential, IMO.

Not sure what to think of Glanville as DC, but i was leery of the June Jones hire as well.

I believe the Ticats will be the Argos main challenger for first in the East this coming season - mostly because of their passing offence - Masoli is quite under-rated and did well under June Jones and they have 5 receivers who have had 1000 yard Ticat seasons (Tasker, Banks. Saunders (last season), plus Fantuz & Tolliver) - (I've asked on other forums - has any CFL team before ever went into TC with 5x CFL 1000 yard receiver season guys on their roster ?) The Ticats also have some very good talent on their defence. Not really sure they needed to add a lot via free agency, so maybe they were wise there = we shall see.

Ottawa might be another force in the East this year, but IMO that depends a lot on what type of defence Thorpe can put together there - and they did add some pretty decent talent on D - Hebert & Murray as vet leaders in particular, perhaps. Ottawa is very solid on offence IMO.