Another Spring Football Next Year

[jerrym]

A new league, the Alliance of American Football, has announced it will start next spring with televised games on CBS. It plans to eliminate kicking, arguing it is most dangerous part of the game from an injury perspective. With no locked-in contracts, I think this will force the CFL to one year commitments for many new contracts.

The Alliance of American Football was unveiled at a press conference Tuesday in New York. ...
This new league did offer more details [than the XFL restart], including a debut date (Feb. 9, 2019) and a TV partner (CBS Sports Network). ...
Charlie Ebersol, who will serve as AAF’s CEO, presented the new spring league not as a rival to the NFL. Fellow co-founder and former longtime NFL team executive Bill Polian described the AAF almost as a feeder system to the the NFL, since players will not be locked into long-term deals and seasons will end April, well before the start of NFL training camps. ...
The league will consist of eight teams, although Ebersol said the teams won’t be introduced until next month. ...

Polian said that eliminating one of the most dangerous parts of football – kickoffs -- was paramount to those involved in creating the AAF. There will be no kickoffs as teams will start on the 25-yard line after a score and at the start of each half. Since there are no kickoffs, however, that means no onside kicks, but Polian said he found a solution: The team that scored a touchdown gets the ball on its 35 in a 4th-and-10 situation. “If you make it, you keep going,” Polian said. “That will be exciting, strategic and will create a lot of interest.”
There will also be no extra points in AAF as teams will be forced to go for a 2-point conversion.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nfl/441604002/

[jerrym]

Here's more on how the league will operate.

The younger Ebersol, who directed ESPN's "30 for 30" documentary on the XFL, brought in former NFL general manager Bill Polian to help oversee the league. Former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will oversee the player side and former USC standout and executive J.K. McKay will oversee the team side. Advisors include former players Hines Ward and Justin Tuck, and Dick Ebersol.
"The Alliance of American Football represents a fundamental shift in the way we approach professional sports," Charlie Ebersol said. "We believe fans and players are what's most important, so our approach is simple -- we've created an Alliance where fans and players share in the success of their teams."

"Players have our commitment that we will seek the highest degree of safety and our support as we continue to invest in their success off the field with post-football career scholarships and financial wellness programs," he continued. ...

The plan, like the XFL, is to stock the league with players who don't make it onto NFL rosters. ...

The league will have eight teams in cities to be announced in the next three months. Rosters will have 50 players each and will be built primarily through a regionally-based draft. To differentiate the Alliance of American Football from its competitors, there will be no TV timeouts and 60 percent fewer commercials. Other differences will include no kickoffs and instead of onside kicks, the trailing team will receive the ball on their own 35-yard line facing fourth down and 10. There will also be a 30-second play clock and mandatory two-point conversion attempts after touchdowns.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/s...n-2019-on-cbs/

[jerrym]

Rider RB Trent Richardson plans on signing with Birmingham of the Alliance of American Football. However, he is still under contract to the Riders until next February because of his entry level contract, although he has been suspended since the start of TC because of 'issues at home' according to HC Chris Jones. Richardson, a #3 NFL 2012 overall draft choice, who rushed for 239 yards on 48 carries last year for the Riders, thought he was a free agent in April, but the Riders insist he is still under contract to them.

[jerrym]

The CFL is already losing players to the new league according to Hamilton HC June Jones who says two QBs that he wanted to bring to the Tiger Cats after the Manziel trade indicated they would be trying the Alliance of American Football instead.

The new league will kick off its inaugural season the week after the Super Bowl and has a TV contract with CBS. Each player will be signed to a three-year contract with a minimum base gross salary of $250,000 USD over three years and the chance to earn more. They will also have the ability to try the NFL while still under contract in addition to post-secondary education assistance as well as health and wellness benefits.

The league was founded by long-time NFL personnel man Bill Polian and appears to be a credible challenger to the CFL when it comes to recruiting players. The Canadian league has reportedly changed its rules and will allow players an NFL window before the final year of their contracts going forward.

http://3downnation.com/2018/07/24/pl...an-league-cfl/

[gilthethrill]

The CFL is already losing players to the new league according to Hamilton HC June Jones who says two QBs that he wanted to bring to the Tiger Cats after the Manziel trade indicated they would be trying the Alliance of American Football instead.


http://3downnation.com/2018/07/24/pl...an-league-cfl/

So in other words, players sitting at home who are are getting calls only due to injuries are choosing the AAF? 3downnation knows how to put a slant on things.

By the time Manziel is able to play in that league, he will either change his mind or the league won't exist.

[jerrym]

Among the first 100 players the American Alliance of Football has signed three year $250,000 deals are the following CFLers: former Argo WR Brian Tyms, kicker Sergio Castillio, RB Marshaun Coprich, DB Will Hill, and DL Tyriq McCord. Former Rider RB Trent Richardson is still blocked from signing with the AAF because of his two year entry level contract with Saskatchewan.

Players are allocated to teams close to where they played in college or professionally. Those players who do not have geographic ties to an AAF team can sign with any team.

[Argo57]

Among the first 100 players the American Alliance of Football has signed three year $250,000 deals are the following CFLers: former Argo WR Brian Tyms, kicker Sergio Castillio, RB Marshaun Coprich, DB Will Hill, and DL Tyriq McCord. Former Rider RB Trent Richardson is still blocked from signing with the AAF because of his two year entry level contract with Saskatchewan.

Players are allocated to teams close to where they played in college or professionally. Those players who do not have geographic ties to an AAF team can sign with any team.

Not sure if this league has a sustainable business model but offering 3 year $250,000 USD$ contracts will reduce the talent available to the CFL moving forward.

[jerrym]

Wally Buono says the new Alliance of American Football and the Xtreme Football League will create challenges for the CFL in the signing of NFL cuts.

“Honestly, I don’t particularly think that the NFL cuts are just going to run up to the CFL. That’s something that’s happened in the past, I don’t know that this year it’s going to be as common because in the states there are two spring leagues coming up,” Buono said on TSN radio in Vancouver.

The new American Alliance of Football league will kick off its inaugural season the week after the Super Bowl and has a TV contract with CBS. Each player will be signed to three-year contracts with a minimum base gross salary of $250,000 USD over three years and the chance to earn more. They will also have the ability to try the NFL while still under contract in addition to post-secondary education assistance as well as health and wellness benefits. Meanwhile, the Xtreme Football League has been resurrected by Vince McMahon, aiming to open play in 2020.

“I know the players are talking about it, I know that this is an option for them. So I don’t see the CFL as being an easy sell to these guys who are coming from the NFL,” Buono said. We might get a player or two from the NFL but I don’t see a mass exodus.”

http://3downnation.com/2018/08/28/wi...-for-nfl-cuts/

[jerrym]

RB Trent Richardson, who initially was blocked from signing with Birmingham of the Alliance of American Football by Saskatchewan with which he was under contract until February 2019, has signed a contract with the team, following his release by the Riders.

[jerrym]

The Alliance of American Football has signed quite a few former NFL coaches.

The AAF, which has a television contract with CBS, will play a 12-week season, culminating with the league championship game in late April.
In addition to Salt Lake City, the AAF will field teams in Atlanta; Birmingham, Ala.; Memphis, Tenn.; Orlando; Phoenix; San Antonio and San Diego.

The startup league has already garnered some big names to coach AAF teams in Year 1, including former NFL head coaches Mike Singletary, Steve Spurrier, Brad Childress, Mike Martz, Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson and former Colorado, Washington and UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. ...

The AAF has announced plans to sign players to nonguaranteed three-year, $250,000 contracts. The AAF has stated that it will give any player permission to sign with an NFL team if the player receives a contract offer.

http://www.cjonline.com/sports/20180...geary-pro-shot

[jerrym]

. Not much of an option for looming CFL free agents, as teams won’t allow players to go until their contracts expire Feb. 15th, which is week 2 of AAF.

— David William Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) September 25, 2018

[argolio]

If the AAF lasts, I wonder if the league would adjust the free-agent date to something like Jan 15th.

[gilthethrill]

If the AAF lasts, I wonder if the league would adjust the free-agent date to something like Jan 15th.

Pro football in Birmingham Alabama has a history of success. I think the Iron have a good shot to win the title.

[jerrym]

Hamilton is not the only team reporting that the Alliance of American Football is affecting CFL recruiting. Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins is also reporting that the AAF is already having an impact on whom his team is able to sign. Jim Barker thinks the AAF owners are aiming at being bought out by the NFL as a feeder league.

“We had a guy here in training camp who was injured and went back home to get healthy again,” the Ottawa Redblacks general manager said. “We were hoping he’d be an option for us to bring him back at some point but he opted to sign down there instead. There are players we would’ve liked to sign or had on our neg list who’ve committed there so they’ve been removed as options for us for the next little while. But having said that, we also know there’s a plethora of options and we just need to move on to the next one.” ...

Earlier this summer, Hamilton head coach June Jones said his club was poised to add two quarterbacks after dealing Johnny Manziel to Montreal but both opted for the AAF. And last week, receiver Mark Chapman, the first overall pick in the 2018 CFL draft by the Tiger-Cats, signed with the AAF’s Salt Lake City franchise rather than accept Hamilton’s offer after being released by the NFL’s Denver Broncos. ...


“If (players) are making US$70,000 the first year there and our minimum is $54,000 Canadian, just competing with it on that level is the first problem,” Desjardins said. “The second is a lot of guys who want to stay home in the U.S. compared to coming up north. They’re also playing 10 games … so, yeah, I see it being a challenge. We’ll find options. Will they be as good? I guess time will tell.”
Six AAF head coaches – Mike Martz (San Diego), Steve Spurrier (Orlando), Brad Childress (Atlanta), Mike Riley (San Antonio), Dennis Erickson (Salt Lake) and Mike Singletary (Memphis) – have also been NFL head coaches. Riley spent four seasons as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach (1997-2000), winning two Grey Cups and compiling a 40-32 record.
Former Dallas Cowboys fullback Darryl Johnston is San Antonio’s GM while Phil Savage, the former Senior Bowl director and Cleveland Browns GM, is Phoenix’s general manager.
Former CFL head coach/GM Jim Barker feels the AAF’s NFL influence is no accident. “I think the end plan is to have the NFL purchase this league,” he said. “Bill Polian is thinking about creating a league … getting it running and going and then ‘Boom,’ have the NFL buy it and they have a ready-made feeder system where they can get their (practice roster) players reps and most importantly develop quarterbacks. I can’t believe their TV ratings and attendance will be able to carry them. Now, whether the NFL will bite on that after all the money it lost with NFL Europe, I don’t know.”

http://3downnation.com/2018/10/03/cf...ican-football/

[jerrym]

The AAF held its QB draft on Monday. Many of the picks were previously on CFL negotiation lists or had some CFL experience, if only in TC. Second overall pick Aaron Murray had been on Argos' negotiation list but was dropped when he indicated he had no interest in the CFL. Blake Sims was in Argos TC in 2015. A list of all the QB draft picks can be found at the url below.

First overall pick Josh Johnson was on and off neg lists over the last few years but is not currently property of any CFL team.
“There were a couple teams that worked Johnson out in the past, but the interest to come over the border was minimal as he wants to get back into the NFL where he’s played since 2008,” a CFL personnel man said.
Second overall pick Aaron Murray used to be on the Toronto Argonauts negotiation list, although he made it known he was never going to play the three-down game and since been taken off. Trevor Knight (No. 6) is owned by the Montreal Alouettes. Garret Gilbert (No. 7) was property of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but removed when it was clear he was going to play in the AAF.

In the second round, Mike Bercovici (No. 9) is on the Montreal Alouettes neg list. Blake Sims (No. 10) began his pro football career with the Argos before the Riders picked him up during the 2015 season. He was let go by the Riders in December that year without seeing any game action.
John Wolford (No. 11) resides on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ list. Stephen Morris’ rights (No. 12) were owned by the B.C. Lions. B.J. Daniels (No. 14) didn’t make it out of Saskatchewan’s training camp in 2018 after being a seventh-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and bouncing around six NFL teams. Christian Hackenberg (No. 15) is on the Edmonton Eskimos negotiation list while Marquise Williams (No. 16) spent two seasons with the Riders.

The Ottawa Redblacks have dibs on third-rounder Logan Woodside (No. 17). Same for Brandon Silvers (No. 18) and the Calgary Stampeders. Austin Allen (No. 19) belongs to the Alouettes. Philip Nelson (No. 24) couldn’t make the Winnipeg Blue Bombers active roster cut before the 2018 regular season began.
Fourth-round choice Matt Linehan (No. 27) used to be owned by the Redblacks. The last pick, Alex Ross played four games for the B.C. Lions in 2017 and one for the Bombers in 2018 but was released in September by the club. ...

“Many of the quarterbacks drafted by the AAF have either already gone through the CFL or been worked out by franchises north of the border and deemed not a fit for the Canadian style of game,” a CFL general manager said. And the others are more big-bodied quarterbacks fit for the NFL game.”

http://3downnation.com/2018/11/28/al...l-connections/

[jerrym]

Canadian NFL veteran OL Brett Boyko has signed with San Diego Fleet. A third round BC Lions draft choice in 2015, he signed as an undeclared free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles, but, other than one game, spent all his time on NFL PRs.

[jerrym]

The following article examines the chances of the AAF succeeding.

http://3downnation.com/2018/12/01/wi...finally-works/

[gilthethrill]

The AAF held its QB draft on Monday. Many of the picks were previously on CFL negotiation lists or had some CFL experience, if only in TC. Second overall pick Aaron Murray had been on Argos' negotiation list but was dropped when he indicated he had no interest in the CFL. Blake Sims was in Argos TC in 2015. A list of all the QB draft picks can be found at the url below.


http://3downnation.com/2018/11/28/al...l-connections/

Curious...why was Colin Kapernik not drafted?

[ArgoRavi]

Curious...why was Colin Kapernik not drafted?

I had that exact same question.

[jerrym]

Curious...why was Colin Kapernik not drafted?

Might have something to do with the league owners wanting to be bought out by the NFL.