2019-2020 Pending Argo Free Agents: Who Should the Argos Keep?

[jerrym]

Here is the list of pending Argo free agents. Which ones should the team keep?

PLAYER	A/N/G	POS	COLLEGE	STATUS
ANTIGHA Oluwatobi	A	DL	Presbyterian College
AWE Micah	A	LB	Texas Tech
BELTRE Frank	A	DE	Towson University
BETHEL-THOMPSON Mcleod	A	QB	Sacramento State
BISHOP Freddie III	A	DE	Western Michigan
CAMPBELL Jamal	N	OL	York
COLEMAN Davon	A	DL	Arizona State
EDWARDS Armanti	A	WR	Appalachian State
FOGG Kevin	A	DB	Liberty
FRANKLIN James	A	QB	Missouri
GABRIEL Jermaine	N	DB	Bishop’s
GREEN S.J.	A	WR	South Florida
HERDMAN-REED Justin	N	LB	Simon Fraser
HOLMES Tyler	N	OL	Tulsa
KANNEH Abdul	A	DB	New Mexico Highlands
LAING Cleyon	N	DL	Iowa State
MCEWEN Sean	N	OL	Calgary
MEDEIROS Zackary	N	K	Western University
MINCY Jonathon	A	DB	Auburn
NOEL Llevi	N	WR	Toronto
PFEFFER Ronald	N	K	Wilfrid Laurier
PRUKOP Dakota	A	QB	Oregon
RAINEY Chris	A	RB	Florida
RALPH Jimmy	N	WR	Alberta
RICHARDSON Shaquille	A	DB	Arizona
SMITH Rodney	A	WR	Florida State
STRIKER Eric	A	LB	Oklahoma
WALKER Derel	A	WR	Texas A&M
WASHINGTON Trumaine	A	DB	Louisville
WILD Ian	A	LB	Mercyhurst College
WOODS Bear	A	LB	Troy
WORTHY Chandler	A	WR	Troy

https://www.cfl.ca/fa20/#ARGOS

[ArgoZ]

Wow. 32 players and only 12 on the field. At least a Clemons jersey won’t expire.

[paulwoods13]

On that list, I personally have only six "must-signs." Four are NATs. One of the six (MBT) is likely not perceived as a must-sign by the org.

[doubleblue]

Here is the list of pending Argo free agents. Which ones should the team keep?

https://www.cfl.ca/fa20/#ARGOS

I agree with Dave Dickinson, this is crazy doing away with the option year. I get it the CFLPA pushed for this. But there's only so many Cap dollars to go around and it hurts the League from a fan perspective. Maybe helps with parity, but you would never know it looking at two tier league this year.

[OV Argo]

If i had to pick just 5 : McEwen, Walker, Laing, Noel, Richardson

[OV Argo]

I agree with Dave Dickinson, this is crazy doing away with the option year. I get it the CFLPA pushed for this. But there's only so many Cap dollars to go around and it hurts the League from a fan perspective. Maybe helps with parity, but you would never know it looking at two tier league this year.

I agree that some player continuity & stability for the roster is a good thing - for the team and the fans.

But as far as the 2 tier league thing - that is ALL to do with $hite coaching & GMing from some teams in terms or roster evaluation and football strategy & play-book and calling, that a few teams suffered from last season (Argos, BC & Ottawa)

[AngeloV]

I agree with Dave Dickinson, this is crazy doing away with the option year. I get it the CFLPA pushed for this. But there's only so many Cap dollars to go around and it hurts the League from a fan perspective. Maybe helps with parity, but you would never know it looking at two tier league this year.

Easy for a coach to say when his contract is guaranteed. What the league needs to do is make bonus clauses in player contracts payable before free agency starts (say Jan 31). This way if a player is cut before getting his bonus, he's not looking for work after teams have already spent all their money on free agents. I don't blame players for only wanting 1 year contracts when teams have screwed them over as often as they have.

By the way, my impression of Dickenson is that he is an even bigger a-hole than Maas, but his Howdy Doody look lets him come in under the radar in that regard.

[Argo57]

Easy for a coach to say when his contract is guaranteed. What the league needs to do is make bonus clauses in player contracts payable before free agency starts (say Jan 31). This way if a player is cut before getting his bonus, he's not looking for work after teams have already spent all their money on free agents. I don't blame players for only wanting 1 year contracts when teams have screwed them over as often as they have.

By the way, my impression of Dickenson is that he is an even bigger a-hole than Maas, but his Howdy Doody look lets him come in under the radar in that regard.

Dickenson acts like a whiney little prick on the sidelines when things don’t go his way, Maas is just pure gold when he blows a gasket on the sidelines.

[OV Argo]

Dickenson acts like a whiney little prick on the sidelines when things don’t go his way, Maas is just pure gold when he blows a gasket on the sidelines.

And look for both of them to get recycled and handed key CFL jobs again & again & again.

[Will]

Tobi Antigha: the Argos didn't seem to know what to do with him, but he played some solid middle linebacker (of all places) towards the end of the year. I do not consider his re-signing a priority.
Micah Awe: was making some strides at middle linebacker before he got injured(?). I wouldn't mind bringing him back.
Frank Beltre: a good special teams guy, hasn't made impact they were hoping with pass rush. I do not consider his re-signing a priority.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson: YEAH
Freddie Bishop III: MEH
Jamal Campbell: Absolutely
Davon Coleman: don't know; didn't see enough of him to really decide. Has potential though.
Armanti Edwards: YES
Kevin Fogg: MEH
James Franklin: NO
Jermaine Gabriel: Time to move on.
S.J Green: if the price is right
Justin Herdman-Reed: flashed potential, but largely indifferent
Tyler Holmes: I would seek an upgrade
Abdul Kanneh: NO
Cleyon Laing: OF COURSE!
Sean McEwen: OF COURSE!
Zackary Medeiros: Hell to the no!
Jonathon Mincy: Yes
Llevi Noel: Meh
Ronnie Pfeffer: No
Dakota Prukup: I would like to
Chris Rainey: if the price is right
Jimmy Ralph: Meh
Shaq Richardson: Yes
Rodney Smith: Yes (begrudgingly)
Eric Striker: Meh
Trumaine Washington: kinda had a rough year, no? Meh
Derel Walker: if the price is right I guess
Ian Wild: No
Bear Woods: love 'ya Bear, but no
Chandler Worthy: yeah

[ArgoGabe22]

I agree with Will. Guys like Noel and Ralph can be re-signed but not as a starter.

[AngeloV]

Tobi Antigha: the Argos didn't seem to know what to do with him, but he played some solid middle linebacker (of all places) towards the end of the year. I do not consider his re-signing a priority.
Micah Awe: was making some strides at middle linebacker before he got injured(?). I wouldn't mind bringing him back.
Frank Beltre: a good special teams guy, hasn't made impact they were hoping with pass rush. I do not consider his re-signing a priority.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson: YEAH
Freddie Bishop III: MEH
Jamal Campbell: Absolutely
Davon Coleman: don't know; didn't see enough of him to really decide. Has potential though.
Armanti Edwards: YES
Kevin Fogg: MEH
James Franklin: NO
Jermaine Gabriel: Time to move on.
S.J Green: if the price is right
Justin Herdman-Reed: flashed potential, but largely indifferent
Tyler Holmes: I would seek an upgrade
Abdul Kanneh: NO
Cleyon Laing: OF COURSE!
Sean McEwen: OF COURSE!
Zackary Medeiros: Hell to the no!
Jonathon Mincy: Yes
Llevi Noel: Meh
Ronnie Pfeffer: No
Dakota Prukup: I would like to
Chris Rainey: if the price is right
Jimmy Ralph: Meh
Shaq Richardson: Yes
Rodney Smith: Yes (begrudgingly)
Eric Striker: Meh
Trumaine Washington: kinda had a rough year, no? Meh
Derel Walker: if the price is right I guess
Ian Wild: No
Bear Woods: love 'ya Bear, but no
Chandler Worthy: yeah

Agree for the most part, but Noel, and Beltre both need to be re-signed. GREAT ST players. Herdman-Reed for me is also a strong YES. I also disagree with you on Pfeffer. I have been a big critic of him in the past, but his punting overall was vastly improved, and if he can improve his directional punting, with his leg strength, I say Hell yes to him. They also were very stupid in not having him handle kick off duties this year.

[doubleblue]

I agree with Will. Guys like Noel and Ralph can be re-signed but not as a starter.

I agree with most of Will's choice. Not a Meh on Llevi Noel though. He is one of the best special team tacklers in the League and a very good back up receiver.
If MBT is back as a starter I think it will be time for me to move on as a ST holder, and before the door hits me on the way out. It's been a good run.

[Argo57]

Will’s list is pretty good, I’d keep Noel plays well on special teams.
I would also move on from Rainey.

[paulwoods13]

If MBT is back as a starter I think it will be time for me to move on as a ST holder, and before the door hits me on the way out. It's been a good run.

Unless and until there is a better option under contract, I still say MBT is worth re-signing. Lots of guys heading to FA, but none of them is guaranteed to sign with Toronto, and some of them are worse than MBT. IMO it makes no sense to let the one guy we have who has shown he can play walk away without being certain we have someone at least as good under contract.

[Argo57]

Unless and until there is a better option under contract, I still say MBT is worth re-signing. Lots of guys heading to FA, but none of them is guaranteed to sign with Toronto, and some of them are worse than MBT. IMO it makes no sense to let the one guy we have who has shown he can play walk away without being certain we have someone at least as good under contract.

No issues at all with MBT returning to the Argos.
Upgrade the supporting cast around him (O-Line, speed at receiver, and a decent running game) and he will perform even better than he did in 2019 (which was pretty admirable IMO).

[ArgoGabe22]

If MBT is back as a starter I think it will be time for me to move on as a ST holder, and before the door hits me on the way out. It's been a good run.

I'll take re-signing MBT over keeping Chamblin when it comes to renewing.

[ArgoZ]

I'll take re-signing MBT over keeping Chamblin when it comes to renewing.

Agree here. I will be renewing because I like my seat location and don’t want to lose it. I’m currently not excited about the new season though. If a die hard like myself feels this way, ticket sales are not going to be good without some sort of excitement. I’m still expecting and hoping for a MLSE press conference intended to impress us all.

[BATKINSON001]

Agree here. I will be renewing because I like my seat location and don’t want to lose it. I’m currently not excited about the new season though. If a die hard like myself feels this way, ticket sales are not going to be good without some sort of excitement. I’m still expecting and hoping for a MLSE press conference intended to impress us all.

For there to be excitement there needs to be a surprise like the Ricky Ray trade in 2011 was.

[paulwoods13]

For there to be excitement there needs to be a surprise like the Ricky Ray trade in 2011 was.

It would sure be nice to duplicate that in the next few weeks, but I doubt we can expect anything quite that dramatic or exciting. Trades of HoF QBs in their prime happen about once a generation. But who knows, maybe Stamps will re-sign Arbuckle, and trade BLM to us.