Offseason Transactions / News Thread

[paulwoods13]

Why this fawning of O'Connor ? Not quite sure given that the proven Hufnagel is willing to let him walk....

Since when is hoping a promising kid comes back to compete for a job "fawning"? Hufnagel ain't an unimpeachable genius, and if he has two QBs he likes better, why shouldn't he let MOC try his luck elsewhere? That would probably be better for the kid than setting him as just an arm for training camp.

[paulwoods13]

Save and except for a potential starting job in Ottawa, MBT has zero leverage with the Argos. Redblacks are likely looking at one of Evans or Masoli.

I'd say the prospect of Pipkin, McDonald and (maybe) Kelly as the only viable alternatives gives MBT some leverage. So does the USFL. So does Hamilton's likely desire for an experienced QB if one of their guys leaves.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

Why the fawning of Chad Kelly? He's pushing 28 and looking at the USFL opportunity.The character issues alone are a major red flag.

[OV Argo]

Why the fawning of Chad Kelly? He's pushing 28 and looking at the USFL opportunity.The character issues alone are a major red flag.

But isn't he related to a big NFL name, plus played at a big US college ball program ? - these are big scouting green flags for a typical CFL good ole scout.

[AngeloV]

Why this fawning of O'Connor ? Not quite sure given that the proven Hufnagel is willing to let him walk....

I'll give you my opinion on this. Every time he has stepped on the field, he has done well. Small sample size, but he certainly played better in his first (and really only) half of football than Maier did in his first half (3 INT's I believe). Maier got the start over him in replacing an injured BLM, despite the fact he had dressed as #2 over Maier previous to that. Based on what? Better practice? Practice in which there is no contact and defenders let receivers catch the ball? We know there were no pre-season games to have a true battle for #2, and I guess O'Connor was named #2 to start the season based on more actual league experience. I truly believe he got screwed there to do nothing wrong, yet drop on the depth chart.

Now, I am the last person to subscribe to the conspiracy theories against Canadians in this league, but in his case, he has played really well in his limited snaps in the league. I truly believe he, if given the chance, will become a bona fide starting QB in this league and will have a lot of success, unless he's put in a really bad situation like what Ottawa has been the past 2 seasons.

[OV Argo]

I'll give you my opinion on this. Every time he has stepped on the field, he has done well. Small sample size, but he certainly played better in his first (and really only) half of football than Maier did in his first half (3 INT's I believe). Maier got the start over him in replacing an injured BLM, despite the fact he had dressed as #2 over Maier previous to that. Based on what? Better practice? Practice in which there is no contact and defenders let receivers catch the ball? We know there were no pre-season games to have a true battle for #2, and I guess O'Connor was named #2 to start the season based on more actual league experience. I truly believe he got screwed there to do nothing wrong, yet drop on the depth chart.

Now, I am the last person to subscribe to the conspiracy theories against Canadians in this league, but in his case, he has played really well in his limited snaps in the league. I truly believe he, if given the chance, will become a bona fide starting QB in this league and will have a lot of success, unless he's put in a really bad situation like what Ottawa has been the past 2 seasons.

O'Connor might prove a good CFL QB IF he ever gets a real shot at meaningful playing time; Huff could easily keep him for TC competition again IF he has any faith in him - even if they keep Bo, O'Connor could still be given a chance to compete with Maier and the new US college ball QB they just signed. And Huff has at least shown a bit of interest in Canadian QBs - drafted Sinopoli who made 3rd string a couple of times but never got a meaningful snap (ands I doubt anybody could have dreamed he would turn into such an outstanding receiver when asked to make the switch); Huff signed Buckley - who made it to #2 on the depth chart and ran some short yardage, but his only real start/QB playing time was in a meaningless end of season game for the Stamps where they rested a bunch of starters on offence. O'Connor got zero playing time for the Stamps.

For whatever reason (no, not some nefarious conspiracy) - Canadian QBs out of Canadian U ball are given no real shot to play in the CFL - and that's the few who get a shot to make a roster, and not including lots of them who get little to zero real CFL shot to compete (see Hugo Richard, Chris Merchant, Adam Sinagra as a few recent examples). Bridge & Rourke - both out of Div I US college ball, are the only 2 Canadian QBs who have been given a real shot at meaningful CFL playing time, in decades - both those guys would have been CFL recruited IMO, regardless of passport and based on their Div I resumes.

We shall see if this "trend" continues - with O'Connor - will he get another real shot ?; or the fate of Hec winning QB Tre Ford who is up this coming CFL draft. A CFL team in QB need could also look to sign Merchant who went over to play pro ball last year in Europe and put up some good numbers/wins. I'll bet big money on this long established trend continuing.

[AngeloV]

O'Connor might prove a good CFL QB IF he ever gets a real shot at meaningful playing time; Huff could easily keep him for TC competition again IF he has any faith in him - even if they keep Bo, O'Connor could still be given a chance to compete with Maier and the new US college ball QB they just signed. And Huff has at least shown a bit of interest in Canadian QBs - drafted Sinopoli who made 3rd string a couple of times but never got a meaningful snap (ands I doubt anybody could have dreamed he would turn into such an outstanding receiver when asked to make the switch); Huff signed Buckley - who made it to #2 on the depth chart and ran some short yardage, but his only real start/QB playing time was in a meaningless end of season game for the Stamps where they rested a bunch of starters on offence. O'Connor got zero playing time for the Stamps.

For whatever reason (no, not some nefarious conspiracy) - Canadian QBs out of Canadian U ball are given no real shot to play in the CFL - and that's the few who get a shot to make a roster, and not including lots of them who get little to zero real CFL shot to compete (see Hugo Richard, Chris Merchant, Adam Sinagra as a few recent examples). Bridge & Rourke - both out of Div I US college ball, are the only 2 Canadian QBs who have been given a real shot at meaningful CFL playing time, in decades - both those guys would have been CFL recruited IMO, regardless of passport and based on their Div I resumes.

We shall see if this "trend" continues - with O'Connor - will he get another real shot ?; or the fate of Hec winning QB Tre Ford who is up this coming CFL draft. A CFL team in QB need could also look to sign Merchant who went over to play pro ball last year in Europe and put up some good numbers/wins. I'll bet big money on this long established trend continuing.

To me, O'Connor is a step above Richard, Sinagra and Merchant. I've watched them all play Usport, and never saw any of the others as legit pro QB's. There is something different about O'Connor. I would like to see Ford also get a look. He is probably the best athlete QB to ever come out of Usport. Chris Flynn was elusive, but not nearly as fast or quick as Ford, and frankly didn't have a pro arm. Flynn would not have been able to buy all the time he did at St Mary's in the pros. The defenders are just faster than he was. To me, O'Connor and Ford are the best shot we've had to get Usport trained QB into the CFL as a starter.

[OV Argo]

To me, O'Connor is a step above Richard, Sinagra and Merchant. I've watched them all play Usport, and never saw any of the others as legit pro QB's. There is something different about O'Connor. I would like to see Ford also get a look. He is probably the best athlete QB to ever come out of Usport. Chris Flynn was elusive, but not nearly as fast or quick as Ford, and frankly didn't have a pro arm. Flynn would not have been able to buy all the time he did at St Mary's in the pros. The defenders are just faster than he was. To me, O'Connor and Ford are the best shot we've had to get Usport trained QB into the CFL as a starter.

Interesting and thanks for the comments/input.

O'Connor is maybe the best pro QB prototype - tall/big, strong arm with good passing form - to come out of U Sports ball in a long time. ( Dan Fereday got NFL drafted out of U of T; and Larry Jusdnanis got invited to the NFL Combine)

Can't agree he is better than the others you mention though: Richard had an outstanding passing arm (his career completion #s are outstanding, plus he could throw a deep ball), and he was way more mobile than O'Connor. Sinagra had as good or better a pure passing arm IMO - accuracy, velocity, everything. Merchant was more of a dual threat QB, but still a decent passer. I'll take the dual threat, very good running ability any time for the CFL look. None of these guys can be said to have had $hitty (not pro level is the cliche that has been used to write off Canadian QBs by the GOBs for decades) passing arms - no way that can be said for a CFL that has given in comparison, playing time to Matthew Shiltz or David Watford or Issac Harker or about a hundred other American QBs i can name

Flynn is arguably the best U Sports QB of all-time (except a guy named Jackson came out of there - back when QBs did not throw the ball lots); Flynn was one of those play-makers that find a way, and he might not have had a great pro passing arm - but literally dozens of American QBs with not so great passing arms have played in the CFL; and the list of pro QBs (both CFL & NFL) who have succeeded with not great arms but more on smarts, mobility and savvy/play-making is quite lengthy- they were given the shot that Flynn never got (but definitely should have IMO) - which is sad/pathetic / shameful on the CFL.

[ArgoRavi]

Apparently Bladek signed a two year deal for $180K and $200K. That seems like a lot for a non-all-star guard.

Being an all-star on the offensive line seems to have as much to do with one's popularity with the media than anything. Bladek not being an all-star isn't something I hold against him.

[AngeloV]

Interesting and thanks for the comments/input.

O'Connor is maybe the best pro QB prototype - tall/big, strong arm with good passing form - to come out of U Sports ball in a long time. ( Dan Fereday got NFL drafted out of U of T; and Larry Jusdnanis got invited to the NFL Combine)

Can't agree he is better than the others you mention though: Richard had an outstanding passing arm (his career completion #s are outstanding, plus he could throw a deep ball), and he was way more mobile than O'Connor. Sinagra had as good or better a pure passing arm IMO - accuracy, velocity, everything. Merchant was more of a dual threat QB, but still a decent passer. I'll take the dual threat, very good running ability any time for the CFL look. None of these guys can be said to have had $hitty (not pro level is the cliche that has been used to write off Canadian QBs by the GOBs for decades) passing arms - no way that can be said for a CFL that has given in comparison, playing time to Matthew Shiltz or David Watford or Issac Harker or about a hundred other American QBs i can name

Flynn is arguably the best U Sports QB of all-time (except a guy named Jackson came out of there - back when QBs did not throw the ball lots); Flynn was one of those play-makers that find a way, and he might not have had a great pro passing arm - but literally dozens of American QBs with not so great passing arms have played in the CFL; and the list of pro QBs (both CFL & NFL) who have succeeded with not great arms but more on smarts, mobility and savvy/play-making is quite lengthy- they were given the shot that Flynn never got (but definitely should have IMO) - which is sad/pathetic / shameful on the CFL.

I'll tell you my problem with Richard and Merchant. Those guys played on teams that were just so much better than any of the competition they faced, it's hard to get a read on whether they were that good or were there teams just that much better than the competition they played against that they were just destined for the success they achieved. In other words, was it them, or their teams? With a lot of QB's you can just see the way they set up and deliver, that you know they will be successful at the next level. I get that from O'Connor, but not the others.

There are a few of Usport QB's that definitely deserved an opportunity. Starting with Jamie Bone, Ferraday, Bill Kubas and Michael Faulds just from the OUA. Faulds I believe didn't pursue a pro career because he was too beaten up by the time his playing career was over at Western. I'm still of the belief that any of these QB's would have been long shots to have success in the CFL, but if they were groomed for 3 or 4 years, who knows?

[AngeloV]

Being an all-star on the offensive line seems to have as much to do with one's popularity with the media than anything. Bladek not being an all-star isn't something I hold against him.

Or in any league for that matter. Bladek was great in 2021. It really showed when he was out of the line up how good he really was.

[OV Argo]

I'll tell you my problem with Richard and Merchant. Those guys played on teams that were just so much better than any of the competition they faced, it's hard to get a read on whether they were that good or were there teams just that much better than the competition they played against that they were just destined for the success they achieved. In other words, was it them, or their teams? With a lot of QB's you can just see the way they set up and deliver, that you know they will be successful at the next level. I get that from O'Connor, but not the others.

There are a few of Usport QB's that definitely deserved an opportunity. Starting with Jamie Bone, Ferraday, Bill Kubas and Michael Faulds just from the OUA. Faulds I believe didn't pursue a pro career because he was too beaten up by the time his playing career was over at Western. I'm still of the belief that any of these QB's would have been long shots to have success in the CFL, but if they were groomed for 3 or 4 years, who knows?

I'm just not that big on judging QBs by how they look or their delivery or stance in the pocket, etc. More impressed by play-making and looking at a combo of arm strength / accuracy / reads ability, plus mobility. And yes football is a team sport, but play-making stats in college ball says something - and when you are comparing stats from the same level of play - things like completion % and TDs to INTs or long passes completed are not just accomplished by luck or a good team around you.; also QB wins, yardage or first downs gained by running, and intangibles like leadership, toughness , smarts.


Back in 2019 O'Connor & Merchant were tested together (around Combine time i think?) using a Wilson Pro-X football that can supposedly measure some things: - ball speed, spin rate, and release time. For what it's worth at those tests - they were tied in speed, but Merchant had an edge in both spin rate & release time. Not that i"m big on sports science or "analytics" stuff these days - a lot of that stuff is a joke IMO.

And Merchant & Richard faced each other in back to back Vaniers - both on good solid all-around teams, so no lack of competition story to be used there - both games featured excellent QBing IMO and both showed they were very good passers, mobile run threats and tough, smart leaders. Getting so see top QBs go far in tough play-off competition is often a good indicator of talent; it's too bad Tre Ford did not play on a good all-around team that could compete in the play-offs - but his passing stats and run yardage have both been outstanding - numbers that few other QBs have put up at that level.

[AngeloV]

it's too bad Tre Ford did not play on a good all-around team that could compete in the play-offs - but his passing stats and run yardage have both been outstanding - numbers that few other QBs have put up at that level.

Ford elevated his team way above their talent level. I think he has a chance if a team is willing to let him develop for a couple of years.

[cfl-cis fan]

Interesting and thanks for the comments/input.

O'Connor is maybe the best pro QB prototype - tall/big, strong arm with good passing form - to come out of U Sports ball in a long time. ( Dan Fereday got NFL drafted out of U of T; and Larry Jusdnanis got invited to the NFL Combine)

Can't agree he is better than the others you mention though: Richard had an outstanding passing arm (his career completion #s are outstanding, plus he could throw a deep ball), and he was way more mobile than O'Connor. Sinagra had as good or better a pure passing arm IMO - accuracy, velocity, everything. Merchant was more of a dual threat QB, but still a decent passer. I'll take the dual threat, very good running ability any time for the CFL look. None of these guys can be said to have had $hitty (not pro level is the cliche that has been used to write off Canadian QBs by the GOBs for decades) passing arms - no way that can be said for a CFL that has given in comparison, playing time to Matthew Shiltz or David Watford or Issac Harker or about a hundred other American QBs i can name

Flynn is arguably the best U Sports QB of all-time (except a guy named Jackson came out of there - back when QBs did not throw the ball lots); Flynn was one of those play-makers that find a way, and he might not have had a great pro passing arm - but literally dozens of American QBs with not so great passing arms have played in the CFL; and the list of pro QBs (both CFL & NFL) who have succeeded with not great arms but more on smarts, mobility and savvy/play-making is quite lengthy- they were given the shot that Flynn never got (but definitely should have IMO) - which is sad/pathetic / shameful on the CFL.

" Kyle Quinlan" ?

[OV Argo]

" Kyle Quinlan" ?

Yeah; I'd say he's up there with Richard, O'Connor, Merchant (and a bunch of others) as top talent QBs out of CIS/U Sports ball; and got to see him play in play-off runs (including that all-time great Vanier vs. Laval).

His brief comments on his experience at Als TC were interestin' / eye-opening; as was their "forgetting" to invite him to a mini-camp training session they held down in the States.

[OV Argo]

Ticats lock-up Evans; Argos interested in Masoli ?

[Shatto]

Ticats lock-up Evans; Argos interested in Masoli ?

I doubt it, unless he changes his stand on vaccination

[Will]

Argos had better get MBT under contract, and soon...

[Argo57]

Argos had better get MBT under contract, and soon...

I agree.
Hopefully they are being proactive on this one, would hate to see them get left behind and have to settle on someone like Trevor Harris.

[paulwoods13]

I agree.
Hopefully they are being proactive on this one, would hate to see them get left behind and have to settle on someone like Trevor Harris.

That's the nightmare scenario.