Don't expect Argos to upgrade receiving corps by signing other teams' free agents

[ArgoRavi]

The Argos will be doing their own recruiting to fill their needs at receiver. Don't expect any free agent signings from other CFL teams: http://www.thestar.com/article/1115735--argos-hope-to-snare-better-receivers

[OV Argo]

The Argos will be doing their own recruiting to fill their needs at receiver. Don't expect any free agent signings from other CFL teams: http://www.thestar.com/article/1115735--argos-hope-to-snare-better-receivers

Zelkovich is writing off the possibility of adding a good receiver prospect with the Argos having a #9 overall pick ???

Chambers may be gone by then, but Charbonneau-Campeau, Bamba or some other decent receivers may still be there and including at Argos' mid-round picks. Stala was a 6th round pick; Rob Bagg wasn't drafted at all.

Looking far & wide would be smart; Carr or Fantuz are write-offs too? - really? - no $M$ room to be created by cutting some high priced guys on the current roster?

[Wobbler]

I think it's fair to say that we shouldn't expect to draft any immediate help at receiver; even if we still had our #2 pick that would be unlikely. Zelkovich's article seems pretty reasonable.

[zontar]

So Argos wont be playing The Great Canadian Fantuz Lottery ?

[gilthethrill]

I think this is good news. Someone of good ilk will be found in a FA camp in the US & will have an impact this year. Not sure if the Argos could afford Fantuz anyway, but it sounds like his head is in the NFL.

[Invader]

The problem with unproven receivers...is they're unproven. They might prove to great receivers...or might prove they have wooden hands. College recruits are a real crap-shoot. The one of four prospects who ends up being good enough to play will still need a year or two of polishing. For example, the Lions started last year with four first-year receivers...who had 32 drops in their first five games with MOP QB Lulay getting benched. It wasn't until they signed veteran Arland Bruce that the Lions offence started to click (and catch)...and the rest is history.

The Argos might get lucky and find another C. Denmark (Wpg), but often a CFL proven receiver is a surer bet than a college phenom or NFL backup.

[ArgoRavi]

The problem with unproven receivers...is they're unproven. They might prove to great receivers...or might prove they have wooden hands. College recruits are a real crap-shoot. The one of four prospects who ends up being good enough to play will still need a year or two of polishing. For example, the Lions started last year with four first-year receivers...who had 32 drops in their first five games with MOP QB Lulay getting benched. It wasn't until they signed veteran Arland Bruce that the Lions offence started to click (and catch)...and the rest is history.

The Argos might get lucky and find another C. Denmark (Wpg), but often a CFL proven receiver is a surer bet than a college phenom or NFL backup.

Other than Fantuz, what's out there though? Everyone talks about Greg Carr but I heard and read a lot about poor route-running and drops in regard to him last year. Maybe he would be more polished in 2012 though. However, I generally agree with Barker that you don't build strong teams through CFL free agency. You may fill some holes with veteran free agents but you certainly don't build a team over the long-term that way.

[paulwoods13]

I'd take Carr in a second -- he showed me more than enough last year to think he can become an all-star-calibre receiver in this league. Someone will probably overpay Fantuz -- he's excellent but not worth disrupting your entire salary structure for. I still want to see what Ballard and/or Boldin can do in a good offence with a good QB. (And Tranks, too, if he is healthy.)

[Invader]

I'm not sold on Carr. All he does is catch the ball and score touchdowns...not sure about his speed, route running or if he could become the "go-to" receiver the Argos need? The Riders Cary Koch is the only free agent who seems intriguing. He was injured last year, but has been in the league a couple years and looked pretty good in limited action.

There is also the trade route to pluck a experienced receiver off another team's roster?

[1argoholic]

I have no idea what he's talking about. Right now Charbonneau-Campeau sits ranked at #9 as has been mentioned. The guy reminds me of a young Fantuz. I grab him if he was still available. Might be an issue trying to fit that name on the back of a jersey though.

[argolio]

I'm not sold on Carr. All he does is catch the ball and score touchdownsAnd that's bad??

Maybe Barker is being totally honest, but I can't imagine the Argos wouldn't sign a CFL free agent receiver at the right price if they liked a particular player.

[bluto]

I'm not sold on Carr. All he does is catch the ball and score touchdowns...

really?...really?

i think that Ray would pretty much force the defensive coordinators of the CFL to grab their ankles if he had Ray and Mo Mann is back in the 2009 form he discovered the last time he had Ray tossing to him.

the Bummers are focused on nickel and diming Pierce and Labatte and if Carr makes it to the FA deadline, all i can do is hope that Barker saying “I don’t believe in building a team through free agency,” is merely the sort of posturing that a wise GM would do to avoid having agents thinking that he was an easy mark.

the bit about Cope was interesting. there have been many varied viewpoints on our forum(s) about him, his contribution, his potential for bouncing back and his contract. i wonder if Barker could take a page out of BC's book and renegotiate Coprland's deal to better reflect his contribution level (a la Paris Jackson's renegotiation). if that's do-able, i think Cope could be an excellent #3 receiver and be very productive.

[RICKEARS]

hope they sign Parker

[OV Argo]

Reading over at Lionbackers that Paris Jackson could get cut ($M$ casualty? - after taking a pay-cut last season ?).

He'd IMO be worth a look for sure if he comes free - vet receiver who has shown plenty in the CFL and not exactly old/over-the-hill; may have lost playing time in BC being supplanted by some good young recievers there, but when they went to him last year after some injury problems, he looked still pretty solid to me.

And agreed with Argoholic that Charbonneau-Campeau would be nice to get in the draft - a big target, very productive CIS receiver - very impressed by him in the few times i got to see him play for Sherby. Not sure I'd use the Argos 1st pick this draft (#9) on him, but if he was available later? - too bad the Argos don't have a lot of draft picks this year.

[argolio]

I'd take Paris Jackson in a heartbeat.

As for the draft, according to Wikipedia we pick 9th, 24th, 28th, 32nd, 40th and 41st overall, so there is some flexibility to move up if there's a player they really like. And those selections are all 1-2 picks higher that they would have been because Winnipeg forfeited its first round selection and Edmonton its second due to supplementary draft picks.

[Area 51]

Carr or Fantuz are write-offs too? - really? - no $M$ room to be created by cutting some high priced guys on the current roster?



That's the part of the article that didn't seem very well thought out and I completely disagree with it.

Ray makes an additional $250,000 over what they were going to pay Steve Jyles.

Replacing Murphy with Coughman will save how much? I'd say $125,000.
Replacing Copeland with either Bolden, Ballard or another rookie FA will save how much? I'd say $100,000.
Replacing Parker with Black will save how much? I'd say $75,000.
Replacing Robertson with Eppele will save how much? I'd say $50,000.

I don't think there'd be any dropoff in play with those four replacements. And they would pay for the additional salary from Ray's contract PLUS have an extra $100,000 to throw at either Fantuz or Carr.

[Area 51]

I'm not sold on Carr. All he does is catch the ball and score touchdowns...




I think I'd be willing to settle for that.

Especially considering two of Toronto's top three receivers last year had ZERO touchdowns.

[Midnight Blue]

That's the part of the article that didn't seem very well thought out and I completely disagree with it.

Ray makes an additional $250,000 over what they were going to pay Steve Jyles.

Replacing Murphy with Coughman will save how much? I'd say $125,000.
Replacing Copeland with either Bolden, Ballard or another rookie FA will save how much? I'd say $100,000.
Replacing Parker with Black will save how much? I'd say $75,000.
Replacing Robertson with Eppele will save how much? I'd say $50,000.

I don't think there'd be any dropoff in play with those four replacements. And they would pay for the additional salary from Ray's contract PLUS have an extra $100,000 to throw at either Fantuz or Carr.


I could never be a GM (and you probably could be) due to my emotional and loyalty cosiderations, but is this really the year (2012 - Toronto Grey Cup Host City) to be tearing apart some of the heart and soul of this team (meaning not just some of theses guys, but other heart and soul vets)? Never mind, I'm probably too emotional. But I say yes to Greg Carr and yes to Paris Jackson if we can get them. And I always say yes, to Paris Hilton;

3rd down, and inches to go: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VQJWz6ibKqo/THj3FK3zV6I/AAAAAAAAAv4/C2yNpvuNMiw/s1600/paris_hilton_crawl.jpg

[Area 51]

I'm not advocating a rebuilding project - - it's just about replacing high priced vets with young, lower paid replacements that will perform just as well, if not better. The key point is the savings will be spent on upgrading weaknesses with a top tier FA.