1 month till free agency...

[bluto]

1 promising position coach plucked away by a rival...
1 DMOP calibre player allowed to peddle his skills for the NFL...
7 players who are free agency eligible in a month...

...and 1 promising homegrown player who was an Argo draft pick in 2010 re-signed.

anybody else getting antsy? i honestly don't have a clue what the plan is with our 7. i'd have to think that McCollough's value would be obvious... but Barker has shown before that he isn't afraid to go with new players from the states who aren't looking for a raise on their 2nd CFL deal. i also think that Watt would be a no-brainer since Milanovich had favorable things to say about him and he has a year running routes for Ray in Milanovich's system. Kackert of course will depend on his opportunities in the states but if available is a must-sign. he's one of our 3 guys who (when not injured) can turn nothing into something (or even something big).


<tbody style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit;">
<th colspan="4" style="text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 1.2em; background-image: url(http://cfl.assets.mrx.ca/league/images/en/2010/rankings/rankings_th_bg.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat;">Toronto Argonauts</th>

<th style="text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 1.2em; background-image: url(http://cfl.assets.mrx.ca/league/images/en/2010/rankings/rankings_th_bg.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat;">PLAYER</th><th style="text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 1.2em; background-image: url(http://cfl.assets.mrx.ca/league/images/en/2010/rankings/rankings_th_bg.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat;">POS</th><th style="text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 1.2em; background-image: url(http://cfl.assets.mrx.ca/league/images/en/2010/rankings/rankings_th_bg.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat;">COLLEGE</th><th style="text-align: center; padding: 5px 0px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 1.2em; background-image: url(http://cfl.assets.mrx.ca/league/images/en/2010/rankings/rankings_th_bg.png); background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat;">STATUS</th>

Black, Tristan (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/109)
LB
Wayne State



Christian, Ryan
WR
Texas Christian
Retired (05/21/11)


Eppele, Joe (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/2551)
OL
Washington State
Extended (12/31/12) (http://cfl.ca/article/argos-extend-eppele-through-2014)


Foley, Ricky (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/2953)
DL
York



Gagne-Marcoux, Cedric (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/3267)
OL
Central Florida



Kackert, Chad (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/4313)
RB
New Hampshire



Mann, Maurice (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/2495)
WR
Nevada



McCollough, Evan (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/4009)
DB
James Madison



Watt, Spencer (http://www.cfl.ca/roster/show/id/3155)
WR
Simon Fraser




</tbody>


is CGM surplus to requirements now? or is he waiting for free agency to get a better sense of what value he can command? Foley is on a big contract, not sure if Barker would put that amount aside again based on his level of play (which was good... but not star-level... and David Lee might be hot on his heels soon). Tristan Black might be able to get some interest from other teams... but likely not so much as to command a large enough raise (as a 4 year vet) to compensate for moving from his hometown... pretty sure he'll be at camp. i think Mo Mann will also be at Argo TC just because he doesn't have enough value to any other team for them to try scooping him, but for us he has (like Watt)a year of practicing and playing with Ray and Milanovich.

but who knows...

[ArgoRavi]

I am thinking that neither Black nor Gagne-Marcoux will be back. The latter just seemed to disappear completely after he was nine-gamed last season and I suspect that he simply does not fit into the team's plans any longer. Black was in and out of the lineup during the latter part of the season IIRC and I just don't see him being in the team's plans as he hasn't proven that he can be a starter and they can get some younger linebackers to fill the special teams role that Black has filled IMO. For example, Herve Tonye-Tonye should be at camp this year while Cory Greenwood may not be far behind. They may very well draft another linebacker as well.

I believe that they will try to re-sign the other prospective free agents but I do think that Foley will be a challenge to re-sign while Kackert may give the NFL a shot even if he doesn't get any kind of signing bonus from the Jets. I expect McCollough and Watt to return and will be mildly surprised if Mann doesn't also.

[Wobbler]

Watt was extended this morning (http://www.cfl.ca/article/boatmen-extend-speedy-receiver-spencer-watt) (2 years).

We also signed Adonis Thomas, an undrafted 5'9" RB who was a final cut in the Browns camp last year.

[argolio]

Great to see Watt re-sign. He's come a long way from the raw rookie he was, and still has room to develop further.

[Wobbler]

It's easy to forget how young Watt is. Despite the fact that he'll be entering his fourth season with us, he's still the eighth youngest player on our roster!

[AngeloV]

It's easy to forget how young Watt is. Despite the fact that he'll be entering his fourth season with us, he's still the eighth youngest player on our roster!

Yes..I believe I fought that fight with a few on here over the last year.

[OV Argo]

Tristan Black will be 29 next CFL season = prime football years age ( a few years older than Watt); and he has built up plenty of CFL experience now and IMO has always looked quite good when has been of the field playing MLB in the CFL (not that much playing time but some); plus, he has been a solid special teamer; IMO - he should be re-signed - it won't cost big CFL bucks - and be given a real shot to compete at MLB; if Tonye-Tonye or maybe Greenwood show-up for TC and do better, then they make the team instead; I guess McCune is the incumbent starter and Pottinger will still be around too? Pretty well zero need to draft another linebacker to be in line as a back-up / special teamer only, unless a couple of the above guys aren't going to be in TC or maybe if that draft pick is a potential blue-chipper (Lokombo (Oregon) mentioned as a top draft pick prospect, but would he be that much better than what the Argos already could have?).

[Wobbler]

Yes..I believe I fought that fight with a few on here over the last year.
I was one of the people you convinced to be more patient with Watt, and I think you've been proven correct. He has become a good receiver and has the potential to be much more.

[ArgoGabe22]

Black had made way too many penalties on STs this year and I think they then took him out of that team.

[flafson]

Wasn't Black like our number 1 guy on special teams?

[Wobbler]

That was actually the other Black, but Tristan was #2.

[ArgoGabe22]

I was refering to the return team. I believed there were many holding calls agianst him. Black had a good game last year vs CGY when Pottinger went down and after that didn't really get much reps.

[ArgoRavi]

Black had made way too many penalties on STs this year and I think they then took him out of that team.

That is why I think that he may not be re-signed. His career trajectory isn't heading in the right direction IMO.

[doubleblue]

Wasn't Black like our number 1 guy on special teams?

Number 1 penalty guy. I can remember one game Tristan taking a couple of illegal blocking calls on PR's and Milanovich really teeing off on him on the sidelines and benched him. If he is not resigned that incident may have been the straw.

[matchuk]

so....can we all assume that we are going to lose all of our free agents if they are not signed before friday?

[ArgoRavi]

so....can we all assume that we are going to lose all of our free agents if they are not signed before friday?

I would not assume that but it makes it less likely that they will re-sign in Toronto. BTW, I believe that the free agent date is Feb. 15th and not Feb. 1st.

[matchuk]

I would not assume that but it makes it less likely that they will re-sign in Toronto. BTW, I believe that the free agent date is Feb. 15th and not Feb. 1st.

damn....i kept thinking it was the 1st for some reason...i guess im losing it....