Anyone else puzzled by Hamilton signing Mallett?

[KCargosfan]

http://cfl.ca/article/hammer-time-ticats-sign-rb-mallett

With Cobourne, I really don't get it. Btw, how many times has "Hammer Time" been used in conjunction with something the Ti-Cats did?

[argotom]

I don't know about that, I think this is a wise move.
Why not create competition, also with Thighpen gone this could be an opportunity as a special team player for Mallet.

[1argoholic]

OB just keeps signing guys and turning over players. How many recievers did he bring in last year and dump during the season.

Wonder how he ended up in Hamilton as well.

[ArgoRavi]

Obie has never been a big continuity guy. If he can find a player who he thinks is better than one he already has, then he will make the change and not necessarily take into consideration how the players fit together. I suspect that the Avon Cobourne era in Hamilton may be coming to a conclusion although the Ticats would be wise to make sure that Mallett is 100% healthy first.

[OV Argo]

Obie has never been a big continuity guy. If he can find a player who he thinks is better than one he already has, then he will make the change and not necessarily take into consideration how the players fit together. I suspect that the Avon Cobourne era in Hamilton may be coming to a conclusion although the Ticats would be wise to make sure that Mallett is 100% healthy first.


Fine to bring in Mallett for a TC look - he could compete for playing time; but if Obie is thinking of handing the guy the job and just cutting Cobourne ... /? - yeah, they better have made sure Mallett is healthy - he did miss last year due to injury and hasn't played any games since 09.

Obie signed Kenton Keith a couple of years back. Obie pinning a lot of hopes on Burris too.

[zontar]

Not hard to understand. After signing Hank and with upcoming free agency AC's contract was a burden. In Mallet you get cap space and youth. He was available. How is sitting on your hands and letting a chance like him go by a better plan? Pretty much exactly what MTL did at the end of 2011. Youth at RB for less money.

Kenton Keith blew his knee out first day of camp not sure how that is a reflection on Obie.

[Invader]

This is a bit of a puzzler as Mallett is definitely not a kick returner-type who could replace the departed Thigpen. One factor in his signing could be that rookie RB Grant is injured. Also 32-yr-old Avon Cobourn was not as effective as projected last year.

That being said, this could also be a defensive move by the Ticats. Keeping Mallett away from the competition, and tying him up until at least July before he starts getting paid (or released).

[gilthethrill]

I suspect Colbornes days as a TiCat may be numbered. As for Mallett, after bouncing around NFL camps for a couple years, he maybe a prime candidate for NFL itis & may never recapture his rookie year output.

[bluto]

i hear that Mallett is on 6 figures... so he isn't that big of a savings over Cobourne. But Thigpen's salary has gone south, so you never know what Obie may be thinking.

[zontar]

Cats save upwards of 50k off the cap with Mallet.

[bluto]

Cats save upwards of 50k off the cap with Mallet.

good for Cobourne (and his agent) for getting that sort of deal out of Obie last year. that's half-again more than Boyd.

[zontar]

AC was a proven commodity, an impact player, and you have to pay accordingly. Cats could afford it then. After a huge year of production in 2010 they thought they were only one player away from going over the top to contend and obviously felt he was worth it.

[eiben35]

Mallett's signing is huge for the Ticats. He was awesome three seasons ago and he is much younger and faster then Cobourne. Plus it saves them some money when they cut Avon.

[AngeloV]

I hate to admit it, but a great signing by Hamilton. He's 6 years younger than Avon, which as a RB is huge. A no brainer IMO.

[KCargosfan]

Cats save upwards of 50k off the cap with Mallet.

Link please.

[zontar]

Link please.

Mallet signed for 100k. AC was making around 140k , iirc, plus incentives

[OV Argo]

Link please.


CFL salaries aren't published; all of the typcial CFL fan site discussions and teeth knashing about $MS, salaries, cap room, etc, is just conjecture, and often, i supsect, pure bunko. Seems it's often CFL "reporters", doing their reportin', er, speculating and filling blog space by trotting out player signing dollar $s - something to talk about i guess; if you want to take all those reported #s as gospel truth - knock yourself out. I got a kick out of all the $ numbers tossed around by "reporters" over the Khalif Mitchell almost signing with the Dolphins and his re-signing with BC; some hypotheticals with some rather large discrepancies. Contracts can feature a bunch of figures - base salary, incentives, up front bonus - and none of these are officially reported by the CFL - guessing is fun and all though.


And I doubt Mallett is guaranteed a Ticat job at this point - he could still get cut at TC - though a reported signing bonus he would get to keep and maybe a good indicator the Ticats are seriously interested. If Obie is putting all his hopes on this guy - who hasn't played any real games in 2 years, plus was out with injury last year - then that's swell.

[bluto]

And AC gets cut... if it ever was puzzling to sign Mallett, this ought to have cleared things up.

Actually (hate to say this about a rival...) this was classy by Hamilton to allow Cobourne the extra time to see if he could find a job for next season.

http://www.cfl.ca/article/cobourne-among-three-ticats-released
Luc Mullinder and Simeon Rottier (who it is reported the Eskies covet) also released. Thread in CFL forum.

[paulwoods13]

I'd sign Cobourne if he is willing to take less than starter money and accept that Boyd is our main man at RB and he'd be a backup/inactive most of the time. He would provide outstanding insurance and would have a healthy hate on for both Ham and Mtl. However, I doubt he would take the kind of money I'm talking about.

[R.J]

The writing was obviously on the wall for Cobourne once Mallet was signed. Not really a fan of the idea of bringing in Cobourne as we already have Boyd, Kackert and Durie in the backfield and unless Cobourne takes league minimum, I doubt it would happen. The Argos need receivers, Defensive Linemen (IMO Flemons, Wroten and especially huntley need to be cut), Dbs, and a back-up QB.

[Wobbler]

Has AC ever lined up at slot? He has good hands, but I don't know if he can run decent routes. If so, he'd probably better than most of our 2011 receivers, and a very good backup RB as a bonus.

[KCargosfan]

Cats save upwards of 50k off the cap with Mallet.


CFL salaries aren't published; all of the typcial CFL fan site discussions and teeth knashing about $MS, salaries, cap room, etc, is just conjecture, and often, i supsect, pure bunko. Seems it's often CFL "reporters", doing their reportin', er, speculating and filling blog space by trotting out player signing dollar $s - something to talk about i guess; if you want to take all those reported #s as gospel truth - knock yourself out. I got a kick out of all the $ numbers tossed around by "reporters" over the Khalif Mitchell almost signing with the Dolphins and his re-signing with BC; some hypotheticals with some rather large discrepancies. Contracts can feature a bunch of figures - base salary, incentives, up front bonus - and none of these are officially reported by the CFL - guessing is fun and all though.


And I doubt Mallett is guaranteed a Ticat job at this point - he could still get cut at TC - though a reported signing bonus he would get to keep and maybe a good indicator the Ticats are seriously interested. If Obie is putting all his hopes on this guy - who hasn't played any real games in 2 years, plus was out with injury last year - then that's swell.

I wish the CFL would publish salaries, would make the offseason that much more interesting.

I agree OVA that it is somewhat strange that Hamilton is just giving the job to a guy who hasn't played in two years, but like AV said he is 25.

Kind of strange how Cobourne goes from getting a $35K signing bonus one year to being cut the next. Odd.

[ArgoRavi]

Kind of strange how Cobourne goes from getting a $35K signing bonus one year to being cut the next. Odd.

Cobourne was also brought in to change the culture of the Hamilton dressing room. It isn't like he had a bad year last year either but the Ticats have certainly decided to move in a different direction this year.

[zontar]

I wish the CFL would publish salaries, would make the offseason that much more interesting.

I agree OVA that it is somewhat strange that Hamilton is just giving the job to a guy who hasn't played in two years, but like AV said he is 25.

Kind of strange how Cobourne goes from getting a $35K signing bonus one year to being cut the next. Odd.

With the arrival of Burris , and presumably the need for some FA money to throw around, the economics for HAM changed significantly from '11-12.

[1argoholic]

So were does Cobourne end up now if anywhere? He could have burned bridges bigtime for a return to Montreal with all of his yapping off last year.

[KCargosfan]

With the arrival of Burris , and presumably the need for some FA money to throw around, the economics for HAM changed significantly from '11-12.

Memo to Cory Boyd: Ask for more than $100K on your next contract.


So were does Cobourne end up now if anywhere? He could have burned bridges bigtime for a return to Montreal with all of his yapping off last year.

I would guess Sask or Edmonton (if Messam stays south).

I wonder if Joffrey Reynolds is done? Wonder if he would play somewhere for $60K, or if anyone still would want him?

[ArgoRavi]

There isn't a great market for 32+ year-old running backs like Reynolds and Cobourne. I honestly believe that Reynolds' career is over and Cobourne's may be as well although he has less mileage on him than Reynolds which could make a difference in landing another job.

[Padre29]

Cobourne was also brought in to change the culture of the Hamilton dressing room. It isn't like he had a bad year last year either but the Ticats have certainly decided to move in a different direction this year.

I think they made a mistake releasing Corborne, to me TiCats need more closer guys, to finish games and to exhibit professionalism, Mallet is a fine player but he's not that sort of player.

[OV Argo]

Has AC ever lined up at slot? He has good hands, but I don't know if he can run decent routes. If so, he'd probably better than most of our 2011 receivers, and a very good backup RB as a bonus.

Durie is already quite capable in that role; plus i'd guess is way cheaper $M$ wise than what Cobourne would want; CFL rosters don't have the size/role/dollars for 2 RBs converted to receivers - unfortunately.

[Wobbler]

Durie is already quite capable in that role; plus i'd guess is way cheaper $M$ wise than what Cobourne would want; CFL rosters don't have the size/role/dollars for 2 RBs converted to receivers - unfortunately.
You're probably right. And I have no interest in "converting" AC to a new role at his age; if he hasn't already played receiver we should put our money elsewhere.