First round of cuts announced

[AngeloV]

And Kackert and Adrian McPherson are among them.

http://www.tsn.ca/argos-release-rb-kackert-qb-mcpherson-1.508080

[R.J]

Had a feeling Kackert and McPherson would be cut.

[AngeloV]

Yeah, no real surprise to me.

[ArgoGabe22]

I think everyone was rooting for Kackert to comeback to his 2012 form. Maybe back to S&T coach?

[doubleblue]

Man, I wanted Kack to make the team. Happy for Mitchell Gale, he's just a better passer than McPherson IMO. I was reading he has lost 28 lbs which would bring him down to about 212. I thought maybe they would put McPherson on the injured list to see how things played out the first few weeks.

[timlb01]

I am not surprised about McPherson. You had to know this was going to happen when they signed Gale. No more Kack Attack... loved the guy hope he finds a home on the coaching staff.

[sthfan1988]

Loved Kack...he may resurface someplace, Ottawa as a depth guy. Great story how he came back and his first game back last year after the devastating injury was a great story. Must have been tough for Barker to let him go. Love ya Kack.

[R.J]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Argos?src=hash">#Argos</a> have released the following players:<br><br>INT DL J.C. Copeland<br>INT RB Chad Kackert<br>INT WR Christion Jones<br>INT QB Adrian McPherson</p>&mdash; Toronto Argonauts PR (@Argonauts_PR) <a href="https://twitter.com/Argonauts_PR/status/743088919999184896">June 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Argos?src=hash">#Argos</a> have released the following players:<br><br>INT LB Marquis Spruill<br>INT WR Shane Williams-Rhodes<br>INT DL Jamal Young<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFLTC?src=hash">#CFLTC</a></p>&mdash; Toronto Argonauts PR (@Argonauts_PR) <a href="https://twitter.com/Argonauts_PR/status/743089146453843968">June 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Ouch at Spruill; I thought he had a lot of potential at MLB, but he was pretty much invisible during the pre season game and no glowing reports during TC.

[Neely2005]

Sad to see Kackert go.

[1argoholic]

Sad when guys you cheer for in college get signed by your team and then cut. As a Wolverine fan it was sad to hear that Jeremy Gallon didn't even make it to main camp. Now Shane Williams Rhodes from Boise St (my wife's team) got cut. Real solid college careers don't mean much. Both played great and from great football schools. Size didn't help either guy.

Forgot to mention how sad it is to see Kack get axed. Love Kack!!!

[ArgoFan1]

I don't think Kackert was given much of an opportunity to play after his come back. Frustrating in the playoff loss to Hamilton last year where he was left on the sideline while Whitaker was not able to produce much on the ground. That whole game was a botched affair from the start. Milanovich put McPherson in for most of the game and ignored Trevor Harris.....who had gotten the team to the playoffs. Something is not right in Argoland. Was always a big Kackert fan and I know he was loved by many in this city, as was seen even at last year's training camp as he always had the longest autograph line. I am hoping they keep him on as a coach again.... but if not, I hope he can land with another team.

[gilthethrill]

I honestly did not expect Kackert to make it to TC. He is 29 and the RB position is tabbed to be the easiest to recruit. Good on the Argos for giving him opportunities to revive his career. No doubt Barker and Milanovich feel horrible about this move.

[KCargosfan]

Is it somewhat remarkable McPherson had this long of a career despite not being that great of a passer?

[R.J]

Is it somewhat remarkable McPherson had this long of a career despite not being that great of a passer?
Being a CFL vet always helps; a lot of times it's why guys keep getting signed. Geoff Tisdale was never a good player, but kept landing jobs, because he knew the CFL. So many more players and stories like this, and if you'll recall McPherson was specifically brought in because he was a vet and knew Milanovich's system.

[paulwoods13]

I don't think Kackert was given much of an opportunity to play after his come back. Frustrating in the playoff loss to Hamilton last year where he was left on the sideline while Whitaker was not able to produce much on the ground. That whole game was a botched affair from the start. Milanovich put McPherson in for most of the game and ignored Trevor Harris.....who had gotten the team to the playoffs. Something is not right in Argoland. Was always a big Kackert fan and I know he was loved by many in this city, as was seen even at last year's training camp as he always had the longest autograph line. I am hoping they keep him on as a coach again.... but if not, I hope he can land with another team.

McPherson played two series, I believe, not most of the game. Ricky Ray was judged better than Harris going into that game, and based on Harris's performance over his final five or six games, I agreed with that.

Kackert is a great guy and was a great player in 2012, but he was never the same after his injuries. I believe Argo brass loved the guy -- if he was capable of outplaying Whitaker at any point last year, IMO he would have played.

[Argo57]

Man, I wanted Kack to make the team. Happy for Mitchell Gale, he's just a better passer than McPherson IMO. I was reading he has lost 28 lbs which would bring him down to about 212. I thought maybe they would put McPherson on the injured list to see how things played out the first few weeks.

Gale looks a lot trimmer this season and threw the ball well.
Kackert showed great character and determination in his comeback, at least he won't have any "what if's" moving forward.

[gilthethrill]

Being a CFL vet always helps; a lot of times it's why guys keep getting signed. Geoff Tisdale was never a good player, but kept landing jobs, because he knew the CFL. So many more players and stories like this, and if you'll recall McPherson was specifically brought in because he was a vet and knew Milanovich's system.

Oh boy, now you've done it....don't get KC started up about Geoff Tisdale!

[Will]

It really hurts to see Kackert go--I mean on the one hand I'm not surprised because I just don't think he was going to be able to return to the way he was, and the Argos chose to go with cheaper and younger options. But, still, here's a guy who had the potential to be great, and his performance during the 2012 Grey Cup (or I daresay that entire playoff) cemented him as one of the popular guys on the team with fans.

Football sucks sometimes!

[Stevoman]

Going to miss Kackert and I think the locker room will as well.

[AngeloV]

I like Chad Kackert as much as the next guy, but I really think all the sadness of his release is overblown. In the end, he played a grand total of 31 games as an Argo. It's not like he's been here 10 years. I wish him the best, and hopefully he can catch on with another team, but clearly the Argos felt they had better guys.

[argolio]

McPherson played himself off the team. Cutting him was necessary for the evolution of the QB position.

[1argoholic]

I'm not sure how McPherson has hung around this league this long.

[Will]

I'm not sure how McPherson has hung around this league this long.

The Alouettes did seem to hold onto him for quite a long time in the hopes that he'd replace Calvillo someday. I was convinced by 2009 or 2010 that he wasn't the solution for them.

[Reggiemac]

No surprise about McPherson. The minute Gale was called he was toast a career backup with little upside. And its clear that McFadden has won the MLB spot. Watched some. Of his youtube hilites and he has size and speed. One tough hombre, just the way I like my LB's-my guess is our last cuts receivers could end up in Rider land as they could sure use a quality receiver.

[Neely2005]

"Milanovich admitted during his availability that Chad Kackert may yet be back, but it depends on how Friday’s backs perform."

KACK MIGHT BE BACK

Just when you thought it was closed, the door remains open for Chad Kackert to walk right back as an Argo.
A day after the team announced it had released the 2010 Grey Cup MVP, head coach Scott Milanovich said Kackert still has a chance to return.
“He may not be done,’’ said Milanovich on the eve of Friday night’s pre-season finale against the host Als. “We’ll have to see how our running backs play (against Montreal) and then we’ll make the ultimate decision.”
Milanovich referred to football’s numbers game when he discussed the move to release Kackert and quarterback Adrian McPherson, two players Milanovich has a history with, two players he deeply cares for and respects.
Kackert’s history with the Argos is special, but the business of football demands tough choices.
In a nutshell, the future of Kackert, at least as an Argo, boils down to Friday night and how second-year back Henry Josey and first-year Argo Edwin Baker perform.
The team’s incumbent running back is Brandon Whitaker, whom the Argos pounced on when the Als released the veteran about this time a year ago.
Kackert has what not many possess in football, or any sport for that matter, an intangible, the it factor that brings teams together, a calming spirit that tightens a locker room and a big-play ability.
“He’s great in the locker room,’’ said Milanovich. “I trust him to protect our quarterback, first and foremost. And he still has an ability to hit that big run.
“Josey and Edwin have a lot to prove (Friday night).”

http://m.torontosun.com/2016/06/16/its-crunch-time-for-argos-bubble-boys-2

[Argo]

"Milanovich admitted during his availability that Chad Kackert may yet be back, but it depends on how Friday’s backs perform."

KACK MIGHT BE BACK

Just when you thought it was closed, the door remains open for Chad Kackert to walk right back as an Argo.
A day after the team announced it had released the 2010 Grey Cup MVP, head coach Scott Milanovich said Kackert still has a chance to return.
“He may not be done,’’ said Milanovich on the eve of Friday night’s pre-season finale against the host Als. “We’ll have to see how our running backs play (against Montreal) and then we’ll make the ultimate decision.”
Milanovich referred to football’s numbers game when he discussed the move to release Kackert and quarterback Adrian McPherson, two players Milanovich has a history with, two players he deeply cares for and respects.
Kackert’s history with the Argos is special, but the business of football demands tough choices.
In a nutshell, the future of Kackert, at least as an Argo, boils down to Friday night and how second-year back Henry Josey and first-year Argo Edwin Baker perform.
The team’s incumbent running back is Brandon Whitaker, whom the Argos pounced on when the Als released the veteran about this time a year ago.
Kackert has what not many possess in football, or any sport for that matter, an intangible, the it factor that brings teams together, a calming spirit that tightens a locker room and a big-play ability.
“He’s great in the locker room,’’ said Milanovich. “I trust him to protect our quarterback, first and foremost. And he still has an ability to hit that big run.

In other words Milanovich will, in effect, dispatch a running back among the final cuts (and it must be given that there's no need to see Kackert in preseason play).

[Scooter McCray]

Watching Kack play last weekend, I did not think that he played himself off of the team. He was hustling on special teams forcing the Cats deep into their end on punt coverage. He only got a couple of carries as RB, but did not look out of place. In my mind these younger guys need to prove why they're better.

[R.J]

I for one hope that Kackert isn't brought back. Kackert had a great first game back, then looked rather pedestrian in the games following IMO. We're already wasting roster spots IMO, and I'd prefer we not waste anymore.

[Neely2005]

I for one hope that Kackert isn't brought back. Kackert had a great first game back, then looked rather pedestrian in the games following IMO. We're already wasting roster spots IMO, and I'd prefer we not waste anymore.

I couldn't disagree more. His first game back was the only game that he was actually utilized properly. After that game he barely got any touches and he was still blocking well.

[ArgoGabe22]

I can't really evaluate Kackert since I don't think he ever got the chance since the Winnipeg game. But why not just put him on the IR or whatever else they could do sneakily like Tillman if he still may have a chance.

[Scooter McCray]

If the other backs outplay him he should be cut. So far that is still an open Question.

[AngeloV]

If the other backs outplay him he should be cut. So far that is still an open Question.

And if they are determined to be equal, the younger guys should be kept.

[Argo57]

And if they are determined to be equal, the younger guys should be kept.

Yes sir, the cruel side of professional football.