Chris Van Zeyl released

[Will]

I'm not entirely comfortable with the depth on the OL that's there to replace him.

https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/18/argos-announce-ol-chris-van-zeyl-released/ (https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/18/argos-announce-ol-chris-van-zeyl-released/)

[dmont]

I'm not entirely comfortable with the depth on the OL that's there to replace him.

https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/18/argos-announce-ol-chris-van-zeyl-released/ (https://www.argonauts.ca/2019/05/18/argos-announce-ol-chris-van-zeyl-released/)


Yikes...... they cant possibly think Shane Richards is ready. Are we going import at this position? I am not liking this move.

[Will]

He was due a $40,000 'report and pass' bonus.

[Argo57]

Sad to see a long time Argo released, the business side of pro football on full display again.

[Shatto]

An obvious salary dump. He was reported to be earning $230,00 and with the upcoming bonus, they must think he is just too expensive. However, who is going to take his place? None of the NATs--Campbell, Sackey or Richards fill me with confidence . Perhaps they will go with two INT OT's and play and extra NAT someplace else.

[OV Argo]

As 57 said: Sad to see a solid, long-serving vet let go, but part of the business of football. Bear Woods, now Chris.

I predicted this move (VZ cut), here, quite some time back this off-season. $M$ savings for sure.

Maybe one of the young Canadian guys get a shot to play OT? More likely it's going to be imports pencilled-in at OT, and they go with 2 starting National receivers ? - as part of the 7 only need apply plan that pretty well all CFL teams will roll with ? 7 Argo NIs = 3 interior O-linemen + 2 receivers + DT (Laing) + safety (Gabriel) ?

[paulwoods13]

Very sad to hear this, but if that salary is accurate it's not a surprise. I am just about positive we will go with two INTs at tackle, probably Richards and Cage. That would mean either two NAT receivers or a third NAT somewhere on defence.

[doubleblue]

Wow! Didn't expect that so late in the game. The business side of the game that is never easy for the Team or the Fans. Must being going with two Import Tackles, unless Ryan Hunter is on the way. The last I checked KC had 15 Offensive Linemen on their roster with Hunter listed as 3rd string at RT.

[AngeloV]

I hate this move, and have to admit OV was right and I was wrong here.

Biggest problem with the CFL is not the talent, but the recognition of the players in the city they play in. To release an all star caliber player that has been with the team for years really sucks.

[argolio]

Well that sucks. Too bad there isn't a CBA provision for a certain percentage of a ten-year vet's salary to not count against the cap.

[jerrym]

An obvious salary dump. He was reported to be earning $230,00 and with the upcoming bonus, they must think he is just too expensive. However, who is going to take his place? None of the NATs--Campbell, Sackey or Richards fill me with confidence . Perhaps they will go with two INT OT's and play and extra NAT someplace else.

I think you're right.

[1971GreyCup]

It is starting to look like high priced Canadians are the targets with ratios flipping. Konar in Edmonton just released. Wouldn’t take a pay cut. Word is that plenty of talent will be released in the next few days. Sad to see.

[Wobbler]

OL suddenly got a lot more interesting. If Campbell wants to earn a fat salary like that, it's time to flash some skills.

[Argo57]

It is starting to look like high priced Canadians are the targets with ratios flipping. Konar in Edmonton just released. Wouldn’t take a pay cut. Word is that plenty of talent will be released in the next few days. Sad to see.

Agreed, it could also turn out to be an opportunity for teams to fill their needs with some pretty good talent.
Interesting redistribution of salary TBH.

[OV Argo]

It is starting to look like high priced Canadians are the targets with ratios flipping. Konar in Edmonton just released. Wouldn’t take a pay cut. Word is that plenty of talent will be released in the next few days. Sad to see.


Argos, and a few other teams, should be all over signing Konar - very good LB talent; seems Sunderland wants to go all import at LB as part of his 7 only need apply plan; FA signing Santos-Knox is not as good as Konar (IMO) and i highly doubt he came cheaper - imports preferred GOB stuff from a clown like Sunderland.

[Shatto]

Didn't take Ti-Cats very long to sign Van Zeyl.

[AngeloV]

Didn't take Ti-Cats very long to sign Van Zeyl.

I never liked him anyways.

:D

Yes, I know I am contradicting myself.

[1971GreyCup]

Farhan Lalji tweeted

“A 2 year deal for Chris Van Zeyl worth 200k per year with #TiCats. That didn’t take long for the former #Argos. Now let’s see when he and his teammates will begin practicing. @CFLonTSN”

[Argo57]

I never liked him anyways.

:D

Yes, I know I am contradicting myself.

The human turnstile lands in Hamilton😛

[gilthethrill]

Not sure about this. VZ was a leader that wont be easily replaced. I think saving $40 grand may come back to haunt the Argos in the end.

[Argo57]

Not sure about this. VZ was a leader that wont be easily replaced. I think saving $40 grand may come back to haunt the Argos in the end.

I agree, he always seemed to stick up for the team on the field when things got heated.
Sucks they couldn’t work something out (if they even tried).

[ArgoZ]

Not sure about this. VZ was a leader that wont be easily replaced. I think saving $40 grand may come back to haunt the Argos in the end.

Not just $40, $230 contract. I seem to recall many fans commenting on how terrible the O-line was last year. Check that, I recall the bitching quite often. So the highly paid, aging, declining player gets cut and now we complain? He becomes the oldest player on the Cats roster, which is telling. Like all vets, he will be missed. It's a tough task to part ways right before play declines. Argos have a history of holding on to guys as they get "too long in the tooth".

[gilthethrill]

Not just $40, $230 contract. I seem to recall many fans commenting on how terrible the O-line was last year. Check that, I recall the bitching quite often. So the highly paid, aging, declining player gets cut and now we complain? He becomes the oldest player on the Cats roster, which is telling. Like all vets, he will be missed. It's a tough task to part ways right before play declines. Argos have a history of holding on to guys as they get "too long in the tooth".

I am not complaining. You fail to mention CVZ was still playing at a very high level. Last year the online had to deal with a poor offensive scheme as well.

[1971GreyCup]

No risk on Hamilton’s part. Avoid the bonus, save 15% on his salary. Because of the structure of the CFL contracts he can be cut well into the season without much hit to the Ticat’s cap. Jim’s Barker is shy when it comes to cutting veterans.

[Will]

I thought that Van Zeyl's play had declined in 2016, but he had rebounded nicely in 2017 and 2018.

[1971GreyCup]

I often thought of Chris VZ when I watched, and rewatched Michael Lewis's The Blind Side”. Through the story of Michael Oher, Michael Lewis argued that left tackle was a football team's second most important player because of the way he protected its most important player, the quarterback. This became conventional wisdom, and since 2004 left tackle has been the second-highest-paid position in football. Sports Illustrated article: https://www.si.com/mmqb/2017/05/31/nfl-left-tackles-michael-lewis-blindside-right-tackles-left-defensive-ends

Argos’ QB Joe Theismann reference will be a ‘Trivial Pursuit’ question forever.

[ArgoRavi]

Argos, and a few other teams, should be all over signing Konar - very good LB talent; seems Sunderland wants to go all import at LB as part of his 7 only need apply plan; FA signing Santos-Knox is not as good as Konar (IMO) and i highly doubt he came cheaper - imports preferred GOB stuff from a clown like Sunderland.

Derek Taylor, formerly of TSN and now the Riders play by play commentator on radio, tweeted some stats indicating that Konar misses a lot more tackles than he should.

[KCargosfan]

Wow! Didn't expect that so late in the game. The business side of the game that is never easy for the Team or the Fans. Must being going with two Import Tackles, unless Ryan Hunter is on the way. The last I checked KC had 15 Offensive Linemen on their roster with Hunter listed as 3rd string at RT.

I don't see Hunter making the 53-man roster of the Chiefs. Practice squad is a likely option again. And at $8K a week, that's still a lot of cash. Probably still at least a year away from seeing him in double blue, but what the hell do I know?

[paulwoods13]

CVZ was a model of inconsistency last year -- at times dominant, at other times poor. He has been a warrior and a great leader for us for a long time so it's a bummer to see him go, but time to turn the page.

[AngeloV]

CVZ was a model of inconsistency last year -- at times dominant, at other times poor. He has been a warrior and a great leader for us for a long time so it's a bummer to see him go, but time to turn the page.

Don’t disagree, but then why re-sign him in the first place?

[Argo57]

Don’t disagree, but then why re-sign him in the first place?

Contract extensions in the CFL apparently mean nothing (Terrance Plummer) for example.

[OV Argo]

Derek Taylor, formerly of TSN and now the Riders play by play commentator on radio, tweeted some stats indicating that Konar misses a lot more tackles than he should.


Yeah - those analytics stats gurus are just amazing nowdays - marshalling #s to support whatever; if Konar had just signed with the Riders, Taylor would have found some "numbers" that make Konar look like Willie Pless in his prime.

SJ Green had one of the worst receptions to targets ratios in the league last season = the guy just misses too many passes - cut the bum and his big contract - to make way for Cibasu or Gittens getting to play (and much cheaper) instead.

[OV Argo]

CVZ was a model of inconsistency last year -- at times dominant, at other times poor. He has been a warrior and a great leader for us for a long time so it's a bummer to see him go, but time to turn the page.


I'd argue Tyler Holmes fits that description even more (without the dominant part); but he's not as old and his contract is probably quite a bit less ?

I guess the Ticats don't figure CVZ is totally washed-up, plus they have big need at OT.

[ArgoRavi]

Don’t disagree, but then why re-sign him in the first place?

Wasn't he re-signed in 2017?

[Argo57]

Yeah - those analytics stats gurus are just amazing nowdays - marshalling #s to support whatever; if Konar had just signed with the Riders, Taylor would have found some "numbers" that make Konar look like Willie Pless in his prime.

SJ Green had one of the worst receptions to targets ratios in the league last season = the guy just misses too many passes - cut the bum and his big contract - to make way for Cibasu or Gittens getting to play (and much cheaper) instead.

This I agree with, sometimes you just have to simply watch the game to see if a guy can play.

[R.J]

Don’t disagree, but then why re-sign him in the first place?
Didn't he signed his deal in 2017, and this would've been the last year of said deal ?

Either way, I think this release was a cap crunch type of situation.

[AngeloV]

Wasn't he re-signed in 2017?

My bad. For some reason I thought he was extended prior to free agency opening.

[Jon Gonzo]

Yeah - those analytics stats gurus are just amazing nowdays - marshalling #s to support whatever; if Konar had just signed with the Riders, Taylor would have found some "numbers" that make Konar look like Willie Pless in his prime.

SJ Green had one of the worst receptions to targets ratios in the league last season = the guy just misses too many passes - cut the bum and his big contract - to make way for Cibasu or Gittens getting to play (and much cheaper) instead.

Totally agree. The metrics don't account for balls that had no business being caught. Green was great last year and saved his QB way too many times. Also agree that I would have released an OG as opposed to an OT. Holmes is the guy I would have released to save on Cap.

[AngeloV]

Holmes is the guy I would have released to save on Cap.

I wouldn't be 100% sure it won't happen at some point. I think the age difference is why they chose CVZ, and Holmes will have to improve a lot to stay on the team.