2025-26 Off-Season Transactions

[paulwoods13]

I wouldn't call denying a player's request for a raise and then releasing him caving, but we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I also gave you a very clear example of how the Argos have received negative press for denying a player's demands and keeping him on the team. It happened. Like it actually happened.

I agree we disagree. To me, caving is giving the player something -- in this case his freedom -- rather than waiting him out. Argos caved.

As for the example you gave earlier, I'm having a hard time remembering what media coverage it was that "forced" the team to restructure Wilder's contract. Frank Zicarelli was the only semi-beat reporter in those days, if I recall correctly. (And coverage has been significantly reduced since then, has it not?) But I do recall that Wilder -- a MUCH higher-profile player at the time than an undistinguished o-lineman -- claimed to have NFL teams wanting to sign him. Might or might not have been a negotiating tactic, but there obviously was no such interest in Doxtater this year. (If there was, he was free to leave via the window.)

[ARGO57]

Couple questions.

1. Do you think holding on to Doxtater in this case would be worth the negative press the Argos and the CFL overall would receive regarding pay and low opportunity for players?

2. Do you believe it would be worth conveying to players around the league that the Argos is a team where your career could hit a dead end if you ask for a pay raise?

Negative press? This is a league that gets virtually no media coverage. And suddenly a no-name offensive lineman is going to become a cause celebre? Even 3DownNation would have a hard time stretching this out for more than a day.

I do not believe any player would look at this case as evidence that your career could hit a dead end if you ask for a pay raise. If anything, I believe veterans -- the only players who matter in such a situation -- would respect the Argos for spending their money on proven performers rather than caving in to a guy who did nothing to distinguish himself on the field after years of avoiding the CFL.

I’m a little confused, you seem outraged that the Argos chose to release Doxtator after he apparently asked for a pay raise yet your post above completely counters your argument.
A couple of your comments “and suddenly a no-name offensive lineman is going to become a cause celebre?” and “would respect the Argos for spending their money on proven performers rather than a guy who did nothing to distinguish himself after years of avoiding the CFL” are the reason that I’m not overly concerned with what transpired.

[IssuesMcgee]

I wouldn't call denying a player's request for a raise and then releasing him caving, but we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I also gave you a very clear example of how the Argos have received negative press for denying a player's demands and keeping him on the team. It happened. Like it actually happened.

I agree we disagree. To me, caving is giving the player something -- in this case his freedom -- rather than waiting him out. Argos caved.

As for the example you gave earlier, I'm having a hard time remembering what media coverage it was that "forced" the team to restructure Wilder's contract. Frank Zicarelli was the only semi-beat reporter in those days, if I recall correctly. (And coverage has been significantly reduced since then, has it not?) But I do recall that Wilder -- a MUCH higher-profile player at the time than an undistinguished o-lineman -- claimed to have NFL teams wanting to sign him. Might or might not have been a negotiating tactic, but there obviously was no such interest in Doxtater this year. (If there was, he was free to leave via the window.)

There were articles regarding the Wilder debacle on TSN and Sportsnet.

As we saw two years ago with the Kelly issue, media outlets will happily report on the Argos and the CFL if there is a way to make them look bad.

[paulwoods13]

I’m a little confused, you seem outraged that the Argos chose to release Doxtator after he apparently asked for a pay raise yet your post above completely counters your argument.
A couple of your comments “and suddenly a no-name offensive lineman is going to become a cause celebre?” and “would respect the Argos for spending their money on proven performers rather than a guy who did nothing to distinguish himself after years of avoiding the CFL” are the reason that I’m not overly concerned with what transpired.

Multiple things -- even contradictory things -- can be true at the same time.

IMO Doxtater played very poorly last season, and has not proven he's capable of starting in this league -- but that doesn't mean he won't end up as a legit starter. Regardless of how poorly he played last year, he was seen by his coaches as good enough to start a dozen or so games at LG, and good enough to allow Hunter to be moved to tackle (a decision that was a mistake IMO, but that's a different subject for a different day). He was also presumably seen as better than others who didn't start as often, such as Vandal and Bosse. And regardless of how badly he played in his first exposure to Cdn football, he remained an asset to the team as a NAT who'd started multiple games in a NAT position and was under a (presumably reasonably priced) contract. As I've said more than once, cutting him loose at this time was bad asset management. Even if he didn't want to be here, and even if no team was willing to trade for him, there was nothing to be lost by keeping him under contract and letting the situation play out. He could retire, or hold out from training camp, or show up at camp. There was no reason to do anything before the start of camp, or later.

IMO offensive line is the club's weakest position group. There are guys with potential there, but at this point we don't know if Vandal, Coakes, Dankwah or (gulp) Bosse will amount to anything. Losing Doxtater -- who's in a similar stage of uncertainty as far as development and potential go -- does nothing to strengthen the group. And the risk that he will pan out with a rival team, which got him for nothing, is far too great to just let it happen.

[paulwoods13]

There were articles regarding the Wilder debacle on TSN and Sportsnet.

As we saw two years ago with the Kelly issue, media outlets will happily report on the Argos and the CFL if there is a way to make them look bad.

Whether Wilder's situation was a "debacle" is a matter of opinion, I guess.

A contract stalemate with an unknown offensive lineman (if it had happened) would hardly attract the sort of media attention the allegations against an MOP did.

[ArgoRavi]

I’m a little confused, you seem outraged that the Argos chose to release Doxtator after he apparently asked for a pay raise yet your post above completely counters your argument.
A couple of your comments “and suddenly a no-name offensive lineman is going to become a cause celebre?” and “would respect the Argos for spending their money on proven performers rather than a guy who did nothing to distinguish himself after years of avoiding the CFL” are the reason that I’m not overly concerned with what transpired.

Multiple things -- even contradictory things -- can be true at the same time.

IMO Doxtater played very poorly last season, and has not proven he's capable of starting in this league -- but that doesn't mean he won't end up as a legit starter. Regardless of how poorly he played last year, he was seen by his coaches as good enough to start a dozen or so games at LG, and good enough to allow Hunter to be moved to tackle (a decision that was a mistake IMO, but that's a different subject for a different day). He was also presumably seen as better than others who didn't start as often, such as Vandal and Bosse. And regardless of how badly he played in his first exposure to Cdn football, he remained an asset to the team as a NAT who'd started multiple games in a NAT position and was under a (presumably reasonably priced) contract. As I've said more than once, cutting him loose at this time was bad asset management. Even if he didn't want to be here, and even if no team was willing to trade for him, there was nothing to be lost by keeping him under contract and letting the situation play out. He could retire, or hold out from training camp, or show up at camp. There was no reason to do anything before the start of camp, or later.

IMO offensive line is the club's weakest position group. There are guys with potential there, but at this point we don't know if Vandal, Coakes, Dankwah or (gulp) Bosse will amount to anything. Losing Doxtater -- who's in a similar stage of uncertainty as far as development and potential go -- does nothing to strengthen the group. And the risk that he will pan out with a rival team, which got him for nothing, is far too great to just let it happen.

Are you sure that the Argos didn't try to trade Doxtator but there were no takers, Paul?

[paulwoods13]

Are you sure that the Argos didn't try to trade Doxtator but there were no takers, Paul?

Of course not. But again (for the umpteenth time, it seems), not being able to trade him does not leave only a single remaining option (releasing him). The guy asks for a raise; we say No; we then try to trade him; no takers. OK -- sit tight and do nothing. He's still under contract. If he doesn't like how much he's being paid, he can retire, or hold out, or show up for camp. None of those options gives an asset to a rival for free. If we get to camp and it's untenable to keep an unhappy camper, release him then. Better then than now IMO.

[IssuesMcgee]

Are you sure that the Argos didn't try to trade Doxtator but there were no takers, Paul?

Of course not. But again (for the umpteenth time, it seems), not being able to trade him does not leave only a single remaining option (releasing him). The guy asks for a raise; we say No; we then try to trade him; no takers. OK -- sit tight and do nothing. He's still under contract. If he doesn't like how much he's being paid, he can retire, or hold out, or show up for camp. None of those options gives an asset to a rival for free. If we get to camp and it's untenable to keep an unhappy camper, release him then. Better then than now IMO.

Since I was able to provide you an example of why that is a bad idea, do you have any that prove it's a good idea?

[RichK]

Getting Montreal to overpay an over-hyped stiff like Doxtater is a net-plus for the Argos IMO.

[ARGO57]

Getting Montreal to overpay an over-hyped stiff like Doxtater is a net-plus for the Argos IMO.

You would think Doxtator was the second coming of Dan Ferrone with the amount of angst displayed regarding this transaction.