The Canadian Press
I have a love/hate relationship with Feb. 14th, 2017 and it has nothing to do with the emotional minefield that is Valentine’s Day. Nope, I’m talking about the CFL roster Armageddon that will be the start of the free agency period.
Have you looked at all the players that have to potential to move teams? It’s filled with talent from useful part-timers to solid contributors to no doubt All-Stars. There are some 200 players who will be looking for new contracts at the same time you’re desperately trying to get a 6:00 p.m. dinner reservation (By the way, for the male folk reading this, I have a 100 per cent fool proof Valentine’s Day gift that is guaranteed to make your better half happy and it will cost you next to nothing. I’ll share it at the end of this column).
What I love about free agency is it spices up the long off-season. Who doesn’t enjoy endless speculation about what each team is going to do? Who reading this hasn’t had one of those “I can’t believe Player X signed with Team Y” conversations or daydreamed about how their favourite team would look so good if it just managed to sign one more pass rusher?
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Kevin Glenn has become a free agent a little early following his release (CFL.ca)
What I hate about free agency is it disembowels potential dynasties, throws a wrench into any sense of continuity and eliminates any chance for roster familiarity. One of the cornerstones of being a sports fan is you get to adopt your favourite player; you feel a greater ownership towards the team because you have a deeper connection with many of the players on the field; you have a history with them. You see them in your community, you follow their Twitter fights and most importantly they are the suppliers of your sports feel good.
Like it or not, the frenzy of free agency is soon upon us (I was thinking of using the term “free agency frenzy” but I mean what sort of fool would bandy about that hacky phrasing?) and it has the potential to be a glorious smorgasbord of player movement. Now, since I am more of a media gasbag than a legitimate reporter, I’m not going to predict what will happen, nor will I tell you what each team’s approach should be leading up to Feb. 14. Instead, here are my greedy demands for each team’s management groups.
When it comes to how I consume sports, I’m damn greedy. Not only do I want my cake and get to eat it too but I would like the kitchen staff to bake me another cake to take home with me. So here are my greedy/selfish demands for the nine general managers for the upcoming free agency period:
1. The 2017 Ottawa REDBLACKS look a lot like the 2016 REDBLACKS.
Greg Ellingson is one of three 1,000-yard Ottawa receivers pending free agency (CFL.ca)
I think we can all agree a football season is always better when the defending Grey Cup Champions put up a good fight defending their championship. It heightens the legitimacy of the past Grey Cup we all watched when the following year that team resembles the one previously covered in confetti.
Yes, it is fascinating to see how a team rebuilds after winning it all, but with 27 (as of writing this piece) free agents to be, Ottawa has a chance to be gutted. I want to see the previous champs go out swinging in November, not dying a slow death after a disastrous off-season.
2. Ottawa takes a hit at receiver … sort of.
Chris Williams (right) is one of a few questions marks Ottawa faces this off-season (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
I know this plea may sound contradictory after what I just wrote above but stick with me. I’m torn on the fates of Greg Ellingson, Chris Williams and Ernest Jackson. Part of me is demanding that Marcel Desjardins do whatever it takes to re-sign all three of them. I don’t care what salary cap shenanigans you have to go through, just get it done. It didn’t matter if it was Trevor Harris or Henry Burris at quarterback, that trio consistently produced. But on the other hand, stop being so greedy, REDBLACKS! Share the wealth. Teams like Toronto, which jettisoned so much receiver talent, and Hamilton, which saw its share of injuries at that position, sure could use a legitimate No. 1 target.
Alright, I’ll compromise: Harris and Burris get to keep Ellingson and Jackson but Williams signs with the Tiger-Cats, just for the super awkward press conference with Williams and Kent Austin shaking hands as Kent struggles to sound honest when he says how happy he is to welcome back Williams and that all contract disputes from 2013 are water under the bridge. I would keep that presser on my PVR saved list for at least a year.
3. Montreal must trade newly re-signed Nik Lewis!
Veteran receiver Nik Lewis’ path will continue through Montreal in 2017 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
I both love and hate (theme throughout this column) the signing of Nik Lewis to an extension by Montreal. On the positive side, he more than deserved the new deal considering his production in 2016. It is great to see a 34-year-old get the security of a two-year deal. The flip side is I wish Lewis had saddled up with a more prolific passing team. It’s remarkable he managed 1,136 yards playing under the Montreal quarterback carousel; just imagine what he could do playing with a Mike Reilly!
My greedy side wants to see him traded to Calgary, which could lose Marquay McDaniel. I want to see Lewis play under a greater spotlight plus I demand watching him lay out a linebacker as he run blocks for Jerome Messam, breaking the CFL unofficial record for most combined weight between a downfield blocker and a running back.
4. No one sign Paul McCallum!!
Paul McCallum returned to the Lions late last season to kick field goals (The Canadian Press)
This is nothing against Paul or his brilliant CFL career. I’m sure someone will be tempted to sign him; just look at what the Lions did this past season bringing him in, but please don’t coax one more year out of Paul. I’m just worried about his safety: the man is 47 years old, football is a young man’s game and he could get hurt out there.
Come on general managers, be a bit more creative when it comes to fixing your special teams! Don’t just spend 10 minutes struggling to come up with a way to improve your kicking game and then go “hey, why not bring back Paul? Seems to work for everyone else” and then break for an early lunch. The man’s been in the league since Bill Clinton’s first year in office. There has to be someone under 40 you can turn to.
5. Get as many weapons for Drew Willy as possible.
According to reports, Drew Willy and the Argos have agreed to a re-structured contract (CFL.ca)
After the news that the Toronto Argonauts have restructured Willy’s contract, we know he isn’t going anywhere. Willy is just about out of chances of proving he is a capable starter in this league but to be fair, he hasn’t exactly been thrown into positive situations where he has been set up to succeed. So to General Manager Jim Barker and Head Coach Scott Milanovich, use your former ties with the Calgary Stampeders and do whatever it takes to bring in Derek Dennis and Dan Federkeil to protect Willy. You gave up so much in that trade with Winnipeg; you may as well do whatever it takes to keep him healthy. Don’t worry about Calgary, that ownership group is a machine; it’ll find other 320-pound men to develop into all-stars.
6. Someone please stop the New Orleans Saints from stealing “our guys”.
Adam Bighill has signed a contract with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints (CFL.ca)
Okay, this demand is both greedy and super selfish on my part. I mean, who am I to deny any player a chance to earn a higher wage and live out their dream of playing football at the highest level? The answer is of course I have no right to do it. But if I may channel my inner sports-selfish fan for a moment, I’d like to tell the Saints to stop! After reports came out they have been evaluating players like Derel Walker, Khalil Bass, Adam Bighill (signed by the Saints), Tony Burnett, Otha Foster and Drake Nevis, I’ve just about had enough of New Orleans.
Can we just convince every NFL scout that NFL Europe is still alive and well and they should all scurry over to Germany to find other sources of talent? Alright, I get it, you can’t restrict player movement; I never said I was totally fair.
As for that Valentine’s gift, here is my suggestion: Write your wife or girlfriend a letter telling them how you love them. No one gets personal mail anymore! In a wildly unscientific poll that I have conducted, every woman I know loves getting personal mail but it has been ages since they received any. Apologies to any women reading: I don’t have any tangible ideas to help you this Valentine’s season. Every guy I spoke with was unmoved about the possibility of getting mail, which is why this scheme only seems to work one way.
Just imagine how happy she will be that you took the time to honestly pour your heart out using pen and paper and actually went out and bought an envelope and a stamp and mailed it a week before the 14th. Now if this idea doesn’t work, you’ll always have free agency to keep you going as you suddenly find yourself on your own.
