Buono: Lions expect to hear from Burnham soon

CFL.ca Staff

VANCOUVER — It’s been quiet between the BC Lions and Bryan Burnham, Head Coach and General Manager Wally Buono says, but that could soon change.

The third-year receiver is the Lions’ top-ranked pending free agent, due to hit the open market on Feb. 14. And while the Leos have focused their efforts on extending players like Jeremiah Johnson, Solomon Elimimian and Steven Clarke, Burnham has been searching for NFL opportunities.

“I know Bryan’s got a workout with the [Dallas] Cowboys and I think that’s going to be his last workout,” Buono told the team’s official website, BCLions.com. “I think after that we’re going to be able to sit down with him and his agent and see how we can get something done.”

Despite his age, could Paul McCallum be a free agent worth watching? (The Canadian Press)

With free agency now less than two weeks away, Buono added, the action south of the border is starting to curtail.

“If you’re not signed at this point, obviously you’ve got to look north as a good option.”

After already losing Adam Bighill, Alex Bazzie and Anthony Gaitor to the NFL and Mic’hael Johnson also looking hard down south, getting Burnham back would be a win for Wally Buono’s club.

Burnham broke out as a 26-year-old in 2016, ranking fourth in the CFL with 1,392 receiving yards. While some question his ability to gain separation, the numbers show Burnham boasted a league-best 17.6 yards per catch while tallying 12 ‘tough catches’, also a league-best, according to TSN’s Derek Taylor.

With 168 targets like Adarius Bowman, @BCLions @RealBBurnham would have had 2,227 yards at his 2016 pace!#Details #CFL pic.twitter.com/vvZFQkKnll

— Derek Taylor (@DTonSC) January 29, 2017

With Jonathon Jennings entering year three, the league’s third-leading receiver in Emmanuel Arceneaux returning and starting running back Jeremiah Johnson back under contract, Buono says his offence has something to build around.

Getting the others back — Nick Moore and Terrell Sinkfield are also free agents — would allow the Lions to pick up where they left off late last season.

“I’m very comfortable with where we’re at,” said Buono. “Offensively, we still have our three big weapons – Jennings is here, Jeremiah Johnson’s still here, Manny’s still here . . . Hopefully we can sign the Burnhams, the Sinkfields, the Nick Moores. If we do, I think we’ll be as exciting as we were last year.”

In all, the Lions’ off-season thus far could be summed up by relative continuity. Change across the CFL is inevitable, but Buono’s club in 2017 should resemble the one that finished second in the CFL with a 12-6 record a season ago.

In the end, the Lions finished with the league’s top-ranked defence (337.7 yards per game) and third-ranked offence (401.1 yards per game).

It means that outside of potentially bringing back their own, the Lions shouldn’t be expected to make any big moves on or after Feb. 14.

Last off-season, Buono’s biggest moves were signing Johnson, Mike Edem, Brandon Stewart, Anthony Allen, Nick Moore and Bryant Turner Jr. — all, at the time, considered mid-tier free agents.

Mike Edem (right) tries to haul down Clarence Denmark (left) during a game in 2016 (The Canadian Press)

“I think you have to look at where you’ve lost people and where you want to improve,” Buono said. “You can’t sign everybody but you can bring in some key guys that add to your roster, add to your depth.”

After signing Steven Clarke to an extension, Buono could do the same for 2016 wounded Lions Ronnie Yell, T.J. Lee and Nick Moore, depending on their health and continued recovery.

“Obviously we want to have guys that can go to training camp who are healthy and also who can compete,” said the Lions GM.

And finally, one pressing need for the Lions will be at kicker, where they’ve lost Richie Leone to the NFL. Buono said he’s looking for someone who can fill all three roles of punting, field goals and kickoffs.

That could be Paul McCallum or it could be a free agent like Grant Shaw, Brett Maher, Ray Early, Anthony Fera, Boris Bede or Swayze Waters, among other possibilities.

“I haven’t talked to Paul about what his intent is but my initial direction is to have one guy do all three,” concluded Buono. “If we can get the right guy and if he has the capabilities of doing that, fine. If not, then you have to look at other things.”

– With files from BCLions.com

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