THE CANADIAN PRESS
“When’s camp?”
Offensive Lineman of the Year finalist Jeff Perrett shot back without hesitation to my question.
How long will that Eastern Final loss haunt you?
“It’s nice for me to be there,” Perrett says about heading to Vancouver for CFLD Awards night “but it’s not satisfying to be going alone.”
Watch out, CFL. The Alouettes vow they’ll be better in 2015 even if some familiar faces are gone.
“Absolutely this is fuel on the offseason fire,” admits the 8-year vet. “It’s amazing how far we came from where we started to where we ended up.”
“It’s amazing – a testament to the guys in this room. We just have to work harder and don’t let this happen again.”
The other Alouette conspicuous by his presence in Vancouver this week as Eastern Defensive Player of the Year Bear Woods (Billy Parker will also be there for CFLPA meetings) is one of the top-3 vital signing tasks for GM Jim Popp among 20 potential free agents.
With a new “cub” arriving in the Spring, Bear is not about to roll over and hibernate in contract talks.
“This will be the first time in my entire life I will have to approach the game as a business because I have a wife, a 2-year old daughter and another one on the way in April,” Woods revealed to me in the midst of clearing out his locker stall on ‘Garbage Bag Day.’
“I want to be here, I’m appreciative of Jim Popp staying with me (through injuries) but I have to provide for a family and a future. My heart says I’ll be back and I feel they want me.”
“It matters to me if Winston Venable is here or not,” the 4th year Al but 1st year fulltime starter, admits. “Look at Scott Paxson (another potential Free Agent). This dude keeps guys off me for a living. I know where my production came from. It’s because of guys like them and Cash (Under contract for 2015) and Winston being a threat that I was able to produce.”
“Like Crompton wants S.J. and Duron back – these are guys that make us the defence that we are,” says Woods.
Venable sounds the most optimistic about getting a new deal soon.
“It should be smooth sailing hopefully,” the 27-year old who like Woods became a fixture as the Als morphed into a 3-4 scheme.
Venable is ready to let go of the playoff disappointment.
“You can’t be in a bad mood on Thanksgiving in California,” he councils. “Let’s get past it and be better next year.”
That next year in Montreal is a little more unknown for Duron Carter and S.J. Green.
Duron Carter has received some interest from the NFL, while Green deserves to be paid like an elite CFL star.
They are not the only questions for the Als in the off-season though as who could fault Chip Cox if he wants to be the best-paid defensive star?
Those will admittedly be Popp’s priorities, but he’s got some tricks up his sleeve that could help off-set the potential loss of Carter and strengthen the Als in the trenches all the more.
Bolstering the All-Canadian offensive line may come by repatriating Philip Blake, the former NFL Bronco and Ram. He was Popp’s third Round selection in 2011, the year before he was drafted by Denver.
Michael Sam may also be coming to Camp next summer. Popp believes he could be an impressive pass-rusher in the CFL and tried to woo him here before the end of the 2014 season.
For what it’s worth, Chad Johnson insists he’ll be back in 2015.
“I had fun, I enjoyed the comradery,” says the former NFL star. “The smell of the locker room, the crowd – you can’t replace that. Once it’s gone you don’t get it back.”
“I didn’t come here to be the Chad of old, I came here to contribute when I could. I’m going to have a little surgery, a little maintenance and I’ll be back.”
Let the record show Johnson’s only TD came well before Jonathon Crompton won the starting QB job. I suggest to Chad they might do well to train together in the offseason.
“I’ll have him come down and stay with me, stay in my East Wing.”
Don’t worry, Jeff Perrett. Training Camp is only about 187 days away.
Off-season predictions:
The Als will not fire their offensive coordinator at 2015 Camp.
Winston Venable will emerge as a 2015 CFL All-Star alongside Woods and Cox, who will both re-sign.
Dominique Ellis wins a fulltime starting job.
The Als hire a fulltime special teams coordinator who declares Brandon Banks will never again be allowed to go all the way on a kick return.
Duron Carter will touch off a CFL bidding war when he’s released from NFL camp. Popp would love to have him back, but it would not be able to win a bidding war if the vault is opened up for S.J.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre forgives Chad Johnson’s infamous parking tickets in return for “community service” or a stay in the East Wing.
