December 18, 2017

Steinberg’s MMQB: A lesson in asset management

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

Edmonton Eskimos general manager Brock Sunderland has certainly made the most of his first full offseason. Hired in April, Sunderland got next to no lead-time in his new gig heading into the 2017 season and he’s making up for lost time in the first few weeks of his first offseason.

Asset management

Sunderland’s banner week started with a blockbuster trade and a lesson in proper asset management. In sending pending free agent quarterback James Franklin to the Toronto Argonauts, the Eskimos turned a departing player into a top ten pick from the 2017 CFL Draft. Value doesn’t get much better than that.

As Sunderland stated on Monday afternoon, Franklin wasn’t interested in re-signing in Edmonton, and who can blame him? After spending three years as Mike Reilly’s backup, Franklin wanted a chance to be a starter, and he also knew those opportunities existed. Signing with the Eskimos again wouldn’t have been a smart career move, regardless of how lucrative a deal was on the table.

So, with no ill will or hard feelings, Sunderland worked a deal with the Argos and leveraged Franklin’s spot in the marketplace masterfully. It’s rare to see a pending free agent traded prior to the official kickoff to signing season, but Franklin is a different story. Sunderland knew it and was able to pry promising Canadian offensive lineman Mason Woods away in the process.

 

Franklin really was a special case. He’s performed extremely well every time he’s been asked to step in for Reilly over the last three years and positioned himself as the next backup ready to shine. In 12 appearances, Franklin has completed more than 65% of his passes and has thrown just one interception compared to 12 touchdowns. Projecting quarterbacks is never a sure thing, but Franklin certainly looks like a solid bet right now.

Of course, you can see why Toronto would take the somewhat unusual step to make a trend for a pending free agent. The two months of exclusive negotiating time is a benefit in and of itself, but their aggressive play also sends a good message to Franklin. The Argos have made it clear Franklin is who they coveted and they’ve done everything in their power to bring him into the fold.

Perhaps the most impressive part of this, though, is Edmonton’s addition of Woods. While he has yet to play a CFL game, Woods was a top ten pick in this year’s draft and had a solid four year stint with the University of Idaho. Sunderland likes Woods’s versatility (he can play guard and tackle on both sides), while others like his 6’9 size. Regardless, the Esks have a Canadian they can potentially use to start four Canadians on their offensive line and thus flip the ratio.

Sunderland wasn’t done, though, because one of his first free agent re-signings is significant, too. Edmonton re-upped with running back C.J. Gable for two more years last week in one of the easiest decisions the team has had to make.

Plain and simple, the Eskimos became a better team upon Gable’s October acquisition and it was no coincidence the team won five straight upon his arrival. Already blessed with an MOP quarterback and an elite group of receivers, Gable gave Edmonton the one thing they didn’t have: a consistent rushing threat.

In six outings with his new team, Gable averaged more than 100 yards of total offence per game and racked up six touchdowns. Not only did he give the Esks a reliable threat on the ground, Gable played at an elite level down the stretch. I’m fascinated to see how effective he can be over a full season in Edmonton’s offence.

Sunderland has also brought back free agent offensive lineman Colin Kelly and kicker Sean Whyte to round up his impressive early offseason work. He still has some big names to check off his list, led by 2017 receiving leader Brandon Zylstra, but Sunderland looks like he’s got his ducks in a row and it’s not even January.

Maple Leaf might

It’s been a busy few weeks in Toronto. The Argos followed up a thrilling Grey Cup victory with a pair of huge moves, one on the field and the other off of it. We already talked about the team’s big time Franklin acquisition, but it’s the off field news that might prove to be the most significant.

Announced on Wednesday, the Argos have been acquired by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, which could prove to be one of the biggest news items we’ve seen in this league in quite some time.

More than anything else, having Canada’s largest sports entity as part of the league is significant. If you’re not familiar, MLSE owns and operates the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Toronto FC and makes up one of the largest sports and entertainment companies in North America. Having that kind of financial, marketing, and ticketing might behind the Argonauts is a big, big deal.

This also alleviates a sizeable headache for the team. While moving to BMO Field was an important move engineered by the prior ownership group in 2016, the Argos have only been tenants in the stadium the last two seasons. It’s never ideal to feel like you’re playing in someone else’s stadium and, intentional or not, it’s easy to feel unwelcome.

Because BMO Field is operated by MLSE, though, it now turns into a true home of the Argonauts that they can truly share with Toronto FC. With MLS Cup champion Toronto FC and the Grey Cup champion Argos calling it home, BMO Field is the most successful pro sporting facility in the country, at least by one metric.

A shot at redemption

I sure did feel bad for Kamar Jorden following Calgary’s loss in the 105th Grey Cup. Fair or not, the Stampeders’ receiver was one of the scapegoats for the team’s heartbreaking loss to Toronto after his fourth quarter fumble led to a game changing 109-yard touchdown the other way.

Jorden took a ton of heat from fans, the media, and even teammates in the aftermath, and he stood up and answered for all of it like a seasoned pro. Now Jorden has an opportunity to redeem himself, as he’s re-signed with Calgary for the 2018 season.

Like the entire receiving corps of the Stamps, Jorden battled some injuries last season and was limited to just 12 games. In those appearances, though, the four-year pro reeled in seven touchdowns and went over 100 yards on three occasions, including both the West Division Final and the Grey Cup.

Jorden has really good hands, even if he’s battled some drops throughout his career, and has a great deal of athleticism. While he likely wouldn’t be considered a burner, Jorden has good speed and was one of Calgary’s better YAC receivers. But no one has ever questioned his athletic ability.

What I’m most interested in is how November’s bitter disappointment will motivate Jorden in 2018, much like I am with every returning member of the Stampeders. But nobody took it on the chin quite like Jorden did, and his shot at redemption is the most intriguing.