Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — With the 2018 CFL Draft in the books, everyone’s talking about the league’s top prospects and their new teams.
This week also saw new contract extensions for Jason Maas and Brock Sunderland, and a surprise retirement in Calgary.
Up next, training camp, as rookies and quarterbacks report in one week.
More in this week’s Checking Down:
Jump to team:
| BC | Calgary | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal |
BC LIONS
The Lions have welcomed back a familiar face in Canadian linebacker Bo Lokombo (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)
– The Lions have got a welcome addition outside of the draft this week, with Canadian linebacker Bo Lokombo returning from the NFL (Lionel Wild, Vancouver Sun).
– After paying his own way to mini-camp, receiver Kevin Elliott has landed a job with the BC Lions.
– The Lions say Travis Lulay is progressing well as training camp fast approaches (Farhan Lalji, TSN).
– Wally Buono says he plans to be more aggressive in his final season as head coach (Farhan Lalji, TSN).
– Lokombo says his NFL experience will help him take another step coming back to the three-down game (BCLions.com).
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
– The Eskimos have extended the contracts of GM Brock Sunderland and Head Coach Jason Maas through 2020 (CFL.ca).
– Ed Hervey’s departure and an historic injury bug could have given the Eskimos an excuses in 2017, but the new head coach-GM duo wouldn’t allow it (CFL.ca).
– The Esks say they’ve had discussions with Mike Reilly, who is due to become a free agent in 2019, but an expiring CBA could hold up discussions (Morley Scott, CHED).
– Even with all those injuries, the Eskimos were able to find success both on and off the field throughout last season (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Sun).
– Despite being the 10th overall pick, Godfrey Onyeka says the feeling of being drafted still hasn’t quite sunk in (TSN 1260).
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
The sudden retirement of 24-year-old Andrew Buckley shocked the football world this week (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
– The Stamps have added two international linebackers to their roster in Keith Reineke and Tyler Stoddard (Stampeders.com).
– Andrew Buckley knows walking away from football won’t be easy — especially given his competitive nature — but is certain he’s made the right choice (Eric Francis, National Post).
– With the Stamps adding six new DBs, they could figure into the competition for starting jobs come training camp (Danny Austin, Calgary Herald).
– The Stamps’ retired backup needed only two seasons to accomplish what most before him have failed (George Johnson, Stampeders.com).
– Ricky Stanzi appears to be the front-runner to back up Bo Levi Mitchell following Buckley’s retirement (Daniel Austin, Calgary Sun).
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
– John Terry and Jim Hopson will be the latest Riders to have their names added to the Saskatchewan Roughrider Plaza of Honour (CFL.ca).
– While it was a relatively quiet night at the draft for the Riders, Chris Jones has added some potentially major pieces for the future (Jamie Nye, CFL.ca).
– After a busy off-season in the office, Marc-Olivier Brouillette is ready to battle Mike Edem for the No. 1 safety job (Ian Hamilton, Riderville.com).
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Rashaun Simonise is an intriguing addition at a position of need for the Bombers (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
– Milt Stegall? Ken Ploen? Fans have been asked to vote on the top five Bombers of all-time (Nolan Kowal, Global News).
– Kyle Walters went into the draft with the goal of adding depth at receiver, and did just that with Daniel Petermann and Rashaun Simonise (Jeff Hamilton, Winnipeg Free Press).
– Ed Tait projects the Bombers’ special teams contributors for 2018, starting with, no surprise, kicker Justin Medlock (BlueBombers.com).
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
The Ticats believe they’ll have injured receiver Terrence Toliver back in training camp (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
– The Ticats expect Terrence Toliver to be ready for training camp, and are excited to see him contribute in 2018 (Chris O’Leary, CFL.ca).
– June Jones believes Ticats first overall pick Mark Chapman can make an impact right away as a CFL rookie (TSN.ca).
– A full-time starter for the first time in his career, Jeremiah Masoli says he’s unfazed by high expectations (The Canadian Press).
– There was plenty of speculation surrounding the Ticats’ first overall pick, but for the team’s front office there truly was no doubt (TSN 1150).
– Moments after making the first overall pick, Eric Tillman’s phone rang and the room fell silent. Chris O’Leary saw it all from inside the Ticats’ draft room (CFL.ca).
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
The Argos hope that third-round draft pick Regis Cibasu will pay long-term dividends (University of Montreal)
– Only time will tell whether Jim Popp’s high-risk, high-reward moves on draft day will pay off for the Argos (Frank Zicarelli, Toronto Sun).
– Set for his second stint with the Argos, Swayze Waters says he’s getting a kick out of fatherhood (The Canadian Press).
– Regis Cibasu’s former university coach Danny Maciocia says the 6-foot-3 receiver, drafted by the Argos, was the steal of the draft (TSN 690).
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Marcel Desjardins picked an O-lineman in the first round for the fifth time in six years (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
– The last pick of the 2017 CFL Draft has retired, as Jorden Filippelli and and Tommie Draheim are out in Ottawa (CFL.ca).
– At age 21, first-round draft pick Mark Korte’s ceiling is what stands out in particular for REDBLACKS general manager Marcel Desjardins (TSN 1200).
– While the REDBLACKS liked local product Jackson Bennett, Desjardins says there was no consideration of taking him with the fourth pick (Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun).
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Kavis Reed was able to bolster his O-line with two key additions in 24 hours (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
– The Alouettes and the CFL are mourning the loss of former head coach Joe Scannella (CFL.ca).
– Returning to the place his career started is a bittersweet feeling for Als’ new offensive lineman Ryan Bomben (MontrealAlouettes.com).
– Kavis Reed hinted that if the Als didn’t trade down to get Ryan Bomben, the first overall pick may have been Mark Chapman (Herb Zurkowsky, Montreal Gazette).
