2019 CFL Season

[elly63]

All the player moves in CFL free agency so far
3Down Staff 3downnation February 13, 2019

Here’s a list of player movement in CFL free agency so far.

Montreal Alouettes

Added: DB Patrick Levels, OL Spencer Wilson, LB Bo Lokombo, REC DeVier Posey, FB Christophe Normand, DB Taylor Loffler
Lost: REC Josh Stanford, OL Phillipe Gagnon, LB Nicolas Boulay

Ottawa Redblacks

Added: QB Jon Jennings, RB Mossis Madu, DB Troy Stoudemire, REC Ryan Lankford, OL Phillipe Gagnon, LB Nicolas Boulay
Lost: QB Trevor Harris, REC Greg Ellingson, RB William Powell, OL SirVincent Rogers, FB Christophe Normand

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Added: DB Tunde Adeleke, DE Adrian Tracy, REC Mike Jones*, REC Brian Jones, REC Shamawd Chambers*, DE Ja’Gared Davis
Lost: LB Larry Dean, LB Don Unamba, LB Terrell Davis, RB Mercer Timmis, RB John White

Toronto Argonauts

Added: REC/KR Chris Rainey, DB Kevin Fogg, RB Mercer Timmis, DE Shawn Lemon, DE Tobi Antigha, DT Poop Johnson, RB Tyrell Sutton, LB Micah Awe
Lost: REC Duron Carter

Calgary Stampeders

Added: QB Bo Levi Mitchell, REC Eric Rogers*, DE Codarro Law*
Lost: DB Tunde Adeleke, REC DaVaris Daniels, REC Lemar Durant, DT Micah Johnson, DB Patrick Levels, OL Spencer Wilson, DE Ja’Gared Davis, DB Troy Stoudemire

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Added: QB Zach Collaros*, RB William Powell, DT Micah Johnson, DB DyShawn Davis, REC Cory Watson
Lost: DE Willie Jefferson, REC Brian Jones, DE Tobi Antigha, DT Poop Johnson

B.C. Lions

Added: QB Mike Reilly, DB Aaron Grymes, REC Lemar Durant, OL Sukh Chungh, DB Josh Woodman, K Anthony Alix, DB Chris Edwards, LB Terrell Davis, RB Brandon Rutley, REC Josh Stanford, REC Duron Carter
Lost: REC Ricky Collins, DB DyShawn Davis, LB Bo Lokombo, DB Anthony Orange, REC DeVier Posey, REC/KR Chris Rainey, DE Shawn Lemon, RB Tyrell Sutton, LB Micah Awe, REC Cory Watson, DB Winston Rose, QB Jon Jennings

Edmonton Eskimos

Added: QB Trevor Harris, REC Greg Ellingson, REC DaVaris Daniels, OL SirVincent Rogers, REC Ricky Collins, OL Travis Bond*, LB Larry Dean, LB Jovon Santos-Knox, LB Don Unamba, DB Anthony Orange, OL Qadr Spooner
Lost: QB Mike Reilly, DB Aaron Grymes, DB Chris Edwards, DB Josh Woodman

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Added: DE Willie Jefferson, REC Nic Demski*, DB Brandon Alexander*, DB Winston Rose
Lost: OL Sukh Chung, LB Jovon Santos-Knox, DB Kevin Fogg, DB Taylor Loffler, OL Qadr Spooner, REC Ryan Lankford

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by jawagord

Go back further, in the 70’s Montreal had the Ordinary Superstar Johnny Rogers, Toronto had Joe Theisman and Leon X-Ray McKay, the big CFL cities could compete money wise with the NFL teams before American TV money made salaries insane. The 90’s were a financial house of cards, Flutie has stated publicly he never got paid by Rickman for his last season in Calgary.

Another Montreal signing of a NFL star was Fred Biletnikoff in 1980.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by elly63

All the player moves in CFL free agency so far
3Down Staff 3downnation February 13, 2019

Here’s a list of player movement in CFL free agency so far.

Montreal Alouettes

Added: DB Patrick Levels, OL Spencer Wilson, LB Bo Lokombo, REC DeVier Posey, FB Christophe Normand, DB Taylor Loffler
Lost: REC Josh Stanford, OL Phillipe Gagnon, LB Nicolas Boulay

Ottawa Redblacks

Added: QB Jon Jennings, RB Mossis Madu, DB Troy Stoudemire, REC Ryan Lankford, OL Phillipe Gagnon, LB Nicolas Boulay
Lost: QB Trevor Harris, REC Greg Ellingson, RB William Powell, OL SirVincent Rogers, FB Christophe Normand

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Added: DB Tunde Adeleke, DE Adrian Tracy, REC Mike Jones*, REC Brian Jones, REC Shamawd Chambers*, DE Ja’Gared Davis
Lost: LB Larry Dean, LB Don Unamba, LB Terrell Davis, RB Mercer Timmis, RB John White

Toronto Argonauts

Added: REC/KR Chris Rainey, DB Kevin Fogg, RB Mercer Timmis, DE Shawn Lemon, DE Tobi Antigha, DT Poop Johnson, RB Tyrell Sutton, LB Micah Awe
Lost: REC Duron Carter

Calgary Stampeders

Added: QB Bo Levi Mitchell, REC Eric Rogers*, DE Codarro Law*
Lost: DB Tunde Adeleke, REC DaVaris Daniels, REC Lemar Durant, DT Micah Johnson, DB Patrick Levels, OL Spencer Wilson, DE Ja’Gared Davis, DB Troy Stoudemire

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Added: QB Zach Collaros*, RB William Powell, DT Micah Johnson, DB DyShawn Davis, REC Cory Watson
Lost: DE Willie Jefferson, REC Brian Jones, DE Tobi Antigha, DT Poop Johnson

B.C. Lions

Added: QB Mike Reilly, DB Aaron Grymes, REC Lemar Durant, OL Sukh Chungh, DB Josh Woodman, K Anthony Alix, DB Chris Edwards, LB Terrell Davis, RB Brandon Rutley, REC Josh Stanford, REC Duron Carter
Lost: REC Ricky Collins, DB DyShawn Davis, LB Bo Lokombo, DB Anthony Orange, REC DeVier Posey, REC/KR Chris Rainey, DE Shawn Lemon, RB Tyrell Sutton, LB Micah Awe, REC Cory Watson, DB Winston Rose, QB Jon Jennings

Edmonton Eskimos

Added: QB Trevor Harris, REC Greg Ellingson, REC DaVaris Daniels, OL SirVincent Rogers, REC Ricky Collins, OL Travis Bond*, LB Larry Dean, LB Jovon Santos-Knox, LB Don Unamba, DB Anthony Orange, OL Qadr Spooner
Lost: QB Mike Reilly, DB Aaron Grymes, DB Chris Edwards, DB Josh Woodman

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Added: DE Willie Jefferson, REC Nic Demski*, DB Brandon Alexander*, DB Winston Rose
Lost: OL Sukh Chung, LB Jovon Santos-Knox, DB Kevin Fogg, DB Taylor Loffler, OL Qadr Spooner, REC Ryan Lankford

For all the doomsaying about the east, Toronto has actually acquitted itself not too badly... they've had a couple of decent signings and they haven't lost anyone... well, at least no one of consequence.

Montreal is the only eastern team that is in real trouble IMO.

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by esquire

For all the doomsaying about the east, Toronto has actually acquitted itself not too badly... they've had a couple of decent signings and they haven't lost anyone... well, at least no one of consequence.

Montreal is the only eastern team that is in real trouble IMO.

I think Montreal has added some good pieces, if the O line improves and Manziel can improve at QB they may be more competitive...

I think the D fence may be not bad either.....but its Montreal so

[ScreamingViking]

The media and many fans make so much of the start of free agency... the so-called FRENZY (as it finally became this year in the CFL). But what will pan out from this? Hard to say right now.

Edmonton and BC might have had to show they were making "progress"... BC to inject life into their market (and Hervey to show he's the man ), Edmonton to avoid seeming like Deadmonton after Reilly's long speculated departure became reality (and their failure to make the playoffs last year being such an un-Eskimo Way)

But what happens if the cap doesn't increase a lot? Have the Esks and Leos paid too much for a few, which may force them to pay less for the many? Toronto is reported to have Derel Walker on the line for $275K -- great receiver no doubt, but could they spend half as much and get 80-90% of his production?

Calgary's approach to this CFL milestone moment seems like it's been consistent during the Hufnagel era, along with their win-loss records. Perhaps there is something to learn from that. If you scout and sign backups and prospects with veritable talent, you can survive the loss of last season's stars.

[elly63]

The CFL’s Halifax franchise bid may be in for a rough ride
Drew Edwards 3downnation February 18, 2019

[Hackslack]

AAF needed emergency $250 million investment IN WEEK 2 |NHL’s Hurricanes Owner Tom Dundon Saves The NEW Football League

http://prosportsextra.com/aaf-needed...he-new-league/

2 weeks in and the AAF needs to be bailed out.

[esquire]

So does Dundon basically own the AAF now? I mean, $250 million is a lot... how much can the league even be worth?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

So does Dundon basically own the AAF now? I mean, $250 million is a lot... how much can the league even be worth?

Dundon becomes primary investor and chairman of board, so....yes?

I imagine the league is now worth $250M judging by Dundon's injection.

Originally Posted by Hackslack

2 weeks in and the AAF needs to be bailed out.

This is a weird bad news/good news story. Nobody simply comes up with $250M out of the blue on only a week or two of due diliegence. If I had to bet i'd say the AAF had Dundon lined up for a while and he needed proof of concept (ie, games being played) before committing funding. Either way, $250M covers player salaries for at least a few years in and of itself, so the league continues operating for the time being.

There are rumours that AAF missed payroll on Week 1 and blamed it on an administrative/technical problem. So...doesn't seem great, but money in is money in at this point.

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Dundon becomes primary investor and chairman of board, so....yes?

I imagine the league is now worth $250M judging by Dundon's injection.


This is a weird bad news/good news story. Nobody simply comes up with $250M out of the blue on only a week or two of due diliegence. If I had to bet i'd say the AAF had Dundon lined up for a while and he needed proof of concept (ie, games being played) before committing funding. Either way, $250M covers player salaries for at least a few years in and of itself, so the league continues operating for the time being.

There are rumours that AAF missed payroll on Week 1 and blamed it on an administrative/technical problem. So...doesn't seem great, but money in is money in at this point.

Hmmm. No matter how you spin it, I wouldn’t say having an entire league fold after only 2 weeks, due to lack of funds, considered to be a “good news story”, no matter if some is willing to step in.

If the $250 million is to be used to support the entire league, that comes to $32 million per team. CFL operating costs are roughly $25 million per year, based on info from Sask Roughriders.

Reports say that the league literally ran out of money. Where did you hear the rumor that missed payroll was due to a technical problem?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Hmmm. No matter how you spin it, I wouldn’t say having an entire league fold after only 2 weeks, due to lack of funds, considered to be a “good news story”, no matter if some is willing to step in.

The league hasn't folded though.

Again, i'm sure the AAF and Dundon had a line together for a while since I doubt Dundon just drops $250M when he decides to wake up after a holiday Monday. AAF likely spent more than they intended to and lacked on-hand cash, thereby requiring Dundon stepping in sooner rather than later to purchase the league outright. Nobody watches a league for two weeks and decides to buy it overnight. I'm assuming Dundon wanted proof of concept before buying in.

The good news portion is that Dundon saw enough to push $250M into the league. If he thought the league was on the verge of collapse do you think he would have?

Originally Posted by Hackslack

If the $250 million is to be used to support the entire league, that comes to $32 million per team. CFL operating costs are roughly $25 million per year, based on info from Sask Roughriders.

AAF total player payroll comes in somewhere around $30-$35M/season, so the $250M goes a decent way towards covering that.

AAF is single entity which the CFL is not - so the comparisons likely end there.

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Reports say that the league literally ran out of money. Where did you hear the rumor that missed payroll was due to a technical problem?

The league was blaming problems on admin issues - it was likely a cash shortage.

Darren Rovell on le Twitter.

Darren Rovell
@darrenrovell
6m6 minutes ago
Update: AAF players who were told league missed payroll for Week 1 because of a glitch have now been paid, hours after league announces it essentially sold itself to Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.

Essentially what's happened is that the AAF has proven it can be a product and Dundon has bought it for $250M. The initial investors were always going to be short on cash because running a startup football league is not cheap. They've done enough to get a big investor on board and their work is effectively done at this stage.

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

The league hasn't folded though.

Again, i'm sure the AAF and Dundon had a line together for a while since I doubt Dundon just drops $250M when he decides to wake up after a holiday Monday. AAF likely spent more than they intended to and lacked on-hand cash, thereby requiring Dundon stepping in sooner rather than later to purchase the league outright. Nobody watches a league for two weeks and decides to buy it overnight. I'm assuming Dundon wanted proof of concept before buying in.

The good news portion is that Dundon saw enough to push $250M into the league. If he thought the league was on the verge of collapse do you think he would have?


AAF total player payroll comes in somewhere around $30-$35M/season, so the $250M goes a decent way towards covering that.

AAF is single entity which the CFL is not - so the comparisons likely end there.


The league was blaming problems on admin issues - it was likely a cash shortage.

Darren Rovell on le Twitter.

Darren Rovell
@darrenrovell
6m6 minutes ago
Update: AAF players who were told league missed payroll for Week 1 because of a glitch have now been paid, hours after league announces it essentially sold itself to Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.

Essentially what's happened is that the AAF has proven it can be a product and Dundon has bought it for $250M. The initial investors were always going to be short on cash because running a startup football league is not cheap. They've done enough to get a big investor on board and their work is effectively done at this stage.

Seems like a rather illogical way to sell the idea to a big investor. Invest in the league, or the league will fold...gain, I wouldn’t say that the AAF has proven it can be a product, because they were on the cusp of folding without a huge bailout. Where are the other big investors willing to invest in a quarter billion?

You can’t just dismiss that because the AAF is a single entity it doesn’t compare to a single team. The league, instead of just a team, has the same operating budgets and expenses as any single team. I compared that of the single team which could be compared to any other single team, I.e. cash in vs cash out.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Seems like a rather illogical way to sell the idea to a big investor.

It worked, didn't it?

Again, i'm just spitballing, but that's my assumption: Start a league, convince an investor, be bought out by said investor. It makes more sense than starting a league that one knows won't last a month.

Originally Posted by Hackslack

You can’t just dismiss that because the AAF is a single entity it doesn’t compare to a single team. The league, instead of just a team, has the same operating budgets and expenses as any single team. I compared that of the single team which could be compared to any other single team, I.e. cash in vs cash out.

Not exactly. The comparison you used for Saskatchewan is a bit of an anomaly given that SSK is far-and-away the most successful, most stable, and most reputable CFL team. Their operating expenses are going to be higher than other teams simply because they have deeper pockets. Even just looking at 2017, SSK had general operating expenses of $40M, compared to EDM's operating expenses of $24M. If a team like EDM is only spending $24M what are teams in weaker markets with less cash flow spending?

Effectively you chose the team with the highest watermark in the CFL to make your comparison which likely isn't fair, and even if we're estimating the total cash flow of all CFL teams that's all it can be - estimates. It's possible that the three teams required to make their books public are also three of the strongest financially (if not the three strongest). It's also possible that teams like CGY or HAM have better finances than WPG or EDM. We don't really know but can only assume.

The thing with single entity is that the league controls effectively everything, and so long as the league is operating so are its teams. It's a bit different from the CFL's position which would be the reverse - the league operates as well as the teams do. It essentially just packages things more neatly and gives the league more direct control over its individual teams rather than basing league changes on votes from a board of owners. A single entity league can be steered and moved much more easily than a franchise-based league. Effectively, the AAF can be bought for $250M because it includes all of its teams. To do something similar you would have to package all CFL teams into a single package to be purchased together (a business format which the CFL isn't built for, at least AFAIK). In the end, one is valued based on its league performance while the other is packaged based on its team performances. Either way you get to the same destination just via different paths.

I'm not saying it's inherently better but it's why someone would buy into a single entity league, at least IMO.

[TimB09]

The AAF has proven it can be a product? Hmmm, not in my eyes they haven't.

The fact they already have a bail out idea come to fruition is kind of scary.

This league won't be around for more than...2 seasons I'll say.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Not exactly. The comparison you used for Saskatchewan is a bit of an anomaly given that SSK is far-and-away the most successful, most stable, and most reputable CFL team. Their operating expenses are going to be higher than other teams simply because they have deeper pockets. Even just looking at 2017, SSK had general operating expenses of $40M, compared to EDM's operating expenses of $24M. If a team like EDM is only spending $24M what are teams in weaker markets with less cash flow spending?

Are merchandise purchases part of it? That would go a long way to explaining the Riders' higher total operating expense (and they sell a lot of merch so that would be reflected on the revenue side as well)

I don't think it's just about deeper pockets. There are a lot of standard costs every team would have to pay, regardless of their relative revenue.

Beyond player salaries, and coaching and management salaries, there's the costs of marketing and promo items, office staffing and overhead, travel for players and their equipment, team per diems for food and such, the playing equipment, other game-day purchases and rentals (e.g., heaters, misters, medical equipment, etc.), stadium rent if the team doesn't own their facility, utility bills, concessions purchases if not licensed out... probably more stuff too.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Are merchandise purchases part of it? That would go a long way to explaining the Riders' higher total operating expense (and they sell a lot of merch so that would be reflected on the revenue side as well)

Yes, CFL teams report merchandise sales both as revenue and as expense. Under a single entity those would be grouped into the league as a whole. As an example, in 2017, SSK revenue was $6.8M and expense was $6.3M on merch. SSK had six times EDM's figures in both these categories.

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I don't think it's just about deeper pockets. There are a lot of standard costs every team would have to pay, regardless of their relative revenue.

Beyond player salaries, and coaching and management salaries, there's the costs of marketing and promo items, office staffing and overhead, travel for players and their equipment, team per diems for food and such, the playing equipment, other game-day purchases and rentals (e.g., heaters, misters, medical equipment, etc.), stadium rent if the team doesn't own their facility, utility bills, concessions purchases if not licensed out... probably more stuff too.

Absolutely. Some of these expenses vary slightly between the teams that post their finances publicly. Unfortunately none of the floor teams financially post their finances publicly so we don't have an exact idea of what the minimum operating cost would be on a year-to-year basis.

[esquire]

The Grey Cup game has been awarded to Regina in 2020, and Hamilton in 2021. Hard to argue... Hamilton in particular has been waiting for a long time to host the game again.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by esquire

The Grey Cup game has been awarded to Regina in 2020, and Hamilton in 2021. Hard to argue... Hamilton in particular has been waiting for a long time to host the game again.

Should be two terrific Grand National Drun... er, great parties.

Saskie gets to show off its stuff first, and I'm sure it will be a step up from their last go-round.

The Hammer has changed a lot in 23 years and that will continue before the 25th anniversary of the last hosting.

The league handled this well. The only disappointment was about who gets it first.

Montreal should be 2022 if renos are ready. Or as soon as they can.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Montreal should be 2022 if renos are ready. Or as soon as they can.

Renos, and a team rebuild. Hosting a GC when your team sucks takes the wind out of the event's sails. Winnipeg has had the misfortune of hosting two of our four Grey Cups in seasons where the Bombers were atrocious and pretty well out of the running by August long weekend, and it just killed enthusiasm for the whole thing.

Getting the Als back on track should make for a better Grey Cup in 2022 or whenever it happens. But they are certainly due. I guess the only question is whether Braley gets his hands on a game first... there is MLSE too, but I can't imagine the league would want back to back Grey Cups in the GTHA.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by esquire

Renos, and a team rebuild. Hosting a GC when your team sucks takes the wind out of the event's sails. Winnipeg has had the misfortune of hosting two of our four Grey Cups in seasons where the Bombers were atrocious and pretty well out of the running by August long weekend, and it just killed enthusiasm for the whole thing.

Getting the Als back on track should make for a better Grey Cup in 2022 or whenever it happens. But they are certainly due. I guess the only question is whether Braley gets his hands on a game first... there is MLSE too, but I can't imagine the league would want back to back Grey Cups in the GTHA.

Totally agree with the first point. In 1996 the Tiger-Cats signed Matt Dunigan and hope was high for a home team participant in the Grey Cup... hope that died early in the season when he suffered the final concussion of his career and the team had little else to lean on. Hammy fans got to watch the Argos win (not-so-fun fact for me: out of the 4 Grey Cups I've been to, that particular team has won 3; pure torture for a Ticats fan )

Braley has been gifted enough. I admire what he's done for the CFL and teams in trouble -- he did it for my favourite too -- but I hope the league sticks to its guns on this 'bid' process. Hard to do in a small league, and politics are inevitable, but there's got to be a balance between keeping owners happy and a good rotation among the cities while making them earn their hosting opportunities.