Free Agent Market and Free Agent Camps

[TheLionKing]

Not pleased with the departures of 5 Lions trying to catch on south of the border. Tough to support a team that has a big turnover of players every year.

[Rodu]

Our D will have a lot of new faces, that's for sure. I dunno, we'll need to score like 50 a game to stay competative

[David]

Likely Bede. He was a disaster early in the season when it was blatantly obvious his confidence was totally shot. His punting was pretty good early in the season but you can see. One can also see that his FG accuracy was ino the tank right from the get-go and eventually as his confidence in that part of the game evaporated the punting numbers also nosedived. He hit rock bottom in late July. In a game against the Argos he punted for 46.5 ave but went 0 for 3 on FGs. The next game against the Riders his punting average plummeted to 38.4 and would drop to 33.5 the game following that.

I don't quite get the logic (other than Bede is a Francophone). If you're asking me who I'd rather have kick field goals and punt, Anthony Fera (or another import) or Boris Bede (who's also an International), I'd take Fera 10 times out of 10 and twice on Sunday!

Maybe all good kickers go into a slump at some point, but Bede's prolonged funk was downright scary. Can't go with someone who's that emotionally fragile.



DH

[Blitz]

I was hoping that Bo would take over the departed Bighill's LB spot. I guess now it will stay a Import spot.

Bo and Hunter Steward were my two priority re-signings for the Lions. I just hope that Wally and Dan Dorazio appreciate Hunter's talents, especially at LT, and are willing to pay the $ to sign him.

Priority signings for me too. I had hoped we would start Bo Lokombo this year. He has talent.

I thought Ronnie Yell would be back also. Hope we don't lose him.

[DanoT]

I was hoping that Bo would take over the departed Bighill's LB spot. I guess now it will stay a Import spot.

Bo and Hunter Steward were my two priority re-signings for the Lions. I just hope that Wally and Dan Dorazio appreciate Hunter's talents, especially at LT, and are willing to pay the $ to sign him.

Priority signings for me too. I had hoped we would start Bo Lokombo this year. He has talent.

I thought Ronnie Yell would be back also. Hope we don't lose him.

With Yell and Lee coming off season ending injuries, I don't see any GMs opening the bank vault to sign these guys and that likely includes Wally. And Clarke has just signed a contract extension.

[Hambone]

Likely Bede. He was a disaster early in the season when it was blatantly obvious his confidence was totally shot. His punting was pretty good early in the season but you can see. One can also see that his FG accuracy was ino the tank right from the get-go and eventually as his confidence in that part of the game evaporated the punting numbers also nosedived. He hit rock bottom in late July. In a game against the Argos he punted for 46.5 ave but went 0 for 3 on FGs. The next game against the Riders his punting average plummeted to 38.4 and would drop to 33.5 the game following that.

I don't quite get the logic (other than Bede is a Francophone). If you're asking me who I'd rather have kick field goals and punt, Anthony Fera (or another import) or Boris Bede (who's also an International), I'd take Fera 10 times out of 10 and twice on Sunday!

Maybe all good kickers go into a slump at some point, but Bede's prolonged funk was downright scary. Can't go with someone who's that emotionally fragile.



DH

It is somewhat of a conundrum for Montreal re: Bede. They have to ask themselves who they think Bede is; the kicker with the yips and fractured confidence of the first half of 2016 or the guy who was the 2nd most accurate FG kicker in the league as a rookie in 2015. As a rookie in 2015 Bede lead the CFL in kickoff average amongst kickers with 40 or more kickoffs. At 90% he was 2nd in FG accuracy behind only Sean Whyte at 92.5%. He was 5th amongst punters with 50 or more punts and a 44.3 average. The full season sample from 2015 is too good to declare him a bust based on the first half of his sophomore season. It may be moot as Bede is also an unsigned pending FA. While they've already dispatched Fera who missed as many FGs (4) in his 20 attempts last year as Bede did in his 40 attempts in 2015 they could also be looking to go in a different direction from Bede.

[CardiacKid]

Likely Bede. He was a disaster early in the season when it was blatantly obvious his confidence was totally shot. His punting was pretty good early in the season but you can see. One can also see that his FG accuracy was ino the tank right from the get-go and eventually as his confidence in that part of the game evaporated the punting numbers also nosedived. He hit rock bottom in late July. In a game against the Argos he punted for 46.5 ave but went 0 for 3 on FGs. The next game against the Riders his punting average plummeted to 38.4 and would drop to 33.5 the game following that.

I don't quite get the logic (other than Bede is a Francophone). If you're asking me who I'd rather have kick field goals and punt, Anthony Fera (or another import) or Boris Bede (who's also an International), I'd take Fera 10 times out of 10 and twice on Sunday!

Maybe all good kickers go into a slump at some point, but Bede's prolonged funk was downright scary. Can't go with someone who's that emotionally fragile.



DH

It is somewhat of a conundrum for Montreal re: Bede. They have to ask themselves who they think Bede is; the kicker with the yips and fractured confidence of the first half of 2016 or the guy who was the 2nd most accurate FG kicker in the league as a rookie in 2015. As a rookie in 2015 Bede lead the CFL in kickoff average amongst kickers with 40 or more kickoffs. At 90% he was 2nd in FG accuracy behind only Sean Whyte at 92.5%. He was 5th amongst punters with 50 or more punts and a 44.3 average. The full season sample from 2015 is too good to declare him a bust based on the first half of his sophomore season. It may be moot as Bede is also an unsigned pending FA. While they've already dispatched Fera who missed as many FGs (4) in his 20 attempts last year as Bede did in his 40 attempts in 2015 they could also be looking to go in a different direction from Bede.

What even makes Bede even more of a conundrum is the fact he was good on 18 of 19 converts. The single one he missed might have been a block or botched snap so he could have been 19 of 19 for all I know. So that aspect of his place kicking was pretty good. By comparison, Leone was good on 25 of 30 convert attempts.
IMO Bede is worth signing at least for testing him out in TC. I don't know if the Lions have a sports psychologist on staff (I would imagine they have a consultant) but I think Bede just needs a change of venue and some help with getting past the yips.

[B.C.FAN]

The signals were pretty clear that Fera was headed to B.C. when he was released early in Montreal. Remember he narrowly lost the kicking job to Leone in 2015. Both guys were lights out in training camp. Fera will be the Lions' kicker this year unless a proven national drops in Wally's lap.

[Rodu]

I read Buono is going to try to get something done with Burnham, who after 10-12 workouts down south didn't find any takers

[OV - 54:40]

Bede is a great young kicking prospect just on leg strength alone; he did have a fine rookie season, but it is a lot of pressure to ask a kicker to do both jobs (punting & place-kicking) in the CFL now; both jobs are just too important and it is rare for a CFL dual kicker to be consistently good at both jobs - so many of the great kickers even have struggled at one of the two jobs for a season or more. It's IMO myopic & dumb for a CFL coaching staff to think they can go with just one dual kicker on the game roster - and especially in a key late season or play-off game - an injury to your kicker early in the game with no replacement and your team is likely done for the game. Find a separate dedicated punter AND place-kicker and usually the guy can at least do a reasonable job as a replacement for the other.

Leone is a great punter but not good enough at place kicking. Swyaze Waters had an outstanding season as a dual kicker for the Argos for one season a few years back but then struggled big-time as place kicker the next season. Medlock is an all-time accurate CFL FG kicker, but a mediocre punter at best and costs the team field position with his often shorter punts. There is IMO zero reason to go with a dual kicker now with larger CFL roster sizes compared to the old days; the kicking game is just too important.

The Als should decide on which role is best for Bede (IMO it is punter, plus he could still handle kick-offs as he has easily the strongest leg in the league in that department); then find an accurate FG kicker; with Bede able to fill-in if an in game injury occcurs.

[B.C.FAN]

Looks like Wally is getting to work before free agency begins.

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Bryant Turner Jr. and Nick Moore re-sign with #BCLions, Hunter Steward is next.

[Hambone]

Looks like Wally is getting to work before free agency begins.

NEWS 1130 Sports ‏@NEWS1130Sports
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Bryant Turner Jr. and Nick Moore re-sign with #BCLions, Hunter Steward is next.

Somewhat surprised about Moore given his injury history. I like him when healthy but that doesn't seem to be often. Insurance for Burnham perhaps?

[CardiacKid]

Looks like Wally is getting to work before free agency begins.

NEWS 1130 Sports ‏@NEWS1130Sports
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Bryant Turner Jr. and Nick Moore re-sign with #BCLions, Hunter Steward is next.

Somewhat surprised about Moore given his injury history. I like him when healthy but that doesn't seem to be often. Insurance for Burnham perhaps?

Glad Turner is back; I thought he actually did well in limited reps and the performance of the dline improved when he was in the lineup.

My initial thought with Moore coming back was his signing may have been influenced to a greater degree by Wally's attitude towards Sinkfield and not so much Burnham going elsewhere. Maybe he can afford Moore and Burnham but not Sinkfield and Burnham? Myself, I preferred what Moore brought last year in comparison to Sinkfield; Sinkfield just seemed disconnected with Jennings waaay too often.

And I certainly hope Steward is back...the wife and I splurged on both his home and away jerseys at the locker-room sale.

[TheLionKing]

Montreal Alouettes released Rakeem Cato

[maxlion]

Probably a "show me" contract for Moore. Could turn out to be a bargain.