Chick Flies South

[Vern Halen]

I have no problem with the option year NFL tryouts. If Arseneux or Mallett want to sign in the NFL in 2011, I wish them all the luck, same as Cam Wake. They all signed 2 + 1 contracts. But Kelly Campbell, P.K. Sam and S. Logan signed 1 + 1 contracts, playing only one year in the CFL. I feel CFL teams and their fans would benefit from keeping prospects for 2 seasons, not 1 season (as was the practice in the CFL for many decades). Not a big deal either way, but if players stay in the CFL for two seasons, they are more likely to get established in the community and with the fans. Campbell refused to report to the Esks to complete his option year after being cut (or even return their phone calls despite the Esks publically begging him to return). Now the Esks have to find another receiver and teach him CFL rules, and will he leave after one season also? If players stay for 2 seasons, they are more likely to return or perhaps not leave at all...and be more valuable to their teams as they know the CFL better.

Agreed - I have to agree that the 2+1 is better for OUR league....

[Hambone]

Campbell refused to report to the Esks to complete his option year after being cut (or even return their phone calls despite the Esks publically begging him to return). Now the Esks have to find another receiver and teach him CFL rules, and will he leave after one season also? If players stay for 2 seasons, they are more likely to return or perhaps not leave at all...and be more valuable to their teams as they know the CFL better.

Speculation from my buddy Great White North who is very knowledgeable about all things Eskimo "Kelly Campbell, unless I've missed something today, had reportedly signed a multi-year deal with the Esks, decided that he didn't want to report for just a few games where he was unikely to get on the 42 man roster, so was suspended.

With the number of longer-term injuries the Esks have dealt with this season (10 guys currently on their 9-game, including a few more expensive contracts), it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he was signed to a deal with a signing bonus now (against this year's SMS) and a lower base for the next few years. If I understand correctly, he is not in fact a free agent."

Sounds like a win-win to me. Edmonton ponies up some up front bonus on the 2009 books and Campbell comes to 2010 camp all ready and raring to go with the first year of the contract being the 2010 year instead of 2009.

[Hambone]

Campbell is a good example of how different it can be from player to player when it comes to pursuing NFL options. Campbell was not in the same boat as the likes of Lumbala, Grice-Mullen, Tsoumpas or Chick. He was more like in Logan's situation albeit with considerably more pro and NFL experience. He already had 5 years of NFL time under his belt and was weeks shy of turning 28 when he signed in Edmonton. He spent 3 years with Minnesota where he played in 37 games, starting 11. Over that period he had 57 receptions for 1062 yards and 8 TDs along with 40 kickoff returns for 861 yards and 10 carries for 71. He was then out of football for 2005, signed with Miami for 2006 but was injured. He re-signed with Miami for 2007 but was cut before training camp. Based on his Minnesota experience he came to Edmonton as an experienced veteran who if anything had some rust to shake off. For Campbell he could see the NFL window was rapidly closing. Chances of getting another crack to join the NFL as a 29 year old in 2009 were going to be slim. Chances of getting another crack a year later (now) as a 30 year old would likely be impossible unless he absolutely lit the CFL up for 2 years. I don't think you can look at all players equally when it comes to this. It's nice to say they all should sign for a minimum 2 + 1, but when you're at the stage of your career as Campbell was at the time signing for 2 + 1 is effectively closing the door on any chance of getting back to the NFL. Conversely for the CFL team interested in the services of such a player if they like that player enough then maybe it's better to at least get him for the 1 + 1 on the gamble the NFL interest won't present itself at the end of the one year and you can secure the player for several more. In the end I think it's worked out for Edmonton. They look to now have a very productive receiver for the next few years. Had they pushed the 2 year thing they may not have enjoyed his services for 2008 and he may now be out of football or perhaps signed long-term with a different CFL team (assuming Edmonton didn't have him on their neg list) now that the NFL dream is over.

[Rammer]

Doug Brown has a take on this subject...

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinio ... 09622.html

There is a poll question on the TSN website right now that asks interested CFL fans whether "the NFL signing window is good for the CFL?" Thus far, around half of the respondents have voted "Yes, the CFL gains credibility and exposure," and the other half have decided: "No, it robs the league of good talent."

To get those of you that are not familiar with this rule up to speed, for as long as I've been in the CFL -- and probably even longer -- Canadian and American players have been able to sign contracts with the NFL once their contracts end or they begin their "option year."

In CFL contracts, the option year is always the last year of your deal and many American players, when they come to the CFL for the first time, sign a one year plus an option which gives them a quick out to try for the NFL after playing in Canada for only one season. The time frame that this window is open begins the day after your last game and closes on Feb. 15.

A good example of this scenario unfolding is Winnipeg's own Jonathan Hefney. The 2009 season was his first with the Bombers and he acquitted himself very well representing the Eastern division as the rookie of the year and garnering all-star accolades. His play turned a few heads down south and now he is going to camp with the Detroit Lions in 2010.

If he gets cut he will remain Winnipeg property for one final year, but if he makes the team his CFL deal becomes null and void.

If it sounds like a pretty sweet deal for players venturing into the CFL for the first time, it is.

After only one season up here, players can jettison for the greener pastures of the NFL without so much as a thank you card for the good time, the conditioning and the exposure. So far this off-season, eight CFL players of varying calibre have signed deals that will put them in an NFL camp in 2010.

So what does the CFL get out of this convenient poaching agreement with their big brother down south? Not as much as you would think or hope.

The initial introduction of the option year escape clause came as a condition of the NFL lending the CFL a few million dollars back in the day. Now that the loan has been repaid, the continued existence of the "option year" has a number of CFL advocates scratching their heads in bewilderment.

Of course, there are a couple of considerations to be recognized before we completely condemn this arrangement.

One, if you were to look at the number of players who have signed an option year deal with the NFL and ended up back on a CFL roster that same year, you may not be as concerned.

Dare say

Signing with an NFL team and making the roster in some capacity are two very different things. I would dare say that around one in five CFL players that sign an NFL contract actually stick down there for a season, so while it may be inconvenient and look like an ominous migration, most of these birds fly back up here at some point in the summer.

The second contemplation is what people were voting for in the poll: that it is good for the CFL because the league gains credibility and exposure by a small percentage of its players running for the border every-off season.

I think the idea here is that it shows that many players north of the border are capable of playing on either side of the 49th parallel -- even though, as we noted, most of them do not stick -- and is an enticement for talented American players to sign with the CFL in the first place.

In my mind, I don't agree with this theory and don't feel this mechanism is the only attraction that the CFL offers to American-born players. The supposition that American players would only dare venture north if they can return to the NFL in one year is absurd. Professional athletes are going to play wherever they can find a job, and at whichever job pays them the most.

Players are going to come and go from the NFL to the CFL and vice versa whether or not the option-year window exists, they just may have to wait two years instead of one.

Eliminating the "option year" would make players only interested in the CFL as a vehicle to the NFL invest another year of their time and talent on our playground.

There would be fewer roster fluctuations and the onfield product would benefit.

Since there is no real incentive to the CFL for allowing this escape clause to continue to exist, other than keeping their American cousin happy, it makes me wonder whether the "option year" window will survive the next CBA negotiation which is ongoing in earnest.

[Blue In BC]

Bombers just lost LB Doggett to the Steelers. He's the 3rd guy we've lost recently. There are a few more that might also be lost in the next week or two.

Not a fan of the clause.

[hwgill]

I wonder what Brown, from a player's perspective, thinks about the option year clause. He spoke about it from a CFL and fan perspective, but not really clear on his own opinion on it.