Lions Additions and Cuts

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Toppy Vann
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You can't replace the whole team or parts but priority must be on fixing:

1. OFFENSIVE LINE:

You have to fix this and personnel are an issue - not just the schemes/play calling which to is an issue.

2. DEFENSE

Lions don't compare to the upper echelon winning teams here at DL, LB, DB.

If Odell Willis is the leader on the DEF then you're averaging down the play.

No standard setters at LB or DB. Just a bunch of journeymen who miss tackles.

3. COACHING

You can't fire a coach as readily as you can do an internal challenge involving coaches and players on all aspects of the game.

It's so bad it's almost like you need do what organizations do when in this case it'd be the GM who brings in an external consultant who does private/confidential interviews with everyone from the HC to the players and brings an anonymized report to the GM that outlines:

1 What's working well

2. What's not working

3 What needs to be changed

OVERALL ON COACHING

The HC is not sounding like a HC and that's seriously on the GM who was responsible to guage the candidate's understanding of the role.

At practices the HC is typically with the DEF side of the team and Jarius is the clear leader on the OFFENSE.

TWO MAJOR CONCERNS ON OFFENSE:

1. JARIUS LOOKS TO BE A CO-HC (practice observations)

It's clear that Jarius is the OC and there is little sense that the HC or other coaches can challenge what they 're doing.

The HC and DC should be sitting down with the OC and challenging his schemes and play calling and make changes. Claybrooks was the DC and Calgary yet it seems he hasn't passed that knowledge on to the OC.

Look at what MTL did in the reverse then pass to QB Vernon Adams for a TD.
Adams say it was an INT in practice yet the RB Coach told him it was being called in the ESKS game!!!


2. MIKE REILLY - he's basically not one you challenge with either staying in the game or changing what you're calling. He's the S&M QB it seems.

SOL E said post game that their goal is to get Reilly frustrated and it worked.

DURON CARTER - non concern.

Carter got into it with Nick Marshall on that non call out of bounds which to me was understandable.

IF you can get to a practice the only criticism I could muster was when Boyko has them stretching mid practice and carter is often doing his talking with the coaches.

But overall he's not a distraction and not a cancer nor showing signs of being too cocky.

If Carter drops a ball he doesn't get told to drop and do 20, he's doing it on his own.

But in practice it's showing that Mike Reilly has trouble finding his long deep receivers in the clear open like all other teams are finding. It's worse in games.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
JohnnyMusso
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It is clear the first priority is to fix the OL and DL and that is bringing in some new players to start. Last year Hervey traded for Lemon. Is Lemon even playing much for Toronto? I watched that game and never saw him starting. I think Hervey needs to a make a trade to being in an experienced Defensive end and get a new OL or 2. Why has no one signed Jon Gott? He is available? Lions needs help now and doing nothing will just result in more losses.
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CardiacKid
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If the team just takes their medicine and designates Boyko as the back up and provide Knevel some game time experience, that might be the key. Clearly Figuero and Steward are the best they have so play both, Chung or Foucault at guard and Roy at centre with Knevel at right tackle.
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David
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Per TSN, the Leos have added two players today. Veteran defensive back Crezdon Butler (who is 32 and has played in both the NFL and CFL) and offensive tackle Avery Jordan, younger brother of NBA star DeAndre Jordan.

Jordan 24, played 9 games for the Ti-Cats last year. He was released on July 4 this year after the Ti-Cats acquired Chris Van Zeyl and Ryker Mathews, making the International Jordan expendable.


DH :cool:
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Gridiron Ernie
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I see Farhan is indicating (TSN and 3DownN quoting the tweet) the Lions have brought in 32 yr old veteran American cornerback Crezdan Butler (played with Sask for a couple years) and young 24 yr old American OL Avery Jordan (was with Hamilton last year and June Jones had good things to say about him).

Those are obviously two areas where improvement is needed. I suppose additional veteran experience in the secondary is a good thing, but at that age (Butler's 32) not a long-term solution. And meanwhile the new fellow for the O-line will take time to fit in. The o-line being what it is where everyone benefits from knowing each other and each other's moves so they can dance as a unit.

I like that he (Avery Jordan) is still young, but there's no getting around the fact he's new to the guys we have. And anyhow, we already have a good group of Nationals. The o-line coach just needs to get his ducks in a row and stay with it for more than a game. Well, that's my 2-cents worth -- though I'm certain I know a heck of a lot less than does Bryan Chiu.
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Gridiron Ernie
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Sorry David, didn't see your post before sending mine. Cheers!
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Hambone
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The red flag for me on Butler might be that after the Argos released him Rider fans were all for taking a pass on re-acquiring him despite having issues with some of their own DBs.
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TheLionKing
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Gridiron Ernie wrote:
Mon Jul 22, 2019 1:31 pm
And anyhow, we already have a good group of Nationals. The o-line coach just needs to get his ducks in a row and stay with it for more than a game. Well, that's my 2-cents worth -- though I'm certain I know a heck of a lot less than does Bryan Chiu.
Not from what I've seen in 6 games.
JohnnyMusso
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Since NFL cuts not happening for a month or so, Lions have no choice to pick up other teams' rejects if they want to make changes now. Butler will be an improvement on Thompson and the other guy likely will be a backup until he knows the system.

With these 2 additions, 2 players need to be dropped. I wonder who they will be?
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Hambone
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NFL cuts won't help this season. By the time they happen and NFL waiver claims and PR assignments are made the Lions be into preps for their 11th game. Realistically BC would be down to 7 games remaining before an NFL cut could even show up for his first practice in Surrey. IMO at best if the player could be ramped up in short order he might be able to help for the final 5 games. Not sure when the PR gets expanded but BC will likely be down to 4 or 5 games left when it does. For the guy coming from the NFL does it make sense to head north for at best 5 or 6 CFL game cheques or at they better to hang out down south for the rest of the year and look north in the offseason?
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TheLionKing
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JohnnyMusso wrote:
Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:33 am
Since NFL cuts not happening for a month or so, Lions have no choice to pick up other teams' rejects if they want to make changes now. Butler will be an improvement on Thompson and the other guy likely will be a backup until he knows the system.

With these 2 additions, 2 players need to be dropped. I wonder who they will be?
Carson Ketter and Keon Lyn have been released.
JohnnyMusso
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They did not add Jordon, but instead a linebacker named Kevin Hayes, who I never heard of.

Any info on him?
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B.C.FAN
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JohnnyMusso wrote:
Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:21 pm
They did not add Jordon, but instead a linebacker named Kevin Hayes, who I never heard of.

Any info on him?
Kevin Haynes is a 24-year-old second year pro from Central Washington (Adam Bighill's alma mater). He played two games for Montreal last year.

https://www.bclions.com/players/kevin-haynes/164303/

After the latest transactions, I believe Victor Gamboa is the only rookie American on the active roster, and he was a training camp cut of Ottawa last year.
JohnnyMusso
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The Lions of 2011 were the only team in CFL history to start 0 and 5 and 1 and 6 and go on to win the Grey Cup. They also had an experienced coach who had won before. The chances of that happening again is highly unlikely and especially to the same team.

Hambone is right, it will be too late with the NFL cuts happen. Lions are just making minor changes, not addressing the deeper and more serious issues. That is unlikely to happen until the season is over and if it is a bad one, then who knows what will happen.

I agree with some posters, Torey Hunter must go. He has done a terrible job recruiting and JJ needs to go too, but no changes to coaches or scouting unlikely to happen until end of season and how deep they will go no one knows.

6 games into the season and it already feels too long. Can you handle another 12?
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David
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B.C.FAN wrote:
Tue Jul 23, 2019 12:30 pm
After the latest transactions, I believe Victor Gamboa is the only rookie American on the active roster, and he was a training camp cut of Ottawa last year.
With Ketter's release today, we only have 3 players on the entire roster still with the club from their off-season US recruiting (that attended training camp), one of whom (Boesen) graduated in 2016 and is 24 years old.

Grant Kraemer remains the only pure rookie free agent that comes straight from the US college ranks. Marquis Bundy is on the PR too, but he graduated in 2015 and has bounced around a couple of NFL teams.

That's 3 out of 65 players. Not a stellar off-season. I realize we signed a lot of veteran free agents. I get it. But where are the players to push the vets? Where are tomorrow's Markeith Ambles and William Stanbacks that are being groomed for starter's positions?


DH :cool:
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