Which Key Player should be Lions Top Priority to Sign Before Free Agency

The Place for BC Lion Discussion. A forum for Lions fans to talk and chat about our team.
Discussion, News, Information and Speculation regarding the BC Lions and the CFL.
Prowl, Growl and Roar!

Moderator: Team Captains

Post Reply

Which Key Player should be Lions Top Priority to Sign Before Free Agency

BUTLER Crezdon A DB Clemson
0
No votes
DOZIER Branden A DB UNC Charlotte
4
33%
FOUCAULT David N OL Montreal
2
17%
GRYMES Aaron A DB Idaho
1
8%
LANKFORD Ryan A WR Illinois
0
No votes
LEMON Shawn A DL Akron
1
8%
MENARD David N DL Montreal
1
8%
PETERS Garry A DB Clemson
1
8%
RENFROW Justin A OL Miami
0
No votes
STEWARD Hunter N OL Liberty
2
17%
 
Total votes: 12
JohnnyMusso
Champion
Posts: 963
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2015 6:03 pm

I am going with safety:

DOZIER Branden A DB UNC Charlotte

My 2nd choice would be:

LEMON Shawn A DL Akron
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

I also went with Dozier. I thought he was the Lions’ most valuable defensive player last year.

Aaron Grymes would be my second choice. Both performed at an all-star level.

I’d love to see the Lions re-sign Foucault but they might not be able to afford him.
User avatar
David
Team Captain
Posts: 9364
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2002 10:23 am
Location: Vancouver (Kitsilano)

If the question is key PLAYER (singular), then I am going National, so Foucault or Steward, likely the former as he continues to improve. O-line and D-line should be Ed's priorities this off-season.

Aaron Grymes's knee injury concerns me but I thought he had a terrific season and had good chemistry with Lee. Dozier is an important signing too since we've had a hard time finding a really effective safety since Miles.


DH :cool:
Roar, You Lions, Roar
TheLionKing
Hall of Famer
Posts: 25103
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:13 pm
Location: Vancouver

Dozier and Grymes
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8175
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

When it comes to OL I'd probably go Steward over Foucault for the simple reason 67 is 3 years younger than 68. Sign the one willing to agree to the longest term? In reality as the only established starting NAT OL last season both should be high priorities unless Bates etal are convinced Knevel, Boyko or Godber are all but locks to start.

As much as I like Grymes I don't think he can be a priority to re-sign. He's out with a torn ACL suffered in mid Oct. Normal recovery time for that is 10 months which means BC would probably already have 10 games in the books before he'd be available to suit up. I'd place a higher priority on extending Dozier and Peters over Grymes. The one plus for sgning Grymes now would be that he may not cost anything against the cap until Labour Day
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
Gridiron Ernie
Champion
Posts: 685
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: within earshot of the ghosts of Empire Field

Regards priority, I'd go with the O-line, and with a National, and (like Hambone pointed out) relative youth over age, and that in my mind equals Mr. Hunter Steward (just turned 28). I'd really hate to see him playing for another team in his maturity So, if I've got only the one choice that's it.
On defence, David Menard is a personal favourite of mine, regularly rotating on the D-line, but given some of the other players listed, I can't quite make a case for him as the priority there. I'd be tempted to go with Grymes if it wasn't for the serious injury, given his years of consistently top-level play over the years in this league. But, yeah, we gotta keep Dozier. It'll be a tough job for the GM and coach to sort out that all. Good luck to all!
User avatar
DanoT
Hall of Famer
Posts: 4309
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:38 pm
Location: Victoria, B.C. in summer, Sun Peaks Resort in winter

Hunter Stewart, a NAT (from Victoria), has done well as a starter at both guard and tackle so he can start at one position and backup the other. That is enough to make him a priority, imo.
maxlion
Legend
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:49 am

Dozier played well, but I wonder if part of his success came from playing a position that is often filled by nationals, and usually not the highest paid nationals at that. Maybe it's not fair to Dozier, but almost anybody taking over JR LaRose and Anthony Thompson's position is going to look good. Also, our def line and linebackers weren't great either, which may have helped him shine a bit more than he otherwise would have. While I wouldn't mind having Dozier back, I think that Grymes played a more important position and also seemed to take on more of a leadership role.

I agree that Foucault and/or Steward as nationals should be priorities, along with Grymes.
Murdoch
All Star
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:04 pm

I agree on that one maxlion.

The key to the safety position is having the roster flexibility to use an International at the spot. Dozier played well and he probably could play the cover linebacker position as well if they needed him there.

One guy who I haven't seen talked about is Sukh Chung and I am very hopeful that
he is fully recovered and returns to his previous level of play. That would help.

If I needed to pick one guy from the list I would go with Stewart although I like Foucault as well. Either way the Lions will be in trouble if the Oline regresses.

Good luck and hoping the Lions have a good year on the field and in the stands.
Murdoch
All Star
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:04 pm

Made a post about Sukh Chung. Hopefully I didn't lose it.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Murdoch wrote:
Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:57 pm
The key to the safety position is having the roster flexibility to use an International at the spot. Dozier played well and he probably could play the cover linebacker position as well if they needed him there.
Yes, Dozier can play safety, nickel (cover linebacker) and halfback. He's a fearless tackler who led the team with 77 total tackles in just 16 games while playing a position that is often farthest from the ball (although not necessarily in a Rich Stubler defence). I would bet on either Dozier or Isaiah Guzylak-Messam starting the season at nickel in place of the departed Chris Edwards, with the other at safety. Dozier started at nickelback, weakside linebacker and halfback in 2017 on his way to being named Montreal's rookie of the year. In 2018 he started at nickelback for the first four games, then backed up veteran Chip Cox at the position for four games before starting one game at halfback and the final nine games at safety on the way to being named an East Division all-star. In three seasons in the CFL, he has never finished lower than second on his team in total tackles.
Post Reply