As I said before - ill wager no way that Campbell starts 3 NI receivers even if Johnson and Cottoy return; and the few teams that play an H-back the odd time (a few downs a game), may list the guy as a "starter" (does that mean the guy has to be on the field for the first series on offence - doubt any CFL ref cares or checks ?), but 5 pack look is way more common with usually one or 2 NI starting receivers; so if the "starter" H-back was one of your 7 only, then he would have to be replaced by another NI receiver and not an import ; and when Ottawa used an H-back, it was not their only NI starting receiver (Sinopoli) who came out, it was one of the import receivers (or maybe the import tailback)Hambone wrote: ↑Wed Jan 20, 2021 11:00 amBC just extended Figuero this morning. With Mathews being a prized FA signing last year they will be starting bookend tackles leaving a max of 3 NAT OL. There are only 2 reasons Figs or Mathews them might not start; serious training camp injury or some rookie comes in an blows Bates and Campbell's socks off. They are significant signings who don't come at minimum salary. Mathews was a 2019 East All-Star and Figueroa was BC's nominee for Outstanding OL the past 2 seasons. Teams just don't sign players of that calibre and salary if there are doubts about them emerging from camp in starting roles.OV - 54:40 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:45 pm
Ottawa had used an H-back some over the past few seasons (Beaulieu was a real good one IMO); so, when the H-back goes in, he replaces one of the starting NI receivers? Not really so in Ottawa where Sinopoli was a starting fixture at slot and would not come out for the H-back. Still going to be mostly 5 pack look IMO, but Mackie could play a role a bit at H-back ? Will not be 2 NI receivers plus an H-back as the main set.
Ottawa went with 5 starting NI O-linemen some of last season = not in the cards for Campbell in BC - he will have to get to 7 only some other way. 4 starting NI O-line is only a remote possibility unless one of Figueora or Ryker M (or another import ?) do not start at OT ?
When I say obligatory 5th receiver/fullback I'm talking that position almost every team uses. One or the other gets listed as the starter and they typically rotate from there depending on the package the OC wants on the field for the given situation. H-Back? Sure but to me that's more an exercise in semantics. Quite often the FB plays that role lining up more like a TE or in a slot role. Mackie could do that. He's yet to record a carry in 2 years but has been used as a receiving target. Cottoy if he returns could also do that. He's certainly big enough.
Until we get closer to opening of free agency and see who else of their own pending FAs the Lions sign it's hard to guess what positions will be used for the final couple of NAT starters. It is looking like 3 OL and 2 receivers for sure (Durant and 5th WR/FB/H-Back). Everything points to a starting NAT LB, most likely MLB. I think the secondary will be 5 Americans.
The DL will also be all American starters. They would have to go on a free agency spending spree to turn a DL position into a NAT starter as not only would they need to find a starting calibre but also others to back him up. BC has no experienced NAT DL under contract.
So where does the 7th starter play? Re-signing Shaq Johnson would take care of that. With his brother already extended I'm thinking it's only a matter of time. As you are well aware I'm big on Cottoy. If he opts back in he, Durant and Johnson would lock in 3 starting receiver positions. Failing that it might be easier to find a NAT receiver in free agency than some other positions. Could Sinopoli be in play to follow Campbell out west? I doubt it as he's an Ottawa area guy plus I think he'd be too expensive. One NAT pending FA whose name does catch my eye is former Lion Bo Lokombo. He's not yet been extended by the Argos. I wonder if a repatriation might be in the cards there.
Who are all the "proven" import D-linemen the Lions have to pencil-in as starters ? Another way to get to 7 only NIs might be to draft (or maybe FA sign) a good D-line prospect (DE or DT) and hope that last year's pick Hammond pans out to play at DT, to combine with the new guy in a rotation of sorts so that there is always one NI D-lineman on the field - that's how the Bombers got to 7 late last year (6 on O and their 7th was a rotation of DT Jake Thomas & Jon Kongbo)