Yikes! Lions 2024 potential free agents

[Hambone]

Squawk is Vernon Adams being asked to re-neg to help make room for Streveler. Makes me wonder what they were thinking when they extended Hollins.

Can't see Streveler signing for less than Dru Brown and would pass on that plan if I were the Lions. Vernon Adams is also the one guy I don't want to mess with from a team chemistry perspective. Perhaps his tweets of support for fellow players are getting him in trouble.

I don't see Streveler getting Brown money ($286K hard money with incentives to earn $340K). Ottawa traded for and signed Brown to be their 1a starter. He will enter Ottawa's camp with the starting job being his to lose. Streveler would not be joining BC under that scenario. He'd be coming in as #2 behind Adams. Brown's contract is very similar to that of Adams last year. You don't give your backup similar money to the undisputed starter.

Something like Dane Evans contract last year or maybe Masoli's recently reworked deal would be more in order. for Streveler. Both are low on base salary but with significant playtime incentives. Masoli has already been paid a $45K signing bonus with an $88.8K base for $133.8K hard money with $90K+ in playtime incentives that could get him up to $236.8K total compensation. Evans base was something like $96K with incentives that could have gotten him up to over $150K.

[SammyGreene]

A pretty decent podcast interview with Rick Campbell who gives an update where the Lions are as free agency nears.
Says there are six more players they would still like to re-sign among their 15 remaining FAs.
Of course a back-up QB will be #1 on their shopping list if nothing happens sooner.

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-arou ... embed=true

If the Als are targeting Betts, they did free up cap space today by releasing Sean Jamieson, their highest paid offensive lineman ($164,000) who missed almost the entire 2023 season recovering from an ACL injury.
https://3downnation.com/2024/01/25/mont ... -jamieson/

[Hambone]

A pretty decent podcast interview with Rick Campbell who gives an update where the Lions are as free agency nears.
Says there are six more players they would still like to re-sign among their 15 remaining FAs.
Of course a back-up QB will be #1 on their shopping list if nothing happens sooner.

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-arou ... embed=true

If the Als are targeting Betts, they did free up cap space today by releasing Sean Jamieson, their highest paid offensive lineman ($164,000) who missed almost the entire 2023 season recovering from an ACL injury.
https://3downnation.com/2024/01/25/mont ... -jamieson/

My personal list of the remaining FAs has:

WANT BACK BADLY:
Betts, Edwards-Cooper, Hladik, Woods
REALLY WOULD LIKE BACK;
Debaille, Knevel
WOULDN'T MIND BACK:
Jones, Whitehead, Sayles
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE:
Davis, Lafrance, Petermann, Norman, Usher.

Nothing personal about any of the names. I'm basing things more on team needs and where they are in their careers.

[B.C.FAN]

A pretty decent podcast interview with Rick Campbell who gives an update where the Lions are as free agency nears.
Says there are six more players they would still like to re-sign among their 15 remaining FAs.
Of course a back-up QB will be #1 on their shopping list if nothing happens sooner.

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-arou ... embed=true

If the Als are targeting Betts, they did free up cap space today by releasing Sean Jamieson, their highest paid offensive lineman ($164,000) who missed almost the entire 2023 season recovering from an ACL injury.
https://3downnation.com/2024/01/25/mont ... -jamieson/

My personal list of the remaining FAs has:

WANT BACK BADLY:
Betts, Edwards-Cooper, Hladik, Woods
REALLY WOULD LIKE BACK;
Debaille, Knevel
WOULDN'T MIND BACK:
Jones, Whitehead, Sayles
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE:
Davis, Lafrance, Petermann, Norman, Usher.

Nothing personal about any of the names. I'm basing things more on team needs and where they are in their careers.

It was interesting to hear Campbell say that while they like Taquan Mizzell, they will also be looking into the possibility of picking up an experienced free-agent RB as well as an experienced QB.

It wasn’t discussed in the podcast but from a depth perspective, their biggest need in free agency or the draft will likely be national receiver. Jevon Cottoy and Justin McInnis are both deserving to be regular starters this year, which means the Lions need at least one or two national receivers to back them up. Petermann knows the system and can step in if necessary but the only other national receiver under contract is Kieran Poissant from the Westshore Rebels, who went through training camp with the Lions last year.

[Hambone]

I fully expect them to land an experienced QB for #2. Hosting the GC they don't want to be in a position to rest their playoff hopes on a Chase Brice. No doubt they would like to add NAT depth behind Cottoy and McInnis. I don't have the list of pending FAs in front of me but presumably there might be upgrades for Petermann or perhaps in the draft. Could be some options at tailback. I think Calgary will move on from Carey and Montreal might do the same with Stanback. Neither seem to be the player they used to be thanks to injuries. Given BC's offense they might be able to thrive in a less-than-workhorse role and could be had for less than their previous salaries.

[SammyGreene]

Some good insight on how the Betts/BC negotiations currently stand from Farhan.

Betts wants to be the highest paid national in the league. That status currently belongs to Ottawa's Drew Desjarlais ($265,000) but Betts' agent's initial starting point was north of $300,000.

Farhan added he doesn't see how Montreal is a good fit for Betts from a football standpoint at least as he would be reunited with Noel Thorpe who was the DC during his two rather forgetful years in Edmonton.

He believes BC is where Betts wants to be but the Lions are not going to do anything crazy salary cap wise to make it happen. They instead would turn to plan B which would be using the allotted Betts money on free agency and probably tweaking their ratio accordingly. Maybe something like $275,000 gets it done?

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/~2854267

[DanoT]

I am hoping that for Betts, being coached on the D line by John Bowman is what will be the deciding factor in staying in B.C., with the prospect of repeating his spectacular 2023 again in 2024. It is not always about $ as sometimes it's about where you can preform at your best.

[David]

I have the feeling that Edmonton would offer Betts the crazy money ($300K) to go back there.

I do believe he wants to stay in BC from interviews I heard last year, so I am hopeful that $260K-$265K + incentives would get it done.


DH

[don corleone]

Wynton McManis staying in TO ends a lot of speculation. Thurman and Awe still out there as is Hladik.

I can see the Rider fans claiming Larry Dean was the top of their list all along.

[Hambone]

Wynton McManis staying in TO ends a lot of speculation. Thurman and Awe still out there as is Hladik.

I can see the Rider fans claiming Larry Dean was the top of their list all along.

Hasn't been much mention of Dean over on RF. I think consensus is they need to get younger. They seemed to expect there would be an exodus of Argo FAs following Mace to the Riders. Much disappointment re: McManis. Thurman is their Plab B at MLB. There has been no mention of Awe as a target.

[Hambone]

Mills has re-upped in Calgary a likely sign that they will move on from Carey or at least won't extend him unless he takes a significant haircut in an incentive laden deal.

[don corleone]

Mills has re-upped in Calgary a likely sign that they will move on from Carey or at least won't extend him unless he takes a significant haircut in an incentive laden deal.

Carey was reportedly making $135,000 which is a reasonable price for an impact player imo. Lions could do worse. I pay Carey before Ouellette given the chance.

Can't blame Dave Dickenson for liking Dedrick Mills though and kudos to their people for continuing to do a great job of recruiting talent.

[Hambone]

Mills has re-upped in Calgary a likely sign that they will move on from Carey or at least won't extend him unless he takes a significant haircut in an incentive laden deal.

Carey was reportedly making $135,000 which is a reasonable price for an impact player imo. Lions could do worse. I pay Carey before Ouellette given the chance.

Can't blame Dave Dickenson for liking Dedrick Mills though and kudos to their people for continuing to do a great job of recruiting talent.

$135K is fine for an impact player. Not so fine for a used-to-be impact player. I think that's where Carey is now.

[David]

Ka'Deem Carey has always been one of my favourite backs to watch. Incredible balance and vision. Very tough to bring down in the open field. But I would think long and hard before bringing in a 31-year old running back (even though he will only have been 2 years removed from a 1,088 yard season and a 6.6 yard rushing average).

Strictly a complimentary back, but for the $$ he will command, I don't think it's worth it. Would not be a good 'value' signing.


DH

[Toppy Vann]

Shawn Lemon got signed quickly with Montreal. Yeah, he's getting older but he and Darnell Sankey seem to be credited significantly by their GM and coaches not just for their play but their standard and leadership. I think it was one of the TSN side line reporters who quoted Noel Thorpe about how players who've been sitting all say they're game ready but usually aren't and added that to their surprise Shaw Lemon was ready to play and at a high level.

Austin Mack going to the NFL is no slam dunk but given how they put money up front, they say that bodes well for him getting a decent chance.

I am blown away that given how Masoli is not ready to play at TC, why they'd believe he has it still.
As much as I like Bo Levi Mitchell, I'm a skeptic that he can get his form back and stay healthy. Neither are those built like Michael Reily.