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Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 9:23 am
by David
My worst fear, perhaps completely unfounded, is that there are Ed Hervey loyalists out there who may say 'no thanks' to BC due to his recent ouster from the GM ranks (okay, technically it was a "resignation," but I think we can all call it for what it really was - a firing, likely at the behest of David Braley). As a "players GM," Hervey seems to have had a really good rapport with CFLers, a testament to his ability to sign so many of them each February.
I am thinking less of the established Lions (e.g., Bryan Burnham), rather FAs from other teams and those whom he signed last year from other teams (e.g. Chris Casher). Note that we re-signed Arndt and Rhymes (thankfully) but they have ties to Campbell from Ottawa.
DH
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:25 am
by B.C.FAN
The Lions have confirmed the signing of former Winnipeg DB Marcus Sayles to a three-year contract. Sayles played boundary HB for the Bombers in 2019 and was a CFL West Division all-star. He spent most of the 2020 season on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad so he was not on the list of pending CFL free agents.
The Lions have also quietly released DB Keon Lyn, who had stints at CB and safety in 2019 but spent much of the season on the practice squad.
The Sayles signing raises questions about the fate of the holdovers in the B.C. secondary. Aaron Grymes and T.J. Lee, the two starting halfbacks in 2019, are both under contract for 2021. I haven't heard a recent update on Grymes' recovery from ACL surgery on Oct. 31, 2019. I would not consider Sayles an upgrade on Grymes when the latter is healthy. Sayles, Grymes and Lee are all too small to play SAM, where the Lions had pencilled in Kenny Ladler as the starter for the cancelled 2020 season. He was released last fall to pursue NFL opportunities and is on the B.C. list of pending free agents for 2021.
The Lions also have boundary CB Garry Peters under contract for 2021. Projected field corner Victor Gamboa recently signed an extension through 2022.
Among national DBs who can compete for starting positions, O'Shane Samuels remains under contract and Hakeem Johnson was recently re-signed. Isaiah Guzylak-Messam and Kevin Francis are pending free agents.
LIONS LAND 2019 WEST ALL-STAR MARCUS SAYLES
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:50 am
by Murdoch
Typical of what happens when player personnel guys move around. Rigmaiden was likely the guy that brought Sayles to Winnipeg along with Anthony Gaitor and Craig Roh. Now that he has switched teams the players follow.
Sayles was an important part of a weak Winnipeg secondary. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction according to Newton.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:24 pm
by Hambone
Murdoch wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:50 am
Typical of what happens when player personnel guys move around. Rigmaiden was likely the guy that brought Sayles to Winnipeg along with Anthony Gaitor and Craig Roh. Now that he has switched teams the players follow.
Sayles was an important part of a weak Winnipeg secondary. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction according to Newton.
Only if one of Rigmaiden's very first acts in Winnipeg was to tell Miller to add Sayles to their neg list. Rigmaiden joined the Bombers a few days after Christmas 2017. Sayles name was on the list of 10 neg list players the Bombers released a few weeks later indicating he was likely on their radar before hiring Rigmaiden. He was on a futures contract with the Rams at the time. Rams released him 2 months later. Winnipeg signed him shortly after that.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:07 am
by SammyGreene
B.C.FAN wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:25 am
The Lions have confirmed the signing of former Winnipeg DB Marcus Sayles to a three-year contract. Sayles played boundary HB for the Bombers in 2019 and was a CFL West Division all-star. He spent most of the 2020 season on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad so he was not on the list of pending CFL free agents.
The Lions have also quietly released DB Keon Lyn, who had stints at CB and safety in 2019 but spent much of the season on the practice squad.
The Sayles signing raises questions about the fate of the holdovers in the B.C. secondary. Aaron Grymes and T.J. Lee, the two starting halfbacks in 2019, are both under contract for 2021. I haven't heard a recent update on Grymes' recovery from ACL surgery on Oct. 31, 2019. I would not consider Sayles an upgrade on Grymes when the latter is healthy. Sayles, Grymes and Lee are all too small to play SAM, where the Lions had pencilled in Kenny Ladler as the starter for the cancelled 2020 season. He was released last fall to pursue NFL opportunities and is on the B.C. list of pending free agents for 2021.
The Lions also have boundary CB Garry Peters under contract for 2021. Projected field corner Victor Gamboa recently signed an extension through 2022.
Among national DBs who can compete for starting positions, O'Shane Samuels remains under contract and Hakeem Johnson was recently re-signed. Isaiah Guzylak-Messam and Kevin Francis are pending free agents.
LIONS LAND 2019 WEST ALL-STAR MARCUS SAYLES
Good to see more cap money being spent on the defensive side of the ball as it was somewhat disproportionate in the Hervey era. However, sure hope it doesn't come at the expense of Ladler (SAM) or Johnson (DT) given the positions they play and the need to upgrade if the Lions are to escape the West Division basement in 2021.
Lions website roster not much help these days. Some free agents still listed and some not.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 12:00 pm
by Gridiron Ernie
A three-year contract got me wondering, and more than a little surprised when I saw that to be the case with the Marcus Sayles deal, simply because it's uncommon anymore... and as it happened I stumbled upon this recent Dave Naylor piece featuring some cogent thoughts/comments on the matter of current contract lengths (i.e. mostly one-years) from Adam Bighill.
https://www.tsn.ca/dave-naylor-a-fix-fo ... -1.1574382
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:32 pm
by B.C.FAN
In the first 11 days of 2021 the Lions and Argos have been the least active teams in signing players to 2021 contracts, according to the CFL transaction wire. Only 6 signings of new or returning players have been announced by the Lions (including 2 rookie signings announced today) and 4 by the Argos, compared to a high of 32 by Winnipeg. It's still early but I hope the Lions can make a big dent in their 32-player free-agent list before those players hit the open market in four weeks. The 2021 signings per team:
WIN 32
OTT 22
CAL 19
EDM 18
SAS 16
HAM 10
MTL 8
BCL 6
TOR 4
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:35 pm
by Hambone
Some of those numbers are a bit deceiving as Wpg, Ham and Edm didn't do anything until 2021.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 2:23 am
by Dusty
I'll be very surprised if any of the Hervey-signed free agents from last year that have not played for BC due to the cancelled season will sign with BC before Free Agency starts. Yes, BC can re-sign them now before FA starts, but why would the players not dip their toes back into free agency?
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:07 am
by Hambone
Dusty wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 2:23 am
I'll be very surprised if any of the Hervey-signed free agents from last year that have not played for BC due to the cancelled season will sign with BC before Free Agency starts. Yes, BC can re-sign them now before FA starts, but why would the players not dip their toes back into free agency?
Probably gets down to why they signed in BC last year and whether they just want to be mercenaries or if they really wanted to be here playing for Campbell and see it as unfinished business. I think hanging the "Hervey-signed" tag on those FAs is greatly underestimating the influence of Rick Campbell and his new coaching staff on last year's signings. Just my opinion but history and belief in a coaching staff I think carries more weight than who a GM is. Half a dozen of last year's signings had previous history with Campbell. A couple more like Rainey and Davis were Lions before Hervey came upon the scene.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:00 pm
by Dusty
Hambone wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:07 am
Dusty wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 2:23 am
I'll be very surprised if any of the Hervey-signed free agents from last year that have not played for BC due to the cancelled season will sign with BC before Free Agency starts. Yes, BC can re-sign them now before FA starts, but why would the players not dip their toes back into free agency?
Probably gets down to why they signed in BC last year and whether they just want to be mercenaries or if they really wanted to be here playing for Campbell and see it as unfinished business. I think hanging the "Hervey-signed" tag on those FAs is greatly underestimating the influence of Rick Campbell and his new coaching staff on last year's signings. Just my opinion but history and belief in a coaching staff I think carries more weight than who a GM is. Half a dozen of last year's signings had previous history with Campbell. A couple more like Rainey and Davis were Lions before Hervey came upon the scene.
I hadn't really considered the influence of Campbell on the DL signings (which I am most worried about) so I hope you are right about that. At the very least, you have given me a spark of hope that we may see them suit up for us next season. Ta for that..
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:20 pm
by B.C.FAN
The Lions have re-signed defensive end J.R. Tavai, who played for Campbell in Ottawa in 2019 and tied for the Redblacks team lead with 7 sacks, so that's one more potential free agent off the list.
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN J.R. TAVAI RETURNS TO LIONS FOR 2021
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:54 pm
by Hambone
Great news. See Dusty ya just had to be patient.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:58 pm
by Hambone
I noticed in CFL transactions that Eastern Washington QB Gage Gubrud signed. He had been amongst the neg list names released by the Lions the last 2 or 3 releases.
Re: 2021 CFL free agency
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 8:22 pm
by Dusty
Hambone wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:54 pm
Great news. See Dusty ya just had to be patient.
LOL..... Patience My Ass...... I wanna see signings!!!!! LMAO......