Update: Michael Reilly retires

[Coast Mountain Lion]

Not much incentive for Reilly to re-negotiate.

Mitchell in Calgary isn't comparable. Mitchell went down $40k in exchange for a$100k in upfront money. Reilly already has a ton of upfront $ coming to him. Mitchell nearly lost his job to his backup who just signed a bonus-based deal. Lions don't have many options.

Personally, I think Reilly is still an elite QB. A younger guy may offer more long term potential, but in a one game takes all scenario, I'd probably still take Reilly over anyone in the league today. I think he deserves to be paid as much or more than other QBs around the league. I'm guessing that Collaros is going to get a good payday as well.

Looking around at the free agent options, I don't see much there. Dane Evans may the top possibility, but i suspect he gets signed by Hamilton. Harris is a good passer, but lacks Reilly's competitiveness. Nichols seems to be done. Masoli has never been able to solidify a starting job and may be out of the league due to vaccination policy. Bethel-Thompson looks like an all star one game and an amateur the next. Rumours are that Streveler could return to he CFL, I'm not convinced he can pass well enough to be a successful starter.

If Rourke is the real deal, I think there is no one better than Reilly to bring him along over the next season. I'm definitely in the camp that hopes Reilly is back next year.

Hamilton may want to work out an arrangement involving both Evans and Masoli. Both seem to start well but neither has enough (stamina? concentration?) to complete an important game without the other coming in in relief. If I wanted someone out of Hamilton, I'd take Watford. He's shown enough as third string to be a capable backup, if not a bona fide starter.

[JohnnyMusso]

Here it is January 20, just few weeks before free agency and Reilly still has not made up his mind whether to play or retire. Needs to decide soon for if retiring Lions need to sign an experienced QB. Cannot roll dice with 2nd year player who only started 2 games and last one was a mean nothing game. Surprised it is taking Reilly this long.

[B.C.FAN]

Here it is January 20, just few weeks before free agency and Reilly still has not made up his mind whether to play or retire. Needs to decide soon for if retiring Lions need to sign an experienced QB. Cannot roll dice with 2nd year player who only started 2 games and last one was a mean nothing game. Surprised it is taking Reilly this long.

It would be nice to know Reilly's intentions but he's under contract so is under no obligation to do anything now. Neil McEvoy said earlier this month that the Lions don't want to rush into a decision.

“Once the 2022 season is starting off here, we’ll have to sit down as a staff and with Michael and discuss what direction we’re going to go, and that hasn’t happened yet,” said McEvoy. “We’re gonna have to do it sooner than later.

“We’re just sort of in the beginning stages of these tough decisions that have to be made. These are decisions that are going to be altering for everybody, so it’s something that we don’t want to rush into.”

B.C. Lions have small pending free-agent list with some big names on it

[SammyGreene]

Farhan on Dustin Neilson's radio show Wednesday adding to the mystery:

"I think the expectation that Michael (Reilly) will retire. I'm not telling you the decision has been made or that it's a slam dunk. "

[David]

If Reilly does retire (and I am hoping he returns), I do hope the club goes hard after Jeremiah Masoli.

He would have a legit chance to start here (until Rourke is legit ready to start every game...not certain he's there just yet), possesses elite skills, and West Coast roots. If we can end up paying him a more cap-friendly number, it will free up $$ to shore up other areas.


DH

[Gridiron Ernie]

If Reilly does retire (and I am hoping he returns), I do hope the club goes hard after Jeremiah Masoli.

He would have a legit chance to start here (until Rourke is legit ready to start every game...not certain he's there just yet), possesses elite skills, and West Coast roots. If we can end up paying him a more cap-friendly number, it will free up $$ to shore up other areas.


DH

Masoli is a very talented QB and an apparently highly respected team leader by his teammates, however signing an unvaccinated player is a complicated headache for any club considering doing that. As of last week (Jan. 15) only fully vaccinated professional athletes will be allowed in to Canada. It was a known fact that Masoli was not vaccinated for the Grey Cup. If there are still issues regards health and safety (related to the pandemic) in the 2022 season--and I suspect there will be to some degree at least, signing a player who can't enter the country and/or travel to road games is a major complication to say the least. Of course Masoli's personal status could change (if he gets the jab). Ideally, these considerations will become moot, but for now, in the midst of omicron peaking, clubs have to think this through.

[maxlion]

I am guessing that Masoli is going to get vaccinated. There will likely be a bidding war for his services between Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, potentially BC. His salary could come in close to $500k, which is a lot for Masoli in my opinion. Still, he may be the best option available for a team looking for a starting QB for the next few years, although Trevor Harris is probably the better passer.

[DanoT]

If Masoli doesn't get the vax, then his CFL career is over and I don't know about vax rules for the XFL or USFL but there will be no need to travel for the USFL as it is a one city made for TV league, so that could work out for Masoli, but at what pay scale?

[Lui05]

Reading this thread (and others), it seems there is debate about how much blame should go to Reilly for the pathetic team performance of the last two years.
I would say that the higher percentage you blame Reilly depends on how surprised/disappointed you were in the 2019 season. If your expectations were like 1988 when Dunigan showed up, your disappointment level will be higher.
But there appears to be universal agreement that regardless of who is QB for 2022, expectations for the team are pretty much non-existent.
If I'm Reilly, I'd be contemplating retirement too. He plays to win. He knows that won't happen in BC. But he also wants to be close to family so forcing his way out of BC to get to a contender somewhere else would be a sacrifice.
From what I can see, if Reilly comes back, we will win a few more games than if he doesn't. But overall, we're not competing for Lord Grey's mug regardless who is under centre this year.
Stick with Reilly if he returns. Let Rourke take over if he doesn't. Focus on improving the o-line, running game, kicking game and defense.

[Sir Purrcival]

I'd say that the shade being thrown on Reilly isn't so much about his talent, compete or worthiness to be a starter for this team, it is more about the dollars. It doesn't make much sense to have the highest paid player in the league on a team that has so many other glaring weaknesses. At least that is the way I feel about it. It is also my opinion that the style of ball he likes to play is really best suited for a team that can give him the protection and time he needs to tee up his mid and long range passes. We aren't that and realistically, we are likely going to be that for at least a few seasons even if we make the right moves. At this stage, I really think we need a more mobile QB. That isn't to say Reilly can't run but I cringed every time I saw him doing it knowing that he was already hurt. In a strange way, I guess that when he was running, he was at least able to slide rather than getting crunched in the backfield. If he stays, then fine but this team had better figure out the OLine or it is going to be another season of watching a QB either get buried, hurried or running for his life.

[B.C.FAN]

Michael Reilly has officially retired. Let the Nathan Rourke era begin.

https://www.bclions.com/2022/01/24/mich ... l-seasons/

[SammyGreene]

A wonderful career concludes for Michael Reilly. Let the speculation begin who the Lions 2022 starter will be:

Michael Reilly Announces Retirement After 11 CFL Seasons

(Vancouver)- The BC Lions announced today that quarterback Michael Reilly is retiring after 11 CFL seasons.

Reilly, 36, suited up in 168 games over his illustrious career, including 69 with the Lions starting from 2010-12 and ending with the return to his first CFL team from 2019-21. Along with winning his first Grey Cup ring with the squad in 2011, Reilly passed for 7,876 yards on 652 completions to go along with 38 touchdown passes as a Lion.

“Michael will go down as one of the great players and people our football club and league has ever seen,” said Lions co-GM/director of football operations Neil McEvoy.

“From his arrival mid-way through the 2010 season to scrapping his way to make our squad in 2011 training camp with a quarterback room that included Travis Lulay and Jarious Jackson, his drive to compete and win is something all young professionals should aspire to.”

Following a trade to Edmonton in 2013, Reilly established himself as one of the league’s top signal- callers. In 99 regular season contests over six seasons with the green and gold, Reilly passed for 26,929 yards on 2,120 completions with 144 touchdowns and would lead them to a Grey Cup championship in 2015.

Additional Michael Reilly Accolades:

Reilly’s 34,805 career passing yards are good for 14th on the CFL’s all-time list; he surpassed Darian Durant in 2021.
Led the CFL in passing on four occasions: 2016-18 with Edmonton and his final season in British Columbia in 2021.
Became only the third quarterback in CFL history to surpass the 5,000-yard mark in three consecutive seasons (2016-18). Doug Flutie and Anthony Calvillo are the other two to accomplish that feat.
Took home MVP honours in the 103rd Grey Cup in 2015 with 269 passing yards and two touchdown strikes in the 26-20 win over Ottawa.
Winner of 2017 Most Outstanding Player Award after career-highs in passing yards (5,830) and completions (30).
CFL All-Star in 2017 and West Division All-Star in both 2016 and 2017.
Surpassed the 300-yard passing mark on 57 occasions in his career.
Two-time CFL Top Performer of the Month and three times selected as a Top Performer of the Week in his final season of 2021.
-30-

[MacNews]

We should have kept him ... Who should replace him? Harris?

[KnowItAll]

Simply heart breaking for me.

[Sir Purrcival]

And that as they say is that. I really thought that he might want to go to another team for that last season of his contract but in the end, I guess that really wasn't up to him. A top notch player, kind of old school tough and a decent guy. It will seem strange for a while that he isn't in the league. I wish him well.

Now we have to decide what we are doing with that position and the money that Reilly's departure frees up. Hopefully it will make signing some of our FA's more likely and maybe leave some room for some other additions in the areas that we so desperately need.

Reilly was a very potent factor when it came to offensive scheme. What I see as being critical going forward whomever is at the helm is:

1. get some decent Oline blocking!!! Can't say it any plainer. No QB is going be successful or long lived if they are constantly underneath a pile getting crunched.
2. if going with a young QB, a good running game will help a lot. Time to move away a little from the "likely going to pass" playbook and a strong running game is part of that.
3. DLine. Part of being a winning team is stopping the other team from being successful on offense. That means being strong up front and being able to bring consistent pressure. Something that we haven't been able to do for it seems like years.
4. An for the love of some deity, find some consistent kicking. It's crazy that you have to go through multiple kickers in a season because you couldn't figure out who can kick a ball.