Who will be moving on?

[David]

Of any position group, it seems that the receiver position has seen the biggest spike in FA contracts in the last couple of years, with Kenny Lawler's reported $300K a year deal in Edmonton. This year we have seen FA salaries climb even further for receivers (including Eugene Lewis's $300K a year deal in Edmonton), and with Rhymes signing his 1-year extension for $195K it's entirely possible that Whitehead is saying, "What about me?"

If this is the case, how about playing through your signed 2023 contract and then we'll talk.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

Of any position group, it seems that the receiver position has seen the biggest spike in FA contracts in the last couple of years, with Kenny Lawler's reported $300K a year deal in Edmonton. This year we have seen FA salaries climb even further for receivers (including Eugene Lewis's $300K a year deal in Edmonton), and with Rhymes signing his 1-year extension for $195K it's entirely possible that Whitehead is saying, "What about me?"

If this is the case, how about playing through your signed 2023 contract and then we'll talk.


DH

I think Lucky is already well paid. If I'm correctly interpreting this 3downnation article from last year, he made over $180,000 in 2022, including roster bonuses, and could have topped out over $200,000 if he played 18 regular-season games (he played 15), plus $5,000 bonuses for each punt or kick return TD. He was used only sporadically on punt returns last year and didn't have any return TDs.

Signing bonus: $50,000
Base salary: $70,000
Hard money: $132,000

At the time of signing, Lucky Whitehead and his helicopter beanie were billed as the highest paid receiver in the league. That changed with Duke Williams and Kenny Lawler, but he still has one of the most complex deals in the league. Lucky will get $20,000 the first time he plays a game and lump sums of $17,000 once he has played six games, 12 games and 18 regular season games. He’ll also receive $5,000 for each punt or kickoff return he takes to the house, added motivation to dominate in the return game.

CFL’s receiver salaries for 2022 season


Besides, he's one of the most popular and marketable players on the team, with the second best selling jersey last year after Rourke, including the No. 7 jersey I bought as a gift for Christmas and still need to get autographed.

[Toppy Vann]

I think we saw last year the type of offense Maksymic likes to run. Lots of short gain plays requiring quick reads and accurate throws. To me, that's more Evans' game than Adams. Adams is a risk taker and improviser. I bet Maksymic wanted this trade to happen.

Evans blew it as a starter last year. No one was going to give him a starter role this year. But if he can get his game back, he has potential to be the best QB in the league. I see this offense as the purrfect match for Evans' skill set. I think he will surprise some folks this year.

Evans said himself it was a mental game he was failing at. I wasn't entirely enamoured with some of his positive thinking ideas he stated in the media as it sounded too much like all he was saying was positive thinking alone and that's not exactly what that psychologist teaches.
Who knows what pressure he was getting from the Ticats so a new place sounds good.

A good move here for him and for the Lions. Can't see them trading him pre-season.

Hopefully Michael O'Connor finds a spot.

Adams didn't publicly react like he did when the Als brought in Trevor Harris and Adams blew up.

[David]

Minor transactions today as the club released four players from the roster.

Tyneil Cooper DB
Vad Lee QB
Kameron Toomer DL
Josiah Erickson DL

Cooper played 3 games for us last year, recording 10 tackles. The rest were prospects (I am guessing we needed to make room for more prospects from US free-agent tryout camps).


DH

[B.C.FAN]

Minor transactions today as the club released four players from the roster.

Tyneil Cooper DB
Vad Lee QB
Kameron Toomer DL
Josiah Erickson DL

Cooper played 3 games for us last year, recording 10 tackles. The rest were prospects (I am guessing we needed to make room for more prospects from US free-agent tryout camps).


DH

Not surprising, given the team’s depth at QB, DL and DB. Cooper was one of the breakout players of training camp last year, along with fellow DBs Manny Rugamba and Quincy Mauger. He had previous experience with Winnipeg, and it showed. Unfortunately, his experience was at HB and his game action last year all came at field CB. He had a few moments but didn’t excel.

[Hambone]

Not surprising, given the team’s depth at QB, DL and DB. Cooper was one of the breakout players of training camp last year, along with fellow DBs Manny Rugamba and Quincy Mauger. He had previous experience with Winnipeg, and it showed. Unfortunately, his experience was at HB and his game action last year all came at field CB. He had a few moments but didn’t excel.

With the addition of Evans BC had 5 QBs on the roster. 4 or at most 5 is a tyical number for camp assuming a team might be thinking of carrying a development type as #3 or on the PR. So we could see another youngster added to replace Lee and compete with Breylin Smith during the rookie camp with one of them likely being cut before main camp starts. Or they could do like last year and hit the ground running on installing the offense with the 3 veterans.

The Lions have so much quality and depth everywhere that there won't be very many positions open for competition. Tailback is the one that is totally wide open. The DL looks set. There might be options in the secondary that could open up some competition. Right now though it looks like Mauger would be pencilled in at safety with Mike Jones replacing Breaux at field CB. JC Abbott thinks Jones plays the sort of physical downhill game that they could play him at safety and Edwards-Cooper at field CB.

[Toppy Vann]

Former Lion Brett Boyko and latterly with the Riders is moving south again to XFL’s Orlando Guardians.

While Boyco was highly heralded out of university IIRC his potential was never much shown in actual games post-college - if you count 'em up.

Did those years struggling to stay in the NFL harm his passion or was it lack of playing time and not developing on the PR? Or was he just another star from college who didn't transition well to the pros. Interesting to hear his perspective if that was ever in a media story.

I struggled to believe he'd be a success in BC only because his chosen path was to stay in the NFL and get paid well and a pension chance. None of that choice can be questioned as that's a personal decision. Think of all those back up QBs who get paid well and never hurt! Maybe they're the smart ones.

Former Rider, Canadian OL Brett Boyko signs with XFL’s Orlando Guardians
By 3Down Staff -March 2, 2023

His brother Chris who enjoyed success as the Lions Strength & Conditioning trainer for years up to '19 while Brett's time in BC was less successful and is described by 3 Down as:

Boyko was a highly-touted off-season addition by the B.C. Lions in 2019, after they originally selected him 14th overall in the second round of the 2015 CFL Draft and were forced to wait for him to exhaust all NFL opportunities. He played 15 games and made five starts, but struggled noticeably when he was on the field.

https://3downnation.com/2023/03/02/form ... guardians/

[Hambone]

Boyko had been the top ranked prospect for the 2015 CFL Draft in both the September and January rankings. He fell to #2 in the final rankings only because Christian Covington declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft thus making him also eligible for the CFL Draft. He fell to BC in the second round after having participated in the NFL combine and being signed as a UDFA by the Eagles.

[David]

Woody re-upped through '24.

https://theprovince.com/sports/football ... -b-c-lions

Any word on Tanner Doll? He seems to be the forgotten man in free agency discussions thus far.


DH

He's one I'm really pulling for. He's done a great job at long snapper not just in that aspect but also getting downfield in coverage. I also love the loyalty his parents show. I've seen them sporting their Doll #40 jerseys at Lion home games, at training camp in Kamloops and most recently in the Lions Den at GC in Regina.

I think the long-snapper picture is a little clearer today. The club just signed a Global player (John Levi-Kruse) who has done long snapping in the German Football League.

The B.C. Lions have signed Global fullback John Levi-Kruse, who was the team’s third-round selection in the 2022 CFL Global Draft.

The six-foot-two, 246-pounder played two seasons at fullback, tight end, and long snapper the Hamburg Sea Devils of the European Football League. He made 23 receptions for 214 yards and five touchdowns and added two carries for 25 yards over 19 games with the club.

The native of Hamburg, Germany has previously been a member of the Elmshorn Fighting Pirates of German Football League2 in 2019 and the German National Team in 2017.



DH

[Toppy Vann]

While I've never understood Ambrosie's global plans as unlike soccer internationally where these teams can sign a foreign player and realize the benefits in much more kit sold to foreigners as those countries are into the sport and fans like wearing jerseys in those countries. During 8 years in Hong Kong and China the only CFL kit I ever saw was a Bombers jacket in Stanley Market on Hong Kong island. Any Sunday ventures to Stanley I'd check to see if it got sold LOL.

Does the CFL actually have any global players who make it?

Germany’s John-Levi Kruse craves the physicality of the CFLCFL | American Football | 04/17/2022

At the CFL Combine last month, Kruse tested well, with 18 reps on the bench press, a 32.5-inch vertical leap, a 4.88-second 40-yard dash and a broad jump of nine feet, six and seven-eighths of an inch. He had a 4.42-second shuttle and tied for fifth in the three-cone drill (7.06 seconds).

https://www.americanfootballinternation ... f-the-cfl/

[Hambone]

I figured another clue regarding Tanner Doll's status came in Matt Baker's 1st & Now segment on the defense when he noted several upcoming number changes. One was that Shawn Lemon will be donning Doll's old #40. Other changes include Adams switching from #8 to #3 which he wore at both Eastern Washington and Oregon and in some of his other CFL stops. Josh Woods switches from #3 to #2 while Dom Davis will wear VA's old #8. Dane Evans will wear #17 while 2nd year Leo Riley Pickett will switch from #76 to #45. Looks like Flintoft has traded in his #41 for #11 per the roster on the Lions website.

So for those who like buying replica jerseys you best take note.

[Hambone]

This Tweet caught my eye as it seems a bit odd. Since when is a player interested in his team’s trades unless they involve himself? Do you think he has asked for one? Maybe wanted his deal re-done and they said ‘no?’

[media] [/media]


DH

Then there was this on the day of the Evans trade. Was he asked to take a pay cut? Even with Evans re-worked deal & signing Lemon to probably a team friendly contract, that’s money they didn’t seem to have a few days ago.

[media] [/media]

An eagle eyed Rider fan noticed in CFL transactions yesterday it showed Lucky being deleted but then re-added to the Lions roster. Such transactions typically indicate a contract has been renegotiated. If all they did was rework the final year's numbers no announcement will be forthcoming. Maybe the squeeky beanie propeller got a bit of grease?

[Toppy Vann]

Interesting couple of tweets. Quite insightful as to their meaning.

Ideally he'll dump that silly twirly thing on his head and focus just on the games.

Save the styling for a Grey Cup win maybe. haha

[B.C.FAN]

Interesting couple of tweets. Quite insightful as to their meaning.

Ideally he'll dump that silly twirly thing on his head and focus just on the games.

Save the styling for a Grey Cup win maybe. haha

Lucky is the most recognizable ambassador for the team and had the most popular replica jersey last year after Nathan Rourke. His stadium entrances were social media sensations, and he loves interacting with fans in person. When he sat out a few games near the end of last season, he spent time at the stadium throwing a ball back and forth with young fans in the stands, including my 16-year-old granddaughter. He is her favourite player, and she has a new No. 7 Whitehead jersey to show it. Lucky’s fan friendliness gives the Lions the type of exposure money can’t buy.

[Hambone]

Interesting couple of tweets. Quite insightful as to their meaning.

Ideally he'll dump that silly twirly thing on his head and focus just on the games.

Save the styling for a Grey Cup win maybe. haha

Lucky is the most recognizable ambassador for the team and had the most popular replica jersey last year after Nathan Rourke. His stadium entrances were social media sensations, and he loves interacting with fans in person. When he sat out a few games near the end of last season, he spent time at the stadium throwing a ball back and forth with young fans in the stands, including my 16-year-old granddaughter. He is her favourite player, and she has a new No. 7 Whitehead jersey to show it. Lucky’s fan friendliness gives the Lions the type of exposure money can’t buy.

Not this season but in 2021 I remember him getting a souvenir football into the hands of a young 8ish year old girl low in the aisle of my section 213. I saw his truck outside Hillside Stadium in Kamloops during camp last year. It mirrors his outgoing personality. F150 short box stepside 4X4 with some big boots and sporting a metallic grape purple paint job.