CFL - Full Time/Part Time

[TecnoGenius]

I was more thinking 2 things:

1. Multi-year contracts should be reciprocal: if the team can hold the player to it, the player should be able to hold the team to it.  (Or they can both agree to terms to cancel it.)  If the teams are scared of reduced production, put more of the contract into incentives.

2. Every year the CFL loses players to retirement before their time, and I bet a ton of them would stay if they earned a lot more $$.  Medlock & Goose come to mind.  This especially hurts with talented NATs.  And we're getting awful at attracting talent at QB and kicker from the USA (and probably other positions).  More money for players would help that.

[Blue In BC]

Just like every rule, it is meant to be utilized and will be by every team.  You spend to the cap.  10% re-signing bonus for vets, if every contract included it, would mean maybe 6% increase in cap.  Maybe.  Probably less, maybe 200k.  Which you are allowed to exceed the cap by already, if you want.  And some teams have found other ways to circumvent the cap and sign star players for suspiciously low contracts...

The key here is retention of players.  Like the NHL and extending max term for re-signing, or the max contract in the NBA only being allowed for players signing with their current teams , it would be an advantage for a team to re-sign its players.  Because contracts are not guaranteed, the NHL and NBA clauses would not work.  So, you need another way to do it.  By giving teams a "slush fund" outside the cap that they can use *if they want/need to* to retain players, you create more continuity. 

The actual budget, especially if the cap is adjusted down, would be the same... just you'd be allowed to spend more on your own players.

You can do that already in the SMS. I'm not suggesting we should have re-signed A. Harris and released one or both of Oliveria and Augustine, but that was a choice teams have.

Shifting some SMS into exempt bonus money is just another way of raising the SMS. Even though you are suggesting reducing the regular SMS to offset there is zero to gain.

Retention of players is a great idea.  Feel free to explain how any of this would have helped retain Lawler as an example The number of highly paid veterans varies season to season and team to team. Succession planning comes into play. Money is not the only factor why players move to other teams.

When players start earning $700K ( Reilly ) or Lawler ( $300K ) it means something has to give. If you're suggesting the actual total would be nearly the same then it's just playing games and slight of hand. There is a reason for a hard cap and penalties for going over.

This is true in the NFL as well. I just read that the Chiefs decided to not re-new the contact of Matthews ( previously about $40M for 3 years ).

I'd support raising the SMS and the ELC level if the league can afford it. I don't believe they can or will in the near future.  Regardless of the $$'s in the SMS teams will always need to adjust how they spend their money to put together a roster.

Every time a player does well after his 1st ELC there is a chance of wanting a significant larger contract. That's why players move in free agency.

[Blue In BC]

I was more thinking 2 things:

1. Multi-year contracts should be reciprocal: if the team can hold the player to it, the player should be able to hold the team to it.  (Or they can both agree to terms to cancel it.)  If the teams are scared of reduced production, put more of the contract into incentives.

2. Every year the CFL loses players to retirement before their time, and I bet a ton of them would stay if they earned a lot more $$.  Medlock & Goose come to mind.  This especially hurts with talented NATs.  And we're getting awful at attracting talent at QB and kicker from the USA (and probably other positions).  More money for players would help that.

The CFL isn't going to compete with the NFL to attract QB's or any player for that matter that gets NFL interest. Alford and Kongbo this year.

Free agency 2022 was not quite the norm due to losing the 2021 season. However we had to re-sign 23 players potential free agents.

Mike Jones became a starter in 2019 and played 7 games. He played all 14 in 2021 but was bumped to back up when Rose returned. Technically Jones extended his 2 year deal for 2021 after 2020 was cancelled. He may have gotten a bump from his ELC.

That said he's getting $106K from the Als. I'm not suggesting he isn't worth it but that's not an untypical example of players doing well and moving up the SMS ladder into contract # 2.  Bailey, Oliveria, Augustine to name a few got $30K or more bumps for their 2nd contact 3rd season.

No matter how large the SMS reaches, decisions will have to be made to construct any teams roster. You simply can't keep everybody you want.

[The Zipp]

It's a full time commitment for 6-7 months of the year.

  Does it provide a liveable wage for 12 months?  Depends on your living & family situation and your salary - for some it might be and for others it isn't.

[theaardvark]

It's a full time commitment for 6-7 months of the year.

  Does it provide a liveable wage for 12 months?  Depends on your living & family situation and your salary - for some it might be and for others it isn't.

Considering the min CFL salary is more than double the annual minimum wage... should be liveable.

[Blue In BC]

Considering the min CFL salary is more than double the annual minimum wage... should be liveable.

It's a discussion whether some players will generate some income during the season. It's not really a discussion to think players will add to their income during the off season. These are mostly 21 - 28 year old 1st year players we're considering on ELC's

I don't for a minute think they are being hard done by as a few posters suggested. Compared to the NFL money, sure but nobody is making players play if they feel hard done by.

If we can raise the SMS and / or the ELC levels, by all means I wouldn't disagree to have that happen.