Nationalized American rule begins in 2023

[theaardvark]

In the past, there were not enough quality NATS to fill the starting ratio on the roster, and we were "hiding" sub-par starting players in certain positions... today, there are plenty of quality NAT players, so that teams are playing 8 or even 9 Nats to keep their best players on the field. 

Do we need a naturalized Int clause to make teams better?  Does it? 

[Sir Blue and Gold]

This is another rule that I absolutely hate. Who is going to be counting the snaps? What happens if you go over the allowable snap count? What happens with an injury to any of the 'snap count' players? Could a 'snap count' player play more than 51% of the plays if he plays for multiple 'snap count' players?

This is just one more example of the stupid ratio rules that the CFL has. The ratio should be Canadians & non-Canadians. Simple. Easy to maintain during the game.

It is a good question as to what happens if you go over the allowable snap count. Not sure, but may be similar to how the league addresses ratio violations now which is warnings and fines and angry emails. I have no idea how they will police it, there is a number of ways they could do so, but I haven't seen any official language that indicates how that will work. I don't think we'll ever see an in-game flag for it and the change won't really be perceptible to the average fan.

The easiest way I can think of:
At the end of the game, the league will simply ensure that 7 nationals started 51% of snaps on either offense or defense. If there's an injury to a Canadian player, then the Canadian with the next most snap counts on that side of the ball is added from the snap that injury occurred at.

Another possibility is that they simply do not track it formally. The league might just say as long as the two Naturalized Americans are subbing for Canadians then great. Another clause in the new CBA is a bit of a carrot, rather than a stick, in that instead of territorial exemptions, teams with the most Canadian snaps in the season get extra picks. Perhaps the league's stance is it is enforcement through that incentive. How that would go over with the CBA is another story but could certainly be a wedge issue.

[Jesse]

This is another rule that I absolutely hate. Who is going to be counting the snaps? What happens if you go over the allowable snap count? What happens with an injury to any of the 'snap count' players? Could a 'snap count' player play more than 51% of the plays if he plays for multiple 'snap count' players?

This is just one more example of the stupid ratio rules that the CFL has. The ratio should be Canadians & non-Canadians. Simple. Easy to maintain during the game.

I'm personally ignoring it.

It's so stupid I can't waste energy on it - and there's going to be so much shenanigans around it because it will be impossible to track that it's essentially not worth any of our time to discuss, imo.

[Blue In BC]

In the past, there were not enough quality NATS to fill the starting ratio on the roster, and we were "hiding" sub-par starting players in certain positions... today, there are plenty of quality NAT players, so that teams are playing 8 or even 9 Nats to keep their best players on the field. 

Do we need a naturalized Int clause to make teams better?  Does it? 

I would dispute there are plenty of quality starting Canadians for several teams. Perhaps things are improving but it's still a supply / demand issue in a smaller pool.

Riders OL anybody?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I would dispute there are plenty of quality starting Canadians for several teams. Perhaps things are improving but it's still a supply / demand issue in a smaller pool.

Riders OL anybody?

Some might not want to admit it but offensive line play has been a serious issue across the league over the last decade. There is not enough talent in the American and Canadian pools. I mean, I know Stanley Bryant is an absolute gem but the fact he won the best offensive lineman at 36-years-old is kind of telling. There are some god-awful Canadian lineman hanging around CFL teams that wouldn't even start in Div III schools down in the US.

[Blue In BC]

Some might not want to admit it but offensive line play has been a serious issue across the league over the last decade. There is not enough talent in the American and Canadian pools. I mean, I know Stanley Bryant is an absolute gem but the fact he won the best offensive lineman at 36-years-old is kind of telling. There are some god-awful Canadian lineman hanging around CFL teams that wouldn't even start in Div III schools down in the US.

Many teams have several Canadians on their OL or DL. I think the ratio / roster size / PR size prevents better development of import talent on the OL/DL. It's the nature of the beast. That's the math of 17 import starters and only 4 DI's.

Overall I don't think finding import linemen is as difficult as you suggest. OTOH we now have the USFL and XFL drawing from the import talent pool.

Some teams could probably still replace the awful Canadian OL with imports that were better and probably less expensive. The problem is then finding those Canadians to fill other position in the ratio.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Whole program is a bit of crock IMO, never before have there been more good quality Natl. players available, especially on the offensive side of the ball.  Lazy teams don't want to take the time to develop them, they're looking for the easiest plug and play solutions and improving CDN. content is a long-term project. 

Football is dominated by players in their prime, not players who hang on too long prolonging their careers. Best thing to do with players past their prime is let them go, they're no longer driving ticket or merchandise sales and rarely do they improve the team on the field.  Case in point Charleston Hughes, Sask. would have been better off not taking up a roster spot to employ him when a younger Import DE would play for less and could be given more time to develop. 

[theaardvark]

I would dispute there are plenty of quality starting Canadians for several teams. Perhaps things are improving but it's still a supply / demand issue in a smaller pool.

Riders OL anybody?

There were plenty of Oline available, Oday just wasn't able to sign any of them because he had blown his budget... it wasn't a lack of available talent, but mismanagement.

There are lots of NAT's available, and the number that start in draft years is rising rapidly.  They are coming into the league much more game ready.  And more are finding out they are actually "Canadian" even though they didn't realize they qualified...

[Sir Blue and Gold]

There were plenty of Oline available, Oday just wasn't able to sign any of them because he had blown his budget... it wasn't a lack of available talent, but mismanagement.

There are lots of NAT's available, and the number that start in draft years is rising rapidly.  They are coming into the league much more game ready.  And more are finding out they are actually "Canadian" even though they didn't realize they qualified...

That's bunk. Good Canadian OL are a finite resource. Who should have he signed that he couldn't afford to? And if he had signed some of the 2021 free agents that worked out it simply would have shifted the problem to another club.

[Jesse]

That's bunk. Good Canadian OL are a finite resource. Who should have he signed that he couldn't afford to? And if he had signed some of the 2021 free agents that worked out it simply would have shifted the problem to another club.

That's an OL question though, not a Canadian issue.

There's talent all over the field, GMs don't need to (and shouldn't) lock themselves into starting all Canadian OL.

[Stats Junkie]

Re: Tracking snap counts

The CFL will add 2 in stadium spotters to track snap counts. I'm not sure if they will track all players or if it will be limited to nationals and/or designated Americans.

I have overheard a couple of conversations about in game application but it was mostly spit balling ideas. I won't share those conversations unless I can confirm details.

[Blue In BC]

That's an OL question though, not a Canadian issue.

There's talent all over the field, GMs don't need to (and shouldn't) lock themselves into starting all Canadian OL.

If that was true, they wouldn't do it. How many starting Canadian DB's are there outside of at safety and even then?  Most teams have more import DL and receivers than Canadians as well.

Comes down to supply and demand in the talent pool.

[Jesse]

If that was true, they wouldn't do it. How many starting Canadian DB's are there outside of at safety and even then?  Most teams have more import DL and receivers than Canadians as well.

Comes down to supply and demand in the talent pool.

Well, I disagree with you entirely.

[Blue In BC]

Well, I disagree with you entirely.

Name two starting Canadian DB's ( aside from safety ) the Bombers have had since 1990.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Re: Tracking snap counts

The CFL will add 2 in stadium spotters to track snap counts. I'm not sure if they will track all players or if it will be limited to nationals and/or designated Americans.

I have overheard a couple of conversations about in game application but it was mostly spit balling ideas. I won't share those conversations unless I can confirm details.

Thanks! I'm totally eager to learn how they will do it so if you hear anything official please send me a message