Our Free Agent's Signings Are in Limbo Until Brady & Dalton Make Their Moves

[theaardvark]

The only time destination seems to be a big factor is if a player is returning to his home area or returning to the team he played for.
Have we signed any player because the want to play in the coldest cfl city in Canada?
It all comes down to dollars, unfortunately.

Culture and post season dollars do play a small factor.  An "all things being almost equal".  And at ELC level, cost of living here vs. Toronto or Vancouver should make a huge difference.

I'd be pretty surprised in Walters went shopping in FA, since signing the last Collaros contract and adding Lawler's, he's maxed out his CC.

You do realize that almost half the spots for this team are presently unsigned, and some of those will sign elsewhere, right?

Walters BETTER be shopping the FA market to make sure we don't end up missing the boat on players we need that might no re-sign here.

[ModAdmin]

Word out there is that JJ94 is going to explore free agency.

[theaardvark]

Word out there is that JJ94 is going to explore free agency.

I'm OK with that... if he can get a better deal than we've offered, go get it. 

I bet Walters did offer him a lower contract, maybe with playing time bonuses.  I love him when he's healthy, but that's not often enough the case.  14 games this year, 12 each of the previous 4 years... hard to hold a roster spot and $SMS not knowing what you'll get.  Its not like he's getting any younger.

I think he'd be a great guy to have on speed dial for late in the season if he doesn't get a gig.  Bring him in for the playoffs, and he'd make some nie coin for a short period.  That is if we don't have better...

[Pigskin]

With JJ headed to FA, Miller retired and Darby gone. That leaves us with 19 players still left to sign.

With our JJ money we mite be able to get a player like Carney, who had 52 DTs last season. Or maybe we go with Haba and sign Winnipegger, Mason Bennett.

[Pete]

The main issue with JJ is as mentioned he's prone to getting hurt. That isn't going to change with another year older. This year with the cap space getting tighter and tighter its hard to chance that.
Carney would be a good target, but Sask  Roberson would look good too. Other Dl of note would be Brandon Barlow and AC Leonard.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

With JJ headed to FA, Miller retired and Darby gone. That leaves us with 19 players still left to sign.

With our JJ money we mite be able to get a player like Carney, who had 52 DTs last season. Or maybe we go with Haba and sign Winnipegger, Mason Bennett.

Not near enough to compensate for the loss of JJ, the D-line barely survives when he's out but thrives when he's in, which is needed come playoffs.  He's the most effective DE in the league when healthy, I guess he got tired of seeing every other top DE get paid more.  Hope to god Walters can bring him back.

If not, Ti-Cats just cut Kongbo.

https://3downnation.com/2024/01/29/canadian-dl-jonathan-kongbo-says-hes-been-released-by-hamilton-tiger-cats/

[Jesse]

JJ moving on would hurt. Our defence is not the same when he's out.

But there is opportunity here as well. If we can scout/recruit his replacement on a rookie deal that would be huge. Haba + new recruit + Kongbo could maybe add some juice and depth.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Losing JJ isn't that easy to backfill.....one of the best DEs in the CFL.....admittedly he does spend a lot of time in the cold tub yet he was instrumental in the playoff run.....not as much in the GC as they schemed against our PR with those hitch screens Techno detests!

[TecnoGenius]

The main issue with JJ is as mentioned he's prone to getting hurt. That isn't going to change with another year older. This year with the cap space getting tighter and tighter its hard to chance that.

Let's give Jeffcoat credit, though: he always found his way out of the tub come post-season time.  Every year.  And he's usually a huge asset in the post-season.

Haba isn't going to get it done.  Maybe in the future, but not now.  When Jeffcoat is out they just double/triple-team Willie J and effectively ignore the rest of the DL, and we never get through.  So we'd need a "real" DE in FA, and if that comes at more of a cost than JJ, then we're shooting ourselves in the foot.

Hey, how about we let someone else overpay JJ, and if it's clear we're a GC team by the trade deadline, trade for JJ for the playoff run!  Genius!  We'd only have to pay a tiny portion of his full-season salary.  (Just make sure we're not locked in for any 2025 money.)

That said, the other teams know how much tub time JJ does... don't think anyone will pony up big time, and thus his spot may be filled when he comes back to KW with a tucked tail...

...not as much in the GC as they schemed against our PR with those hitch screens Techno detests!

Argh!  PTSD!  <leaves to go cry in shower>

[Jesse]

That said, the other teams know how much tub time JJ does... don't think anyone will pony up big time, and thus his spot may be filled when he comes back to KW with a tucked tail...

Anthony Lanier for 250k from the Rider and he misses as many or more games than JJ. I don't think it's gonna hurt him at all tbh.

[Blue In BC]

Kongbo asked for his release from the TiCats. I don't view him as a starter but a decent back up Canadian. The fact he had issues in Vancouver resulting in being traded and now asking for his release is a little troubling.

Does he think he is better than he is and wants more money than he deserves?

I'm not opposed to bringing him back but there might be better options?

[theaardvark]

Its too bad we couldn't sign Jeffcoat to $200k per year, and have him sit in the tub the first 12 games on the 6 game IR.  Give him a boatload of nonSMS$ and have him ready for the end of the season / post season... 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Its too bad we couldn't sign Jeffcoat to $200k per year, and have him sit in the tub the first 12 games on the 6 game IR.  Give him a boatload of nonSMS$ and have him ready for the end of the season / post season... 

I agree, Jeffcoat has a chronic hip injury and I believe last year his playing time was managed to get the best performance from him when most needed. He played 14 games last season, his max was $185k, but his cap cost was probably less than $120k. Bump him up as needed, let him sit when needed, negotiate a cap hit of $150k, he still gets his pay even when not playing and it's off the books, so it's not a bad gig for him.  In his time off, they need to go all out to find his future replacement.

[Horseman]

With Jeffcoat appearing to be going to FA, what about making Betts and offer? Make our best offer and if not good enough he will go elsewhere BUT the culture here and economy could be enough to sway him taking into consideration ALL factors including cost of living.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

With Jeffcoat appearing to be going to FA, what about making Betts and offer? Make our best offer and if not good enough he will go elsewhere BUT the culture here and economy could be enough to sway him taking into consideration ALL factors including cost of living.

Betts is going to be looking for $200k+, Walters already has enough headaches fitting existing pieces back together.