Rourke released, Signed by Atlanta...and released again AND SIGNS WITH BC

[peg_city]

Paying that much for any QB is too much. It didn't work when they gave that to Reilly and it wouldn't work giving it to Rourke. It destroys the ability to spend across the entire roster SMS.

I'm sure there will be at least one team that will offer the 600-700K contract.

[Blue In BC]

I'm sure there will be at least one team that will offer the 600-700K contract.

Then I'll suggest that team will need to cut several top performers.

[dd]

We're paying Collaros $600k, and Lawler and Schoen big contracts, so it can be done

[Blue In BC]

We're paying Collaros $600k, and Lawler and Schoen big contracts, so it can be done

In 2024 we lost Gray, Hardrick, Houston, Jeffcoat, Grant, Bailey, BOO, Rose, Brown, Walker, Prukop and a bunch of back ups. Our record is 3 - 6 at the moment which can be attributed in at least part of that shift in where and how we spent the SMS going into the season.

Due to the injuries and the development curve of the rookies, we've just gained our footing. Whether we finish in the play offs and / or make it to the Grey Cup is a bit early to determine.

So the " it can be done " is based on a successful season, not a re-build and possible failure. It's beginning to look like the 2024 rookies are going to be good ones as the season progresses. We still haven't resolved the problem on the OL.

Again I pointed out the same thing happening to the Lions when they gave Reilly $700K. It destroyed the rest of their roster and they finished last.

Elks gave Lawler $300K in 2022? He did get injured but the direct result of that SMS, was the loss of other talent.

[Pete]

when you consider that we've spent almost twice as much on our starting offensive players vs the defensive starters, its a wonder our defense is doing so well

[TecnoGenius]

It's beginning to look like the 2024 rookies are going to be good ones as the season progresses. We still haven't resolved the problem on the OL.

We didn't?  Did you see our OL last game?  Near perfect on pass-pro, near perfect on the run (one whiff in SY).

As I've been saying for weeks, plopping a 3rd IMP OL in there can solve all of our problems.  And it did vs BC.  Keep the OL 3 IMP for the forseeable future until it shows problems.  If the problems are the same, put Neuf back in.  If the problems are solved, keep Neuf out.  Simple.

[TecnoGenius]

It's ridiculous that a starting CFL QB can't make as much as a PR NFL QB.  The league should work up to having the SMS at a level that we can match NFL PRs.  That way guys like Rourke that quickly realize they only have a 1% chance of ever getting off a NFL PR will stay in the CFL as starters.

How much would the SMS have to rise to make this happen?  That should be a medium-term goal.  I'm not talking about teams overpaying QBs like Mike Reilly, I'm talking about the SMS pie being big enough that the normal QB portion can be competitive.

[J5V]

It's ridiculous that a starting CFL QB can't make as much as a PR NFL QB.  The league should work up to having the SMS at a level that we can match NFL PRs.  That way guys like Rourke that quickly realize they only have a 1% chance of ever getting off a NFL PR will stay in the CFL as starters.

How much would the SMS have to rise to make this happen?  That should be a medium-term goal.  I'm not talking about teams overpaying QBs like Mike Reilly, I'm talking about the SMS pie being big enough that the normal QB portion can be competitive.

So, just spitballin' here ...

Salary Cap = $5.585 million
45 players per team
Minimum salary = $70,000, players also get revenue sharing
$5.585M / 45 =  $124,111 per player

If a QB is paid $600,000 ...
44 players
$5.585M-$600,000 = $4.985M
$4.985 / 44 = $113,296 per player

Just paying a QB $600K costs $11,000 per player for the remaining 44 players. You can see pretty quickly that if you start paying out some big contracts besides the QB that the average per player is going to drop below $100K fast. To do what you propose and to consider the exchange rate on the American Greenback, you'd easily need at least another $500,000 to $1,000,000. A $6.1 to 6.5M cap might get you close.

[Jesse]

I remember the bidding for Casey Printers being ridiculous after the Chiefs cut him. He became the highest paid player in the CFL (his CFL contract was worth more than his NFL contract). I'm thinking Rourke Lands in BC for 600-700K a year and they trade Vernon Adam to whoever needs a quarterback (might be us in a year and a half).

Looks at Casey Printers wiki, he had the most Jim Carey (goalie) career I have seen.

One amazing year followed by nothing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Printers

Casey Printers last game in the CFL was against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (the Brink replaced by Jyles game). At the end of the highlight package, it shows why Printers was released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj8fPebMdPI

Zach and Chad already make 600. The bidding for Rourke starts at 700 and then will go crazy from there.

[VictorRomano]

Zach and Chad already make 600. The bidding for Rourke starts at 700 and then will go crazy from there.

Yup.  Rourke in going to be Bobby Hull 2.0.

[Blue In BC]

We didn't?  Did you see our OL last game?  Near perfect on pass-pro, near perfect on the run (one whiff in SY).

As I've been saying for weeks, plopping a 3rd IMP OL in there can solve all of our problems.  And it did vs BC.  Keep the OL 3 IMP for the forseeable future until it shows problems.  If the problems are the same, put Neuf back in.  If the problems are solved, keep Neuf out.  Simple.

One game is too small a sample to make that claim. I'm all for keeping Randolph as the starter if he continues to play well. Neufeld may not be available for an extended time. So it may not be an option to do otherwise.

There is no way to increase the SMS to match what a player earns on a PR in the NFL. Those players also get signing bonus's ( often ) and they have the chance of making the AR for a few games. Rourke made over $500K while on the PR most of the season but dressing for a few games.

We're also talking about a very small number of CFL players that leave the CFL in order to try and land an NFL role. Last year Ford did that and was lost to the Bombers for all of 2023. In 2024 I don't think there are more than a half dozen players that took the NFL option.

It's a moot discussion.

That's the fly in the ointment.

[Tiger]

So, just spitballin' here ...

Salary Cap = $5.585 million
45 players per team
Minimum salary = $70,000, players also get revenue sharing
$5.585M / 45 =  $124,111 per player

If a QB is paid $600,000 ...
44 players
$5.585M-$600,000 = $4.985M
$4.985 / 44 = $113,296 per player

Just paying a QB $600K costs $11,000 per player for the remaining 44 players. You can see pretty quickly that if you start paying out some big contracts besides the QB that the average per player is going to drop below $100K fast. To do what you propose and to consider the exchange rate on the American Greenback, you'd easily need at least another $500,000 to $1,000,000. A $6.1 to 6.5M cap might get you close.

Not to mention taxes. When Rourke was in FL he probably did not pay any.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It's ridiculous that a starting CFL QB can't make as much as a PR NFL QB.  The league should work up to having the SMS at a level that we can match NFL PRs.  That way guys like Rourke that quickly realize they only have a 1% chance of ever getting off a NFL PR will stay in the CFL as starters.

How much would the SMS have to rise to make this happen?  That should be a medium-term goal.  I'm not talking about teams overpaying QBs like Mike Reilly, I'm talking about the SMS pie being big enough that the normal QB portion can be competitive.

Why? It's pretty obvious that most starting QBs cannot get on an NFL PR roster so who cares if they're paid the same. No CFL positional group can come close to NFL PR money. That's not going to change.

[The Zipp]

you will never be able to equate the CFL and NFL...different leagues, different circumstances, different scope and scale.  Us fans of both the CFL and NFL are the lucky ones - we have football to watch from June to February!!  People who scoff at either league are the ones losing out on entertainment.

I am so excited for the NFL season!!

[ichabod_crane]

Yup.  Rourke in going to be Bobby Hull 2.0.

Bobby Hull bolted for a new hockey league from the NHL over those cheapskates in the NHL especially the Chicago owner Bill Wirtz who thought tossing nickels out as offers was acceptable! So not quite the same situation. He was the lynchpin for the newly formed WHA is the early 1970's.

If you actually look back at the WHA formation history, MANY MANY NHL'ers bolted the first few seasons as the got much better pay at least short term. The league was a bit of a joke outside the top 5 or so teams. The 4 longer term good teams eventually joined the NHL in 1979.