2025 Free Agency (Blue Bomber Signings/News)

[Pete]

It seems simple to me by paying bonuses it gives the player more security, and they get taxed less. As a result the team can pay less and the player still gets the same. (security in that if a player signs and then the team finds a better option it becomes expensive for them to be cut as the bonus still counts to the cap)
the risk to the team is that you don't get injury relief on the bonus amount.
So its a gamble on the teams part. It is significant really only on the big bonus contracts. its significant to the team in $'s and in not being able to afford to cut a player that is underperforming)

[J5V]

LMAO!    

[BomberFan73]

LMAO!    

Ya, I feel the same.
I'm a football fan, not a bloody accountant!

[dd]

LMAO!    

Couldn't have said it better myself!!

[TecnoGenius]

Henoc Muamba??? Really? Are you kidding?

Sigh.  Reading comprehension.

I was countering the theory that there are zero options for high-end players mid/late season.  I listed some clear examples of players that suddenly became available mid/late season: Rourke, Betts, etc.  (There's many every year, think up your own.)

I also recall Henoc coming back to the CFL mid-season, however I may be mistaken and it may have been in FA.  If my initial memory is correct, Henoc would make literally the perfect example of a high-priced high-talent player coming back and doing the big team-shopping tour.  If you don't like the Henoc example ("muh too long ago derp derp") then feel free to insert your own more recent example.

Bottom line for the challenged: Signing-bonus SMS relief on a week 3 season-ender on your #1 REC would provide the money needed to sign & start another #1 later in the season instead of starting Wheatfall in the GC.

[TecnoGenius]

You miss the point entirely.  If Schoen's money was even 1/2 upfront (it wasn't even close to that, if any at all), but say it was, then we would have recouped $100k in non-upfront money, which is more than we paid Wilson to replace him.

The flaw in your reasoning is that teams should be satisfied being forced to start a Pokey or Wheatie in place of the intended Lawler and Schoen!  Just because Pokey turned out to be a lucky gem on ELC doesn't mean that will always be the case.

Everywhere you want to insert Pokey as your example instead insert "Wheatfall" and then reread it to see if it makes sense.

Let's say there was a late-season couch-sitter / NFL-returnee #1 REC available in 2024.  If bonus money was SMS-sheltered we probably could have afforded him, because so much bonus was "lost" because of Schoen/Kenny injuries.  As it stood we went into a GC starting (near-)rookies Clercius, Wheatfall, and (yes, lucky find) Pokey.

Yes, I realize that in 2024 there probably wasn't a #1 REC available late (if Mack was returning to his ELC contract), but that doesn't negate the argument.  There's usually some guys available in at least some/most of the positions.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Bomber Winter Special on CJOB tonight.

[TecnoGenius]

Bomber Winter Special on CJOB tonight.

Oooh, thanks!

https://globalnews.ca/pages/audio-vault-cjob/

Feb 25, 7pm

it's already up for a late listen

(P.S. DT, it's a soaker not a booter!)

[Sir Blue and Gold]

E.L.C.?
I thought that was an NHL term.?
The CFL doesn't really abide by those do they?

Not in the NHL sense. In the CFL people use ELC as a reference to the league minimum salary ($70,000).

[TecnoGenius]

Not in the NHL sense. In the CFL people use ELC as a reference to the league minimum salary ($70,000).

And the fact they are tied down for 2 years on it (right?).

It seems clear that often the big GC contenders will be the teams that scouted the best ELCs that year or the previous year (incl DPs).  It's really one of the only ways to get a real edge in the SMS CFL... getting a clearly $200k player for $70k (think Schoen, or Ento, or Mack when they were on their ELCs).

[Sir Blue and Gold]

And the fact they are tied down for 2 years on it (right?).

It seems clear that often the big GC contenders will be the teams that scouted the best ELCs that year or the previous year (incl DPs).  It's really one of the only ways to get a real edge in the SMS CFL... getting a clearly $200k player for $70k (think Schoen, or Ento, or Mack when they were on their ELCs).

National draft picks get two year plus a team option year at $70,000 plus housing/bonus topping out around $85,000.

Americans have no such restrictions in their first contract.

You'll still hear people describe American players on an ELC but what they usually mean is the player is signed for near the $70,000 minimum.

[theaardvark]

And the fact they are tied down for 2 years on it (right?).

It seems clear that often the big GC contenders will be the teams that scouted the best ELCs that year or the previous year (incl DPs).  It's really one of the only ways to get a real edge in the SMS CFL... getting a clearly $200k player for $70k (think Schoen, or Ento, or Mack when they were on their ELCs).

Pretty sure there is a sliding scale for draft pick compensation depending on their draft order.  Higher picks get paid more...  not a huge amount, but still.  Min 2 years, but nothing stopping the team/player from signing a 3 year deal.

[TecnoGenius]

Pretty sure there is a sliding scale for draft pick compensation depending on their draft order.  Higher picks get paid more

First I've heard that... though it kind of stands to reason.  I think I recall some sort of talk of compensation negotiation going on with a raw new DP and it struck me as odd, but I may be misremembering...

The whole DP thing is like a black box to me.  All I know is what picks fall out of it when it's shaken in March or April or whenever the draft is.  And that new DPs are cheap.

[Blue In BC]

First I've heard that... though it kind of stands to reason.  I think I recall some sort of talk of compensation negotiation going on with a raw new DP and it struck me as odd, but I may be misremembering...

The whole DP thing is like a black box to me.  All I know is what picks fall out of it when it's shaken in March or April or whenever the draft is.  And that new DPs are cheap.

I think 1st round and possibly 2nd round draft picks sign 3 year deals. Money is higher than the bottom amount on ELC's.

It appears that most teams are done with signing those free agents remaining. There are still a few good ones, but age, injury history and / or SMS are now considerations. It's possible a few get signed as injuries happen in TC or a few retirement surprises occur?

When do we find out when the rookie tryout camps start?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

First I've heard that... though it kind of stands to reason.  I think I recall some sort of talk of compensation negotiation going on with a raw new DP and it struck me as odd, but I may be misremembering...

The whole DP thing is like a black box to me.  All I know is what picks fall out of it when it's shaken in March or April or whenever the draft is.  And that new DPs are cheap.

The following is from https://cfldb.ca/faq/compensation/

The 2019 CBA introduced a rookie salary structure for Nationals first contract consisting of 2 years plus a team option. Starting in 2023, a Max. Min salary (interpret as you will) is defined as $70,000 for the first two years of the contract, with a maximum housing allowance or signing/roster bonus of $7,500 per season and maximum 50% + 1 bonus based on snaps of $7,500 per season for a maximum earnings of $85,000 for first and second round picks in their first two seasons, with the third season base salary not exceeding the second year base salary by more that 10%. Third and fourth round picks have similar restrictions, except the housing allowance or signing/roster bonus is capped at $5,000 per season for a maximum earnings of $82,500. Fifth round picks and higher along with undrafted Nationals have the same restrictions except the optional housing allowance or signing/roster bonus for the first two years of the contract are capped at $2,500 limiting earnings to a maximum of $80,000 per season. There are no restrictions on the amount of contracts or bonuses for American players signing their first CFL contract. See Section 9.02 of the CBA for more details.

Seems to me having a ceiling of $85k on draft pick earnings for 2 years acts as an impediment to signing highly skilled Cdn. college players like Nathan Rourke. No wonder so many O-linemen going fishing for NFL deals straight out of school.