Roster changes from 2024

[Jesse]

You're likely right but if we signed Ceresna after that for 250k , it wouldn't be an issue for Wilie for example?

I can't imagine why it would. I'm sure Willie would be psyched to play next to Ceresna. They would make each other much more successful.

[TecnoGenius]

Willie Bryant and Holm would have gotten more in the free agent market.

It's not the comparison to other players in the league its within our own team and the sense of fairness and equity

That brings up an interesting thought... what if KW is reserving the $400k windfall to wait until the AR is set and then offering each current player their proportional amount?

Sounds dumb & crazy, but it would make him the most-loved-by-players GM in the league.  He wouldn't have to break any contracts either, just pay it out as a bonus (maybe at season end).

He has to do something with the money.  Once it's clear it's just $400k gravy money each GM can drunken-sailor away as they see fit, he'll have to commit that money to players somehow, someway!

[TecnoGenius]

At the very least, Schoen should get Lawler's agent working for him!!! Lawler stole the farm on his deal, given he gets hurt every year for at least 1/3 of the season, but whatever, desperate teams do desperate things

Hurt, or drinks & drives, or can't get into the country, or... It'll be a miracle if there's not some fiasco again this season.  Unless Goveia babysits him like a hawk until he's actually in the house for TC.

[TecnoGenius]

With that in mind betcha Schoen explores FA a lot deeper next off-season if he has a great year.  The entire league was pulling receiver salaries back down towards reasonable, until Teddy-boy blew it up signing Lawler.  I wonder if any other team pushed him there, or if he just blurted $275k out in excitement.

I still maintain that HAM must have had inside baseball on the extra $400k.  It's really the only thing that explains their early-FA/TP insanity.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I still maintain that HAM must have had inside baseball on the extra $400k.  It's really the only thing that explains their early-FA/TP insanity.

Could be someone inside the CFLPA leaked the news to a few GM's but not to all. The CFL has a lot of shenanigan but lacks scandal.

[Blue In BC]

Could be someone inside the CFLPA leaked the news to a few GM's but not to all. The CFL has a lot of shenanigan but lacks scandal.

I'm not a fan of conspiracy theories. Regardless, any team can sign a bunch of players for high contract amounts in the off season. That doesn't mean they all make the AR at final cut down. A few might end up on 6 game IR, be released or traded.

SMS aside from early money doesn't count until the final rosters are declared. In some cases, players that had existing contracts may be asked to re-negotiate ( Rourke ) for example.

[TecnoGenius]

I'm not a fan of conspiracy theories. Regardless, any team can sign a bunch of players for high contract amounts in the off season. That doesn't mean they all make the AR at final cut down. A few might end up on 6 game IR, be released or traded.

You mean that a team can "sign" 10 Kennys for $275k each in FA and then cut all but 1 after TC and not have to honor the other 9 "contracts"?

What a strange system.  Then why wouldn't a team offer $1M to every single FA in the league, hog them all in their TC, deprive the other teams, and then release them all 1 day before season opener?  Great way to screw over every team except your own.

What's the meaning of the word "contract" then?

Does that mean the only "contracts" in FA that mean a hill of beans are ones with non-paltry signing bonuses?

[TecnoGenius]

Could be someone inside the CFLPA leaked the news to a few GM's but not to all. The CFL has a lot of shenanigan but lacks scandal.

Don't you mean the CFL proper?  I would have thought the CFPA had zero advance notice of the $400k news?

[Blue In BC]

You mean that a team can "sign" 10 Kennys for $275k each in FA and then cut all but 1 after TC and not have to honor the other 9 "contracts"?

What a strange system.  Then why wouldn't a team offer $1M to every single FA in the league, hog them all in their TC, deprive the other teams, and then release them all 1 day before season opener?  Great way to screw over every team except your own.

What's the meaning of the word "contract" then?

Does that mean the only "contracts" in FA that mean a hill of beans are ones with non-paltry signing bonuses?

Higher value contacts usually have signing bonus money. So it wouldn't make sense to sign 10 receivers @ $275K and then cut 9 of them.

OTOH, we signed some receivers at $90K or less. Barring injury there isn't room for all of them on the AR. Someone will get cut.

It depends on whether there is guaranteed money involved as well as larger signing bonus money.

Look at all the rookies that are signed for TC. If they make the roster they will probably be on ELC's. More will be released outright than make the roster or even the PR.

Don't put too much thought into teams that sign a bunch of higher paid players. Not all will have big signing bonus as part of their deals.

As far as the Elks, I'm not sure who got what in early money. However, they are doing a 180 turnover on their roster, so that's in a different world.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Don't you mean the CFL proper?  I would have thought the CFPA had zero advance notice of the $400k news?

I don't know why but the announced money seems to have been channeled through the CFLPA.

https://cflpa.com/cflpa-shares-historic-salary-cap-increase-for-2025-season

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'm not a fan of conspiracy theories. Regardless, any team can sign a bunch of players for high contract amounts in the off season. That doesn't mean they all make the AR at final cut down. A few might end up on 6 game IR, be released or traded.

SMS aside from early money doesn't count until the final rosters are declared. In some cases, players that had existing contracts may be asked to re-negotiate ( Rourke ) for example.

This is a highly unlikely scenario, team's don't sign players in FA than renegotiate their contracts, nor are they likely to cut or PR a player they deemed worthy of pursuing in FA.  Exception Shea Patterson, not that they pursued him but I could see Patterson being cut as soon as Strev. is able to go.

[TecnoGenius]

I don't know why but the announced money seems to have been channeled through the CFLPA.

Interesting!  Who's the current prez / VP (etc.) of CFLPA?  They wouldn't have previously played for HAM & EDM by any chance?

[TecnoGenius]

nor are they likely to cut or PR a player they deemed worthy of pursuing in FA.

But in theory a malicious GM could sign every single FA player to a $1M contract in FA and release them after TC and not actually spend a dime of SMS, right?  The only caveat is you have to offer a $0 signing bonus.

Again, very strange system, and very strange definition of "contract".

It's amazing the players put up with such lopsided "contract" terms.  The players are 100% bound but the teams can cut at will on all but the most vet / most $ contracts.

[Blue In BC]

This is a highly unlikely scenario, team's don't sign players in FA than renegotiate their contracts, nor are they likely to cut or PR a player they deemed worthy of pursuing in FA.  Exception Shea Patterson, not that they pursued him but I could see Patterson being cut as soon as Strev. is able to go.

I was suggesting re-negotiating contract of players that were not free agents. I mentioned Rourke as an example. That swings the total SMS somewhat more favourably.

[Blue In BC]

But in theory a malicious GM could sign every single FA player to a $1M contract in FA and release them after TC and not actually spend a dime of SMS, right?  The only caveat is you have to offer a $0 signing bonus.

Again, very strange system, and very strange definition of "contract".

It's amazing the players put up with such lopsided "contract" terms.  The players are 100% bound but the teams can cut at will on all but the most vet / most $ contracts.

All contracts have to be approved by the league. At some point they may consider the accumulation of contracts across the roster as part of SMS control. There is also an off season roster limit to take into account.

I'd like to think teams try to work within the spirit of the rules.