CFL (Non-Bombers) off-season news

[Jesse]

Watched an interview with Brett Lauther in the summer, he is the CFLPA rep for the Riders, he mentioned the CFL has not been upfront or forthcoming in releasing financial information or money to the PA.  It appears the league is taking a hostile approach to a cooperative effort. Cue the appointment of Stewart Johnston as a soulless sycophant of greed.

When the cap increase was released last year and no one knew what was happening, Justin Dunk reported that the financials were so delayed by the league that this increase was based on revenue from the 2021 or 2022 season. That's how far behind they are.

[Tecno]

Rourke is only in the CFL because NFL teams choose to not add him to a roster.

I think you're grasping for straws.

Except Rourke actually spoke to it, around the time he was coming back.

I think it's well known that Rourke could have had more tryouts and PR spots in the NFL had he wanted them.  He hadn't exhausted every possibility when he returned.

[Blue In BC]

Except Rourke actually spoke to it, around the time he was coming back.

I think it's well known that Rourke could have had more tryouts and PR spots in the NFL had he wanted them.  He hadn't exhausted every possibility when he returned.

Rourke got his big new contract in 2024 before the large 2025 SMS increase. It had nothing to do with SMS increasing than the Lions willing to increase his contract at the expense of elsewhere on the roster.  Noting that the Lions finished 3rd in 2024.

Every season teams will decide how to spend their SMS which includes trying to out bid other teams to retain players. In some cases they will choose to let players walk when that happens. Some players will not be offered new contracts as teams choose to go younger as players move up the depth chart.

The CFL cannot compete with the NFL with salaries.

[blue_gold_84]

Except Rourke actually spoke to it, around the time he was coming back.

I think it's well known that Rourke could have had more tryouts and PR spots in the NFL had he wanted them. He hadn't exhausted every possibility when he returned.

I don't know about that. He had workouts with a dozen NFL teams prior to the 2023 season. He then signed a three-year contract with the Jaguars, which didn't even last a year. He then floated around on waivers with the Patriots, Giants, and Falcons until he returned to the CFL.

I think the writing was on the wall for him after his release from the Falcons.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Rourke got his big new contract in 2024 before the large 2025 SMS increase. It had nothing to do with SMS increasing than the Lions willing to increase his contract at the expense of elsewhere on the roster.  Noting that the Lions finished 3rd in 2024.

Every season teams will decide how to spend their SMS which includes trying to out bid other teams to retain players. In some cases they will choose to let players walk when that happens. Some players will not be offered new contracts as teams choose to go younger as players move up the depth chart.

The CFL cannot compete with the NFL with salaries.

As to the timeline of the SMS increase, was there any mention of marketing money prior to Doman Re-signing Rourke for $824k/season? Seems like marketing money was the joker card the owners threw into the deck after the cards were dealt to excuse any over-spending they wished to indulge in. Instead of punishing Doman according to the SMS rules, they gave him a slap on the back. If it was a planned process I think it would have been discussed in the off-season and brought forward as a proposal.

[Blue In BC]

As to the timeline of the SMS increase, was there any mention of marketing money prior to Doman Re-signing Rourke for $824k/season? Seems like marketing money was the joker card the owners threw into the deck after the cards were dealt to excuse any over-spending they wished to indulge in. Instead of punishing Doman according to the SMS rules, they gave him a slap on the back. If it was a planned process I think it would have been discussed in the off-season and brought forward as a proposal.

IIRC there was marketing money prior to Rourke returning. How much and the rules behind the concept were not clear. It's still not clear. There has to be a limit otherwise there is no SMS. Geez. How much would the Lions been over in 2024 if they hadn't shifted some spend into MM? It's not like they just missed the mark.

Doman should have suffered more consequences but it it what it is.

Either way the 2024 SMS and 2025 SMS spend for Rourke is excessive. Yes another team may have been willing to pay that but it's still excessive.

SMS is spent across an entire roster and whatever is spent somewhere is not spent elsewhere.