Andy Fantuz

Has anyone heard anything on him and whether we will sign him this year ?

The only thing keeping him around is his Canadian passport ??To play ball , I’m sure they will find a clipboard job for him as a receivers coach consultant!!!

Who needs a guy like Fantuz when you have future Hall of Fame Cdn receivers like Aprile and Jones on your roster . ::slight_smile:

Bobo and Cats. Had a bit of respect for you but I now think you know diddley!!! You are so off base!!!!

Bobo and Cats are joking about not needing Fantuz and how well Aprile and Jones play.

I now see the Bobo humour but Cats?? Thanks Schmenger and apologies if I misread intent of comments.

Lol . Hey , no apologies needed . Anybody who reads these forums should know how I feel about Aprile and Jones and our rather pathetic shallow depth and lack of talent and the need for a desperate upgrade at the Cdn receiver position on this team .

Just in case you missed it , here is my thoughts and evaluations of these two that I posted earlier in the “2018 Draft” thread .

I’m certainly no fan of either Aprile or Jones as both have proven over and over again that they are not reliable or should even be close to being considered starting material on this team .

Aprile has been here 4 years now and has spent more time on the IL then on the active roster . When he has had the opportunity to start he has shown time and time again that he has a pair of boards for hands . Total games played with team (27 over 4 seasons) Total games missed on IL (45 over 4 seasons) . Total receptions in career here (3 receptions for 24 yards) . I will be personally shocked if Aprile somehow makes it through final cuts this year at TC and actually makes the team this year .

As for Jones , it seems like for every pass he catches he drops three more . He’s certainly not as pathetic as Aprile but he certainly isn’t starting material either . Let’s be honest here , there is no way that Jones would be starting on any other team in the league except for maybe Mtl and even then that would be a big maybe .

It's mildly surprising how little information there seems to be out there about Andy's status. He isn't on the roster, he "retired" and helped out on the sidelines last year, he isn't on the "final" coaching staff announced recently.

Some people think he is more or less done as a player. Others think he has "lots left in the tank". It's all speculation, none of us knows for sure how healthy he is, what kind of shape he's in, how ready he may be to resume playing, or if he even wants to. For that matter, we don't know how much the team actually wants him back. Money, health, skill level, desire, alternatives available... all unknown at this point.

I agree we are rather thin at Canadian receiver. Good thing we traded for Chambers last season. I hope we draft a good one this year, who is at least close to being ready to play.

But it sure would be good to know whether Fantuz will be playing for the Ticats this season.

probably a dumb question but has anyone asked Andy what's going on? or you all speculating?

Guys I like Andy and respect him but at his age and that type of injury sorry to say that might be a career if not great , hope to see him catching passes for Johnny !!!

Germany 2018 WC?? No way Italy all the way. Oops, they didnt make it? Well they would have won had they made it! ???.!!! If the Cats make him a reasonable offer, he’ll be back. Still has “the stuff?!

Andy Fantuz is still a good vet receiver with great hands and should be signed and moved into a tight end role with the Cats.

Maybe give him a contract that is less cash but more incentive attractive? I'm not as worried about a player overcoming an injury unless it was a career ending injury altogether. Look at Tom Brady years ago with a complete torn ACL in his knee, many predicted it would end his career at the time, heck he only got better and is still going at age 40?

If not Fantuz, I would like to see the Cats get back to utilizing a tall tight end anyway like the days of Rocky or Gabriel, if not Fantuz than someone in the 6'6" or 6'7" height with good hands, so tough to defend in the red zone.

Also whatever happened to the idea of using a bull rusher big fullback type of player, someone with size who can power rush the ball? Maybe not with the speed of a RB but built like a brick s..t house who can carry the ball on short yards and half the D-line with them?

GO CATS GO!!!

Silversurfer, you and I are apparently the last two voices crying in the wilderness about tight ends and fullbacks who actually run the ball. I guess the days of tight ends, and short yardage power backs in the CFL are maybe gone.

I go back to the Paul Dekker days, and the quick "pro pass", which would be today's "slant-in". Two or three yard pass, almost 100% completion rate and usually 5 yards guaranteed. Plus, the TE provides additional blocking protection on the blitz, or additional blocking on the QB roll-out or roll-out option. And what "old-timer" can forget the likes of Gerry McDougall or Bobby Kuntz powering up the gut for 2-3 guaranteed on a goal-line plunge?

Better defences? Changed philosophy? Rule changes favouring the passing game? All of the above?

I remember Paul Dekker, all 6'5" 220, running 90 yards for a touchdown in the 1961 Grey Cup . Unfortunately we lost in overtime to the Bombers. The Ted Watkins catch and run was similar in the 1967 Grey Cup . He was 6'3" and 200 lbs. The catch and run was 72 yards . Yes, the big men could run back in the day.

The modern NFL tight end looks like a Heath Miller at 6'5" 256 who retired in 2015 . The Steelers still haven't found a suitable replacement. A big guy who can run, block, and catch is every coordinator's dream .

Pat Lynch (the old guy)