Bombers release DB Tyrell Ford to pursue NFL opportunity

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Tuesday that the team has released National defensive back Tyrell Ford to allow him to pursue an NFL opportunity.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.cfl.ca/2023/01/10/bombers-release-db-tyrell-ford-to-pursue-nfl-opportunity/

What's the use of signing rookies and players to two to three years contracts? I definitely don't agree-nothing I can do about it- about this "window" /"passoire" allowing players to sign with an NFL team, even while under contract. To me it should apply only to players that are potential free agents, not to players signed for coming season.

The players Union and League did so to "please" American players and the hell with the fans.

Richard

I agree that they may need to rethink the NFL window.

Good one Randy !

Why blame Randy? To me, the main culprit is The Players Association.

Richard

Why "blame" anyone"? Unfortunately this is just the upshot of the CFL being so far below the NFL in terms of marketing, exposure, geographical reach etc. and that naturally affects salaries.

We always comment on here about how the QBs in the CFL earn salaries that are Practice Squad-level in the NFL, so now imagine the situation for a defender?

If Ford became the absolute top superstar National defensive player in the entire league, what is his salary realistically topping out at? 150-200k?

Make an NFL practice roster for a season and he doubles that. Make it to the active roster and his salary could move on to a different planet from anything the CFL might have offered.

You can grumble but it is what it is.

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If the CFL drops the NFL window they will lose a large amount of players who agree to CFL contracts knowing they can opt out for the NFL every year. It only really effects about a dozen players out of over 500 CFL payers every year.

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And a lot of those guys wind up coming back too. Sucks to lose young players but a lot wouldn’t sign here otherwise if they were locked in 2-3 years with no way out. It won’t get any better with the USFL/XFL still kicking.

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Packers have signed him.
Sounds like the Bombers had plans of him starting in the secondary, so it's a big loss.

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I have a couple of friends that are coaches for OUA Football. They have both told me that these January "futures" contracts are sometimes legit and 50% of the time are "camp body" type situations. One also said the the CFL GM or coach is usually told in secret and in private if the player has a legit shot or if it is just a "camp body" situation. So sometimes the CFL team releases a player with a 90% certainty that they will be back in the CFL by September.