While there are 8 more weeks before the expansion draft,I nevertheless add/include this topic and speculate on the players that should/will be protected by the Als.
This expansion draft has 3 rounds.
Round 1 -Import Draft. Clubs may protect 1 QB and 10 additional Import players; if a club loses a QB in this round it can protect 2 more Non-Import players on round 2; if a club loses a K or P on this round, it can protect 1 more Non-Import player on round 2.
Round 2-Non-Import Draft. Clubs will protect 6 Non-Import players or 8 or 7,if a QB or K or P has been selected in round 1.
Round 3- Non-Import Draft. Clubs will protect 6 additional Non-Import players.
Which Import and Non-Import players will be protected by the Als? Here are,in alphabetical order, my choices for the QB and additional 10 Import players that will be protected by the Als:
Troy Smith QB
John Bowman DE
Duron Carter WR
Chip Cox LB
S.J. Green SB
Kyries Hebert LB See note 1
Aaron Lavarias DE See note 1
Michael Ola OL See note 1
Billy Parker DB See note 1
Tyrell Sutton RB
Brandon Whitaker RB
The Als will have some potential free agents not protected -Cash,Gainey,Hopkins are examples- but I don't expect Ottawa to draft potential free agents,whether Imports or Non-Imports, from clubs. The non-potential Import free agent that the Als will lose to Ottawa should be amongst these players:WR/KR Tyron Carrier, WR Brandon London, CB Geoff Tisdale, LB Winston Venable and DB Ben Wells. My speculation is Winston Venable. I hope that he does not turn out to be a John Grace which the Als lost in the draft to Ottawa,in 2002; he was a practice roster player with the Als but he became a star with Ottawa and Calgary.
Non-Import players protected in round 2:
Ryan Bomben G
Josh Bourke T
Luc Brodeur-Jourdain C See note 1
Mike Edem S
Shea Emry LB
Jeff Perrett T
Should Ottawa select a QB from the Als- Josh Neiswander,potential free agent, or Tanner Marsh- the additional 2 Non-Import that the Als will protect are:
Marc-Olivier Brouillette LB/S See note 1
Steven Lumbala RB
In this round 2, I expect Ottawa to select,from the Als: Kristian Matte
Non-Import players protected in round 3
These additional 6 are on the assumption that Ottawa will not select a QB from the Als:
Marc-Olivier Brouillette LB/S See note 1
Eric Deslauriers WR
Michael Klassen DL
Patrick Lavoie FB
Steven Lumbala RB
Jerome Messam RB
Should Ottawa select a QB from the Als, Marc-Olivier and Steven will be added in round 2 of 8 protected players; the 2 other players on round 3 would then be:
Anthony Barrette G
Martin Bedard LS/FB
In this round 3, the player to be selected by Ottawa should be amongst these Non-Import players: DE Bo Adebayo,G Anthony Barrette, LS/FB Marin Bedard, LB Nicolas Boulay and LB Jordan Verdone. I say Adebayo or Barrette.
Because of health issues, I have not included Andrew Woodruff amongst protected Non-Import players; I doubt that Ottawa will take a chance on this player.
What are your thoughts/speculations? We will have the answers in 8 weeks and it will then be interesting to compare with our choices/speculations.
Richard
Note 1: Refer to potential free agents. For the ones protected in rounds 1 and 2, I foresee the Als/Jim Popp to sign them to new contracts before December 16,2013; others, unless chosen by Ottawa, should be signed after December 16 and before December 31,2013
