Here is the list of Alouettes who may become free agents if not signed prior to 16 February:
LS Martin Bedard
DL J.P. Bekasiak
DB Jerald Brown
QB Anthony Calvillo
FB Avon Cobourne
LB Chip Cox
SB Danny Desriveaux
K Damon Duval
WR SJ Green
LB Ramon Guzman
ST Andrew Hawkins
QB Chris Leak
DE Shawn Mayne
What priorities would you have? MIne are:
Must Sign: Calvillo, Cobourne, Cox, Green
Really like to keep if we don't break the bank: Bedard, Brown, Bekesiak, Guzman, Hawkins, and Leak
Don't really care one way or the other: Desriveaux
See ya later, thanks for your service: Duval, Mayne
QB Anthony Calvillo
SB Ben Cahoon
RB Avon Cobourne
WR SJ Green
DB Jerald Brown
K Damon Duval
LB Chip Cox
ST Andrew Hawkins
SB Danny Desriveaux
DL J.P. Bekasiak
QB Chris Leak
LS Martin Bedard
DE Shawn Mayne
Giffin, Michael
Guzman, Ramon
Spencer, Walter
Stewart, Anwar
Whitaker, Brandon
Pour faire une histoire courte, voici mes rejets et points d'interrogation. Je garderais tous les autres.
Bonne chance dans vos projets futurs : Duval, Mayne. J'inclus Desriveaux dans cette catégorie parce que j'estime qu'il mérite mieux que le rôle obscur qu'il joue avec les Alouettes. Il faudrait par contre combler son départ pour le ratio de joueurs canadiens. À la limite, je resigne Duval à rabais pour une saison et je cherche une alternative valable avec qui le mettre en compétition au camp d'entraînement. Ça fait une police d'assurance, faute de mieux.
Points d'interrogation :
Je ramènerais Hawkins pour une autre année, histoire qu'il puisse se faire valoir au prochain camp d'entraînement. Il a bien fait cette saison, mais rien d'extraordinaire non plus. Par contre, si Cahoon ne revient pas, ça pourrait lui ouvrir une place, mais il faudrait donc par ailleurs combler sa place sur le ratio car Hawkins est américain.
Est-ce que Spencer sortira sans séquelles de son opération? S'il est en mesure de reprendre là où il a laissé, on le garde. J'aime bien Giffin sur les unités spéciales, mais Spencer avait une vision que Giffin apprend encore.
Est-ce que Stewart sera encore dans le coup en 2011? Je crois que oui et qu'il pourra donner une autre année de bons services, mais je crains une autre sortie comme celle de Chiu. Dans la même mesure que la perte de Chiu a fait mal parce qu'il n'a pas été facile de combler son leadership, celui de Stewart frapperait de la même façon.
Bold: Absolutely must re-sign
Italic: Would be great to have back at the right price
Unformatted: Indifferent -- can stay (if price is right) or go (if price or cap is an issue)
Underline: No thanks
QB Anthony Calvillo SB Ben Cahoon RB Avon Cobourne WR SJ Green DB Jerald Brown K Damon Duval LB Chip Cox ST Andrew Hawkins
SB Danny Desriveaux DL J.P. Bekasiak
QB Chris Leak
LS Martin Bedard DE Shawn Mayne Giffin, Michael Guzman, Ramon Spencer, Walter Stewart, Anwar Whitaker, Brandon
I basically agree with the above posts with a couple of suggestions. Yes, we do have the must keep players as noted. In addition Duval might be a possibility but, would have to take a pay cut. I believe Sask, BC and other teams have demonstrated for years that there is room for CIS graduates in the kicking positions. Milo, of Laval, and perhaps one or two others should [ if available re draft team order ] be given the role of competition for Duval. If we are draft lucky then " Goodby Duval " .Brandon Whitaker, I agree, should not be invited to training camp.He has been given plenty of time to show that he does not belong. Laval has a good runner in S Levesque and, there are an other couple of CIS runners who might fill Whitaker's spot in the backfield. Lesveque can also show in receiving.
Desriveau has been around for several years without being noticed. Remember Dave Stala as the CIS rookie who was marked as a status player very early in training camp. The extra good ones will quickly show they belong- Desriveaux has showed nothing in his fairly long playing time and, he is too small to be effective in special teams- goodbye Desriveaux. Deslauriers, with a significent pat cut, might be invited back because of his important first down direct snap run in the Grey Cup game. I would not, however, put any money on this. With some cut in salary, Stewart and Hawkins will be at trainimng camp. However, I would lke Popp to bring in a couple of big rush ends and, some rush/receiver types to stimulate Hawkins to demonstrate clearly why he belongs on the team. I like Giffin and Spencer at STs for a reasonable salary. Outside of 2-3 players, the whole team deserve a good shot on the roster.
To add to the above. Coach Matthews used to yearly invite some ncaa players to bid for the running spot with the Als without great sucess. He finally gave the job to Erik Lapointe who kept this role with great success until brought down by injuries. Lumsden was another CIS back with super talent. Can any of you think of other CIS grads who were succesful in the pro running back role.
I like the idea of Levesque
I'm still stoked from his performance in the Vanier Cup
Not sure about his injury status...but if he can perform like that in a blizzard...hurt...he's a guy you need!
Him and Milo...actually
I know the fact that they're locals doesn't actually mean they get to play with the team
But the Alouettes really could use some more local talent
Lapointe was a great back...too bad about his injury problems
To go along with the thread: (In order of IMPORTANCE)
Must signs:
Calvillo (obviously)
Cox (best defensive player in the league)
Cobourne (best running back/pass blocker in the league)
Green (will have a HUGE season next year)
Guzman (solidifies the most underrated linebacker corps)
Hawkins (big things coming from the Hawk...you wait)
Brown (had a rough start in 2010...one of the best secondary run coverage guys...big hitter)
Spencer (gotta have the "teams" guys...leads the team in coverage tackles every year)
Giffin (another great "teams" guy)
Should Signs
Cahoon (only here because his status is uncertain)
Bekasiak (he's improved greatly...Als need to find some more d-linemen...rush end especially)
Stewart (slowed down in a BIG way...steps up in BIG games...maybe move inside?)
Get Lost Ya Bum
Leak (tough to say from one game...had a lot of detractors at Florida)
Duval (ugh)
Bedard (who?)
Whitaker (enough is enough....there are a million backs that can do what he does....better. Find one!)
Mayne (who?)
Desriveaux (Danny's never going to get a shot here. Maybe with another team?)
Agree with most of you. I wonder what will happen with Scott Milanovich who apparently has been granted permission to talk with the Riders. He has been a HUGE part of the offensive success of the Als; I wouldn't want the Riders to be "stealing all our thunder" so to speak. This will be an interesting one to follow.
At running back, we should re-sign Cobourne, cut Whitaker, and bring in some import talent to groom for when Avon is no longer able to carry the load. In our offense, the running back absolutely has to be a multidimensional player. He can't just be a great runner. Pass-blocking is just as important, followed closely by the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Smaller, versatile scatbacks like Cobourne are well-suited to our West Coast offense.
Si ma mémoire est bonne, Milanovitch a un contrat jusqu'en 2012. Je vous fais un pari : s'il va entraîner une autre équipe, il reviendra en 2013 pour prendre la relève de Trestman, avec 2 années d'expérience derrière la pas de cravate. S'il reste, il prendra la relève de Trestman en 2013.
The players that have been with the Als for the past three years have received $60.400 in playoff bonuses; $45,600 for the ones of 2 years and $22,800 for the 1 year players.
Of our potential free agents most of them have received $45,600; Calvillo,Cobourne,Cox,Desriveaux and Duval have received $60,400; unless there are substantial offers elsewhere, most will re-sign with the Als.
Amongst our 4 non-imports potential free agents, I say that all will receive a contract offer,except Mayne; I definitely say that Bédard and Desriveaux will accept; less sure with Bekasiak.
Amongst our 9 imports potential free agents, I say that they will all be offerred a contract; Cox and Green may "test" the NFL, but it is a major gamble with the possible NFL lockout; Duval will be back if he accepts a reduced salary; he will also have major competition in training camp,unlike the past years. Anthony will definitely return for a year or two,unless there are health issues.We may know more later on today,since a surgery was scheduled for this day.
I surely hope that some of our potential free agents will be signed soon; they-Als- have been extremely quiet in the past weeks.
Whew! Good news on the AC front, at least for now. From all reports, the surgery went very well and all seems A-OK at this point. Now, let's hope for a speedy recovery and another stellar season!
Edmonton just cut Jason Goss and Randee Drew. Are we interested in bringing either player in to push Brown (if he re-signs) and Parker in training camp? Drew is at least familiar with Tim Burke's defense.
Couldn't hurt. . . if they beat out Brown or Parker so be it. . . and it they can't then so be it.
Goss being released is not particularly a surprise, he was only part time there last season. Not sure how much gas is left in that particular tank, but I have always thought he was misused in Edmonton. . . he was one terrific shut down HB in Hamilton, but for some reason the Esks insisted on playing him on the corner. Sort of like what they did a few seasons back when they got Reggie Durden from Montreal. . . a great shtudown HB for the Als, again the Esks tried to make him into a corner. Odd to say the least.
That said, over and above Goss and Drew, i'd be thinking of taking a run at Lin J Shell and/or Chris Thompson, unless they both get re-signed prior to becoming free agents.
Well ideal, no one wants to sound alarmist, but Popp & co. may have a difficult off-season, trying to keep the elite players. It's still early, but the Als organization seems to be quiet about possible re-signings. I sincerely hope that Jim can manage to keep the team essenitally together.
Right now, there is nothing even on the table. Josh worked out with a few teams, and that's it. They may decide that they're not interested in signing him. Or one of those teams may sign him purely as a training-camp body, then cut him before the season starts. If and when Bourke sticks with an NFL team, then we can talk about replacements, but right now, I'm not particularly worried.
With the possible NFL lockout, I am not too worried; it would definitely be a huge loss; unless he is offerred a substantial signing bonus, he will not,at least I hope,test/sign with an NFL team. At 28 and with his knee injuries teams will think twice before signing him. I say the Als will offer him an extension.
According to CJAD, Cox's agent said that he and Jim Popp are discussing a long term contract for Chip Cox. If they sign before the end of 2010 I feel that he will receive a signing bonus,since I feel that the Als have at least a $150,000 "cushion" on/in/with the cap. Could be the same if Bourke signs also before end of December. Shea Emry could also be in this group.
Still with CJAD, S.J. Green agent said that S.J. had a good workout with Philadelphia earlier this week; one is scheduled with the Vikings tomorrow.
It would be easier to replace Green than players such as Bourke and Cox.
Don’t see how Green will stick in Philadelphia with all the receiver talent they have. Minnesota is a better bet IMO. If he leaves, do we go shopping on the free-agent market, or do we look to fill his position in-house? I don’t really see anyone on the roster with his physical tools and skill set. Bratton is a great fifth receiver but isn’t big and strong enough to be consistently effective inside. Hawkins is too small.
I’d love to get Cox inked to a long-term contract. And I certainly don’t mind forking over a signing bonus for an impact player like Chip Cox.
It's always weird to see that happen. Nobody threw Reggie's way when he was an Al playing inside, but he got torched in Edmonton and a year later, his career was over. He couldn't have declined that suddenly. Incidentally, great trade for us (we got Sanchez in the deal, didn't we?). :cowboy:
We've been able to resuscitate Bekasiak's career just by playing him at his natural position (defensive, not offensive, lineman) and allowing him time to rebuild his confidence and become acquainted with our system.
That said, over and above Goss and Drew, i'd be thinking of taking a run at Lin J Shell and/or Chris Thompson, unless they both get re-signed prior to becoming free agents.
I agree that Shell and Thompson are the cream of the available DB crop this year. But because they'll be sought after, we might not be able to outbid other teams with more cap space for their services, which is why a dark-horse signing like Drew (a solid DB who's already familiar with Burke's system and who won't break the bank to sign) might be the way to go.
One of the hallmarks of our identity as a team over the past decade is that pure athletic ability is frequently secondary to the ability to excel within our particular system. To put it another way, Popp tends to look for players who are good or ideal fits in our offensive or defensive systems, rather than the absolute best player available. I think back to Duane Butler getting cut by Hamilton, signing with us, and turning into Sackmaster Butler in his first season as an Als linebacker. It wasn't that Butler was such a tremendous talent; he was just a perfect fit in the blitz-happy Matthews / Jones defense we were running at the time. In fact, our entire linebacking corps from that time (Butler, Kevin Johnson, Tim Strickland) was an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
This is why it's not uncommon for players who enjoyed a lot of success with us to struggle or recede when they go to other teams.