It appears from todays CFL.ca news quoting one of the Calgary owners, Hellard that things are moving forward to a return of football in Ottawa next year. With three serious groups in the running and the price has dropped to 3.5 mil for the franchise and 3.5 mil to be put up for operating costs.
Mr. Hellard is quoted as saying the team needs to be competative without gutting the other teams. To me this would mean Canadian players good enough to start but not the top 5 or 6 current starters of each team. I would suggest the league hire the expertise of some retired CFL GM's, coaches, personal directors etc. to evaluate the current rosters to try and come up with a fair list for all involved of the players made available. It can't be left up to the current GM's and coaches as most of them would cheat their own grandmothers over football players, which is understandable as their jobs depend on their performance.
With that in mind I'll give my picks of the calibre of players that might fall into "fair" category. Players such as QB Kerry Joseph of Sask. and OC Kahn of Winnipeg would have to stay with their current teams as they would leave to big a hole.
First picks of Candian players:
OT Luke Fritz - Montreal
SB David Azzi - Toronto
OG Val St. Germain - Winnipeg
S Scott Gordon - Hamilton
FB Cory Hathaway - Saskatchewan
OC Godfrey Ellis - Calgary
WR Pat Woodcock - Edmonton
OG Sherko Haji-Rasouli - B.C.
Second group of Canadians (lower end of rosters):
WR Shawn Diner - Montreal
RB John Williams - Toronto
DL Adam Baird - Winnipeg
SB Ian Fleming - Hamilton
S Donny Ruiz - Saskatchewan
FB Gilles Lezi - Calgary
OG Rhett McLane - Edmonton
DL Matt Kirk - B.C.
This would give Ottawa 16 Canadian players with CFL expierence as well as some from the 2005 Ottawa team. Players that are FA's this winter could change this list unless the league moved the FA signing date or held the draft after Feb 15. Add a few free agents to this list and some Canadian's in College and University (No. 1 OG Kyle Koch - McMaster would be my pick)and Ottawa would have a good start.
Eight Imports should be drafted as well.
Here's my picks:
QB Nealon Greene - Montreal (can still play IMO)
OT Jerome Davis - Toronto (they need 1 import on the OL)
QB Brad Banks - Winnipeg (QB of the future)
RB Josh Ranek - Hamilton (fan favourite)
WR Jason Armstead - Sask (to make up for Joseph not coming back)
CB Crance Clemons - Calgary (former Ren)
LB Quincy Stewart - Edmonton
S Kory Banks - B.C. (another former Ren)
I don't know if they would pick another eight imports from the teams practice rosters or just go with free agents. It would be six of one half a dozen of the other as there is a lot of good players out there waiting for a chance. But CFL expierence gives them a leg up.
Plus an undisclosed number off the other teams neg. list (2-3?)
Tom Wright as President
Eric Tillman as GM
Greg Marshall (the other one) as Coach and the Renegades are back in business.
I wish it was as simple as it sounds...lets hope it happens. Go Rens Go in 2007.