A new off-season is officially one week old, and we’ve already had what feels like months’ worth of news since the Toronto Argonauts won the 111th Grey Cup.
With Fajardo, Kelly, Brown and Mitchell, the eastern teams are all set at the QB position. Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have proven QB’s, but they’re getting old. Edmonton
needs to re- sign Ford, so that leaves Calgary who desperately need a QB. They might make Ford an offer he can’t refuse- if they can’t land him, VA is their best bet. Should be interesting.
Don’t know if Rourke will return to his 2022 form. If he doesn’t we might see an eastern team crossing over to the west in next year’s playoffs.
We saw during Grey Cup Week that the CFL abandoned the new BC Lion’s Owner by not releasing the 2025 CFL Schedule in time to create excitement around Season Ticket Sales with Real Events with Real Dates to purchase during Grey Cup Week. This week we see if the CFL abandons ALL CFL FANS IN THE WEST. Away Games are totally forgotten by CFL Marketing Staff as a legitimate Ticket Selling Silo in their marketing plans. I remember in September, my family flying from Edmonton to Vancouver dressed in our Ticat gear for a game that night. As we got on the Park N Fly Bus the bus filled up with Elks fans dressed in their Elks gear flying to Winnipeg for another game later that day. I only made the decision to go to the game after I secured a low-cost flight of only $81 each way. The lowest cost Airline flights “of the year” come this week with BLACK FRIDAY SALES. Because of limitations of cost and time CFL Fans in the West can only go to Away Games if conditions are right. If the CFL can come out with the 2025 Schedule this week we can buy BLACK FRIDAY FLIGHTS to attend games in 2025. If the CFL misses the WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY this week, the CFL will have another failure of not selling tickets to “most” of their CFL Fans based in Western Canada. You have to wonder is it just absolutely bad management or is the CFL Head Office out on strike like the Post Office???
It will be interesting if Campbell and VA go to the Elks. Even if that plays out, I don’t envy Edmonton with Hervey who, as Lions GM, brought in Michael Reilly (so burned by Ed that he wants nothing to do with the CFL or the Lions) but forgot to build a worthwhile O-line but worst of all, hired an all rookie-in-their-position coaching staff, including a blundering head coach. Ford is a bright spot for sure but there’s some issues there, too. Things are not looking positive in Alberta these days. The Stamps are woe begotten without a clue and the Elks aren’t much better.
If VA goes to the Elks he will have a much improved OL to work with. Here is a news item relating to Ivez’s & Korte’s selection as All-Stars this year:
“Pro Football Focus says Ivey finished with the highest grade of any offensive lineman in the league with a 77.3 grade. Ivey is the Elks’ nominee for Most Outstanding Lineman. Korte received a grade hovering around 70 which is the highest among centres in the West Division.”
The Elks averaged 131.4 yds rushing & averaged 6.2 yds/rush & allowed the fewest sacks. So there are a lot of positives around the team. They were at or near the top in most offensive categories. Adams will be operating with a much superior OL.
IF, & that’s a big IF, they can grab both VA & Ford they will have a very good offence. It’s not that unlikely. I’m not sure there are as many teams ready to give him a starting job as one might think. There are a lot of veteran FA’s looking to start - Adams, MBT, Harris, Alexander, Crum, Patterson, Dukes etc… Streveler isn’t going anywhere.
If the Elks don’t sign him, like the VA situation, they’ll pick up a high draft pick & try to send him East where a team MAY be willing to pay to entice him to sign as a well paid backup. They won’t trade him to the Stamps though he may get there anyway by waiting to FA.
Ed Hervey knows what Elks fans want and that is Tre Ford as the starter. If they want bums in the seats it has to start there. He cannot miss on doing a deal with Tre or the fan base will not come back.