New 2021 Free Agents

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

We signed Dean, Posey and Levels at bargain 1 year contracts after most teams had no money left. Teams will likely offer them a bit more money especially Dean as his salary went from 220k to around 100k.

Young future potential stars like Mauldin, Frey and Acklin and Beverette will command more money .

Simoni and Van Zeyl are getting older and likely in decline. Van Zeyl is way overpaid at over 200 k and Simoni is likely pushing 200k

Masoli has had an extra full year to rehab and recover from his knee injury which could interest Toronto or Ottawa to offer him more money.

I could see us losing Dean for sure and Levels. I could see us not signing Van Zehl and Rico Murray due to age and big salary.
Hopefully we can sign J'Gared Davis, and Bralon Addison and maybe Lirum all of which failed to stick with an NFL team.
They may let Dean go and give Frey a shot at MLB.

We may sign Revenburg and move him to tackle. To replace Van Zeyl. Gibbon could take the guard spot.

They may release Breaux because he make 220 k or so and they have many good db's like Rolle, Williams, that could start at corner.

Since the Grey Cup is in Hamilton, I expect the cats to pay to the cap ceiling if not higher to increase the chances of them playing in and winning the Grey Cup.

Other teams may pay to the bottom of the Cap saving 700k from 5.4 million to 4.7 million

#2

If they had all these guys signed for 2020 and were within the cap I would imagine they would offer very similar contracts to most of these players for next year. Newer players like Frey, Mauldin, Beverette etc. didn’t get enough playing time as starters to likely command much more on the open market, though some may opt to move on. Masoli could be a wildcard but Nichols is signed in Toronto and Arbuckle in Ottawa. Look for him to sign another one year deal then maybe try to cash in for 2022.

Lots of teams in similar situations to us, will think their priorities are to resign their own guys.

#3

Why would Dean get any more money than he got this past offseason?

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#4

I predict we sign 85-90% of our 2020 team back for very similar money and the Ticats spend up to the cap ceiling. Breaux is a tough one. He signed that 600 grand deal 2 years ago and has one year left. Maybe they will ask him to renegotiate his last year for less money? When he is 100% he was the best DB in the league, but is he still worth $200K?

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#5

For one more year with a home grey cup, yes.

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#6

The Eskimos went cheap and signed Tuggle instead of Dean and other teams spent too much money or had a middle linebacker already and thus Dean had very few options and no leverage so he took the 100k contract for one year with the cats instead of his previous 220k with the desks. I know the ESKS Tuggle is a free agent bow and the ESKS might offer Dean a 150k contract saving 70k from his previous contract. Dean is worth about 180k in my eyes so some team is bound to offer him a bit more than 100k. Some teams already have a great MLB like Montreal with Muamba or Bighill in WPG or Elimimim in SASK ..
The cats want to play in the cup at home so they may pay 150k to Dean and not sign a few other players .
The cats will be one team that pays to the cap or more since the cup is in Hamilton.

#7

All of your reasons applied last offseason. Why is dean worth more now and Tuggle less?

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#8

Today, starting at noon EST, pending UFAs can start signing contracts for the 2021 season with their current clubs. :+1: :tiger: :football: :trophy:

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#9

My guess is that the Cats will announce the signing of at least 4 or 5 players this afternoon. :+1: :tiger: :football: :trophy: :1st_place_medal:

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#10

I believe Masoli may be the only FA starting QB unless the Reilly cluster sends him into FA

#11

2:45 and crickets on the CFL transactions page.

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#12

Maybe players are in no hurry to sign, as in reality, until the CFL knows how many games they are going to play in 2021 , any contract signed is pretty meaningless in terms of money being offered.

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#13

If I'm a player or an agent, this year I am putting a big premium on an up-front signing bonus. Bird in the hand. I'd accept a lower overall package in order to guarantee something meaningful, especially after drawing no paycheque for so long.

If I'm a GM, I'm going to very judicious about who gets paid up-front - saving it for the players I value the most. And anyone who does get a signing bonus, had better be willing to accept a lower overall package.

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#14

Well some players (no Ticat) have been re-signed.

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#15

I thought Banks would be signed by now! He already said he was coming back with his old contract.:thinking:

#16

If I was a CFL player I would be in no hurry. I don't think most teams really know what they have to spend yet. The interview I read with Danny Maciocia yesterday, implied that he feels the Salary cap is going to be reduced ( below the current floor amount) and they are still working out details.
In terms of Banks, he would be part of the Cat's main marketing strategy for the 2021 Grey Cup hosting Season. Maybe they will announce his signing as a media event on an upcoming Friday , or something like that.

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#17

So you think Banks will be taking a pay cut?

#18

I think 20% across the board IMO, but keeping the minimum at 65K.
If you would normally make 200k then you will make 160k in 2021 for example. So yes a pay cut for Banks, unless he was going to go for a 230K contract ( being the MOP) then he will get paid about the same as his last contract.

#19

Banks has tweeted repeatedly that he would be willing to sign for the exact same amount as the 2020 season.

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#20

Banks was to make $195K in 2020

"Banks signed a two-year extension worth $182,500 in year one and $195,000 for the second season – all hard money. For signing on the dotted line, Banks secures an $80,000 bonus along with $82,500 base salary and $20,000 housing.

But the key part of the deal: the Ticats can release Banks without paying him a dime anytime prior to training camp in 2020. He’s due $50,000 for reporting and passing his physical in May, but if Banks was cut he wouldn’t see that money or any of the $125,000 base salary or $20,000 in housing."

https://3downnation.com/2019/01/31/what-brandon-banks-is-really-getting-paid-and-its-quite-a-bit/#:~:text=For%20signing%20on%20the%20dotted,to%20training%20camp%20in%202020.

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