Of 15 Esks Released Only 2 Picked Up!

CFL Talk
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Not quick on cuts
Only two of 15 released veterans have been picked up by other CFL teams
By JONATHAN HUNTINGTON, EDMONTON SUN

The final verdict on Danny Maciocia's off-season roster purge won't come until deep into the upcoming season.

But with CFL training camps opening this weekend, Maciocia's hack job is getting good early reviews from the majority of competing CFL head coaches.

Of the 15 veteran players released through the off-season, only two are going to other CFL camps on Sunday.

Just two. That's it.

Steve Charbonneau and Randy Spencer found a home with the Montreal Alouettes.

The rest of the discarded players are out of the CFL.

Troy Davis - the Esks' leading rusher last season - is still sitting around waiting for the phone to ring from a CFL team.

"Most teams are pretty well set with their running backs at this time but I think the situation could change," said Bob Kirchheimer, Davis's North Carolina-based agent.

"We have talked to some teams and there is possibly some interest.

"Right now teams want to see what they have (at training camps). They certainly know that Troy is out there.

"We would like to think that there is still some football in the works for Troy at some point in time."

Davis has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of the last five seasons - including 1,060 yards last year for a 5.6-yard average.

"I guess before the season starts you look to get a little bit younger," reasoned Kirchheimer about his 31-year-old client.

Now the Davis camp is just hoping teams will start to look for experience or injury replacements once the regular season starts.

Donny Brady believes he is still in shape to play.

But he doesn't believe he will be back in the game for a seventh season at defensive back.

"I spoke with a couple of teams briefly (after being released by the Esks), but I haven't heard anything from anybody (lately)," said Brady from Maryland yesterday.

"I don't think I am going to play.

"I really don't want to play no more.

"I am ready to move on in my life, try bigger and better things."

The 33-year-old is considering opening a gym/training centre.

As for the rest of the departed crew, they are scattered across the globe.

Andre Sommersell is trying to keep his football career alive by playing for the Acufon Lions Bergamo in Italy.

At last report, Rob Leblanc was still in the high-stakes business world jetting across the continent.

And others - Reggie Durden, Quincy Stewart, Roosevelt Williams and Anthony Floyd - have dropped off the football map.

FINISH LINES: Keyuo Craver could make it three ex-Esks in the CFL by later this summer.

The import defensive back is in the midst of a stellar Arena League season with the Arizona Rattlers. He is third in the league with 87 total tackles while adding two interceptions.

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I read this article too, esks. It would appear that there were very few, if any, poor decisions made with the Eskimos that were let go. For the vast majority of them, it was simply time to move on to their lives after football. A guy like Troy Davis may get picked up, but if Josh Ranek turns out to be an adequate replacement for a much lower price tag, that can fit under the salary cap, then even that was a good move. The Esks were an old team! Should be better now.

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Yup! So far its been looking so good with the personnel moves by Danny Maciocca(seeing as not many of our releases have been picked up). Hopefully the additions to this team prove to be strong and positive once the regular season begins. Danny Maciocca has put his fingerprints all over this team by changing it dramatically, he’ll take a lot of the blame/praise for the success/failure of this year’s team.

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I think Troy Davis still has football left in him, but that's about it. I don't fault Maciocia for the purge. It had to be done.

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I'm actually really surprised that no teams have signed Troy Davis (at the very least, just to get a look of him at camp). I suspect that if a team has some injuries at RB this season he'll be the first person to go to.

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But who would pick him up?

Only real options are:
BC - Joe Smith did good last year
Sask - Szarka/Childs
TO - Have Avery and Johnson is it?

MTL, CGY and WPG have top 3 in the league backs.

Ham is going with lumbsden/Holmes
Edmonton is going with Ranek.

Age looks to be the Killer, so many teams have young Cheap backs and unless Davis can be at the Reynolds/Roberts level, not worth it.

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I'm surprised the Roughriders didn't try to sign Davis for cheap. Szarka is a fullback, not a real running back, and Childs isn't really established at the CFL level. With Troy Davis, you know what you get.

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If the riders, or any team for that matter, have room under the salary cap to sign Davis for what he is demanding, I’d be very surprised. If you sign Davis, who do you cut to free up his $125K demand?

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Though I did delight in seeing the eskimos struggle last year this does validate a lot of the things people were saying about the team that they were too old or untalented or just plain awful

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Hes an idiot. there is no demand for him, and dude wants $100,000? Give me a break.

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Yeah, all they did was beat the Als, yet again, to win a Grey Cup the year before in 2005. Remember that classic game? One of the all time best. Still a bit bitter about that one, are we? With a combination of the salary cap, and alot of older veterans, these changes are a surprise to none. To suggest that they were untalented or just plain awful, is just plain ignorant. The Esks aren’t the only team making changes this year. How many new faces will be on the Als?

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Not many of the Argos proclaimed "star player" releases have been picked up either. But that's just the point, if these guys can cut or don't fit in your system, why would someone else want your garbage?. Except Hamilton of course. Football can be a cruel carear, even in the CFL, vets are replaced by younger and eventually better talent. It's time to get out that business course they took in college.

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I don't know about the others, but this Nugent kid we got in the trade for Warner is looking like a vet at safety. How the heck could the EE let this guy go ?

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#1. Nugent destroyed his knee a few years ago and hasn’t played pro ball since. If he’s now recovered, great. It’s not like we didn’t get anything for him.

#2. Warner is already a proven veteran talent at the Defensive Line position.

My money is still on Warner making more of an impact this year for the Eskies, than Nugent does for the bombers.

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He passed the physical with flying colors, so I guess he is healthy enough for now.

As for the Warner v. Nugent competition, assuming both make their squads as starters, how about a friendly little wager on that one larry ?

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You got it. I’ll take a proven vet, with NFL and CFL experience, over a rookie that hasn’t played football in 3 years, since he was in college and ripped his knee to shreds. Not to mention, the Eskimos are pretty deep at defensive back this year already, in case you haven’t noticed.

Oh, and if Warner makes the Esks as a starter, and Nugent is a bench warmer for the bombers, which is not at all an unrealistic possibility, I win the bet, by default.

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And I'd take a starting NI safety over an Import DE any day of the week. See ya after the season opener 28th I believe, for bragging rights, the loser has to concede ? Sound straight with you ?

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Agreed, but that goes both ways, vice versa, default if neither is the starter.

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Who said anything about a starting NI? Do you not know how to read? Nugent hasn’t played a down of football since he blew his knee to shreds in college in 2005. And you are now giving him credit for being a starter? Wake up, man.

Warner is a proven starter. Nugent is a rusty rookie with a questionable knee. You don’t take 2 years to recover from knee surgery, unless there’s some serious damage. That knee will never be the same again, and will always be one little hit, or one funny twist away from tearing apart again. You don’t get to call him a starter, until he’s actually done something. Until then, I win.

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Yes that is right, Nugent never started for the Esks but hey neither has Warner. So, at this point until either one actually starts for their respective teams, nothing has been won or lost. I will see you after the home opener on the 28th and settle this then.