The ink has dried on the contracts for the top two picks in the 2015 Canadian Football League Draft.
University of Connecticut product and offensive lineman Alex Mateas, chosen No. 1 overall by his hometown Ottawa Redblacks, has agreed to a three-year pact with a CFL rookie–record $20,000 signing bonus, sources confirmed to Sportsnet. Mateas will earn over $80,000 in base salary and could make more than $100,000 should he start all 18 games this season.
Winnipeg grabbed Calgary Dinos o-lineman Sukh Chungh with the second pick in the draft. He also netted $20,000 for officially putting pen to paper on a two-year deal, according to multiple people with knowledge of the agreement. And Chungh is in the same range as Mateas in terms of how much he will and could earn to start his CFL career.
Each Mateas and Chungh surpassed the $15,000 signing bonus 2014 No. 2 pick and current Blue Bombers offensive lineman Matthias Goosen received, a figure first reported by Sportsnet’s Arash Madani.
Rookie bonuses and salaries have been trending upwards in recent years for two main reasons: premiums placed on young Canadian talent and a rising salary cap. High-end first-year players are seeing more playing time early in their careers. And in accordance with guidelines set out in the new five-year collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap has jumped from $4.4 million in 2013 to $5,050,000 for this coming year.
But is it fair that we pay rookie "O" linemen that much money? Afterall the "O" position is considered the "non-talent" position. Yet, we will sign talented running backs and receivers, the guys that we come to watch, half that?
Doesn't sound right to me, but that's what has happened when 9 teams trying to fill their rosters with designated Canadians.
It is what it is.
I wish there was less turnover in this league, but they're always looking for younger and cheaper which doesn't always equate to better.
Lots of great players whose stay was far too short.
"CFL rookie record signing bonus" of $20k? Really? I guess Dunk never heard of Rocket Ismail, to name one of many. Even if he is suggesting that $20k is the largest signing bonus ever paid to a draft pick, I don't believe it for a second. Maybe the largest in the past few seasons, but ever? Come on -- let's have a little common sense.
The roster turnover rate in the CFL in reality is no different than the NFL when it comes to younger and cheaper,the only difference is what is considered cheaper in that league equates to bigger bucks and bigger bonuses. It's no wonder that the majority of players say that the NFL is short form for "Not For Long". As an example the Ravens won the Super Bowl two years ago and have pretty well turned over 3/4 of their roster since that victory. Another example would be the NY Giants and the Patriots a few years before that, meeting in 2 Super Bowls in a 5 yr span and only 12 Patriots and 7 Giants actually played and were on the rosters for both Championship games.
It's unconscionable for the league to pay such extravagant signing bonuses. What's next, a record-setting $25K! Where will it all end?? The league might be getting too big for its britches...let's keep in mind the lean times. They perhaps should be saving for a rainy day rather than paying out all their profits in rookie bonuses...for no particularly good reason.
I'm sure he did, but what is the point? Should the league start paying in U.S. funds going forward? When the Canadian dollar improved dramatically there for a while, did we speculate as to how much the cap technically was in U.S. funds? It is what it is. Nothing the league can do about it or anticipate once at the bargaining table.
I'm sure he did, but what is the point? Should the league start paying in U.S. funds going forward? When the Canadian dollar improved dramatically there for a while, did we speculate as to how much the cap technically was in U.S. funds? It is what it is. Nothing the league can do about it or anticipate once at the bargaining table.
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"This Is Our League" The Canadian Football League. You sing the Anthem, you play the game under that proud Maple Leaf!
If US residents want to play your game they should be paid in your currency. Don't even consider belittling your currency for some football players.
Exactly. It's unfortunate if it doesn't stretch as far at times for those who return to the States between seasons, but it hardly makes it "meaningless". At the end of the day, if a player ended up with a $15,000 increase, he may be converting $95,000 instead of $80,000 at the current rate. So I don't get the original comment.
