[i]The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Thursday that the football club has acquired international defensive back Ethan Davis from the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for international offensive lineman Brian Simmons.
Davis, 24, signed with the Alouettes on January 6, 2016 and played in 11 games (10 starts) last season in his rookie CFL campaign, posting 41 defensive tackles and two forced fumbles. The 5-10, 188-pound native of Lynn Haven, Florida, spent time with the NFL’s Detroit Lions in 2015 after signing as an undrafted free agent on August 4. Prior to turning pro, he played four seasons at Troy State University (2011-14), posting 77 total tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. Davis started all 24 games in his final two seasons with the Trojans.
Simmons, 31, started 11 games at left tackle for the Tiger-Cats in 2016. The 6-5, 310-pound native of Raleigh, North Carolina, has appeared in 72 career games during his six-year CFL career (2011-16), all with the Tiger-Cats, playing at left tackle, right tackle and right guard. Simmons has also seen action in six playoff games, including two Grey Cup appearances in 2013 and 2014. Simmons had a brief stint with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2015 but did not suit up in a game.[/i]
As I said in the Montreal thread, it's so funny that you guys acquire Davis after I was just opining a few weeks ago that he might be a good candidate to play SAM linebacker when Chip Cox retires. Anyhow, this is a good pickup for you guys and I think you won the trade again.
"Simmons started 11 games for the Ticats last season but fell out of favour and finished the season on the six-game injured list. Hamilton has the recently re-signed Xavier Fulton as well Jake Olson (who missed last season due to injury) and Jeremy Lewis under contract. The team may also opt to start a Canadian at right tackle, lessening the need for international talent."
And as I said in the main forum “Free Agency” thread…Don’t be surprised if you see a trade with Mtl for one of our 4 OT’s . Guess you can say I called it . Simmons fills a need for your team and is also a versatile player along the line having played and started at both LT and RT as well as inside at RG over his 6 yrs in Hamilton . As for us winning the trade again I’m afraid I’m going to have to disagree with you . This trade much like the Plesius/ Shortill trade is I feel a win/win for both clubs. The Als were looking for a competent import OT and if as you say Davis might be a good candidate for SAM linebacker then both clubs have shored up a position where the cupboard was bare and in need of bodies and upgrading. Believe me Simmons is a good pickup for your Alouette team and your O-Line just got a lot better with this trade.
Not saying Simmons isn't a good player, bobo, but he is 31 to Davis's 24. We've gotten older yet again and for a position (OT) that Sleepy Joe Mack apparently can't scout for. I can see why the Cats swung this deal, given the instability at SAM and Murray's departure for Toronto. But us? Why make this trade now? Why not give the fresh talent a chance before aging the team yet again?
I can’t say as that I don’t disagree with you on your geriatric style roster . The age of the Als roster would be certainly a concern if I was a fan of that team. I haven’t checked every team’s rosters around the CFL but I think it’s suffice to say that Montreal has to have the oldest team in the league by a wide margin. I just took a quick look at your current roster and by my count you have an astounding 22 players who are 30 or over , 17 of which range from 31 up to 36 yrs of age , the majority of them all pencilled in as starters. By comparison the Cats current roster as it stands right now only shows 3 players 30 yrs or older with another 3 turning 30 before the season is over.
Traded a player from an area of weakness (o-line) for a player to bolster an area of weakness (D-backfeild). Not sure I follow this. But, Kent and Eric know more than I do.
I thought he was a bit of a turn style. If Jake Olson is healthy, he is one the best in the league at his position which makes Simmons expendable. While the o-line wasn’t great last year I’m confident due to the fact that it has gotten younger in its interior and the return of Jake Olson will have it looking like the 2014-15 line. Our defensive backfield was atrocious and the means to improve it were not on the roster, so I’m glad they are addressing it through free agency and trade, we should be a better team this year.
And now, with Simmons’ departure, and adding to a recent discussion in the “Dyakowski Cut” thread here, Mike Filer is the only player on the Tiger-Cats’ roster, today, who was a player with the team when Kent Austin was hired by the club, just over 4 years ago.