Option year signings

[GreatWhiteNorth]

No telling how many of these will stick through OTAs and Training camp, but most of them likely have some impact on the plans of their CFL team.

Riders, perhaps, are hurt the most with the decision of John Chick to sign with Indianapolis.  Coming in an off-season where Baggs is also a free agent and the club is having to replace Scott Schultz as well, the CFL's top defensive player could leave big shoes to fill.

Als losing Larry Taylor and SJ Green is also a hit.  Good return men aren't impossible to find, but consistently great returners are pretty tough to come by.  Green played largely only when injury dictated, but showed well and was likely very much in the Als' developmental plans with Cahoon in his twilight years.

Bombers will feel the loss of Hefney, who emerged as a very viable Rookie of the Year candidate, and this would seemingly up the ante on re-signing Jovon Johnson, whom the Als might also like as a returner if he gets to free agency.  Not sure how Dudley Guice fit into their plans, as to be honest, I don't recall seeing or hearing of him, but he looks to have good size and speed from his pro day workouts at Northwestern State.

One of the tougher effects to evaluate will be the impact of the loss of Ryan Grice-Mullen and Rolly Lumbala from the Lions to the Dolphins.  Neither were huge contributors to the Leos on a consistent basis, but Lumbala would've presumably been counted on to be their FB of the future and came with a fairly high draft status (9th overall in 2008) and a team doesn't normally count on losing Canadian players capable of starting in this league.  Grice-Mullen has shown to be a bit of an enigma in his time in Vancouver with ball security issues and drops, but also some explosiveness and big play ability.  The Lions have looked long and hard over a number of seasons to find a serviceable import WR to play behind Simon and Jackson, largely unsuccessfully.  The loss of RGM is offset quite well by the emergence of Arsenaulx in his rookie campaign last year and having Ian Smart around to look after the return duties.  That said, both were virtual locks to be roster players for the Lions if not signing elsewhere.

Argos losing Walter Curry to the Jags isn't going to be a huge hole, as he had lost his starting role to Huntly.  It's actually a curious signing on the surface, but a little digging shows that he'd spent a few years on the Jags practice roster previously, so as much as anything it may be a familiarity issue in belieiving they know what he can do.

Rumours have had Calgary RG, Dmitri Tsoumpas close to a deal with Miami as well, but other than the fact that they worked him out, I haven't seen anything substantiated in that regard.

Looking like a fairly active start to the option year window.  Will be interesting to see if this continues or if most of the teams that are looking are making their decisions quickly and it will peter out as the talent pool dwindles.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Tsoumpas signing now confirmed on TSN.ca.  No terms on signing bonus yet, but the Dophins are certainly looking north for talent.

Browner is the other Stamp that's had some rumours of NFL interest.

The CFL isn't better off for the loss of the players and it's possible that the competitive balance could shift a fair bit. 

[Green is the Colour]

I have yet to figure out why everybody looks so favourably upon Browner.  Yes, he seems to possess the physical attributes but the guy is a train wreck on a lot of nights and usually good for more than one or two penalties, either pass interference or no yards on special teams.  I don't get it.  I wouldn't want him on my team.  For him to leave the Stamps would actually help them IMO.

[Colin Unger]

Dudley Guice tried and failed to crack the Bombers starting lineup last year.  He's in interesting prospect and might have become an impact player for the Bombers had he worked harder on the mental part of the game.  But he would have had an uphill battle to beat out Edwards, Ryan, Bowman, and Otis Amey who were seen as better than him last season.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I have yet to figure out why everybody looks so favourably upon Browner.  Yes, he seems to possess the physical attributes but the guy is a train wreck on a lot of nights and usually good for more than one or two penalties, either pass interference or no yards on special teams.  I don't get it.  I wouldn't want him on my team.  For him to leave the Stamps would actually help them IMO.

I've viewed him somewhat similar to Ex-Esk, Donny Brady... physical, leadership abilities and skilled, but prone to penalties.  I'd disagree that the team is better off without him, but I don't see him as positively as some do.