Justin Medlock (9) of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the game against the Edmonton Eskimos at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, MB. Thursday, July 14, 2016. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
Wallets will open and dollars will be tossed around in massive numbers.
But if Canadian Football League free agency has taught us anything in all these years, it’s this: there are no money back guarantees to any of these transactions.
That means that for every Andrew Harris or Justin Medlock that immediately fill a team need – and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers morphed into a playoff team, in part, because of their massive contributions to their new team – every free agent class offers up its share of busts and disappointments.
Consider that a year ago, the Ottawa REDBLACKS lost defensive end Justin Capicotti (Saskatchewan), defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Winnipeg) and defensive back Jovon Johnson (Montreal) in free agency and were still hoisting the Grey Cup on the last Sunday in November.
And as well, the number of players who changed teams in free agency but are now with a new squad again is shocking, including receiver Kenny Stafford (Edmonton-Montreal-Winnipeg), running back Kendial Lawrence (Edmonton-Saskatchewan-Hamilton-free agent), defensive ends Justin Capicotti (Ottawa-Saskatchewan-Hamilton) and Shawn Lemon (Ottawa, Saskatchewan-Toronto), defensive tackle Keith Shologan (Ottawa-Winnipeg-Montreal), receiver Shamawd Chambers (Edmonton-Saskatchewan-Edmonton) and linebacker Taylor Reed (Hamilton-Calgary-Ottawa).
There will be more, too, once the latest free agent spending spree settles in the next few weeks.
With all that in mind, let’s re-examine the value the Bombers received for their free agent shopping a year ago:
WR Weston Dressler: The Bombers jumped into the free agent talent pool early, scooping up the veteran receiver in late January not long after the Roughriders had cut him adrift.
He led the Bombers in receiving with 80 catches for 1,003 yards and two TDs in 14 games and provided the template for the daily work ethic expected.
RB Andrew Harris: Winnipeg product came home to lead the team in rushing (third in the CFL) with 974 yards and 67 receptions. He’s a winner, plain and simple, and was exactly the ratio-changing, multi-dimensional back the offence needed.
K Justin Medlock: Crushed Bomber and CFL records – including 60 field goals in a season – en route to being named the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player. A deadly offensive weapon.
SB Ryan Smith: A disappointing first year with the Bombers, but his numbers aren’t bad – 53 receptions for 488 yards and one TD in 11 games, after two stints on the injured list. Had more TDs (2) in the playoff loss to B.C. than the entire season.
DT Euclid Cummings: Dressed for all 18 games, finishing with three sacks, down from eight in his first full year with Toronto in 2015. In the end, he simply might not have been a good fit for the scheme run here.
DT Keith Shologan: He was recently released and has already found a home in Montreal. He was brought aboard from Ottawa but saw his sack totals drop while starting 17 games. His release was more salary-cap related as the Bombers made a commitment to upgrading their defensive end spot by adding Tristan Okpalaugo.
OL Jeff Keeping: He didn’t play a down for the Bombers in 2016 after being injured early in the season. And when he returned to health the club had committed to starting three imports on the O-line and were content with the progress made by Canadian rookie Michael Couture. Those in the O-line room raved about Keeping’s contributions off the field, but he was not offered a contract for 2017.
DB Macho Harris: Another of the Riders castoffs grabbed by the Bombers, Harris was to provide a veteran presence in the backend of the club’s defence. He started the first five games of the year and then lost his gig with the emergence of Taylor Loffler.
Even with the club moving on from Cummings, Shologan, Keeping and Macho Harris, the return on investment in Andrew Harris, Medlock, Dressler and Smith last year was significant and all four will be key cogs again in 2017.
THE BOMBERS GO TO MARKET
The CFL free agent market opens at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Here’s a status report on the Bombers as the talent swap shop opens:
Confirmed heading to market: DT Euclid Cummings; OL Jeff Keeping; LB Khalil Bass; WR Rory Kohlert.
Headed to market if a deal isn’t done before Tuesday: SB Clarence Denmark; WR Tori Gurley; DB Macho Harris; DB Teague Sherman; LB Tony Burnett; LB Sam Hurl; FB James Tuck.
What’s already been done:
Re-signed: QB Matt Nichols; K Justin Medlock; QB Dom Davis; OL Stanley Bryant; WR Gerrard Sheppard; WR Darvin Adams; LB Jesse Briggs.
Added: DE Tristan Okpalaugo; former East Division Most Outstanding Rookie; ex of Toronto and Arizona; WR/SB Kenny Stafford (ex of Montreal/Edmonton/Calgary).
Released: QB Kevin Glenn (signed with Saskatchewan); DT Keith Shologan (signed with Montreal); FB Pascal Lochard.
NFL bound: WR/KR Quincy McDuffie (Dallas).
The free agency game plan: GM Kyle Walters has already indicated the club won’t be big players in free agency, but the amount of talent hitting the market means there could be some deals to be had after the dollars are spent on the high-end talent.
The departure of Bass leaves a hole at middle linebacker, but Walters & Co. are big on Kyle Knox and expect to add a few prospects from the U.S. The CFL free agent market is thin on middle linebacker candidates.
With both Shologan and Cummings gone from the middle of the D-line, finding replacements becomes a need too. The Bombers will likely add a Canadian defensive tackle with one of their two first-round picks to help shore up the depth to replace Shologan while the import tackle spot will feature Padric Scott and U.S. prospects.
What the Bombers might be shopping for: Canadian depth, possible affordable options at import tackle spot.
