Jack B. Bedell
CFL.ca
It might have seemed like a world away when the gun sounded at the Grey Cup in Montreal last year, but free agency is almost upon us. It’s a time when fans of seven out of the eight teams in the league can dream of big-name signings and quick fixes to lead them to the Cup. And a time for fans in Calgary to pray their championship roster won’t be pillaged.
The Stampeders have already locked down an important cog in their championship defence by re-signing Mike Labinjo, but Charleston Hughes bolted to the NFL, and some valuable players like Calvin Bannister, Julian Battle, and Dwaine Carpenter are set to hit the market in mid-February.
It’s definitely a buyer’s market with some skilled players out there. Here’s a quick peek at what my shopping list would look like if someone gave me the checkbook and sent me out to buy the groceries:
Five Can’t Miss Players
1) Maurice Lloyd, LB—a tackling machine who can fit in any system
2) Anton McKenzie, LB—a high-motor linebacker with attitude
3) Willie Pile, DB—a big hit waiting to happen
4) Brandon Guillory, DL—lives in the offensive backfield
5) Dwaine Carpenter, DB—very versatile player in the secondary, covers well and has great range in zone
Five Worth a Look
1) D.J. Flick, WR—as dependable a receiver as you’ll find in the league
2) Jason Jimenez, OL—big, nasty lineman, worth the flags he’ll draw
3) Scott Gordon, DB—always around the ball in the secondary, carries a hammer with him at all times
4) Jamall Johnson, LB—the unsung hero of the Lions’ defence, a real beast
5) Mark Estelle, DB—sticky cover guy with excellent ball skills
Five to Kick the Tires On
1) Gene Makowsky, OL—high-character player with plenty left in the tank
2) Michael Fletcher, LB—the question is simple, did he take the fall for a bad team?
3) Ike Charlton, DB—if he still has range, can be a versatile, dangerous defender at the second and third levels
4) Jesse Lumsden, RB—hard to put such a great young player in this category, but injuries over the past few years send up flags for me; that said, I’d throw the whole bank account at him if I were a GM
5) Walter Spencer, DB—special teams demon who’ll earn his roster spot every time the ball is kicked off
UP NEXT
Check back next week for my take on all the early player movement. I’ll also be combing a few rosters for likely cap casualties as we head deeper into the off-season.
Until then, take care. And pull out some old game tapes if you start feeling football withdrawal pains. I’ll be doing the same.
Jack B. Bedell is a Professor of English at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana and has followed the CFL for nearly three decades.
