Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
TORONTO — The off-season never sleeps. From the coaching carousel and surprising releases to the looming free agency day on Feb. 9, none of the nine teams have taken a break since the Edmonton Eskimos won the Grey Cup back on Nov. 29.
Juwan Simpson, Dominic Picard and Tyron Brackenridge are among veteran players that have already been released and are now on the open market, while stars like Chris Williams and Ricky Ray have re-signed with their respective teams to keep them from becoming free agents next month.
Meanwhile, some of the league’s high-profile free agents are working out south of the border with NFL teams as they look to explore all of their options before finding a permanent home in the coming months.
Here’s the latest from around the league in Checking Down:
| BC LIONS
– The BC Lions and the CFL are mourning the death of Dal Richards, the CFL musical icon who recorded the album CFL Songs in 1968. The record featured several CFL fight songs including Roar you Lions Roar and Go Argos Go, both of which are still played in stadiums today.
| EDMONTON ESKIMOS
– According to Darrin Bauming of TSN 1290 Radio, the conditional 7th round pick the Eskimos acquired in exchange for Matt Nichols becomes a 5th round pick because Nichols has signed a contract extension with the Bombers.
– Rick Moffat of TSN 690 reported Tuesday that Barron Miles has joined the Eskimos as a defensive backs coach. Miles coached in BC for two years as an assistant then in Saskatchewan from 2012 through 2015 as the defensive backs coach following an illustrious 14-year career as a CFL defensive back.
– The Eskimos have not yet hired a defensive coordinator and talks of Mike Benevides going to Edmonton have cooled down, but there are rumblings on Twitter that the former BC Lions head coach has worked with Barron Miles in BC and would be a logical fit for the Esks.
– CHED‘s Dave Campbell reports that linebacker Dexter McCoil worked out for the NFL’s Washington Redskins this week. McCoil has an agreement with the Eskimos that he’ll return to the team if he doesn’t sign an NFL deal before May 1.
| CALGARY STAMPEDERS
– Stampeders GM John Hufnagel has added some family blood lines to his front office, revealing on Monday that his son Cole Hufnagel will be part of the team’s football operations staff in 2016.
– Canadian quarterback Andrew Buckley has re-signed with the Calgary Stampeders. Buckley took part in training camp for the Stamps before returning to the University of Calgary to play for the Dinos. Buckley won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top CIS player in both 2014 and 2015 and will attend training camp for the Stampeders in May.
– The Stampeders released middle linebacker Juwan Simpson in a surprise move on Monday. Simpson played for the Stampeders for eight years and won two Grey Cups as well as a West Division Most Outstanding Defensive Player honour.
– After being released, Simpson said he believes he’s ‘still got it’ and plans on shopping himself around. He also hinted that coaching could be in his future once his playing days are over.
– League leading receiver Eric Rogers has drawn the most interest out of any free agent down south, as the Chicago Tribune is reporting the Chicago Bears are among 16 teams Rogers is working out for.
| SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
– Bombers receivers coach and former CFL receiver Markus Howell is joining the Roughriders’ coaching staff. Howell spent five seasons coaching the Bombers following an 11-year career as a player with Winnipeg, Ottawa and Calgary.
– CFL.ca’s Rod Pedersen wrote on his blog last week that former St. Mary’s star Melvin Abankwah is expected to sign with the Riders at some point in 2016. Abankwah was cut by the Riders after 2015 training camp and landed in the AFL, where he enjoyed a strong 2015 campaign with Fort McMurray Monarchs. (UPDATE: The Riders announced on Wednesday the signing of Abankwah along with international receiver Michael Campbell and international defensive back Nick Taylor).
– With what’s sure to be a busy off-season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, recently-hired VP of Football Operations John Murphy said in an interview with Rod Pedersen that this year’s free agent period could have an interesting twist. Murphy tackled that topic among others in a one-on-one chat on 620 CKRM SportsCage on Monday.
– Former Riders first overall pick Ben Heenan will remain with the Indianapolis Colts, the Regina Leader-Post reports, as the two have agreed on a contract. Heenan landed on the Colts’ practice roster on Nov. 3.
| WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
– The Bombers announced Tuesday the re-signing of backup quarterback Matt Nichols, a seven-year pro who joined Winnipeg mid-season in 2015 through a trade with Edmonton. While he’ll be the backup to Drew Willy in 2016, Nichols said he sees himself more as starter ‘1B’ than a backup.
– The Bombers have promised to be aggressive in free agency and with this year’s crop of available players, now might be the best time yet. Doug Brown of the Winnipeg Free Press wonders if that’s the right approach, however, after some of last year’s big signings didn’t quite pan out.
– The club made another set of moves Wednesday releasing four players including quarterback Brian Brohm. Brohm was forced into action on multiple occasions last season, starting in the Labour Day Classic in Regina in place of Drew Willy.
| HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
– Jeremiah Masoli and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have agreed on a two-year contract extension, according to the Hamilton Spectator, meaning Masoli will likely battle for the backup quarterback position with Jeff Mathews and potentially Jacory Harris.
| TORONTO ARGONAUTS
– Could Byron Parker be planning a football comeback? Shutdown corner and the CFL’s all-time leader in career interception return touchdowns appears to be mulling over a return to football. Parker spent the majority of his career with the Argos and retired as an Argonaut in 2014, while the Argos remain a natural fit along with a reunion with Rich Stubler.
– As the Argos get set to move into their new digs at BMO Field in 2016, PCL has put out a video about the construction taking place on the new roof.
– National defensive tackle and pending free agent Cleyon Laing has reportedly worked out with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, according to CFL.ca’s Justin Dunk. Laing is a high-ranked free agent a little over a month ahead of free agency opening up on Feb. 9.
– What’s expected to be an exciting year in Toronto officially kicked off this week, as new ownership takes over the Argos along with new president Michael Copeland:
2016. Incredibly excited about everything that lies ahead for the #Argos and our fans. The Double Blue are back.
— Michael Copeland (@Mike_G_Copeland) January 1, 2016
| OTTAWA REDBLACKS
– A day after securing talent in the trenches by extending offensive lineman Matthew Albright and defensive lineman Zack Evans, the REDBLACKS made an even bigger splash by extending the contract of star receiver Chris Williams. Williams arrived with much fanfare in 2015 and justified the hype, placing third in the CFL in receiving yards.
– While the REDBLACKS locked up part of their defensive line with the re-signing of Evans, they stand to lose team sack leader Justin Capicciotti on Feb. 9 to free agency. TSN‘s Matt Scianitti says it’s logical to think he will explore free agency. Capicciotti ranked third in the CFL with 12 sacks in 2015.
| MONTREAL ALOUETTES
– In what’s been a quiet off-season so far in Montreal, Didier Orméjuste of RDS is reporting that Als receiver Samuel Giguere will compete for the Canadian bobsleigh team on the world circuit.
