Expansion Draft Discussion

[AKAChip]

I know this is sort of weird timing for this but I would love to hear everyone's input of who to protect in the expansion draft. Of course things will change from now until the end of the season and things like Matthews' NFL interest and mid-season signings could change things but using the rules of protecting one QB, 10 imports and 5 non-imports this is what I would do at this point. If bluto or any other team's fans want to pitch their thoughts on their own team, I'd love to hear them.

 

First of all, I would like to say that i would prefer to not protect a QB at all since I think there is no way any of ours get taken with the other available options out there like Nicholls, Willy, Glenn, Mitchell etc available. I do know, that I'd be really furious if we protected Buck for a number of reasons so I would protect Goltz. He's a guy we've been grooming for a few years now and to lose him in a situation like this would just feel like a giant waste.

 

My 10 other imports would be these:

 

Simpson

January

Matthews

Turner

Hall

Sears

Stewart

Washington

Parker

Suber

 

I'm leaving JJ and Edwards unprotected because Edwards appears to be on his last legs and although he probably has a two or so good years left, the pipeline is rather impressive and if he is selected, we get to keep other guys who I would also prefer to keep in Gilmore, Z Anderson, I Anderson, Dunn and D. Pierce. JJ is pretty self-explanatory and I'd rather just leave it at the fact that the other 10 guys on this list are more valuable than him. If Matthews ends up getting an NFL look after the season, I'd slide Dunn into his spot since I still don't think Anderson and Gilmore get selected but at least if one of them were taken, we'd still have the other one to fill in. SAM is clearly a tougher spot to fill. I am not in complete love with January either but he's very solid and LT is a tough position to play.

 

If this ends up being the situation, I expect Edwards to be Ottawa's selection but JJ, Denmark or GIlmore are also options.

 

The NI six is a much harder grouping to fill but for the first round, I would do it as follows:

 

H Muamba

C Muamba

Watson

Greaves

Swiston

Pencer

 

 

That last spot is the toughest for me as Kohlert, Etienne or Poblah are also options but the risk of losing Pencer and his long-term potential of a possible ratio-breaking T is too much to pass up than risking Ottawa taking one of our receievers in which we would still have two of anyway. I worry that they take Palardy in this scenario as well which would really suck since he has been incredibly solid for us and the two extra NIs in the next round to protect is hardly worth it but I just think the six I have protected here are more valuable.

 

If this were the situation, I would expect Ottawa to take Poblah or Palardy but I wouldn't be surprised if they took Kohlert, Etienne or even Jake Thomas or Renaud depending on their other picks and other players available.

 

I'm going to be wishful and say that they take Poblah and thus my next six NIs to protect are:

 

Etienne

Kohlert

Thomas

Stephan

Renaud

Sorenson

 

That last spot was tough in terms of excluding Woodson for Sorenson or Renaud but Woodson just hasn't proven enough and Sorenson has been surprisingly decent for us at C while even though we have Pav to potentially replace Renaud down the line, he's been quite good in two games so far (other than in terms of pinning in the coffin corner) and I'd still rather have him around.

 

Of course this is just one guy's opinion but I feel like it makes for good discussion and banter.

[JuranBoldenRules]

What's stopping teams from putting a poison pill in all of it's contracts of guys they want to keep?  $10,000 for every game played in Ottawa.

[Valderan_CA]

I'd swap Sorenson and Swiston, but only because if we lost Sorenson at center our only option would be Kowalchuk (or w/e his name is) and I don't like that possibility.

 

Other then that I think you are pretty bang on

 

I don't think they'd take Edwards - he's been having injury problems pretty consistently (starting to show his age) - JJ is my thought for who they'd take if we don't protect him, probably as their most veteran DB... although Ford is also a possibility depending on what's available for import RB's in the draft

[Valderan_CA]

What's stopping teams from putting a poison pill in all of it's contracts of guys they want to keep?  $10,000 for every game played in Ottawa.

Doesn't the CFL board have to essentially rubber stamp any contracts... I'm pretty sure they wouldn't approve any contracts with terms that were done that way

[Atomic]

I would protect Greaves, Sorensen, Palardy, C. Muamba, Watson, and H. Muamba

[JuranBoldenRules]

Personally, I think it is crap that they get to pick imports other than QB's from teams.  They should be able to fill their roster with imports through CFL free agency and scouting.  A nail is going to be put in the coffin of a lot of CFL careers for the imports taken by Ottawa.  For the NI's, life with 9 teams couldn't be better.  Guys who haven't played in 2-3 years will come out of the woodwork because of the shortage of talent.

 

Too early to pick a QB, but it wouldn't be Pierce.

 

Other imports:

 

Turner

Matthews

Dunn (if he keeps playing well)

Sears

Washington

January

Hall

Anderson

Gilmore

Simpson (maybe, I'd consider Denmark and Stewart too)

 

NI's

 

H Muamba

Watson

C Muamba

Greaves

Swiston

Pencer

[johnzo]

Matthews is a free agent next year, isn't he?  Why protect him?

[rebusrankin]

Agree that they should find their own imports.

 

For NIs:

Muamab, Muamba, Watson, Pencer, Swiston, Greaves. Got to keep your starting Nis on D. Watson is the best NI receiver and had to go with 3 OL.

 

It will be interesting to see who gets protected by other teams, could see Chris Best and/or Picard left unprotected in Saskatchewan, Likely can get Staala out of Hamilton.

[JuranBoldenRules]

Matthews is a free agent next year, isn't he?  Why protect him?

Because the expansion draft happens before Feb 15, in December.

[Atomic]

You would all let Palardy go? I think he would be a lock to be taken if we don't protect him. Good Canadian kickers are valuable.

[johnzo]

Assuming we don't sign Matthews before the expansion draft, it seems like he's a risky guy to protect.

 

If he rebounds this year and looks like he's going to explore free agency, then it's likely a waste of a spot to protect him, since all we'll get for protecting him is an extra couple of months to negotiate. 

 

If he doesn't rebound this year and turns out to be a one year wonder, is it worth protecting him at all?

[JuranBoldenRules]

You would all let Palardy go? I think he would be a lock to be taken if we don't protect him. Good Canadian kickers are valuable.

In terms of replacing guys, it is easier to find a kicker who is consistent inside 40 than NI starters.

[Blueandgold]

We would be stupid to lose Palardy, but with our new found wealth of quality Canuck receivers it'll suck to lose one or two of them.

[rebusrankin]

Is it better to keep a kicker or a defensive starter or OL? I'd rather lose the kicker.

 

Besides it is quite possible Ottawa selects another kicker.

[Atomic]

How quickly we forget Alexis Serna and Troy Westwood.  Yes there's a lot of good kickers in the league right now but that doesn't mean we can just pull one out of our asses on command.  We could lose a starting OL or a starting receiver and have a guy step in right away with the prospects we have.  Kicker, I'm not so sure.

[rebusrankin]

Do you think every team protects their kickers?

 

Does Saskatchewan protect Milo over Shologon, Hennen, Labatte, Waterman, Getzlaff, Butler?

 

Does B.C. protect Hugh Oneil over Gore, Harris, Ianuzzi, Kirby Fabian, Matt Norman, Westerman?

 

Does Calgary protect Parades over Cornish, Tsoumpas, Jones, Forzani, Fraser, Gott?

[iso_55]

Teams having to protect only one qb is so much BS. Typical CFL... Kill one team to help  another...

[Atomic]

Do you think every team protects their kickers?

Does Saskatchewan protect Milo over Shologon, Hennen, Labatte, Waterman, Getzlaff, Butler?

Does B.C. protect Hugh Oneil over Gore, Harris, Ianuzzi, Kirby Fabian, Matt Norman, Westerman?

Does Calgary protect Parades over Cornish, Tsoumpas, Jones, Forzani, Fraser, Gott?

Milo, no, because he's nothing special. But you better believe BC will protect ONeill over Iannuzzi and there is no way in hell Calgary won't protect Paredes.

[M.O.A.B.]

There are imports who are expiring their contracts this season and may try to land a gig in the NFL (ie. Chris Matthews), so that may factor in for selecting imports they want to protect.

 

Besides season is  young, so might see some new players that will prove they deserve to be protected also. (ie. Aaron  Woods)

[DR. CFL]

Deciding what to do with FAs will be a serious challenge . If they don't get NFL looks the Ottawa threat will make them wait and test the market and drive up the $ for everyone.

[Valderan_CA]

Deciding what to do with FAs will be a serious challenge . If they don't get NFL looks the Ottawa threat will make them wait and test the market and drive up the $ for everyone.

 

Ottawa will be in a tough spot if they pick up many unsigned players in the draft - Those players know they burnt a draft pick on them and that most likely their old team would like them back... let's just say it's probably a good thing for Ottawa that the salary cap is going up this year.

[17to85]

Let's be honest, imports aren't really the concern with the expansion draft, it's the NIs that are the concern. Especially for Winnipeg. We're finally getting that area rebuilt to the point where it's not a huge gaping hole and now it's looking at a setback with Ottawa being able to grab some players. 

[AKAChip]

That's true, but they are really only going to be able to take one NI who has considerable value. If they end up taking Labbe or Steve Morley in the second NI round, who cares? We're going to lose our 7th or 8th best NI as well as one back-up, ST guy or a marginal starter like Morley. It sucks, but it's better than the last expansion draft where Ottawa had the option to take the teams second round pick of that year instead.

[Floyd]

Its pretty early but those six NIs seem reasonable - but I would consider protecting Renaud or Palardy if one of them has a really big season.

 

The only untouchable is Henoc, after that, really everyone can be replaced to some degree.

[17to85]

Calgary radio during halftime of the stamps/als game had an interview with Marcel Desjardins, just made some general comments about what they might be looking to do in the expansion draft. Sounds to me like they'd prefer to convince a qb to come as a free agent than take someone and have that team able to protect more players, unless they felt the qb was just that much of a sure thing. Other comment that seemed to stick out was that he basically dismissed the idea of taking players who are going to be free agents (which is the only thing that makes sense to me) so he's not sure how much quality will actually be exposed from some teams. Nothing ground breaking, but just a few more tidbits of information to chew on.