Monday Morning Sentimonies: Catching Up

As expected the new year has brought with it a resurgence on CFL news... from restructured contracts, to extensions, to NFL deals to the general rumour mill. From a Rider perspective there has certainly been some good news as well as some... well I'm not sure how to classify it but its certainly not good.

Let's start with the good. Kicker Tyler Crapigna has been extended through 2019. This is great news! He is a young, rock solid, Canadian talent. He puts in the "In Ya" in Crapigna (sorry that's the best you're going to get from me in mid-January). If you exclude his trainwreck of a Labour Day, he was damn-near robotic and was 5 for 7 on kicks over 45 yards. Locking him up is important. Along with the extensions given to Roosevelt, Cox, and Gainey, the Riders are making good strides in re-establishing the core of the team. Were it not for the fact that there is a huge pile of uncertainty at the most important position I would feel pretty good about where the team is at.

Which brings us to the not good news. The Riders (after apparently unsuccessfully exploring trading him to Montreal for Vernon Adams) have made another contract offer to Durant. Depending on who you listen to the offer may be less than previous ones and may be just for optics. So, yeah, things are going well.

Here's the deal... I get those of you in the "time to move on camp". Yes, Durant is up there in years. Yes, he's not currently among the top QBs in the league. I love Durant and want him back but I can be sold on the logic of moving on. BUT... there's one Nik Lewis sized problem with that plan. There is literally no other better option (with no apologies to Mitchell Gale and Brandon Bridge). The logic of "move onto a young QB of the future and sign Glenn to back him up" is great but only works if said QB of the future exists.

There's a concept in negotiations called a BATNA. Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. Basically, your BATNA is what your option is if you walk away from negotiations (look at all the useless knowledge you gain reading this blog). In Durant's case, his BATNA is to see what Montreal will pay him. This is a decent BATNA so he has little incentive to give up much in negotiations with the Riders. The Riders BATNA, is to enter the opening season at a new stadium with Gale at QB (or possibly Glenn now). Unlike Durant, their BATNA sucks so unless they unearth a better BATNA and quick, logic dictates they better keep negotiating. I'm sick and tired of losing and Durant is by far our best option at winning. I can't afford to drink away any more sorrows at the inflated drink prices sure to be in the new stadium. I personally thinks its insanity to just assume we can find the QB of the future... particularly given the long line of failed attempts last season: Coleman, Huesman, Kinne, Moniz, Lee, Smith, Waters, Sims etc... Until such time as a viable new QB actually appears on the scene, any option other than Durant for 2017 just seems crazy to me.

NFL Watch
Richie Leone (BC) - signed with Arizona
Deon Lacey (Edm) - signed with Miami
Derel Walker (Edm) - signed with Tampa Bay
Mitchell White (Ott) - signed with Philadephia
Jeff Richards (Ott) - signed with Carolina
Adam Bighill (BC) - signed with New Orleans
Forrest Hightower (Ott) - signed with New Orleans
Frank Beltre (Cal) - signed with NY Jets
Anthony Gaitor (BC) - signed with New Orleans

Greg Ellingson (Ott) - tried out with Tampa Bay
Otha Foster (Sk) - tried out with Kansas City
Kenny Shaw (Tor) - tried out with Oakland
Tony Burnett (Win) - tried out with San Diego, NY Jets
Bryan Burham (BC) - tried out with Cincinnati
Mic'Hael Brooks (BC) - tried out with Seattle, Jacksonville
Alex Bazzie (BC) - tried out with Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, Oakland
Nevis Drake (Ham) - tried out with Carolina
Quincy McDuffie (Win) - tried out with Denver
Diontae Spencer (Tor) - tried out with Los Angeles
Greg Van Roten (Tor) - tried out with Seattle
Troy Stoudemire (Edm) - tried out with Los Angeles
Derek Dennis (Cal) - tried out with Carolina, Washington, Chigago
Bo Lokombo (BC) - tried out with Cleveland
Cleyon Laing (Ott) - tried out with Miami, Cincinati
Darvin Adams (Win) - tried out with Cincinnati
Gabriel Knapton (Mtl) - tried out with Jacksonville

CFL Ins and Outs

Saskatchewan

In: K Tyler Crapigna (contract extension), WR Kelvin Muamba, DL Jordan Reaves (re-signed), RB Daniel Thomas (free agent signing)

Calgary

In: WR Kamar Jorden, DL Quinn Smith (contract extension)

Out: DL Frank Beltre (signed in NFL)

BC

In: DB Keynan Parker, FB Rolly Lumbala (contract extension)

Out: K Richie Leone, LB Adam Bighill, DB Anthony Gaitor (signed in NFL)

Edmonton

Out: LB Deon Lacey, WR Derel Walker (signed in NFL)

Winnipeg

In: K Justin Medlock, OL Stanley Bryant, QB Dominique Davis, WR Gerrard Sheppard (contract extension)

Out: QB Kevin Glenn (released)

Ottawa

Out: DB Forest Hightower, DB Mitchell White, DB Jeff Richards (signed in NFL)

Toronto

In: QB Drew Willy (contract restructured)

Montreal

In: WR Nik Lewis (contract extension)