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You are here: Home / Archives for CFL Free Agency

Travis Lulay Is Back in the BC Lions Den

February 8, 2016 By Brian Wawryshyn

lulay_198x322The BC Lions have inked pending free agent quarterback Travis Lulay to a 2-year contract ahead of the start of free agency on Tuesday.

The return of Lulay is big on two fronts. It gives the Lions an experienced backup quarterback to sophomore Jonathan Jennings who is pencilled in as the starter, and also provides him with a trusted mentor to continue his development.

Lulay and Jennings have an outstanding relationship and the veteran received heaps of praise from Jennings last season for how supportive he was during last year’s transition.

“I have truly loved every moment of my time with the Lions and I’m ecstatic to be staying in BC,” said Lulay in a statement. “We have great opportunity to be a very competitive team in 2016 and I’m excited to get to work.”

The Lions will tell you training camp will decide who their starter is, but barring a tremendous flop by Jennings, he will be the man. He transformed a struggling passing attack last year to a dynamic one, and at 23 years of age, the future is bright if he can build on that success last season.

Lulay will be the security blanket, the extra set of eyes on the sideline, or that guy who can spell off Jennings for a few series if he needs to see some things for himself.

Terms of the deal have not been released, but it’s generally felt that Lulay re-signed to a cap friendly number with the Leos who also may have discussed a future coaching role with the 2011 CFL MOP, following a similar path that has seen Dave Dickenson become the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders.

The signing was valuable for not only the Lions, but the community as well, where Lulay is a tireless ambassador for the Lions.

Travis Lulay Career Statistics:

Capture
Via BCLions.com

Filed Under: Den Talk, Featured Tagged With: BC Lions, BCLionsDen.ca, Brian Wawryshyn, CFL, CFL Free Agency, Jonathan Jennings, Travis Lulay

Buono: BC Lions Won’t be Offering Andrew Harris a Contract

February 2, 2016 By Brian Wawryshyn

harris-740x300

The Lion is out of the bag regarding the status running back Andrew Harris.

BC Lions General Manager and Head Coach Wally Buono told the TEAM 1040 Tuesday afternoon that the Lions would not be making an offer to the 8-year Lion and pending free agent.

“At this point, I’m not saying we’re going to make him an offer. I don’t believe that we will. I think that at this point, it’s time for the club to look at doing things differently.” When you look at the eight years he’s had here – he’s had eight great years. There’s times that you say, ‘okay, we’re going to go in a new direction. We appreciate all an individual has done, and sometimes it’s just good to find a new place to go.” – Wally Buono on Andrew Harris.

It didn’t take long for the popular player to acknowledge that his time in BC was done as he took to Twitter to thank the fans, his teammates and like the classy person he is, he thanked Wally Buono and Neil McEvoy for giving him a chance.

Well I guess that's it BC Lions fans. Thanks for all the love and support throughout my journey here in BC! ???? https://t.co/v4fHd5Ttxc

— Andrew Harris (@andrewharris33) February 3, 2016

Gonna miss my @BCLions #teammates most of all.. You all know who you are.. When you shed blood, sweat and tears.. That's BROTHERHOOD! ??

— Andrew Harris (@andrewharris33) February 3, 2016

I wouldn't be where I am today if @GM_Brillo and Neil McEvoy never gave me a shot.. I appreciate and thank you for the opportunity!

— Andrew Harris (@andrewharris33) February 3, 2016

This is yet another in a long line of tough decisions the CFL’s all-time winningest head coach has made in his career. In his line of work, he can’t be concerned with the public opinion, which is largely in the camp of Harris based on early reactions from fans on social media.

Some have questioned based on Harris’ tweets whether he found out Buono’s plans through the media. If that’s the case, it’s unfortunate and it should not have been handled that way.

That said, both sides likely knew that this was the outcome they were headed for. Harris made no bones about doing what was best for himself at the end of last season, and has been visibly frustrated with the offence here on multiple occasions the past couple of seasons.

Buono publicly voiced his displeasure over some of the comments Harris made and gave early hints that the Lions could be looking at making the running back position more of an import position going forward and it seems as though they will look to do just that.

Buono became aware of Harris in 2008 and quickly made the young junior player a territorial protection of the club. It wasn’t until 2010 that Harris claimed a starting spot on the Lions roster, despite looking like the best running back in training camp in 2009.

He was named top Canadian of the 2011 Grey Cup, his only championship with the team.

Last off-season Harris moved to Vancouver full-time and started a local restaurant here, saying he wanted to lay down roots here for his post-football career. That career will now likely continue in Winnipeg if the Bombers are interested, as Harris’ young daughter lives there, and it is his hometown.

Harris’ time as a Lion ends with 4,259 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns across five seasons. He also added another 2,639 yards and 21 touchdowns through the air.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Andrew Harris, BC Lions, CFL, CFL Free Agency, Wally Buono

A Look at the BC Lions Remaining Free Agents

January 20, 2016 By Brian Wawryshyn

Wally Buono has done a nice job with his free agent list so far this off-season. The club has locked up the some of the bigger names on their list early and extended a few other key players as well. Manny Arceneaux, Eric Fraser, David Menard, Ryan Philips, Kirby Fabien and Jovan Olafioye all have new deals, while defensive back Steven Clarke was released and signed in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans.

The Lions still have 12 players on their list to decide on so let’s take a look at each and predict whether or not they re-sign in BC, move on to another team, or even retire.

Andrew Harris – Running Back (National)

Andrew Harris

If you’ve read between the lines on both sides, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where one of the most popular BC Lions returns to the den in 2016. From Harris’ own end of the season comments to comments on ratio structure from Buono, to the fact that Harris’ young daughter lives in Winnipeg, there are many reasons to think that the national back may be moving on.

Harris’ frustration with the offence in BC has been evident the past few seasons and at his age this is a big contract for him. The Lions have made reference to the restrictions of starting a Canadian running back, and are at least considering the option of going with an import, simply because they are easier to find and generally cheaper than a Canadian back.

Harris grew up in the Lions system and he’s put down some roots here with a local business. Those are a couple of reasons there could be a change of a heart on both sides. The two sides have talked, but Buono recently stated he won’t be making a decision on Harris until after meeting with his coaching staff to see how they are going to approach the roster from a ratio standpoint.

But the biggest draw could be his daughter Hazel and if the Bombers are interested and make a solid offer, there is a solid chance Harris returns home.

Outlook: Harris likely signs with the Bombers.

Travis Lulay – Quarterback (International)

Simply put, the BC Lions want Travis Lulay back. At the same time, Lulay still has a desire to be a starter, or at least put himself in the position for a chance to be one somewhere in the CFL.

Lulay has been a huge face of the Lions for a long time now and has put down significant roots in the community. His love of the game, his experience and his commitment are qualities that are valuable in any organization.

With a 23-year old Jonathan Jennings about to be anointed the next starting quarterback for the club, Lulay would be an ideal backup. The two have an excellent relationship and it’s hard to see Lulay being anything but supportive and a source of knowledge for the sophomore. It’s always desirable to have a backup with CFL experience, never mind one that has been a league MOP and led his team to a Grey Cup championship.

When you look around the league you don’t see a lot of places where Lulay could jump right in as a starter, as most clubs are solid as they sit. With Ricky Ray extending with the Argos, Trevor Harris will also be on the market for any team looking for a QB.

When you take that all into account, unless a team makes him an offer he can’t refuse there’s a good chance Lulay stays with the Lions and perhaps starts to groom himself for a coaching career, following a similar path that Dave Dickenson did with the Stampeders.

Outlook: Good chance he re-signs with BC.

Chris Rainey: Running Back (International)

Rainey revived a lackluster Lions special teams unit last season showing his great speed and football sense returning kicks. He also voiced his opinion that he should be more involved in the offence and when he was he had some impressive production. He’s particularly dangerous coming out of the backfield if you can hit him in stride.

If Andrew Harris moves on and the Lions look towards more of an international backfield, Rainey would be a good option as a scat back type of runner, combining him with a more powerful running back when you need tough yards or blocking.

The kicker here is Rainey’s skill returning kicks. Field position is key in the CFL and it’s no coincidence the Lions offence was more productive after Rainey arrived and started giving them better real estate to start drives from.

Rainey likely knows this as well and may test the waters to see where he can get the best deal money wise but also in how he’ll be used.

Outlook: Good chance he re-signs in BC

Alex Hoffman-Ellis – Linebacker (International)

Khreem Smith, Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Steven Clarke, Adam Bighill

Hoffman-Ellis filled in nicely when Solomon Elimimian went down last season. He’s an aggressive linebacker that has great speed and a knack for being around the ball. He’s also a special teams demon so getting him back in the fold would likely be favourable to the Lions. They also have Bo Lokombo after he made great strides last year.

If teams are looking for a linebacker, Hoffman-Ellis could get a better offer to move and could likely be a starter on multiple CFL clubs. With Elimimian coming off a major injury to his Achilles, there is always concern about how that type of injury heels, so the Lions may be willing to pay to keep the talented player around.

While the Lions would likely love to have him back, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sign with another club.

Outlook: 50/50 he re-signs with BC.

Josh Johnson – Defensive Back (International)

Johnson has been a solid find by the Lions in the Secondary. He’s an aggressive player, who at times takes bad penalties, but he certainly made strides in his last couple of seasons in BC. Johnson is getting NFL tryouts and according to a recent Lowell Ullrich tweet, could be the next Lion to sign an NFL contract, following in the footsteps of teammate Steven Clarke.

Outlook: Likely signs in the NFL

Cord Parks – Defensive Back (International)

One of the surprises of 2015 was that Cord Parks fell out of favour and became a healthy scratch for much of the season. After appearing in 26 games his first two seasons with the Leos, Parks played just 8 games in last year’s campaign.

Perhaps it was the emergence of the now departed Clarke that bumped him from the lineup, or maybe Mark Washington just wasn’t thrilled with his play. Regardless, Parks has shown he can play in this league but with little field time last season, it’s unclear how much attention he might garner on the free agent market.

With Clarke leaving and Johnson rumoured to be doing the same, the Lions may make an effort to re-sign Parks, and they may just bring in more DB’s from their free agent camps.

Parks was a solid teammate and didn’t rock the boat when he lost his roster spot. He could come back hungry to reclaim it.

Outlook: 50/50 he re-signs in BC

Khreem Smith – Defensive Lineman (International)

Khreem Smith has been a fixture on the Lions defensive line for 5 seasons now and even at the age of 36 he notched 6 sacks last year. Smith has been kept around because he’s a respected leader in the dressing room and he can still be an effective player. But at some point the Lions must get younger, and that’s likely this off-season. Smith isn’t likely to command much interest considering his age, and if the Lions don’t want to keep him around he may just retire.

At 36 Smith has already defied the odds on a Wally Buono built team. He’s a warrior though and may be open to a continued reduced role if the team decides they still need that veteran presence on the defence.

Outlook: Likely not re-signed by BC.

Matt Norman – Offensive Line (National)

2015 was a bust for Matt Norman. Heading into training camp there were rumblings that Norman was going to be replaced at centre and moved back to guard. An injury to his knee took care of any decision that had to be made and Norman never dressed for the Lions last season.

He was never comfortable at centre but did have a solid rookie year at the guard spot. He has to be ready to compete at camp and show that he can stay healthy. His birth certificate and the Lions current national o-line depth likely means the Lions will try and bring him back for another look. Whether Norman is looking to return back east could be another factor.

Outlook: 50/50 he re-signs in BC.

Pascal Lochard – Running Back (National)

Lochard has been a special teams player during his two-year tenure with the Lions. The Native of Montreal has appeared in 16 games for the Lions. With the club debating the Canadian running back option, whatever direction they decide to go could also determine the fate of Lochard. Eastern players often like to play closer to home as well, so if Lochard gets interest there, he could decide to jump. Either way he’s a role player for the team, and while he’s a Canadian, he could likely be replaced if Lions wanted to go in another direction.

Outlook: 50/50 he re-signs in BC.

Courtney Taylor – Receiver (International)

Taylor was returning from a foot injury in 2015 and never really got back on track, eventually losing his spot in the line-up to Bryan Burnham. He was the Lions most reliable receiver for a time in past seasons and is also a great team first guy.

The Lions have some solid receiving talent to work with and may be looking to add a younger option via free agency. I find it hard to see a situation where Taylor is back with the Lions.

Outlook: Not likely re-signed by BC.

Rennie Curran – Linebacker (International)

Curran was brought in for depth after Solomon Elimimian went down and saw time mostly on special teams in 2015. After some promising work in Edmonton, Curran took a gamble and tried his luck down south without success before signing with the Lions.

If the Lions re-sign Hoffman-Ellis I don’t see them bringing Curran back. If they don’t they may look at re-signing him as experienced depth.

Outlook: 50/50 re re-signs in BC.

Dean Valli – Offensive Line (National)

Valli has been a warrior for the Lions for seven seasons. He lost his starting spot in 2015 and told more than a few people that last season would be his last. He has a successful junk removal business which is growing and will likely announce his retirement prior to training camp.

Outlook: Likely to retire.

Filed Under: BC Lions Den, Featured Tagged With: Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Andrew Harris, BC Lions, CFL, CFL Free Agency, Chris Rainey, Travis Lulay

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