Winnipeg Blue Bomber Report Record: 7–11–0

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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Bombers want Glenn to restructure contract

Pay cut would make QB easier to trade

By: Ed Tait

28/02/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 1

The ongoing saga that will eventually determine Kevin Glenn's future -- here in Winnipeg with the Blue Bombers or with another CFL team -- has served up another twist.The Bombers have asked Glenn to restructure his contract (hello pay cut) to make it easier to move him in a trade, or for their own bottom line should he remain with the club. No word yet on whether Glenn has accepted those new terms but the date of his next roster payment -- reported to be March 1 -- is in fact later this month, meaning the two parties don't have to agree by tomorrow.

"It's not a trade-friendly contract right now with the way it's structured," head coach Mike Kelly said Friday. "If I was another general manager and I looked at it I'm not so sure I'd be willing to jump right on it. We're trying to restructure it in two ways: to make it more trade-friendly and, two, so that it has more flexibility. That way, if he is our starter he gets paid appropriately, but if he's not, then we don't have this albatross of a salary standing on the sidelines."

The Bombers have shopped Glenn around since acquiring Stefan LeFors from the Edmonton Eskimos in January, but to minimal interest. The team did give the Hamilton Tiger-Cats permission to speak with Glenn earlier this month about going through the same process -- restructuring his current deal -- but those discussions went nowhere. Since then the Ticats have cut veteran Casey Printers and signed two more QBs, both with zero CFL experience, but haven't denied they still have interest in the 29-year-old Glenn.

Glenn's current contract, with incentives, is believed to pay him in the neighbourhood of $250,000.

"We have to look at the overall picture and how it affects the salary-management system, obviously," Kelly said. "It's about where we are with the signings we've already made and we have to have contracts that make sense to the organization and the player for the level of work that they have.

"We're trying to make it so that both parties have some flexibility and some options that benefit both. Hopefully we can get that done."

TWO ABOARD, ONE RELEASED: The Bombers beefed up arguably their deepest position on the depth chart -- the defensive line -- with the signing of two more prospects, Dorian Smith and Keith Saunders. Cut adrift was Canadian defensive back Michael Roberts, who spent most of last year on the practice roster.

Smith (6-foot-3, 280, Oregon State) spent three weeks on the practice roster with Winnipeg last season after starting in his final season with the Beavers and attending the training camp of the Washington Redskins. Saunders (6-3, 240, Alabama) was a two-year starter with the Crimson Tide and registered 33 tackles as a senior from the linebacker position. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins last year and cut in training camp.

NEW KICKER EN ROUTE: The club has yet to announce it, but Alexis Serna will have some competition at training camp. The Bombers have apparently signed Kenny Byrd, a former walk-on at the University of New Mexico who tried out with the Detroit Lions in 2007. He ranks second in Lobos' history with a field-goal percentage of 78.4 and was good on 23 of 25 attempts from inside the 40-yard line, including a streak of 22 straight.

HALL FINDS A HOME: Former Bombers linebacker Cam Hall, a free agent told by the club to shop his services around, has signed with the Montreal Alouettes. A two-year starter with the Bombers, Hall was the team's top rookie in 2007 and last year finished second on the team with 70 tackles while adding three sacks and picking off two passes, returning one for a TD.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 28, 2009 D3

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1 Comments

Posted by: Skeptic

February 28, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Kevin Glenn (runner-up for MVP in 2007) being asked to take a pay-cut on his salary so he can be traded easier? Gimme a break! Gauthier, Picard, Bell, were all reported as being close to re-signing, then all backed out at the last moment? Mr. Kelly, your negotiations with the players are starting to sound a lot like the Cal Murphy strong arm tactics of the past! Upon becoming the new sheriff in town, you indicated Glenn shouldn't have been put in the awkward position of calling his own plays last year, yet without even speaking with him, declare he is on the trading block. Now you have discovered other teams are not tripping over themselves to meet your asking price after making this public? It seems somewhat ironic that you had to surrender a high draft pick for a backup quarterback who has yet to win a football game in the CFL, yet you may end up with nothing for our starter the past few seasons if you are forced to release him because you're not crazy about his leadership abilities (apparently). Funny how 'some minor tweaking' to the roster has now turned into a major overhaul, with many popular players leaving the Blue and Gold! Hope your master plan works out the end Mike!