Old faces, new places CFL Report Card

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The Bombers will be the only CFL team with a new start­ing quarterback when the season starts, with Stefan LeFors at the reins of the offence. (FRANK GUNN / THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

UST over a week ago we received an email from a diehard Win­nipeg Blue Bomber fan asking us to rip the hell out of Mike Kelly because — given the Kelly Malveaux trade — the loyal supporter was con­vinced the evidence had finally piled up high to declare the new coach ‘certifi­ably insane.’ 

It's become a common sentiment in this winter of discontent for many in Bomber Nation who have watched Kelly & Co. -- through a series of trades, free agent losses and outright releases -- completely gut an outfit that finished 2008 at 8-10 before being punted at home by the Edmonton Eskimos in the East Semifinal.

Since then 29 players who were on the roster at or near the end of the season have been jettisoned, although the change has been so constant over the last few months a team of mathematicians would lose track.

But to sum up, Kevin Glenn, the starting quarterback, is gonzo. So is Dan Goodspeed, the team's top O-lineman two years running. Linebacker Zeke Moreno and defensive end Kai Ellis were traded away. Three hogs who started games last season -- Alexandre Gauthier, Dominic Picard and Kyle Koch -- all bolted in free agency. And two mainstays of the secondary, Malveaux and Anthony Malbrough, are now in Edmonton. Fan fave Tom Canada was cut. Ditto for versatile defensive back Stanford Samuels. Popular 'glue' guys, players like Jerome Haywood, Jamie Stoddard and Graeme Bell who provided quiet leadership and were popular in the locker-room, have also been punted.

And so, as we hunkered down in front of the ol' laptop to tap out the 10th edition of our annual CFL Off-season Report Card -- where we grade the handiwork of all eight CFL teams over the winter -- we contacted Kelly and asked him a very simple question about all the change:

'What the... ?'

"I find myself in a conundrum," said Kelly. "I'm confident in my coaching staff, in (director of player personnel) John Murphy and in our ability to evaluate talent. But I also think of myself as a Winnipegger and a Blue Bomber fan so I can see where some of this angst is coming from.

"People are saying I'm either completely nuts or a genius... I guess we'll soon find that out."

True enough. We'll get a first peek at Kelly's squad on June 7 when main training camp opens and should have concrete proof by Week 2 -- after games against Edmonton and the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders -- whether the man's plan is working or if he should be assigned a padded cell.

And make no mistake, while every CFL off-season brings its annual talent turnover, all eyes will be on Winnipeg as camps and then the regular season open because seldom is the makeover this extreme.

Here's one man's look at the key moves by all eight CFL teams this off-season and our grade on their effort:

B.C. LIONS

THE BIG SPLASH: Scored one of the free agent gems by signing LB Anton McKenzie away from archrival Saskatchewan, but also noise by releasing name players like Jason Clermont, Tyrone Williams, Charles Roberts and Otis Floyd and losing Rob Murphy to free agency and RB Stefan Logan to the NFL. GM and head coach Wally Buono then effectively used that money saved by locking up Geroy Simon, Paris Jackson, Korey Banks, Javier Glatt, Barron Miles, Jarious Jackson, Buck Pierce and others to new deals.

OUR TAKE: It's not exactly sexy, but credit Buono for managing the cap well to keep a talented squad together. Couple that with their draft-day success -- they had three picks in the first round, using their first to select RB Jamall Lee -- and the Lions effectively reloaded.

FREE PRESS GRADE: A

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

THE BIG SPLASH: Being perennially awful means the Ticats often make significant big splashes in the off-season, and this winter was no different -- so much so that the release of former saviour Casey Printers barely drew a shrug of the shoulders across the league. Three ex-Bombers should improve the Tabbies in the short term: QB Kevin Glenn gives the squad a veteran safety net should Quinton Porter's development stagnate while tackles Dan Goodspeed and Alexandre Gauthier solidfy an O-line that surrendered the most sacks a year ago. Jesse Lumsden is gone, while CFL vets Otis Floyd (B.C.), Agustin Barrenechea (Edm.) and Brandon Guillory (Edm.) strengthen the front seven.

OUR TAKE: There's a certain quick-fix feel to the additions, given that Barrenechea, Floyd, Gauthier, Glenn and Goodspeed will all be 30 or older by the start of the season. But the Ticats need to win now after being absolutely horrible over the last few years and GM Bob O'Billovich has addressed that urgency.

FREE PRESS GRADE: A

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

THE BIG SPLASH: New coach Richie Hall comes over from a division rival in the Riders and many of his charges were eager to follow him. The Esks added all-star LB Maurice Lloyd, DB Scott Gordon and DE Kitwana Jones from Saskatchewan and snatched Canadian RB Jesse Lumsden in free agency. They traded for Anthony Malbrough and Kelly Malveaux, safety Jason Nugent and end Kai Ellis and signed free agents Kyle Koch and Graeme Bell -- all former Bombers -- but lost future star receiver Kelly Campbell to the NFL.

OUR TAKE: The Esks were just sixth in points allowed a year ago, so landing Hall and some of his crew helps the defensive dozen. Lumsden, if he can stay off the DL, will allow them to use a Canadian at RB with Calvin McCarty in reserve.

FREE PRESS GRADE: A-

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

THE BIG SPLASH: The champs have been quiet. In fact, the biggest roster news of the winter may have been the retirement of QB Dave Dickenson and the signing of Arena League MVP Matt D'Orazio, 32, as the likely No. 2 man behind Henry Burris.

OUR TAKE: Big boss man John Hufnagel has effectively kept the talent core intact, no easy task with a frozen salary cap, and hopes to push his vets with young bucks instead of veteran CFLers scooped up in trade or free agency.

FREE PRESS GRADE: B+

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

THE BIG SPLASH: It wasn't just one move, but a tsunami of change in Bomberland. The most significant comes at the quarterback position where Kevin Glenn was cut and Stefan LeFors comes aboard, meaning the Bombers will be the only CFL team to line up a new pivot behind centre to open the season.

OUR TAKE: This will shock many who figure the media in this town love to jam needles into a Kelly voodoo doll, but yours truly likes a lot of what this new regime has done. The defensive front seven will be monstrous with the additions of Tyrone Williams, Fred Perry, Riall Johnson and Siddeeq Shabazz. The receiving corps, which already features three 1,000-yard receivers, has added Brock Ralph and Adarius Bowman. The O-line, even with the defections of Gauthier and Picard, should benefit from a healthy Obby Khan and has added experienced pieces in Glenn January, Kelly Bates, Luke Fritz and Steve Morley. LeFors, obviously, will be in the crosshairs and the secondary will be dramatically different. Then again, given that the pass defence has finished last or second-last in interceptions the last four seasons and hasn't placed a member on the CFL All-Star Squad in seven years, dating back to Juran Bolden and Harold Nash, Jr. in 2001, maybe change isn't such an evil approach.

FREE PRESS GRADE: B+

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

THE BIG SPLASH: New head coach Bart Andrus addressed two huge needs by landing O-linemen Rob Murphy (B.C.) and Dominic Picard (Wpg.) in free agency and they'll offset the retirements of Jude St. John and Chad Folk and bring a nasty attitude to a line that finished second-last in sacks allowed and in rushing. Linebackers Jason Pottinger (B.C.) and Zeke Moreno (Wpg.) were solid pickups in trades but Toronto also lost ace return man Dominic Dorsey, their best DB in Byron Parker and promising receiver P.K. Sam to the NFL.

OUR TAKE: Upgraded at key positions, but overall just treading water with the NFL defections. What has to concern Argo faithful is starting QB Kerry Joseph turns 36 in October and his backups are unproven.

FREE PRESS GRADE: C+

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

THE BIG SPLASH: Yawn. Very quiet off-season for the East Division champs as GM Jim Popp spent the winter signing Anthony Calvillo, Ben Cahoon, Davis Sanchez, Josh Bourke, Anwar Stewart and Scott Flory to new contracts. Interestingly, the Als were quick to snatch up three Bomber defenders who were sent packing here: Jerome Haywood, Cam Hall and Stanford Samuels.

OUR TAKE: Nothing jumps out as a significant upgrade and while Calvillo is coming off an MVP season, he does turn 37 this summer and the depth chart is thin on experience behind him after Marcus Brady retired.

FREE PRESS GRADE: C

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

THE BIG SPLASH: No matter how Rider Priders spin it, they took some nasty hits this winter with the exits of Richie Hall, Maurice Lloyd and Anton McKenzie. Landing Joe McGrath in free agency helps the O-line, but they also lost veteran hog Wayne Smith last week to an Achilles injury. SB Jason Clermont returns home to beef up an already-dynamic receiving corps.

OUR TAKE: Must count on the ability of GM Eric Tillman -- who is still running the team in absentia with his court case pending -- to unearth new talent. But we loved what Lloyd and McKenzie brought to the front seven and that kind of skill isn't quickly replaced. And while QB Darian Durant has huge upside, fingers must be crossed both he and Steven Jyles can provide consistent work from that critical position.

FREE PRESS GRADE: C-

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 23, 2009 D4