CFL offseason anything but boring

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This article was published 10/01/2024 (650 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just nine teams but a long list of juicy storylines — such is the usual state of the CFL, although some weeks are, indeed, busier than others.

This is one of those times, as general managers and head coaches gathered in Nashville, Tenn., for the annual league meetings and to take in the American Football Coaches Association convention that took place at the same time. As part of the festivities, reporters got a chance to speak with the teams’ representatives, making for some fun and informative discussions.

Rather than a lengthy introduction to this week’s column, it’s best we just get into it. Indeed, there’s plenty to unpack in the latest edition of CFL Rundown.

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1) The Bombers underwent a significant makeover on their coaching staff. They hired defensive backs coach Jordan Younger to take over the defence, demoting Richie Hall from his role as defensive co-ordinator to something still without a title. Paul Boudreau was shown the door, making room for Mike Miller to jump from special-teams ace to special-teams co-ordinator, in what seemed like a surprising move for everyone, including Miller.

2) So, what happened? After talking to several people, I believe this started back in November, when Buck Pierce applied to be the next head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Pierce was one of the front-runners for the job, which included being wined and dined in Regina and introduced to staff. Before a deal could be offered, Pierce pulled out of the race, resulting in the Riders moving on quickly to hire Corey Mace. My bet is Pierce used his leverage, which would have included taking Younger to Riderville as his DC, to earn a pay raise and to have Younger promoted on the Bombers staff. Smart moves.

3) So, you give Pierce and Younger what they want — and rightfully deserve — and now what? With the non-player football operations cap a major squeeze for the Bombers, head coach Mike O’Shea had to make some tough decisions to round out his staff. Not wanting – or too uncomfortable – to move on from Hall, O’Shea offered him a lesser role, clearly for less money, which gave Hall credit for accepting. In order to stay cap compliant, the decision was then made not to renew Boudreau’s contract and, instead, hand the keys to a green Miller, who said this week he was shocked by the offer and has no idea how he’ll fare in the role.

4) Miller will eventually figure it out. He knows the game as well as anyone and has the full respect of his teammates. I also expect O’Shea will be his shadow, taking a key role in his development. What seems obvious is O’Shea dragged his feet on the decision at the expense of Boudreau, who was heading out on a vacation when he got the news. That’s a tough way to treat someone who helped you get to four straight Grey Cups — particularly in early January when it’s very difficult to find another CFL job. The irony is the club will point to the down year on special teams as its excuse not to extend Boudreau, but a big reason for that was having Miller miss the entire season with a neck injury, as well as dynamic returner Janarion Grant also missing much of the year. It’s further proof that while O’Shea is an incredible coach and leader, he’s still not yet prepared to be a general manager and make tough decisions in a timely manner.

5) After releasing Taylor Cornelius, despite being on the hook for $100,000 of his 2024 salary, the Edmonton Elks went out and signed QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson to a contract that will pay him upwards of $500,000. Bethel-Thompson left the CFL after helping lead the Toronto Argonauts to a Grey Cup over the Bombers in 2022, spending last year trying to chase, at 35 years old, a pipe dream of playing in the NFL before settling for a spot on the USFL’s New Orleans Breakers.

6) There were plenty of raised eyebrows when the Bethel-Thompson signing occurred, with many wondering what it meant for the future of Canadian pivot Tre Ford. I don’t think Bethel-Thompson will be enough to get the Elks into a playoff spot, let alone win them a Grey Cup. I don’t think Ford is that guy, either, at least not yet. He can and should benefit from having an experienced pivot around, something he didn’t have last year. What I find ridiculous, though, was GM/HC Chris Jones didn’t even let Ford know what was happening, not even a courtesy call afterward. When asked about it, Jones said he doesn’t like to coddle players, unlike others in this “new-school era” of football. Jones also seems to have forgotten that he’d likely be out of a job had it not been for the dynamic play of Ford. Jones begrudgingly put Ford behind centre only after the Elks opened the year 0-8 — after finishing a CFL-worst 4-14 under Jones in 2022 — and Ford repaid him by turning an eyesore of a franchise into something worth tuning into each week. I guess it’s back to regular programming in Edmonton.

7) QB Trevor Harris did the Riders a solid and restructured his contract for this season. GM Jeremy O’Day credited Harris, saying he didn’t have to take the undisclosed pay cut but he appreciated the sacrifice. If he didn’t have to take it, then why did O’Day ask? Probably because if he didn’t, the Riders would look elsewhere, likely for someone who isn’t going to be 38 and coming off a catastrophic knee injury.

8) The same thing happened in Hamilton, with the Tiger-Cats and veteran QB Bo Levi Mitchell also coming to a new agreement for the upcoming season. This one has at least a show-me element to it, with Mitchell nearly cutting his money in half. Instead of earning more than $500,000, he’s set to make around $275,000 – including a $50,000 signing bonus — with the chance to earn an extra $110,000 through playing incentives. Mitchell is only 33, but he hasn’t put in a solid CFL season since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and he’s shown little to suggest he can return to his Hall-of-Fame calibre of play. He also suffered two serious injuries last year. Head coach Scott Milanovich said he still sees something in Mitchell, saying it’s his job to lose. This feels like one last chance before Mitchell is forced to take an even bigger pay cut to be in the broadcast booth.

9) I asked Milanovich, who at one point was believed to be a shoo-in for the Riders head coaching gig, just how close he got in the process before accepting the same job in Hamilton. He told me he took the interview and was just a day away from a second before the Ticats came calling. What’s more, he hadn’t even been officially offered the job in Hamilton when he pulled out of the race to Regina.

10) Lots of talk about Bombers QB Dru Brown and where he’ll end up once free agency opens on Feb. 13. It likely won’t be Winnipeg, which Bombers GM Kyle Walters predicted in his media availability Tuesday. Brown loved his time on the prairies but wants a legitimate chance to earn more playing time. With Zach Collaros under contract for two more years, that just isn’t going to happen in Winnipeg. I’ve long said I believe Brown will end up with the Ottawa Redblacks, working under new offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell. Condell and Collaros are close and Collaros speaks incredibly highly of Brown, and I imagine his scouting report has already been passed along. With Jeremiah Masoli coming off an Achilles injury, and Dustin Crum still in need of some seasoning after his rookie year, I picture Brown at Redblacks training camp this spring vying for his first No.1 job.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton