New Ottawa team expansion draft plan approved. Start digging please!

[Myk Aussie]

Today on Team 1200 Ottawa Sports radio I heard a excellent interview with Jeff Hunt.

He was worried that a few people (he was refering to politicians) will continue to try and delay the start of the construction. A few mths delay could very well delay the new team playing in the CFL in 2013. They want to start construction this summer.

A few politicians wanting their names in the paper and on radio and TV is annoying me and others here in Ottawa.

This is good from the article,

"Ottawa will be able to select a total of eight imports and 16 non-imports, including two quarterbacks, from existing teams.

In addition, if the team is ready to start play in 2013, Ottawa will pick first in all six rounds of the 2013 CFL Canadian Draft, after picking as many as four underclassmen from the NCAA in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft."

Here is the report from CFL.ca about the excellent expansion draft deal they have. 

http://cfl.ca/article/expansion-draft-plan-approved

[Saskfan in Winnipeg]

I hope it gets built.

As for the draft, it seems like a decent plan. It will be interesting how free agency and salaries work into the equation. Will Ottawa want to draft players who may be free agents a couple months later?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

With the need to fill out their roster with some experienced players as well as some to build their marketing around, it's hard to imagine that the Ottawa club would select impending FA's in the expansion draft.  The exception might be if the Coach/GM they put in place had a strong connection with a particular free agent, but even then, presumably that relationship might be enough to see the player move on to free agency to explore that avenue.  The thought process around it could affect how willing clubs are to let a few guys remain unsigned rather than have to protect them.

While the system is much better than past ones, the expectations for the first few seasons will still need to be realistic in Ottawa.  Presumably the Ottawa braintrust will be picking younger players on the rise rather than veterans tailing off, and it may take some time to gel and create chemistry.  Their quarterbacking, presumbaly, will be similar to what Wpg had this past year with Pierce and Jyles, two guys that were not first choices elsewhere.  There will be some interesting decisions by other teams though, most notably with Burris being 37 in two years and Ray being 34.

I'm optimistic that the biggest hurdles in the stadium situation have been cleared and that those in favour had a clear majority.  I try to not underestimate the ability of a person with a cause that knows how to work the system, but hopefully common sense will prevail and Ottawa will be on course for 2013

[GreatWhiteNorth]

So, given the parameters of the draft, if you're Ottawa management and the draft is occuring today, which QBs are you picking?  I presume that all of the teams are protecting their starters with the Bombers likely protecting Jyles over Pierce due to injury history and Toronto probably protecting Dalton Bell over Lemon.

To me, Drew Tate is the backup that has appeared most game ready and is probably the first choice by a fair distance.

Beyond that, you've got McPherson in Mtl with some interesting skills but turns 28 this spring and seemed to take a bit of a step back this past season in terms of effectiveness.  He's made it known that he covets a starting job, and has the size and athleticism to be an attractive commodity if he puts together the rest.  Apprenticing under Calvillo and having the benefit of Trestman and Milanovich as coaches will presumably have helped his development.

Jared Zabransky, at about 8 months younger than McPherson, provides somewhat of a similar style of game and athleticism.  He got some valuable experience with the Esks this past season, but it may have raised as many questions as it did answers.  He's reputed to be on the cocky side and has also voiced that he's interested in starting in the CFL sooner than later.  Playing with Ray and Maas will have enabled him to learn from two veteran pros with different styles, but I don't believe he's had QB coaching in Edmonton that would've elevated his development significantly.

Quinton Porter is about 6 months older than McPherson, having turned 28 in December, but has real CFL experience behind him.  He's been through situations where the talent around him hasn't been top-tier, but as many younger QBs do, he's had his share of struggles.  He's likely a guy that can step in and compete for a starting job, but I'm not really sure that I believe that he's a long-term starter in the CFL and may be more along the lines of what Ottawa had last time around in Dan Crowley.

I don't see Ryan Dinwiddie (30) or Buck Pierce (29) being big considerations, the former lacks upside potential IMO and the latter has had too many issues with staying healthy and on the field to roll the dice on for a team scrabbling together a roster.  Pierce is very qualified to be a starting QB in this league, but between concussions and other injuries, he brings the same sort of risks that Jesse Lumsden does.

I've got to think that at this point in time I'd be going with Tate and McPherson and hoping that one of them is able to step up into the role.  Both are coming from organizations that have had some success and both have learned behind established, but very different, veteran starters.

[Hambone]

If you're Montreal you could gamble and leave AC available while protecting McPherson as the QB of the future. As much as AC might give a new franchse credibility and be attractive from a marketing standpoint he would be a risky selection. Realistically as an expansion team I doubt you'd want to build your team around a QB who is likely to be there for no more than one year if he reports at all. Montreal could play that angle or make one of those nudge-nudge wink-wink deals giving Ottawa an asset to leave AC alone. The contract alone could be enough to take pass on. Even Calgary and Edmonton could have interesting decisions to make. Would they expose and possibly lose their current QBs of the future or would they say maybe the future is now and leave Burris and Ray along with their contracts available?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I don't think the Als would be willing to risk it, nor would they want to show Calvillo the disrespect as he has been a very solid citizen.  I suspect that a deal could definitely be done to have Ottawa look elsewhere, but also worth keeping in mind that the Als have both McPherson and Chris Leak, whom I believe they're also high on.

If I'm Ottawa and have a shot at Calvillo and Tate, I'm taking care of the present and future... though I'd definitely want him buying in, which might be an uphill battle.

I think the decision is easy in Edmonton and Calgary today, but two years from now it may get very interesting.

[arthur74]

I am very happy to see the CFL return to Ottawa. It will be great for the league and the city. I hope it will work out better this time. Now to get Halifax or somewhere in the Maritimes a team.

[Randy Brule]

I've been wondering about the Montreal situation.  Say Ottawa drafted Cavillo as he's left unprotected.  Two weeks later Cavillo decides to retire than take the beating he'd get behind a green O-line in Ottawa.  Would Ottawa then be screwed or do you think there's recourse?

[Hambone]

I've been wondering about the Montreal situation.  Say Ottawa drafted Cavillo as he's left unprotected.  Two weeks later Cavillo decides to retire than take the beating he'd get behind a green O-line in Ottawa.  Would Ottawa then be screwed or do you think there's recourse?

Just listening to Jeff Hunt on McCown's show on FAN590. He says he figures the way things are set up teams will have decisions. Some will have a vet and QB of the future. Depending on how they feel of themselves as a GC contender in that subsequent season one team could opt to keep the vet for a GC run leaving that future QB exposed. The next team if they don't feel they have the pieces to pursue the GC could leave the veteran exposed while protecting that QB of the future. Out of it they expect they should enter their expansion season with an experienced veteran QB along with a good QB prospect who likely has seen some significant CFL playing time. He feels that in itself puts them in considerably better shape than what the Renegades had to start with.

[Randy Brule]

Dan Crowley....nuff said?