Blogs Bomber Beat

Here are 90 seconds with Bombers receiver Kito Poblah, who, along with Cory Watson, signed a three-year contract extension on Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

The CFL’s free agent frenzy, if you want to call it that, has basically come and gone. Eighteen players either signed with their former teams or went elsewhere after their contracts expired on Wednesday. Here’s a glance at those moves (* indicates a non-import player):

Winnipeg
OL Glenn January
Toronto
LB Jason Pottinger*
S Willie Pile
OL Andrew Jones* (B.C.)
Montreal
LB Rod Davis (Edmonton)
Hamilton
SB Andy Fantuz* (Saskatchewan)
LB Kevin Eiben* (Toronto)
OL Tim O’Neill* (Calgary)
DE Greg Peach (Edmonton)
B.C.
CB Byron Parker (Toronto)
RB Stu Foord* (Saskatchewan)
Saskatchewan
CB Paul Woldu* (Montreal)
OL Brendon LaBatte* (Winnipeg)
OL Dominic Picard* (Toronto)
DB/KR Tristan Jackson
Calgary
None
Edmonton
WR Cary Koch (Saskatchewan)
DT Don Oramasionwu* (Winnipeg)
WR Greg Carr (Winnipeg)

Below is every transaction made so far this off-season, along with each team’s remaining free agents. Please let me know of any errors or omissions with this list either by e-mail (kirk.penton@sunmedia.ca) or via Twitter (@PentonKirk).

WINNIPEG
FREE AGENTS
OL Andre Douglas
WR Aaron Hargreaves*

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LS Chris Cvetkovic*
S Ian Logan*
QB Joey Elliott
QB Buck Pierce
S Brady Browne*
QB Alex Brink
OL Steve Morley*
OL Glenn January

EXTENDED

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Kurt Adams
LB Dustin Doe
WR Cassidy Doneff*
RB Bloi-Dei Dorzon
LB Javon McKinnon
OL Justin Sorensen*

ADDITIONS
CEO Garth Buchko
OC Gary Crowton
WRs Markus Howell (former def/ST asst)
===========
OL Brendan Dunn* (2011 draft pick)
RB Chad Simpson (28 NFL games)
RB Anthony Woodson* (2010 draft pick)
LB Jordan Matechuk* (former Ticat)

DEPARTURES
OC Jamie Barresi (fired, RB coach in Edmonton)
RC Chris Wiesehan (OL coach in Hawaii)
LB Casey Creehan (DC in Hamilton)
==================
P Jamie Boreham* (released)
DT Don Oramasionwu* (FA, Edmonton)
OL Brendon LaBatte* (FA, Saskatchewan)
WR Greg Carr (FA, Edmonton)

TORONTO
FREE AGENTS
OL Taylor Robertson*
OL Rob Murphy
QB Dalton Bell
DE Alex Buzbee
DE Ben Ishola

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
FB Jeff Johnson*
CB Matt Black*
LB Jordan Younger
LB Jason Pottinger*
S Willie Pile

EXTENDED
WR Mike Bradwell*
OL Chris Van Zeyl*
QB Steven Jyles (traded to Edmonton)
SB Andre Durie*

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER

ADDITIONS
HC Scott Milanovich (former OC in Montreal)
DC Chris Jones (former DC in Calgary)
OC Jonathan Himebauch (former OL coach in Montreal)
RC Jason Maas
CEO Chris Rudge
===========
QB Ricky Ray (trade, Edmonton — for Steven Jyles, Grant Shaw and 1st-rd pick in 2012)
DL Gregory Alexandre* (2011 draft pick)
DL Jonathan Pierre-Etienne* (B.C. 2009 draft pick)
WR Julian Feoli-Gudino* (2011 draft pick)
WR Andrew Strickland
OL Marc Parenteau* (released by Saskatchewan)
OL Donnie McKenzie*
DB Marcus Ball
WR Jarmon Fortson
WR Jason Barnes (released by Edmonton)
QB Adam Trafalis (formerly with Hamilton)
WR Dontrelle Inman
OL Andrew Jones* (FA, B.C.)

DEPARTURES
OC Jonathan Himebauch (resigned, Wake Forest)
CEO Bob Nicholson (resigned)
==================
WR Brandon Rideau (released)
QB Steven Jyles (Edmonton, trade — for Ricky Ray)
K Grant Shaw* (Edmonton, trade — for Ricky Ray)
WR Jeremaine Copeland (retired, joined Ticats as receivers coach)
DB Lin-J Shell (released)
S Wes Lysack* (released)
OL Dominic Picard* (FA, Saskatchewan)
CB Byron Parker (FA, B.C.)
LB Kevin Eiben* (FA, Hamilton)

MONTREAL
FREE AGENTS
DE Jermaine McElveen
LB Walter Spencer*
CB Mark Estelle

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LB Marc-Olivier Brouilette*
S Etienne Boulay*
WR Eric Deslauriers*
G Scott Flory*

EXTENDED
OL Josh Bourke*
WR Brandon London
DB Billy Parker
DB Daryl Townsend*
WR Brian Bratton

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Travon Patterson
DB Vince Anderson
DT Tremaine Johnson
WR Sidney Stewart
DE Daunte Akra

ADDITIONS
OC Marcus Brady (promoted from RC)
DC Jeff Reinebold
===========
WR Adam Mims
OL Anthony Barrette* (2011 draft pick)
OL Reed Alexander* (2011 draft pick)
LB Blaine Ruttan* (2011 draft pick)
DB Michael Carter*
DE Chris Hodgson*
WR Trent Guy
DE Ventrell Jenkins
DB/KR Stephan Neville
WR Felton Huggins
RB Noel Devine
DE Michael Montgomery
DB Dajuan Morgan
DE Duke Lemmens
LB Rod Davis (FA, Edmonton)

DEPARTURES
OC Scott Milanovich (Toronto, head coach)
DC Tim Tibesar (Purdue)
OL Jonathan Himebach (Toronto, OC, then left for Wake Forest)
DBs Daronte Jones (University of Hawaii)
==================
DL Jeff Robertshaw* (released)
KR Tim Maypray (released)
WR Kerry Watkins (retired)
DE Anwar Stewart (released)
WR Danny Desriveaux* (released)
K Sandro DeAngelis* (released)
DT Eric Wilson (released)
CB Paul Woldu* (FA, Saskatchewan)

HAMILTON
FREE AGENTS
K Justin Medlock
DL Matt Kirk*
DB Jason Shivers
WR Matt Carter*
OL Jason Jimenez
FB Agustin Barrenechea*

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LB Ike Brown

EXTENDED
CB Ryan Hinds*
WR Bakari Grant

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER
WR Terence Jeffers-Harris

ADDITIONS
HC George Cortez
DC Casey Creehan (former LB coach in Winnipeg)
Rec. Jeremaine Copeland
QBs Doug Sams
STs Jim Daley
DBs Nelson Martin
RBs Ryan Sheahan
===========
QB Henry Burris (Calgary, trade — for Kevin Glenn, Mark Dewit, draft pick)
RB Martell Mallett (formerly with B.C.)
SB Andy Fantuz* (FA, Saskatchewan)
LB Kevin Eiben* (FA, Toronto)
OL Tim O’Neill* (FA, Calgary)
DE Greg Peach (FA, Edmonton)

DEPARTURES
HC Marcel Bellefeuille (fired)
DC Corey Chamblin (HC in Saskatchewan)
OC Khari Jones (QBs in Saskatchewan)
==================
KR Marcus Thigpen (NFL, Miami)
QB Kevin Glenn (Calgary, trade — for Henry Burris)
OL Mark Dewit* (Calgary, trade — for Henry Burris)
S Dylan Barker* (retired)
OL Simeon Rottier* (released, signed in Edmonton)
RB Avon Cobourne (released)
DE Luc Mullinder* (released)
DE Justin Hickman (NFL, Indianapolis)

B.C.
FREE AGENTS
DT Aaron Hunt

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
DT Khalif Mitchell
LB Anton McKenzie
K/P Paul McCallum*
CB Dante Marsh
DB Ryan Phillips

EXTENDED
RB Andrew Harris*
C Angus Reid*
SB Arland Bruce
DB Korey Banks
WR Paris Jackson*

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER

ADDITIONS
HC Mike Benevides (promoted from DC)
DC Rich Stubler (former DC in Edmonton)
===========
DB Lin-J Shell (released by Toronto)
CB Byron Parker (FA, Toronto)
RB Stu Foord* (FA, Saskatchewan)

DEPARTURES
HC Wally Buono (stays on as GM)
Def. Asst. Barron Miles (Saskatchewan, DBs)
==================
RB Jamal Robertson (retired)
WR Ryan Thelwell* (retired)
DB Tad Kornegay (released)
LB Solomon Elimimian (NFL, Minnesota)
QB Jarious Jackson (released)
RB Jamall Lee* (retired)
OL Andrew Jones* (FA, Toronto)

SASKATCHEWAN
FREE AGENTS
RB Wes Cates
FB Graeme Bell*
SB Jason Clermont*
DB Leron Mitchell*

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
CB Nick Graham
DE Brent Hawkins
DB/KR Tristan Jackson

EXTENDED
DT Keith Shologan*

RETAINED FROM PRACTICE ROSTER

ADDITIONS
HC Corey Chamblin (former DC in Hamilton)
OC Bob Dyce (promoted from WRs)
OL Kris Sweet (former OLs in Calgary)
QBs Khari Jones (former OC in Hamilton)
WRs Jason Tucker (former WRs in Edmonton)
DBs Barron Miles (former def. asst. in B.C.)
===========
LB Maurice Lloyd
DB Graig Newman*
WR Kolten Solomon*
K/P Chris Bodnar*
OL Clint Oldenburg
DL Boo Robinson
WR Jason Chery
WR Taj Smith
RB Kory Sheets
RB Louis Rankin
RB Demetrius Crawford
CB Paul Woldu* (FA, Montreal)
OL Brendon LaBatte* (FA, Winnipeg)
OL Dominic Picard* (FA, Toronto)

DEPARTURES
HC Ken Miller (retired)
==================
LB Barrin Simpson (released)
P Eddie Johnson (released)
DE R.J. Roberts (released)
DB Jeremiah Weatherspoon (released)
K/P Luca Congi* (released)
DB Tamon George* (released)
OL George Hudson* (released)
DB John Eubanks (released)
WR Terrence Nunn (released)
DE Remond Willis (released)
LB Sean Lucas (retired)
LB Jerrell Freeman (NFL, Indianapolis)
QB Ryan Dinwiddie (released)
WR Freddie Barnes (released)
OL Alex Gauthier* (released)
WR James Robinson (released)
OL Marc Parenteau* (released, signed in Toronto)
WR Cary Koch (FA, Edmonton)
RB Stu Foord* (FA, B.C.)
OL Gene Makowsky* (retired)
WR Andy Fantuz* (FA, Hamilton)

CALGARY
FREE AGENTS
P Burke Dales*
WR Arjei Franklin*
DB Brandon Isaac

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
LB Marc Calixte*

EXTENDED
RB Jon Cornish*
QB Drew Tate
K Rene Paredes*

ADDITIONS
DC Dave Walkosky (promoted from LBs)
DLs DeVone Claybrooks
===========
RB Matt Walter* (2011 draft pick)
WR Mike Squires*
QB Kevin Glenn (Hamilton, trade — for Henry Burris)
OL Mark Dewit* (Hamilton, trade — for Henry Burris)
WR Chris Bauman* (released by Edmonton)
LB Jadon Wagner*
RB Jeramy Avery
RB Michael Smith
LB Joe Henderson
LB Montez Robinson
DL Cody Brown
DL Chase Vaughn
LB Justin Conn*
P Scott Crough*

DEPARTURES
DC Chris Jones (Toronto, DC)
==================
QB Henry Burris (Hamilton, trade — for Kevin Glenn and Mark Dewit)
DT DeVone Claybrooks (retired)
RB Joffrey Reynolds (released)
LB Sean Ware (retired)
OL Tim O’Neill* (FA, Hamilton)

EDMONTON
FREE AGENTS
LB Mark Restelli
RB Samuel Fournier*

FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED
FB Mathieu Bertrand*
K Derek Schiavone*
RB Calvin McCarty*
OL Kyle Koch*
DL Etienne Legare*
WR Andrew Nowacki*

EXTENDED
DB Delroy Clarke*
RB Hugh Charles
OL Greg Wojt*
SB Fred Stamps

ADDITIONS
DC Mark Nelson (promoted from LBs)
===========
DL Steven Friday
QB Steven Jyles (Toronto, trade — for Ricky Ray)
K Grant Shaw* (Toronto, trade — for Ricky Ray)
LB Simoni Lawrence
WR Derrick Townsel
OL Mitch Erickson
LB Derek Domino
DB Michael Ricks
OL Orrin Thompson
P/K Eric Wilbur (formerly with Hamilton)
OL Simeon Rottier* (released by Hamilton)
DL Rashad Jeanty (spent four seasons in NFL)
DL Kommonyan Quaye
WR Cary Koch (FA, Saskatchewan)
DT Don Oramasionwu* (FA, Winnipeg)
WR Greg Carr (FA, Winnipeg)

DEPARTURES
DC Rich Stubler (new DC in B.C.)
==================
QB Ricky Ray (Toronto, trade — for Steven Jyles, Grant Shaw and draft pick)
OL Patrick Kabongo* (released)
WR Chris Bauman* (released, signed in Calgary)
DB Wopamo Osaisai (released)
SB Jason Barnes (released, signed in Toronto)
KR Jason Armstead (released)
DB Jykine Bradley (released)
OL Chris Patrick (released)
DL Joe Sykes (released)
K/P Damon Duval (released)
RB Jerome Messam* (NFL, Miami)
LB Rod Davis (FA, Montreal)
DE Greg Peach (FA, Hamilton)

 

Wasn’t able to squeeze everything into the fish wrap today, so here are a few leftovers and thoughts from a very busy Thursday on Maroons Road …

• Unlike last winter, when Buck Pierce was recovering from a dislocated elbow, he can focus totally on training this off-season. He looks bigger and leaner than he did at the end of last year. “I physically feel great,” he said. “Just a broken heart from the Grey Cup still.”

• The contract extension for GM Joe Mack was a no-brainer. He oversaw a team that went from 4-14 to the Grey Cup. “The people and the fans of Winnipeg have really been great to me, and I can’t say how much I appreciate the support that I’ve gotten from the board of directors of the Winnipeg Football Club,” he said.

• It really sounds like quarterback Alex Brink is going to be coming back to the Bombers. Both Mack and Brink’s agent, Ken Staninger, had nothing but positive things to say about the situation on Thursday. Staninger even hinted there’s basically nowhere else for Brink to go in the CFL. And when you consider Pierce’s injury history and the fact Joey Elliott is coming off ACL surgery, Winnipeg might not be a bad place for him. He could be playing before he knows it.

• I asked Pierce what went wrong with the offence last season, and here was his answer: “I thought we showed flashes of toughness and what we could do. We were just inconsistent. We didn’t play very well on the road. You could say it’s maturity issues and lack of focus throughout the long, 18-week season, and I’m sure that was part of it, but overall we just need to get better. And if it’s getting better in the meeting rooms or the way we conduct practices and change up what we do day to day, all those things kind of factor in. I’m still a big believer in what we do offensively and our schemes, and I think we can make it work.”

• It’s interesting to hear Pierce mention maturity issues, but then again the Bombers are the youngest team in the league and many of them are still learning how to be pros.

• The folks on Maroons Road are nervous about free agent-to-be Brendon LaBatte, and they should be. All signs are pointing to him leaving the Bombers after four seasons, with his home province of Saskatchewan a likely destination. LaBatte has all the leverage here. He is their best O-lineman — one of the best in the league — and he needs to get paid. On the other hand, the Bombers need him. That works out well for LaBatte’s bank account. I actually believe LaBatte wants to stay in Winnipeg, but it will be easy for him to go home if he doesn’t get top dollar. Plus, the two men who drafted him sixth overall in 2008, Brendan Taman and Bob Dyce, are now in Regina. Not sure if that matters, but it might.

• Pierce talked to new offensive co-ordinator Gary Crowton on Wednesday, and it’s safe to say No. 4 is excited about the appointment. “I’m just very excited to be working with a guy of his calibre,” Pierce said. “Just knowing his record with quarterbacks and his coaching resume, it’s just mind-blowing.”

• Pierce agreed something had to change when it came to the offence. Jamie Barresi was fired two days after the Grey Cup. “I think a change was needed,” Pierce said. “I have the utmost respect for coach Barresi. I pretty much worked with him pretty much my whole career in the CFL, and I knew he’d land a job soon. But change is needed, whether it be a player or coach or somewhere, and that’s what happened. We addressed it quickly, and we rectified that. The future will show what that has done for us, but I think it’s a positive step.”

• Not sure of the exact figures on Pierce’s three-year deal, but over the last two years he was getting about $125,000 in bonuses and base salary with a chance to make $200,000 if he started every game and had star-studded seasons. He obviously got a healthy raise after getting the Blue and Gold to the Grey Cup, but Mack said the Bombers are still protected somewhat if Pierce gets hurt, meaning a chunk of his salary will still depend on his health. “I gave consideration to what Buck has meant to the organization overall. The fact that he’s been extremely tough, he’s been a leader,” Mack said. “I anticipate him continuing that, so I acknowledged that and we factored that into the contract, while Buck also acknowledged that there is that medical history. It’s a balancing act between the two.”

• The next Bomber signing you’ll probably hear about is receiver Greg Carr.

• Mack didn’t say no when asked if he was considering free-agent offensive lineman Alex Gauthier. Mack plans to look at the tape to see if Gauthier regressed badly during the 2011 season with the Roughriders. The Bombers took a run at him last February.

There wasn’t much happening on a quiet Saturday in December, but then Sportsnet’s Arash Madani, the former Bomber PR man, tweeted that Winnipeg cornerback Jovon Johnson had a new agent (Darren Gill) and an NFL tryout lined up.

So I got in touch with Johnson, the CFL’s most outstanding defensive player this season, and he played down the news, saying any tryout with an NFL team was just talk. Gill, however, said Johnson does have a workout lined up, but he wouldn’t say which team because it hadn’t happened yet and things can change in a hurry.

Anyway, here is a longer version of the story.

The Bombers kept seven and subtracted one on a busy Friday.

Winnipeg re-signed long snapper Chris Cvetkovic, who would have been a free agent in February, and it re-signed six practice roster players: RB Bloi-Dei Dorzon, LB Javon McKinnon, WR Cassidy Doneff, OL Justin Sorensen, LB Dustin Doe and WR Kurt Adams.

The Bombers also released punter Jamie Boreham, which could be good news for Mike Renaud.

The re-signing of Cvetkovic leaves the Bombers with 12 potential free agents, including quarterbacks Buck Pierce, Alex Brink and Joey Elliott.

Here’s what else is up …

• Drew Edwards of the Hamilton Spectator reported Friday that Bombers defensive co-ordinator Tim Burke will interview with the Tiger-Cats next week. It’s believed Burke has already talked to the Roughriders.

• I flew out of Winnipeg today, and the new stadium sure looks like a stadium now. The east-side stands are all up and clearly visible from the sky.

• Finally, here are a few more pictures from Grey Cup week …

It was a soggy Grey Cup parade on the Saturday before the big game.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats cheerleaders. Not that good of a picture. Sorry about that.

Lions running back Andrew Harris got this huge banner of support from his friends on Vancouver Island the day before the game. It worked, as the Winnipeg native was named the Grey Cup’s most outstanding Canadian.