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2012 CFL Western Division Previews
B.C. LIONS
Last Season
Seven weeks into the 2011 it looked like the BC Lions season was cooked after a woeful 1-6 start. Not quite. The Lions proceeded to rip off eight straight wins and closed the season by winning 10 of their final 11 games overall to finish first in the West. The Lions would then steamroll the Eskimos in the Western Final and earn the right to play for the 99th Grey Cup at home in the newly renovated BC Place. Travis Lulay threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns in the championship game to lead the Lions to a 34-23 win over the Blue Bombers and send Wally Buono into the sunset with another ring. Buono stepped away from his coaching duties following the season to concentrate on the front office.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
For the most part the Lions made it through the off-season with last year's Grey Cup roster intact.
The Lions will miss the hard-hitting of linebacker Solomon Elimimian. The 2010 CFL Most Outstanding Rookie signed with the Minnesota Vikings in the off-season.
Not everyone is back though as a few key faces, especially on defence have landed elsewhere.
One of the biggest losses for the Lions is linebacker Solomon Elimimian who signed a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. In his two seasons with the Lions, Elimimian established himself as one of the game's biggest hitters. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie in 2010 and was a CFL All-Star last year.
The team also lost one of its all-time greats during the off-season as defensive lineman Brent Johnson decided to retire following a decorated 11-year CFL career. The two-time Most Outstanding Canadian leaves the game as the Lions all-time sacks king with 89.
Another big hole on defence both literally and figuratively comes on the line as long-time Lion Aaron Hunt signed as a free agent with the Alouettes. Hunt had spent his entire six-year career with the Lions picking up 41 sacks along the way.
Other notable departures include DB Davis Sanchez (retired), RB Jamall Lee (retired) and DB Jerome Dennis (released).
As for additions, the Lions seemed to have a found somewhere they liked to refresh their secondary: Toronto. The Lions added a pair of former Argo defenders this off-season in defensive back Lin-J Shell and cornerback Byron Parker. Parker is an eight-year CFL veteran and former All-Star who will bring both ball-hawking and leadership to the Lions secondary.
Other notable additions for the Lions include veteran offensive lineman Patrick Kabongo and Canadian RB Stu Foord who signed as a free agent from Saskatchewan and will serve as a backup to Andrew Harris.
What to Expect
The Lions are certainly hoping that the 2012 season gets off to a better start than 2011 did. Then again, if the result is the same they probably won't complain.
With a championship roster that remains largely intact, the Lions enter the season as one of the favourites to hoist the Grey Cup in Toronto this November.
If they are going to reach the pinnacle once more it will be under the guidance of rookie head coach Mike Benevides who took over from the CFL's All-time winningest coach Wally Buono in the off-season. The transition has been fairly smooth as Benevides worked for the past several years under Buono and had long been considered the heir apparent for the job.
Travis Lulay was handed the reins last season really came into his own throwing for 4,815 yards and a CFL-best 32 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. While it's tough to imagine that his production could be much better but the sky is really the limit for Lulay and this year with his skills and the quality of the Lions receivers.
Geroy Simon is poised to become the most prolific receiver in CFL history this season. Simon needs just 68 yards to break Milt Stegall's all-time record of 15,153 receiving yards.
First and foremost among Lions receivers is, as always, Geroy Simon. Simon is just 68 yards shy of surpassing Milt Stegall's record of 15, 153 career receiving yards. Simon is among the best to ever play the game and is showing nbo sings of slowing down. Add in the likes of Arland Bruce and young Canadians Akeem Foster and Shawn Gore and the Lions receiving corps is one of the league's most dangerous.
At running back the club will once again look to Canadian Andrew Harris to lead the way. The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian brings alot of versatility to the Lions backfield with his quoickness and ability to catch passes. The club also brought in veteran Roughrider fan favourite Stu Foord to spell Harris and keep it Canadian at running back.
One of the biggest surprises for the team on offence is that Jovan Olafioye will be back on the line. Olafioye signed a contract with the St. Louis Rams and was not expected to be back until at least August. He was released because of an unspecified medical issue though and the All-Star tackle was gladly welcomed back into the den.
Defensively the club is also happy to bring back defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell. Mitchell was also expected to join Elimimian in the NFL this season and actually came close to agreeing to a deal with Miami. Ultimately he decided that the security he felt with the Lions was worth more than the insecurity offered by the Dolphins.
Looking at the secondary, one of the team's goals was to get bigger and more physical. Former Argos Lin-J Shell and Byron Parker fit the bill nicely and should add an extra element of toughness to the defence.
If all things go to plan in B.C., don't be surprised to see the Lions once again looking to represent the West in the Grey Cup.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1 (2) Jabar Westerman E. Michigan
1 (7) OL Kirby Fabien Calgary
3 (22) OL Matthew Norman Western
5 (37) LB Jordan Verdone Calgary
The Lions knew who they wanted to take so they traded up to make sure they could get defensive lineman Jabar Westerman out of Eastern Michigan.
In 2011, the Brampton, Ont. native racked up 26 tackles and four sacks for Eastern Michigan, a major improvement from his 2010 season, which saw him register 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
The Lions will have to wait to see their other first round pick Kirby Fabien though. Fabien opted to return to school for another season rather than sign a deal with the Lions.
The Lions rounded out their draft by selecting offensive lineman Matthew Norman and linebacker Jordan Verdone.
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
Last Season
The Edmonton Eskimos had a solid turnaround under first year head coach Kavis Reed in 2011. After missing the playoffs in 2010 with a 7-11 record, the Eskimos flipped their wins and loss totals to finish 11-7, good enough for second place in the West. The Eskimos then beat their provincial rival Calgary Stampeders 33-19 at home in the playoffs to earn a trip to the Western Final. The team would ultimately come up short though falling 40-23 to the eventual Grey Cup champion BC Lions.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
Ricky Ray was the face of the Eskimos franchise for the better part of a decade before being traded to Toronto in the off-season.
Things are looking very different in Edmonton these days.
Eskimos general manager Eric Tillman pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Argonauts during the off-season that sent long-time Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray to the boatmen.
Ray had spent his entire nine-year CFL career with the Edmonton Eskimos, amassing more than 40,000 passing yards and 210 touchdowns, five team nominees for Most Outstanding Player, and several team records.
In return the Eskimos received quarterback Steven Jyles, promising young kicker Grant Shaw, and Toronto's first pick (second overall) in the draft.
While the Ray deal was by far the biggest move for the Eskimos this off-season it certainly wasn't the only one as Tillman was very busy in free agency and in making deals.
The club added a plethora of talent on offence signing former Roughriders Hugh Charles and Cary Koch, former Bomber Greg Carr and Canadian receiver Matt Carter.
Charles brings alot of speed to the Eskimos backfield while Carr and Koch will both be valuable additions to the Eskimos receiving corps and should alleviate some of the pressure on Fred Stamps. Carter gives the Eskimos some more coveted Canadian depth.
Defensively the biggest addition for the club might be tackle Don Oramasionwu who is a solid run-stopper on the interior of the line. The club also brought back defensive end Rashad Jeanty who played with the Eskimos from 2002-05 before leaving for the NFL.
On special teams the club also added former Stampeders All-Star punter Burke Dales.
Besides all of the additions there were also a few notable Eskimos departures during the off-season. Besides Ray, the biggest loss to the offence is last year's Most Outstanding Canadian, running back Jerome Messam. Messam signed in the NFL but his status for playing anywhere is dependant upon recovery from a knee injury.
The biggest losses on defence may be Rod Davis and Mark Restelli, who signed with the Montreal Alouettes as free agents.
Greg Peach also moved East to Hamilton while Jason Barnes is now in Toronto. Canadian receiver Chris Bauman who signed a big contract in free agency a year ago meanwhile was released after just one season of limited production with the team.
The team also parted ways with long-time offensive linemand Patrick Kabongo as well as kicker Damon Duval, return man Jason Armstead and defensive back Jykine Bradley.
What to Expect
It's tough to figure what type of season the Eskimos are headed for after such a tumultuous off-season.
The club certainly brought in some talent. They lost some too.
Kavis Reed and the coaching staff have a tough job in incorporating all of the new faces into their system and making it work.
The Eskimos are hoping that Steven Jyles can stay healthy this year and fill the void left by Ricky Ray at quarterback.
Undoubtedly the biggest question mark for the team is at quarterback where after nearly a decade of Ricky Ray the club is forced to look elsewhere.
To say Ricky Ray was loved by everyone in Edmonton would be a lie, many fans just couldn't get behind his calm demeanor and wished he would have more fire. What you can't deny is that he produced.
Now the club is left with Steven Jyles as the projected number one. Jyles is still somewhat of an unproven commodity after some uneven stints as a starter. When healthy and starting Jyles' production has been pretty good. It's being able to have him string together the starts which has been a problem.
That leaves Kerry Joseph a former CFL MOP and Grey Cup champion as the backup and in the mix for some playing time. Joseph brings alot of experience to the table but is certainly on the shaded side of the hill in his career.
Without Messam the Eskimos running game may not be as powerful as it was a year ago but the addition of Hugh Charles does add speed and shiftiness. At receiver the Eskimos look to have improved greatly with the additions of Carr and Koch.
Carr brings a huge frame and big play ability to the team while Koch adds quickness, good hands and reliability out of the slot. Carr also brings familiarity with Jyles from their time in Winnipeg together. Both should help Eskimos All-Star Fred Stamps as the coverage won't be able to key on him. Stamps notched his third straight 1,000 yard season last year despite appearing in only 15 games.
On defence, the signing of Rashad Jeanty made Greg Peach expendable. The club is also banking that Oramasionwu is a star in the making. Last season, he was able to fill in well for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and should see an uptick in playing time with the Eskimos year.
Rod Davis will be difficult to replace but the team feels is has the depth it needs at linebacker to build on their solid play form a year ago.
On special teams, Dales' addition gives the coaching staff the flexibility to keep the kicking position Canadian with either Derek Schiavone or Shaw, or even both.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1 (4) OL Austin Pasztor Virginia
1 (6) WR Shamawd Chambers Wilfrid Laurier
2 (14) DL Justin Capicciotti Simon Fraser
5 (36) DE Hasan Hazime Akron
5(38) LB Ryan King Saint Mary's
The Eskimos acquired the second overall pick in the draft from Toronto in the Ricky Ray trade and were hoping they could maybe turn that pick into Ben Heenan.
However, the Riders made it clear they were taking Heenan with the first pick. So, the Eskimos then decided to trade their pick to the B.C. Lions, along with the 20th overall selection, in exchange for the fourth, 14th and 38th choices.
The team then shifted focus and got offensive lineman Austin Pasztor out of Virginia whom they were also very high on despite knowing they would likely have to wait for him.
With the sixth overall selection, the Esks nabbed maybe the most pure athlete in the entire Draft in Wilfred Laurier receiver Shamawd Chambers. Chambers ran 4.42 40-yard dash at the CFL E-Camp and impressed in all of the testing.
With their final picks the team looked to add to their Canadian depth on the defensive side of the ball.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Last Season
The 2011 season marked a changing of the guard for the Stampeders. For several seasons Henry Burris and Joffrey Reynolds formed a formidable one-two offensive punch but, like they say, all good things come to an end. First, Joffrey Reynolds gave way to Jon Cornish as the club's starting running back. Then later in the season, with Henry Burris struggling, Stamps coach Jon Hufnagel decided it was time to hand the reins to Drew Tate. The team finished a solid 11-7 last season but that was only good enough for third in the West behind BC and Edmonton. It would be a quick playoff exit as the Stampeders were beaten soundly by the Eskimos in the Western Semi-Final.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
After being demoted from the starting lineup, the writing was on the wall for both Reynolds and Burris.
Burris was the first go as the Stamps swung a deal with the Ticats on January 3 to send Burris to Hamilton in exchange for quarterback Kevin Glenn, offensive line Mark Dewit, and a conditional draft pick.
Two of the team's All-time greats are no longer with the Stampders after Joffrey Reynolds was released and Henry Burris was traded to Hamilton.
By getting Glenn back for Burris the Stampeders ensured they would have a solid number two should Tate get hurt or simply fail to live up to expectations.
Reynolds was next to go as he was released later in January after the team was unable to find a trade for him. Reynolds leaves Calgary after eight seasons as the team's all-time leading rusher with 9,213 yards.
The Stampeders will also be without former All-Star receiver Ken-Yon Rambo this season. Rambo suffered an achilles injury and was subsequently released all but ending his career in the CFL. Canadian QB Brad Sinopoli was also among the team's final cuts after cracking the roster last season.
The only players lost via free agency were punter Burke Dales who signed with Edmonton, offensive lineman Tim O'Neill who landed in Hamilton and defensive back Brandon Isaac who signed with the Argos. Defensive Back Geoff Tisdale meanwhile was traded for Hamilton for a future draft pick and DeVone Claybrooks announced his retirement.
Coming to Calgary the Stampeders signed free agent receiver Chris Bauman after he was released by the Eskimos. The Stamps are hoping he can bounce back after a disappointing year and live up to the promise he showed a few seasons ago in Hamilton.
The Stamps also added the services of veteran linebacker Joe Lobendahn who had spent the first four years of his career with the Blue Bombers. Lobendahn is a solid veteran leader who could fit will with the Stampeders.
Former Eskimo Kenny Pettway also signed on with the Stamps. Pettway led the Eskimos in sacks two years ago but did not play last season.
What to Expect
Jon Hufnagel saw enough out of Drew Tate last year that he felt good enough to get rid of one of the franchise's all-time greats and make the young QB out of Iowa his number one guy.
Now Tate will have the chance to reward his coach's faith in his first year entering the season as a CFL starter. Tate had been effective in spot duty the past few years before taking over as the Stampeders' starting quarterback in Week 17.
He acquitted himself quite well as a starter guiding the team to three straight wins to close the season. His stats in those wins were okay but not great as he threw for 791 yards and four touchdowns but was also intercepted five times.
Despite the addition of Kevin Glenn, the Stampeders are now Drew Tate's team to lead.
If Tate plays well this year Hufnagel is going to come off looking great, if he struggles there will be a lot of second guessing the decision to move fan-favourite Burris, especially if Burris plays well in Hamilton.
Jon Cornish also gets to enter the season as the go-to-guy for the first time in his career. Cornish took over from Joffrey Reynolds as Calgary's main rusher in Week 13 last year and never back. In seven games as the starter, Cornish averaged 87.3 rush yards per game and scored seven of his CFL best nine rushing touchdowns.
At receiver the Stampeders head into the season with the makings of one of the most deep and dangerous groups of non-imports in the CFL. The Canadian talent includes Arjei Franklin, Johnny Forzani, Anthony Parker, Jabari Arthur and Chris Bauman. And despite the loss of Rambo they also still have marquee American stars in Nik Lewis and Romby Bryant. Tate certainly won't lack for places to throw the ball.
Defensively the Stampeders biggest strength may be at linebacker where they boast All-Star Juwan Simpson as well as the versatile Malik Jackson. Now they also have Joe Lobendahn adding veteran depth off the bench as well.
Brandon Smith will once again anchor the Stamps secondary after being nominated as the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player last season. Smith helped alleviate the losses of Dwight Anderson and Brandon Browner and is one of the best defensive backs in the league.
Last year, the Stamps struggled with the pass-rush but Corey Mace looks to be healthy again after being knocked out for the season in Week 1 last year. His presence along with Pettway's should help to right that ship.
On special teams Rene Parades looks to be secure in the placekicking role while Rob Maver will take over the punting duties.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1(5) DL Ameet Pall Wofford College
3(15) DB Keenan MacDougall Saskatchewan
3(19) OL Billy Peach Jacksonville
4 27) OL Bradley Erdos Simon Fraser
4(30) DB Adam Berger Simon Fraser
5(31) OL Mike Filer Mount Allison
6(43) DL Jordan Spence Eastern Oregon
6(45) LB Wilkerson Desouza Toronto
The Stampeders were hoping to find a nice mix of quantity and quality as they made eight selections at the CFL Draft.
The Stamps went off the beaten path to tiny Wofford College for their first selection where they took defensive lineman Ameet Pall. He suffered a foot injury and was released at the end of training camp but will remain in Calgary as he recuperates.
With their second choice, the Stamps selected athletic defensive back Keenan MacDougall who turned alot of head with impressive E-Camp numbers after missing all of 2011 with a knee injury. Despite the health concerns MacDougall could prove to have a big upside.
The Stamps also focused on the O-line trying to add depth by selecting three big men in the draft.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Last Season
After two straight trips to the Grey Cup the Roughirders entered 2011 with high expectations under new head coach Greg Marshall. Hope quickly turned to despair in Riderland though. The team stumbled out of the gate and Marshall was fired along with offensive coordinator Doug Berry after a 1-7 start. Ken Miller returned to the sidelines and provided a brief spark as the team won three straight games. The team couldn't keep the momentum going though and Green Garbage Day came early as Saskatchewan finished the season 5-13, dead last in the CFL.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
Change was in the air following the Riders disastrous 2011 campaign and, as expected, the team will have a very different look this year.
To begin with, Ken Miller is gone as head coach and vice-president of football operations after the season. Brendan Taman now has full control of the Rider front office and former Ticats defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin takes over on the sidelines.
Andy Fantuz was a fan favourite during his tenure in Regina and even had a cereal named in his honour.
On the field the team has also seen plenty of turnover, particularly on offence. One of the team's biggest losses is Andy Fantuz who chose the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the Riders this off-season. Fantuz, the CFL's 2010 Most Outstanding Canadian rejoined the team late last season after spending time with the NFL's Chicago Bears but was shut down with an ankle injury.
The team will also have an almost entirely new offensive line this season as longtime Rider and fan favourite Gene Makowsky retired while Marc Parenteau and Alexandre Gauthier were both released. Makowsky leaves the game as the Riders all-time leader in games played at 283 in his 17 seasons in Saskatchewan.
The Riders upgraded their front five talent with the additions of two of the biggest free agent prizes this off-season in All-Star guard Brendon LaBatte and centre Dominic Picard.
At running back the team will also feature a new face as the contract of Wes Cates was not renewed.
On the defensive side of the ball the Riders biggest move in the off-season was a trade for defensive end O'Dell Willis who tied for the CFL lead with 13 sacks last season. Willis is a terrific pass-rusher but also brings an array of off-field issues.
The Riders will also have a very different look at linebacker. Jerrell Freeman signed with the Indianapollis Colts while both Barrin Simpson and Sean Lucas both retired.
What to Expect
After bottoming out last season the Roughriders Brendan Taman knew he would be busy this off-season.
First, he filled the head coaching vacancy with 34-year-old Corey Chamblin. The former Ticats defensive coordinator wants to see a Riders team that is fast, disciplined and aggressive in all three facets of the game.
The Roughriders hope quarterback Darian Durant can return to form after a tough 2011 season.
Chamblin has also made it clear that Darian Durant will be the man to lead the Roughriders offence.
"In my mind I know who the No. 1 quarterback will be and that's Darian Durant," Chamblin said during the Riders pre-season conference call. "We believe in him and we know he will take us where we need to go and where we want to go."
The seven-year veteran was outstanding in 2010, passing for a league-best 5,542 yards while rushing for 618 yards and seven TDs. His production slipped last year as he threw for only 3,653 yards rushed for 381 before missing the final two games with a broken bone in his foot last season.
Durant will be back to full health this year though and has the skills to bounce back. To be most effective he will have to limit his turnovers this year.
The good news on that front is that Durant should have more time to make his decisions thanks to the additions of signing centre Dominic Picard and All-Star guard Brendon LaBatte as free agents before re-signing Chris Best and drafting Ben Heenan of the Saskatchewan Huskies first overall. However, the loss of veteran Gene Makowsky who retired after an illustrious 17-year career definitely leaves a void in terms of leadership.
With Wes Cates' departure second-year back Brandon West, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, should see more action.
At receiver the club will continue to look to Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf to lead the way after the departure of Andy Fantuz to Hamilton and Jason Clermont's retirement. The team is also hopeful Rob Bagg, who missed all of last season recovering from a torn ACL, can return to full health. The biggest addition to the receiving corps this off-season is former NFLer Sinorice Moss. Moss brings plenty of speed with him to Regina and could be the big play receiver the team is looking for.
There are plenty of question marks for the Riders on the defensive side of the ball especially at linebacker where all three of the team's 2011 starters are gone. The loss of Jerrell Freeman, who led the CFL with 105 tackles, to the NFL will be particularly tough for a team not deep on defensive playmakers.
On the line, Saskatchewan looked to improve its non-existent pass-rush by acquiring O'Dell Willis from the Blue Bombers. Willis came flying out of the game last year and finished the year with 13 sacks to tie for the league lead but his production dropped significantly in the second half of the year.
The Riders are hoping that Willis and a healthy Brent Hawkins will be able to give them the pressure they need up front as Chamblin is set on making quarterback pressure a top priority this season.
"The most important position in the CFL is the quarterback . . . we have to affect him and the way we affect him is with pass rush," Chamblin said. "Defensive pass rush is huge in making sure they don't have time to be comfortable and make the decisions they want to.
"Sacks can be misleading but if you have 50 sacks you probably have that many more pressures. We want to make sure we disrupt him through pressures and sacks."
The biggest question of course for this team will be can they come together fast enough to be successful this year?
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1(1) OL Ben Heenan Saskatchewan
2(12) LB Sam Hurl Calgary
5(35) LB Kevin Regimbald-Gagne Sherbrooke
6(39) WR Ismael Bamba Sherbrooke
The Roughriders opened the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft by drafting local offensive line prospect Ben Heenan out of the University of Saskatchewan. Heenan is a kid who posseses great size and excellent footwork on the line and should compete for playing time right away.
After Heenan the Riders looked to address their holes at linebacker by adding some Canadian depth to the position with Calgary's Sam Hurl and Sherbrooke's Kevin Regimbald-Gagne. Neither projects to see time on defence but both could crack the roster on special teams.
With their final pick in the draft the Riders picked up an absolute steal in Sherbrooke receiver Israel Bamba. Bamba was the third-ranked receiver on Duane Forde's rankings heading into the draft and has very good speed and solid hands.
B.C. LIONS
Last Season
Seven weeks into the 2011 it looked like the BC Lions season was cooked after a woeful 1-6 start. Not quite. The Lions proceeded to rip off eight straight wins and closed the season by winning 10 of their final 11 games overall to finish first in the West. The Lions would then steamroll the Eskimos in the Western Final and earn the right to play for the 99th Grey Cup at home in the newly renovated BC Place. Travis Lulay threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns in the championship game to lead the Lions to a 34-23 win over the Blue Bombers and send Wally Buono into the sunset with another ring. Buono stepped away from his coaching duties following the season to concentrate on the front office.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
For the most part the Lions made it through the off-season with last year's Grey Cup roster intact.
The Lions will miss the hard-hitting of linebacker Solomon Elimimian. The 2010 CFL Most Outstanding Rookie signed with the Minnesota Vikings in the off-season.
Not everyone is back though as a few key faces, especially on defence have landed elsewhere.
One of the biggest losses for the Lions is linebacker Solomon Elimimian who signed a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. In his two seasons with the Lions, Elimimian established himself as one of the game's biggest hitters. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie in 2010 and was a CFL All-Star last year.
The team also lost one of its all-time greats during the off-season as defensive lineman Brent Johnson decided to retire following a decorated 11-year CFL career. The two-time Most Outstanding Canadian leaves the game as the Lions all-time sacks king with 89.
Another big hole on defence both literally and figuratively comes on the line as long-time Lion Aaron Hunt signed as a free agent with the Alouettes. Hunt had spent his entire six-year career with the Lions picking up 41 sacks along the way.
Other notable departures include DB Davis Sanchez (retired), RB Jamall Lee (retired) and DB Jerome Dennis (released).
As for additions, the Lions seemed to have a found somewhere they liked to refresh their secondary: Toronto. The Lions added a pair of former Argo defenders this off-season in defensive back Lin-J Shell and cornerback Byron Parker. Parker is an eight-year CFL veteran and former All-Star who will bring both ball-hawking and leadership to the Lions secondary.
Other notable additions for the Lions include veteran offensive lineman Patrick Kabongo and Canadian RB Stu Foord who signed as a free agent from Saskatchewan and will serve as a backup to Andrew Harris.
What to Expect
The Lions are certainly hoping that the 2012 season gets off to a better start than 2011 did. Then again, if the result is the same they probably won't complain.
With a championship roster that remains largely intact, the Lions enter the season as one of the favourites to hoist the Grey Cup in Toronto this November.
If they are going to reach the pinnacle once more it will be under the guidance of rookie head coach Mike Benevides who took over from the CFL's All-time winningest coach Wally Buono in the off-season. The transition has been fairly smooth as Benevides worked for the past several years under Buono and had long been considered the heir apparent for the job.
Travis Lulay was handed the reins last season really came into his own throwing for 4,815 yards and a CFL-best 32 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. While it's tough to imagine that his production could be much better but the sky is really the limit for Lulay and this year with his skills and the quality of the Lions receivers.
Geroy Simon is poised to become the most prolific receiver in CFL history this season. Simon needs just 68 yards to break Milt Stegall's all-time record of 15,153 receiving yards.
First and foremost among Lions receivers is, as always, Geroy Simon. Simon is just 68 yards shy of surpassing Milt Stegall's record of 15, 153 career receiving yards. Simon is among the best to ever play the game and is showing nbo sings of slowing down. Add in the likes of Arland Bruce and young Canadians Akeem Foster and Shawn Gore and the Lions receiving corps is one of the league's most dangerous.
At running back the club will once again look to Canadian Andrew Harris to lead the way. The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian brings alot of versatility to the Lions backfield with his quoickness and ability to catch passes. The club also brought in veteran Roughrider fan favourite Stu Foord to spell Harris and keep it Canadian at running back.
One of the biggest surprises for the team on offence is that Jovan Olafioye will be back on the line. Olafioye signed a contract with the St. Louis Rams and was not expected to be back until at least August. He was released because of an unspecified medical issue though and the All-Star tackle was gladly welcomed back into the den.
Defensively the club is also happy to bring back defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell. Mitchell was also expected to join Elimimian in the NFL this season and actually came close to agreeing to a deal with Miami. Ultimately he decided that the security he felt with the Lions was worth more than the insecurity offered by the Dolphins.
Looking at the secondary, one of the team's goals was to get bigger and more physical. Former Argos Lin-J Shell and Byron Parker fit the bill nicely and should add an extra element of toughness to the defence.
If all things go to plan in B.C., don't be surprised to see the Lions once again looking to represent the West in the Grey Cup.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1 (2) Jabar Westerman E. Michigan
1 (7) OL Kirby Fabien Calgary
3 (22) OL Matthew Norman Western
5 (37) LB Jordan Verdone Calgary
The Lions knew who they wanted to take so they traded up to make sure they could get defensive lineman Jabar Westerman out of Eastern Michigan.
In 2011, the Brampton, Ont. native racked up 26 tackles and four sacks for Eastern Michigan, a major improvement from his 2010 season, which saw him register 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
The Lions will have to wait to see their other first round pick Kirby Fabien though. Fabien opted to return to school for another season rather than sign a deal with the Lions.
The Lions rounded out their draft by selecting offensive lineman Matthew Norman and linebacker Jordan Verdone.
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
Last Season
The Edmonton Eskimos had a solid turnaround under first year head coach Kavis Reed in 2011. After missing the playoffs in 2010 with a 7-11 record, the Eskimos flipped their wins and loss totals to finish 11-7, good enough for second place in the West. The Eskimos then beat their provincial rival Calgary Stampeders 33-19 at home in the playoffs to earn a trip to the Western Final. The team would ultimately come up short though falling 40-23 to the eventual Grey Cup champion BC Lions.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
Ricky Ray was the face of the Eskimos franchise for the better part of a decade before being traded to Toronto in the off-season.
Things are looking very different in Edmonton these days.
Eskimos general manager Eric Tillman pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Argonauts during the off-season that sent long-time Eskimos quarterback Ricky Ray to the boatmen.
Ray had spent his entire nine-year CFL career with the Edmonton Eskimos, amassing more than 40,000 passing yards and 210 touchdowns, five team nominees for Most Outstanding Player, and several team records.
In return the Eskimos received quarterback Steven Jyles, promising young kicker Grant Shaw, and Toronto's first pick (second overall) in the draft.
While the Ray deal was by far the biggest move for the Eskimos this off-season it certainly wasn't the only one as Tillman was very busy in free agency and in making deals.
The club added a plethora of talent on offence signing former Roughriders Hugh Charles and Cary Koch, former Bomber Greg Carr and Canadian receiver Matt Carter.
Charles brings alot of speed to the Eskimos backfield while Carr and Koch will both be valuable additions to the Eskimos receiving corps and should alleviate some of the pressure on Fred Stamps. Carter gives the Eskimos some more coveted Canadian depth.
Defensively the biggest addition for the club might be tackle Don Oramasionwu who is a solid run-stopper on the interior of the line. The club also brought back defensive end Rashad Jeanty who played with the Eskimos from 2002-05 before leaving for the NFL.
On special teams the club also added former Stampeders All-Star punter Burke Dales.
Besides all of the additions there were also a few notable Eskimos departures during the off-season. Besides Ray, the biggest loss to the offence is last year's Most Outstanding Canadian, running back Jerome Messam. Messam signed in the NFL but his status for playing anywhere is dependant upon recovery from a knee injury.
The biggest losses on defence may be Rod Davis and Mark Restelli, who signed with the Montreal Alouettes as free agents.
Greg Peach also moved East to Hamilton while Jason Barnes is now in Toronto. Canadian receiver Chris Bauman who signed a big contract in free agency a year ago meanwhile was released after just one season of limited production with the team.
The team also parted ways with long-time offensive linemand Patrick Kabongo as well as kicker Damon Duval, return man Jason Armstead and defensive back Jykine Bradley.
What to Expect
It's tough to figure what type of season the Eskimos are headed for after such a tumultuous off-season.
The club certainly brought in some talent. They lost some too.
Kavis Reed and the coaching staff have a tough job in incorporating all of the new faces into their system and making it work.
The Eskimos are hoping that Steven Jyles can stay healthy this year and fill the void left by Ricky Ray at quarterback.
Undoubtedly the biggest question mark for the team is at quarterback where after nearly a decade of Ricky Ray the club is forced to look elsewhere.
To say Ricky Ray was loved by everyone in Edmonton would be a lie, many fans just couldn't get behind his calm demeanor and wished he would have more fire. What you can't deny is that he produced.
Now the club is left with Steven Jyles as the projected number one. Jyles is still somewhat of an unproven commodity after some uneven stints as a starter. When healthy and starting Jyles' production has been pretty good. It's being able to have him string together the starts which has been a problem.
That leaves Kerry Joseph a former CFL MOP and Grey Cup champion as the backup and in the mix for some playing time. Joseph brings alot of experience to the table but is certainly on the shaded side of the hill in his career.
Without Messam the Eskimos running game may not be as powerful as it was a year ago but the addition of Hugh Charles does add speed and shiftiness. At receiver the Eskimos look to have improved greatly with the additions of Carr and Koch.
Carr brings a huge frame and big play ability to the team while Koch adds quickness, good hands and reliability out of the slot. Carr also brings familiarity with Jyles from their time in Winnipeg together. Both should help Eskimos All-Star Fred Stamps as the coverage won't be able to key on him. Stamps notched his third straight 1,000 yard season last year despite appearing in only 15 games.
On defence, the signing of Rashad Jeanty made Greg Peach expendable. The club is also banking that Oramasionwu is a star in the making. Last season, he was able to fill in well for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and should see an uptick in playing time with the Eskimos year.
Rod Davis will be difficult to replace but the team feels is has the depth it needs at linebacker to build on their solid play form a year ago.
On special teams, Dales' addition gives the coaching staff the flexibility to keep the kicking position Canadian with either Derek Schiavone or Shaw, or even both.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1 (4) OL Austin Pasztor Virginia
1 (6) WR Shamawd Chambers Wilfrid Laurier
2 (14) DL Justin Capicciotti Simon Fraser
5 (36) DE Hasan Hazime Akron
5(38) LB Ryan King Saint Mary's
The Eskimos acquired the second overall pick in the draft from Toronto in the Ricky Ray trade and were hoping they could maybe turn that pick into Ben Heenan.
However, the Riders made it clear they were taking Heenan with the first pick. So, the Eskimos then decided to trade their pick to the B.C. Lions, along with the 20th overall selection, in exchange for the fourth, 14th and 38th choices.
The team then shifted focus and got offensive lineman Austin Pasztor out of Virginia whom they were also very high on despite knowing they would likely have to wait for him.
With the sixth overall selection, the Esks nabbed maybe the most pure athlete in the entire Draft in Wilfred Laurier receiver Shamawd Chambers. Chambers ran 4.42 40-yard dash at the CFL E-Camp and impressed in all of the testing.
With their final picks the team looked to add to their Canadian depth on the defensive side of the ball.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Last Season
The 2011 season marked a changing of the guard for the Stampeders. For several seasons Henry Burris and Joffrey Reynolds formed a formidable one-two offensive punch but, like they say, all good things come to an end. First, Joffrey Reynolds gave way to Jon Cornish as the club's starting running back. Then later in the season, with Henry Burris struggling, Stamps coach Jon Hufnagel decided it was time to hand the reins to Drew Tate. The team finished a solid 11-7 last season but that was only good enough for third in the West behind BC and Edmonton. It would be a quick playoff exit as the Stampeders were beaten soundly by the Eskimos in the Western Semi-Final.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
After being demoted from the starting lineup, the writing was on the wall for both Reynolds and Burris.
Burris was the first go as the Stamps swung a deal with the Ticats on January 3 to send Burris to Hamilton in exchange for quarterback Kevin Glenn, offensive line Mark Dewit, and a conditional draft pick.
Two of the team's All-time greats are no longer with the Stampders after Joffrey Reynolds was released and Henry Burris was traded to Hamilton.
By getting Glenn back for Burris the Stampeders ensured they would have a solid number two should Tate get hurt or simply fail to live up to expectations.
Reynolds was next to go as he was released later in January after the team was unable to find a trade for him. Reynolds leaves Calgary after eight seasons as the team's all-time leading rusher with 9,213 yards.
The Stampeders will also be without former All-Star receiver Ken-Yon Rambo this season. Rambo suffered an achilles injury and was subsequently released all but ending his career in the CFL. Canadian QB Brad Sinopoli was also among the team's final cuts after cracking the roster last season.
The only players lost via free agency were punter Burke Dales who signed with Edmonton, offensive lineman Tim O'Neill who landed in Hamilton and defensive back Brandon Isaac who signed with the Argos. Defensive Back Geoff Tisdale meanwhile was traded for Hamilton for a future draft pick and DeVone Claybrooks announced his retirement.
Coming to Calgary the Stampeders signed free agent receiver Chris Bauman after he was released by the Eskimos. The Stamps are hoping he can bounce back after a disappointing year and live up to the promise he showed a few seasons ago in Hamilton.
The Stamps also added the services of veteran linebacker Joe Lobendahn who had spent the first four years of his career with the Blue Bombers. Lobendahn is a solid veteran leader who could fit will with the Stampeders.
Former Eskimo Kenny Pettway also signed on with the Stamps. Pettway led the Eskimos in sacks two years ago but did not play last season.
What to Expect
Jon Hufnagel saw enough out of Drew Tate last year that he felt good enough to get rid of one of the franchise's all-time greats and make the young QB out of Iowa his number one guy.
Now Tate will have the chance to reward his coach's faith in his first year entering the season as a CFL starter. Tate had been effective in spot duty the past few years before taking over as the Stampeders' starting quarterback in Week 17.
He acquitted himself quite well as a starter guiding the team to three straight wins to close the season. His stats in those wins were okay but not great as he threw for 791 yards and four touchdowns but was also intercepted five times.
Despite the addition of Kevin Glenn, the Stampeders are now Drew Tate's team to lead.
If Tate plays well this year Hufnagel is going to come off looking great, if he struggles there will be a lot of second guessing the decision to move fan-favourite Burris, especially if Burris plays well in Hamilton.
Jon Cornish also gets to enter the season as the go-to-guy for the first time in his career. Cornish took over from Joffrey Reynolds as Calgary's main rusher in Week 13 last year and never back. In seven games as the starter, Cornish averaged 87.3 rush yards per game and scored seven of his CFL best nine rushing touchdowns.
At receiver the Stampeders head into the season with the makings of one of the most deep and dangerous groups of non-imports in the CFL. The Canadian talent includes Arjei Franklin, Johnny Forzani, Anthony Parker, Jabari Arthur and Chris Bauman. And despite the loss of Rambo they also still have marquee American stars in Nik Lewis and Romby Bryant. Tate certainly won't lack for places to throw the ball.
Defensively the Stampeders biggest strength may be at linebacker where they boast All-Star Juwan Simpson as well as the versatile Malik Jackson. Now they also have Joe Lobendahn adding veteran depth off the bench as well.
Brandon Smith will once again anchor the Stamps secondary after being nominated as the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player last season. Smith helped alleviate the losses of Dwight Anderson and Brandon Browner and is one of the best defensive backs in the league.
Last year, the Stamps struggled with the pass-rush but Corey Mace looks to be healthy again after being knocked out for the season in Week 1 last year. His presence along with Pettway's should help to right that ship.
On special teams Rene Parades looks to be secure in the placekicking role while Rob Maver will take over the punting duties.
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1(5) DL Ameet Pall Wofford College
3(15) DB Keenan MacDougall Saskatchewan
3(19) OL Billy Peach Jacksonville
4 27) OL Bradley Erdos Simon Fraser
4(30) DB Adam Berger Simon Fraser
5(31) OL Mike Filer Mount Allison
6(43) DL Jordan Spence Eastern Oregon
6(45) LB Wilkerson Desouza Toronto
The Stampeders were hoping to find a nice mix of quantity and quality as they made eight selections at the CFL Draft.
The Stamps went off the beaten path to tiny Wofford College for their first selection where they took defensive lineman Ameet Pall. He suffered a foot injury and was released at the end of training camp but will remain in Calgary as he recuperates.
With their second choice, the Stamps selected athletic defensive back Keenan MacDougall who turned alot of head with impressive E-Camp numbers after missing all of 2011 with a knee injury. Despite the health concerns MacDougall could prove to have a big upside.
The Stamps also focused on the O-line trying to add depth by selecting three big men in the draft.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Last Season
After two straight trips to the Grey Cup the Roughirders entered 2011 with high expectations under new head coach Greg Marshall. Hope quickly turned to despair in Riderland though. The team stumbled out of the gate and Marshall was fired along with offensive coordinator Doug Berry after a 1-7 start. Ken Miller returned to the sidelines and provided a brief spark as the team won three straight games. The team couldn't keep the momentum going though and Green Garbage Day came early as Saskatchewan finished the season 5-13, dead last in the CFL.
Who's Coming/Who's Going
Change was in the air following the Riders disastrous 2011 campaign and, as expected, the team will have a very different look this year.
To begin with, Ken Miller is gone as head coach and vice-president of football operations after the season. Brendan Taman now has full control of the Rider front office and former Ticats defensive coordinator Corey Chamblin takes over on the sidelines.
Andy Fantuz was a fan favourite during his tenure in Regina and even had a cereal named in his honour.
On the field the team has also seen plenty of turnover, particularly on offence. One of the team's biggest losses is Andy Fantuz who chose the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the Riders this off-season. Fantuz, the CFL's 2010 Most Outstanding Canadian rejoined the team late last season after spending time with the NFL's Chicago Bears but was shut down with an ankle injury.
The team will also have an almost entirely new offensive line this season as longtime Rider and fan favourite Gene Makowsky retired while Marc Parenteau and Alexandre Gauthier were both released. Makowsky leaves the game as the Riders all-time leader in games played at 283 in his 17 seasons in Saskatchewan.
The Riders upgraded their front five talent with the additions of two of the biggest free agent prizes this off-season in All-Star guard Brendon LaBatte and centre Dominic Picard.
At running back the team will also feature a new face as the contract of Wes Cates was not renewed.
On the defensive side of the ball the Riders biggest move in the off-season was a trade for defensive end O'Dell Willis who tied for the CFL lead with 13 sacks last season. Willis is a terrific pass-rusher but also brings an array of off-field issues.
The Riders will also have a very different look at linebacker. Jerrell Freeman signed with the Indianapollis Colts while both Barrin Simpson and Sean Lucas both retired.
What to Expect
After bottoming out last season the Roughriders Brendan Taman knew he would be busy this off-season.
First, he filled the head coaching vacancy with 34-year-old Corey Chamblin. The former Ticats defensive coordinator wants to see a Riders team that is fast, disciplined and aggressive in all three facets of the game.
The Roughriders hope quarterback Darian Durant can return to form after a tough 2011 season.
Chamblin has also made it clear that Darian Durant will be the man to lead the Roughriders offence.
"In my mind I know who the No. 1 quarterback will be and that's Darian Durant," Chamblin said during the Riders pre-season conference call. "We believe in him and we know he will take us where we need to go and where we want to go."
The seven-year veteran was outstanding in 2010, passing for a league-best 5,542 yards while rushing for 618 yards and seven TDs. His production slipped last year as he threw for only 3,653 yards rushed for 381 before missing the final two games with a broken bone in his foot last season.
Durant will be back to full health this year though and has the skills to bounce back. To be most effective he will have to limit his turnovers this year.
The good news on that front is that Durant should have more time to make his decisions thanks to the additions of signing centre Dominic Picard and All-Star guard Brendon LaBatte as free agents before re-signing Chris Best and drafting Ben Heenan of the Saskatchewan Huskies first overall. However, the loss of veteran Gene Makowsky who retired after an illustrious 17-year career definitely leaves a void in terms of leadership.
With Wes Cates' departure second-year back Brandon West, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, should see more action.
At receiver the club will continue to look to Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf to lead the way after the departure of Andy Fantuz to Hamilton and Jason Clermont's retirement. The team is also hopeful Rob Bagg, who missed all of last season recovering from a torn ACL, can return to full health. The biggest addition to the receiving corps this off-season is former NFLer Sinorice Moss. Moss brings plenty of speed with him to Regina and could be the big play receiver the team is looking for.
There are plenty of question marks for the Riders on the defensive side of the ball especially at linebacker where all three of the team's 2011 starters are gone. The loss of Jerrell Freeman, who led the CFL with 105 tackles, to the NFL will be particularly tough for a team not deep on defensive playmakers.
On the line, Saskatchewan looked to improve its non-existent pass-rush by acquiring O'Dell Willis from the Blue Bombers. Willis came flying out of the game last year and finished the year with 13 sacks to tie for the league lead but his production dropped significantly in the second half of the year.
The Riders are hoping that Willis and a healthy Brent Hawkins will be able to give them the pressure they need up front as Chamblin is set on making quarterback pressure a top priority this season.
"The most important position in the CFL is the quarterback . . . we have to affect him and the way we affect him is with pass rush," Chamblin said. "Defensive pass rush is huge in making sure they don't have time to be comfortable and make the decisions they want to.
"Sacks can be misleading but if you have 50 sacks you probably have that many more pressures. We want to make sure we disrupt him through pressures and sacks."
The biggest question of course for this team will be can they come together fast enough to be successful this year?
Draft Overview
Pick Player School
1(1) OL Ben Heenan Saskatchewan
2(12) LB Sam Hurl Calgary
5(35) LB Kevin Regimbald-Gagne Sherbrooke
6(39) WR Ismael Bamba Sherbrooke
The Roughriders opened the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft by drafting local offensive line prospect Ben Heenan out of the University of Saskatchewan. Heenan is a kid who posseses great size and excellent footwork on the line and should compete for playing time right away.
After Heenan the Riders looked to address their holes at linebacker by adding some Canadian depth to the position with Calgary's Sam Hurl and Sherbrooke's Kevin Regimbald-Gagne. Neither projects to see time on defence but both could crack the roster on special teams.
With their final pick in the draft the Riders picked up an absolute steal in Sherbrooke receiver Israel Bamba. Bamba was the third-ranked receiver on Duane Forde's rankings heading into the draft and has very good speed and solid hands.
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