It won’t be a full teardown for the Ottawa Redblacks, but fans of the team can still expect significant changes to a roster that didn’t win enough football games in 2022, following up on bad 2021 and 2019 seasons.
The Redblacks will be walking the tightrope as they sort out who they want to bring back and who they can move on from in the days ahead of CFL free agency, which begins Feb. 14. In the past month, the Redblacks have agreed to contract extensions with several familiar players – including returner DeVonte Dedmon, kicker Lewis Ward, punter Richie Leone, defensive linemen Cleyon Laing and Kene Onyeka, defensive backs Justin Howell and Ty Cranston, offensive lineman Dino Boyd, running back Jackson Bennett, special teamers Nigel Romick and Marco Dubois and receiver Nate Behar.
“You’re always going to have some change when you don’t succeed as well as you want to,” said Redblacks general manager Shawn Burke. “But at the same time, I don’t think our team needs a complete reset. We think we have some building blocks here. We have some young guys we’ve drafted that are going to take on more prominent roles. We have guys we want to retain. We have to get better. That’s the sole focus. We’re at the point now where guys have to understand we have to put pieces together to win games. Our guys have been frustrated with a lack of winning here. Sometimes that means sacrificing a bit.”
Among the players the Redblacks will work hard to retain is defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin IV, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2022.
“We’re actively engaged with his representation,” said Burke. “We’ve made an offer we feel is fair as a starting point. Those contracts are tough to get done the quickest. Sometimes they take time because of the jump in salary. We want Lorenzo back, we’re trying to work toward bringing him back. There’s a number you have to pay … or can’t pay. We hope to work together with his side and come together on an agreement.”
Among other potential free agents: Linebacker Avery Williams, defensive backs Sherrod Baltimore, Brandin Dandridge, Money Hunter, Antoine Pruneau and Abdul Kanneh, offensive linemen Darius Ciraco, Ucambre Williams and Hunter Steward, running back Brendan Gillanders and defensive lineman Davon Coleman.
“You’re definitely going to prioritize guys you really want to have back,” said Burke. “But it doesn’t mean they will be back. They have the option of exploring things. You have to respect that. Sometimes in this business you can do as much as humanly possible to retain someone and it just isn’t going to work. What you have to look at is you can’t sacrifice too much for the rest of the team.
“We put together a roster of 45 each week and there are guys in the background as well. If you compromise too many times, it’s going to weaken your team at other positions. Part of my job is helping guys and agents I’m negotiating with understand. We’re at the point now where guys have to understand we have to put pieces together to win games. Our guys have been frustrated with a lack of winning here. Sometimes that means sacrificing a bit.”
Getting top Canadians under contract early is always a priority.
“Sometimes it’s a little easier to get special teams guys and Canadians done earlier,” said Burke. “Some of the guys live locally and are maybe more open to getting things done quick and having security than really exploring things. Their markets per se are sort of set a bit more. We wanted to get some Canadian starters signed. There’s Cleyon and we look at Kene as being a potential starter or rotational starter. We’re working away on other guys in the background as we go. With some American players who are starters, especially if they’re coming from one certain contract level to a different level, you have to wait until the market dictates what the price is.”
Burke is no stranger talking to players and agents to try and find common ground. Sometimes there’s a deal to be made, sometimes it just doesn’t line up.
“You try not to get frustrated because it’s not personal, it’s always business related,” said Burke. “But there are certain discussions you have to have where you give the reality of a situation. There are times where I feel a deal should get closed and the other parties feel I should give more to get the deal done. You can’t get frustrated by it. The reality is we still have quite a bit of time to free agency. That window opens Feb. 5. You have to put that into perspective that sometimes things go at a different pace.”
Two quarterbacks – Nick Arbuckle and Caleb Evans – who saw significant playing time with Jeremiah Masoli injured much of the season, are also potential free agents. It’s possible both test the free-agent waters, maybe looking for an opportunity that could lead to a starting job.
Burke says Masoli saw doctors before the Christmas holidays and his progress has been good. The team expects him to be ready to go for the 2023 season.
Burke believes having strong play at quarterback and in the trenches – on the offensive and defensive lines – is the key to success.
“There are not too many bad football teams that have good defensive and offensive lines,” he said.
The CFL schedule was released last month and the Redblacks will get byes in Week 3, the last week of August and the third week of October.
“I like having a bye week early – sometime between weeks two to four,” said Burke. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, you’re only a couple of games in, is it not too early?’ Training camp is one of the most taxing times with the amount of work you’re doing. So I like the fact we have an early bye.”
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