This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion about the reemergence of the USFL, McLeod Bethel-Thompson’s signing bonus, and Trivel Pinto being charged with sexual assault.
This exclusive weekly feature on 3DownNation includes anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel experts, and agents — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.
Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next Wednesday for another edition of Insider Talk.
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This USFL thing could fall apart any day now it sounds like, but if it goes ahead it has to throw a big wrench into the CFL/XFL negotiations. The key to that potential partnership is TV. The USFL has Fox right in there already.
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The USFL won’t have any effect (on a potential partnership between the CFL and XFL). It’s not legit. No one has seen the pay structure and they don’t pay anyone now. That could change in the future, I suppose, but I’m skeptical.
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McLeod Bethel-Thompson did not get a signing bonus from Toronto. I still think he could be the starter if he has the best camp and wins the job, but the Argos gave Nick Arbuckle a lot of money up front ($150,000).
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I don’t know about Calgary but our team was not aware that Trivel Pinto was being investigated for anything going into his draft year. If any teams knew I don’t think many did.
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There were some rumblings about Trivel Pinto’s situation (before he was drafted in 2020) but we didn’t know it was this bad.
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I’m confident that the regular season will start on August 5. Not 100 percent, but close.
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It drives me crazy when (Canadian) players waste a bunch of years on NFL practice rosters instead of signing in our league. Sign (with the NFL) as an undrafted free agent if you can, sure, but then come to the CFL in September if you get cut. It’s a win-win. You burn the first year of your (three-year) rookie deal and get film that could help you get back to the NFL. You’ll notice that a lot of the guys who spend years practicing in the NFL before signing in the CFL don’t live up to the hype once they arrive here.
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I really like (Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ third-round draft pick) Patrice Rene. If he doesn’t make the NFL (following the 2021 season at Rutgers) I think he could start at cornerback in our league for a long time. He can run and he’s got the length to make plays.
