Insider Talk is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that includes anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel people, executives, agents, etc. — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.
This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion regarding the B.C. Lions taking exception to Calgary blitzing quarterback Kevin Thomson late in a preseason game, the potential of Toronto Argonauts’ quarterback Chad Kelly, the amount of parity we can expect from the upcoming CFL season, and Calgary’s quarterback situation.
Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next week for another edition of Insider Talk.
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B.C. needs to give their head a shake if they have a problem with Calgary sending pressure late in a preseason game. This is professional football. Be prepared. Calgary has to evaluate players, too.
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I’m pissed about this ratio change. The new rules will allow fewer snaps to go to Canadian players, which means young Canadians won’t get as many opportunities to develop. That’s going to have a trickle-down effect. If we have fewer Canadians developing that means we’ll have fewer starting-calibre Canadians in the coming years. And that is going to allow people to argue to lower the ratio even further. We’ve created a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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I like (second-year quarterback) Jake Maier better than Bo (Levi Mitchell). I really do. He outplayed Bo last year and he did it again on the weekend (against the B.C. Lions). He does everything you can ask of a starting quarterback in this league and his sample size isn’t that small anymore. Calgary’s in a good situation because they’re going to be good at quarterback regardless of whether or not Bo finds his game again.
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I’m sure there are a few teams watching what happens with Ottawa’s offensive linemen. They drafted those two (Ottawa’s Zack Pellehos and Laval’s Cyrille Hogan-Saindon) high and that means they’re going to have to cut someone worth signing at the end of training camp.
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I think we’re going to see a lot more parity in the league this year. Winnipeg and Hamilton lost some key players. Chris Jones will have his defence (in Edmonton) playing at a high level. Ottawa’s a lot better. I’m not sure I see anyone winning more than twelve games.
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I don’t know what (former CFL all-star and current free agent receiver and return specialist) Diontae Spencer’s plans are but he recently parted ways with his NFL agent.
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(Toronto Argonauts’ quarterback) Chad Kelly impressed me on film. He’s got a strong arm, he can run, he sees the field well. I’m pretty sure he opened the wrong way twice (in preseason action against Ottawa) but only his coaches would know that for sure. If he’s matured and he can keep his head on straight, he could be really good in our league.
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See how the players took ratification money by shaving it off from later years of the (new CBA)? That just shows how many veterans are in it for themselves. They don’t care about the players who will be in the league five years from now.
