Another year, another set of team previews! As per usual, this week features the four East Division teams, while next week features the five teams of the West Division. If you’d like to study up before making your picks in this year’s [DFO] CFL Pick ‘Em Pool, I highly recommending reading onwards! If you have yet to join, please click the link below in order to register. As well, info on how to download PoolTracker’s web app to your phone or desktop can be found here. I look forward to having you in the competition!

https://www.pooltracker.com/join.asp?poolid=231808

In league news this week:

• There will be no changes to the CFL’s kickoff rules for 2024; while the NFL has recently modified theirs drastically to follow in line with a new format first displayed in the XFL, Canadian league officials have elected to not follow suit – at least not just yet. This will be studied and reviewed by a committee this year to potentially consider a format change down the line.
• The CFL did mandate mouthguards for all players this year, making it the first pro football league in North America to mandate this rule change for all players. In addition to mandating guardian caps in practise for all players minus quarterbacks, snappers, and kickers, the league will also permit them to be worn in game situations by any player who elects to use them. Not sure how popular that will be, but the league hopes to collect data from their usage in practise and games in order to better assess injury risks and future mitigation strategies.

And now, onto the main event.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Founded: 1950 (the Hamilton Tigers, est. 1869, and Hamilton Wildcats, est. 1941, merged to create the current franchise)

Home Stadium: Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton, ON (24,000)

Grey Cups: 8 (1953, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1986, 1999)

2023 Record: 8-10, third in East Division; lost in East semifinal to Montreal

GM: Ed Hervey

Head Coach: Scott Milanovich

Starting QB: Bo Levi Mitchell???

Famous Alumni:

• Angelo Mosca, DT (won 5 Grey Cups, was a pro wrestler in the WWF known as both King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules; famously got in a fight with BC Lions QB Joe Kapp over a hit in the 1963 Grey Cup, where he hit him several times with his cane… check out the video here!)
• Matt Dunigan, QB (2-time Grey Cup champion and current studio analyst for Canadian sports network TSN)
• Bernie Faloney, QB (3-time Grey Cup champion who chose the CFL over the San Francisco 49ers in 1954 because the Canadian dollar was worth more… kind of a shocker!)
• Darren Flutie, WR (yes, he’s Doug’s brother – but he’s also a two-time Grey Cup champ, 3x All-Star, and CFL Hall of Famer!)

Fun Facts: Tim Hortons, the quintessential Canadian coffee joint, is headquartered in Hamilton, and thus the stadium takes the naming rights from them; for whatever reason, there seems to be a major wind tunnel effect, and the new stadium, which replaced the ancient Ivor Wynne Stadium, is hellish for kickers. The Ti-Cats were also owned by insane Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s, who claimed at one point he was losing “a million dollars a year” on the team despite their on-field success. The Ti-Cats are the only CFL team to ever beat an NFL team, when they topped the Buffalo Bills on August 8, 1961. Every year, the Ti-Cats and archrival Argos play the Labour Day Classic at Hamilton’s home stadium, with the home side sporting a 36-15-1 advantage all-time in the series.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: The Tiger-Cats made a big splash last season, signing two-time MOP QB Bo Levi Mitchell away from Calgary, where he’d spent the first eleven seasons of his career, in the hopes that he would be able to lead the team to its first Grey Cup win since 1999. Alas, it was a disastrous year for Mitchell; he played in just six regular season games, with two extended stints on injured reserve due to an adductor issue and a broken leg. Hamilton limped into third in the East and was summarily picked apart by Montreal in the division semifinal on the way to their surprise Grey Cup win. Following the loss, there have been some wholesale changes; Orlondo Steinauer gave up his position as head coach to focus full-time on his role as president of football ops, naming OC Scott Milanovich, the team’s OC, as his successor. Ed Hervey, former GM of the Edmonton Elks and BC Lions, is in to serve as the team’s new GM as well; he won a Grey Cup in 2015 with Edmonton, but has also drawn heavy criticism from his time with the Lions, when DeVone Claybrooks, his rookie head coaching hire, crashed and burned spectacularly. Former CFL MOP QB Michael Reilly also filed a grievance in 2020 during the cancelled COVID season, against Hervey, after he allegedly withheld a “guaranteed” portion of his salary in a secret extra-contractual agreement that was never filed with the league. Shady stuff afoot. At any rate, beyond the coaching and front office personnel shuffling, the team also lost a number of key defensive players, including LBs Simoni Lawrence & Chris Edwards, and DT Ted Laurent. That’s going to change their locker room significantly. Otherwise, we’ll see a relatively similar offence roll out this year, with studs Tim White at receiver and James Butler at running back. The biggest question for everyone is Bo Levi Mitchell’s health – it’s now been six years since he’s been able to play a complete season, and considering he started training camp in a walking boot, I don’t like his odds at making it through a campaign unscathed, especially in his age 34 season. The Tabbies signed young QB Taylor Powell to an extension, seeing him as the likely future of the team; he showed flashes of promise in his rookie year last year, particularly in terms of his arm strength – but also made many mistakes almost every rookie QB tends to make. The team really needs him to take a step forward this year – they’re almost certainly going to need his services quite a bit this year.

Key Additions: DB Jamal Peters (FA); DL Dewayne Hendrix, Brandon Barlow (FA), WR Luther Hakunavanhu (FA)

Key Subtractions: QB Matt Shiltz (FA); WR Terry Godwin II (released); LB Simoni Lawrence, Chris Edwards (retired), Jameer Thurman (FA); DT Ted Laurent (retired), Malik Carney (FA); OL Chris Van Zeyl (retired); DB Tunde Adeleke (FA)

2024 Record Prediction: 8-10

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Founded: 1996 (Original franchise 1946-1987)

Home Stadium: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, McGill University, Montreal, QC (25,012)

Grey Cups: 5 (1995 as the Baltimore Stallions, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2023) (Original franchise won 4 – 1949, 1970, 1974, 1977)

2023 Record: 11-7, second in East Division; won Grey Cup vs. Winnipeg

GM: Danny Maciocia

Head Coach: Jason Maas

Starting QB: Cody Fajardo

Famous Alumni: 

• Anthony Calvillo, QB (all-time CFL passing yards leader – 79,816)
• Mike Pringle, RB (all-time CFL rushing yards leader – 16,425 on 2960 carries, averaging 5.6 YPC)
• Marv Levy (former CFL and NFL HC for KC and Buffalo, who won two Grey Cups in 1974 and ’77 for the Alouettes)
• Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, WR

Fun Facts: Percival Molson Stadium is the only one in the CFL that doesn’t contain perfectly square endzones due to a running track surrounding the field. Nobody seems to care, funny enough. The Als’ 2009 Grey Cup win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders ( which saw them win on a last-second field goal, their second attempt after Saskatchewan had successfully blocked the first one, but were penalized for too many men) is considered one of the greatest CFL championship games in the history of the league. The current franchise relocated from Baltimore in 1996, after the Stallions captured the 1995 Grey Cup, the only American team to ever do so.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: I’m not sure a single person truly expected the Montreal Alouettes to win the Grey Cup last year. Even with a surprisingly strong 11-7 regular season record, it still took three playoff wins – including against Winnipeg, winners of two of the previous three titles, and powerhouse Toronto, who tied the league record for best regular season record ever at 16-2, to seal the deal. Regardless, considering the questions going into last season about the efficacy of HC Jason Maas and QB Cody Fajardo after an underwhelming time together in Saskatchewan, team and fans must both be feeling pretty good right now. I am not confident if they’ll repeat as champs, let alone if they’re going to win the division this year – even with the turmoil that Toronto’s currently facing, it’s going to be tough having to face that defence several times a season – but they’ll be a good team nonetheless and will definitely have a chance to make some noise in the playoffs once again if injuries don’t hamper them. Top receiver Austin Mack, who was a rookie out of Ohio State, signed an NFL contract with the Atlanta Falcons, so that’s a notable hole that will probably only get sorted once the team sees some early-season action to help plan their scheming. While this past season was an unmitigated success, the team also faces some negative PR off the field to start the year as DT Shawn Lemon, who briefly retired at the start of training, faces a long suspension for allegedly betting on CFL games back in 2021, including ones that he played in. Lemon is currently appealing the suspension and working out with the team until its resolution by an arbitrator, but one wonders if his presence is a distraction. The team also recently signed veteran NFL D-lineman Aaron Lynch to a one-year deal to bolster their front seven – a nice pickup indeed.

Key Additions: DL Aaron Lynch, Dylan Wynn, Derek Wiggan, Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (FA); RB Sean Thomas-Erlington (FA)

Key Subtractions: WR Austin Mack (released to NFL), Jake Harty (FA); RB William Stanback (FA); DT Almondo Sewell (FA); DB Ciante Evans (FA)

2024 Record Prediction: 10-8

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Founded: 2013 (Original Rough Riders franchise lasted 1876-1996; Renegades 2002-2005)

Home Stadium: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, ON (24,500)

Grey Cups: 1 (2016) (9 as the Rough Riders – 1925, 1926, 1940, 1951, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1976)

2023 Record: 4-14, fourth in East Division; missed playoffs

GM: Shawn Burke

Head Coach: Bob Dyce

Starting QB: Jeremiah Masoli

Famous Alumni: 

• Russ Jackson, QB ( 3-time Most Outstanding Player, 4-time Most Outstanding Canadian, 6-time All-Star, one of the greatest QBs in the history of the game)
• Tony Gabriel, TE (scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1976 Grey Cup)
• Rohan Marley, LB (the bastard son of Bob Marley, was also married to singer Lauryn Hill)
• Dexter Manley, LB (he of the lifetime NFL ban for cocaine problems)
• Henry Burris, QB (former NFL QB for Chicago and CFL Hall of Famer; 3x Grey Cup champion, including for Ottawa in 2016)

Fun Facts: if you say the name “Glieberman” in an Ottawa sports bar, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get punched by some pudgy, middle-aged white guy. The financial mismanagement of this father & son team killed not only the historic Rough Riders in ’96, but the 2000s expansion Renegades as well. Complete idiots. (I am still hurt by the loss of the Rough Riders.) Fans in the stands also constantly talk shit about each other – “North Side Sucks!” and “South Side Sucks!” have been staples for decades at home games. Also, the team insists on spelling REDBLACKS in all capitals, and I still have no idea why. But I respect the commitment to the bit.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: The REDBLACKS haven’t made the playoffs since 2018. For a team celebrating their 10th anniversary season this year, that’s half their existence. Things simply must change, otherwise it’s time to review the entire ownership structure of the team. After firing their GM in 2021 and head coach in 2022, the REDBLACKS went into 2023 with a pretty new roster – and stunk again. Granted, two early season-ending injuries to their top two quarterbacks didn’t help matters much, but even when the team could finally score points again for the first time in a long time, they simply could not close out games when it mattered. While the team was certainly better than their 4-14 record indicated, it still wasn’t nearly good enough. With QB play being the #1 issue of concern, the REDBLACKS went out and signed Bombers back up Dru Brown, one of the most sought-after free agents of this past offseason, with the likely intent of him becoming the new #1. Dustin Crum, the team’s fourth-stringer last year who ended up starting 14 games for the team, is expected to be the backup, but Jeremiah Masoli and Tyrie Adams, both of whom ruptured ligaments last year as the #1 and #2, are back in training camp with the team this spring. With milquetoast offensive playcalling being the #2 issue of concern, the team hired Tommy Condell to be the their new OC – despite the fact he was let go by Hamilton last season for many of the same criticisms that former Ottawa OC Khari Jones faced in Ottawa last year for his own decision making. The team also signed receiver Dominique Rhymes away from BC; Rhymes started his career in Ottawa, but really emerged as a star with the Lions. If he can establish some chemistry with the team’s passers, Ottawa’s got a legitimate deep shot threat for the first time in a while. The biggest problem on offence now facing the team is the uncertainty they have at RB – leading rusher Devonte Williams tore his Achilles in offseason training, while backup Jackson Bennett elected to retire. No idea who the starter is going to be out of their current group. This team is still not likely to be excellent, but the hope is that they can at least make the playoffs by hopefully beating a Hamilton team going through turmoil of their own. 4-14 should’ve meant wholesale changes last year. It didn’t – for reasons still unclear to me – but I’m sure somebody in football ops will have an itchy trigger finger if the team gets off to another bad start.

Key Additions: QB Dru Brown (FA); LB Adarius Pickett (FA); WR Dominique Rhymes (FA)

Key Subtractions: RB Devonte Williams (injury); Jackson Bennett (retired); WR Nate Behar (released), Shaq Evans (FA), DB Cariel Brooks (retired), QB Nick Arbuckle (FA), DB Abdul Kanneh (FA)

2024 Record Prediction: 7-11

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Founded: 1873

Home Stadium: BMO Field, Toronto, ON (25,000 for Canadian football crowds)

Grey Cups: 18 (1914, 1921, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017, 2022)

2023 Record: 16-2, first in East Division; lost in East final to Montreal

GM: Michael “Pinball” Clemons

Head Coach: Ryan Dinwiddie

Starting QB: Chad Kelly/Cameron Dukes

Famous Alumni:

• Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, RB (largest contract in CFL history and MOP of the 1991 Grey Cup, one of the most exciting ever)
• Ricky Williams, RB (scampered north when the NFL suspended him for weed in 2006. Gave no fucks about it.)
• Michael “Pinball” Clemons, RB (won 4 Grey Cups with the Argos and holds the CFL record for most all-purpose yards with 25,396; current GM of the team)
• Damon Allen, QB (retired at age 44 in 2008, holds the record for combined passing and rushing yards in the CFL, with 84,301 total yards)
• Doug Flutie, QB (6-time CFL MOP and QB for the NFL Bears, Patriots, Bills and Chargers)

Fun Facts: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall owned the Argos in the early ’90s; they also offered a CFL-record contract to Rocket Ismail ($18.2 million over four years – an absolutely unheard-of amount which has not come close to being equalled – QBs, which make the most money on average of all players in the league today, typically have contracts between $400-700,000 at the most.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: All eyes are on the Argos right now – and not for good reasons. The controversy surrounding QB Chad Kelly’s conduct – and the lawsuit he’s facing for sexual harassment of a former team employee – are black marks on the franchise and arguably the league as a whole, especially with management’s lack of action on the entire topic. The CFL handed down a nine-game suspension to Kelly, but it took until several days later for Kelly to step away from the team and allegedly go into counselling in order to “seek assistance” for his behaviour. Considering his conduct in years past, I am unfortunately not surprised that things are turning out the way they are. While Kelly is without a doubt the best player on his team and one of the key reasons why the Argos had such a strong year last year, there’s still a lot of depth this team possesses on both sides of the ball – not to mention some excellent coaching. Ryan Dinwiddie remains one of the league’s brightest football minds, though he’ll probably miss the guidance of his experienced DC Corey Mace, who’s moved on to become the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Management dealt with the loss of their top two RBs by bringing in bruising rusher Ka’Deem Carey out of Calgary; if he can stay healthy, which admittedly he’s had some issues doing in the last few seasons, he’s poised to have a big year behind a stout Toronto line. While there’s a bit of roster turnover from last year, no doubt the sting of last year’s surprise defeat in the East final against the Alouettes is going to fuel a lot of players through the year in their quest to enact some revenge on their East rivals, and to hopefully return to another Grey Cup matchup. If backup QB Cameron Dukes can continue to play with confidence, the Argos have another shot to win a division title – with or without Chad Kelly. The team did sign veteran Nick Arbuckle as insurance this week. However, the next few months for Chad Kelly, as his status – and the truth of his conduct – is determined, are certainly going to make things murky for the team and the league, particularly if the allegations of the team’s lack of action to stop his alleged awful behaviour are indeed true.

Key Additions: RB Ka’Deem Carey (FA); DB Hakeem Bailey, Tunde Adeleke (FA); LB Malik Clements (FA); QB Nick Arbuckle (FA)

Key Subtractions: RB AJ Ouellette (FA), Andrew Harris (retired); LB Adarius Pickett (FA); DB Jamal Peters (FA), Qwan’tez Stiggers (drafted to NFL); QB Chad Kelly (suspension), KR Javon Leake (FA); K Boris Bede (released)

2024 Record Prediction: 10-8

That’s all for now! Thanks for reading up to this point – see you back here next week at the exact same time.