William Stanback / RB
Montreal Alouettes → NFL
The loss of RB William Stanback is definitely a big blow for the Als, who had a breakout 2019 season under the helm of QB Vernon Adams Jr. The run game played a big part in this, with the Als racking up a whopping 2236 yards on the ground. This made them second in the league in rushing – bested only by Winnipeg – and was a massive step up from the 1827 rushing yards they recorded in 2018 (which placed them at 5th in the league). Stanback played a big role in this, having a breakout year that included 1048 rushing yards and 33 receptions for a total of 7 touchdowns, making him a formidable opponent both on the ground and in the air.
The loss of Stanback to the NFL poses some problems for Montreal, who are looking to convert last year’s momentum into 2020 playoff success. The players remaining at RB in Montreal are Jeremiah Johnson, a veteran of the league who’s shown good play-making ability (though has remained second to Stanback in his single season with the Als) and Jeshrun Antwi, acquired by the Als as a Round 6 Draft Pick in 2019. While the former has proved his ability to give Montreal a strong running game, Antwi remains untested in the CFL. The former Calgary Dino racked up 205 carries for 1372 yards and 12 touchdowns over a 3-season college career to complement his 260 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.
While William Stanback’s move to the NFL does at first glance seem worrying to Montreal fans, the Als should be more than equipped to tackle the 2020 season with league veteran Johnson and rookie Antwi. The best thing for Montreal to do would be to re-sign Johnson – a pending free agent – and making sure that Antwi is more than ready to take to the turf in 2020.
Lirim Hajrullahu / K
Hamilton Tiger-Cats → NFL
Two-time divisional All-Star and Grey Cup-winning kicker Lirim Hajrullahu has brought expertise and stability to any team he’s played on, most recently the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With 93 completed field goals and 7,161 punting yards in 2 seasons for the Tabbies, Hajrullahu provided Hamilton with countless extra points through a league-leading 47 field goals and 26 converts.
The loss of their star kicker will definitely hurt the Ticats in 2020 if they don’t make a move soon. The only other kicker on the team, Gabriel Amavizca, has barely seen any playtime during his year on the team, with only 2 converts to show for 7 games played. If the rookie kicker is all the Ticats have next season, they could be in some trouble, with the offence taking a huge hit from the inexperience of Amavizca.
A better option might come through the free agency; however, only 4 kickers are free agents, and the best of them – Lewis Ward – will likely be re-signed by Ottawa. Among the other 3, both Argo kickers had an extremely quiet 2019 – Zack Medeiros recorded only 2 field goals and 6 conversions, while Ronnie Pfeffer had only 1 missed field goal to show for 2019. Medeiros has 3 years of experience but weak numbers to show for it, and the Argos will likely want to hold on to him going into 2020, whereas Pfeffer doesn’t seem worth it for the Cats. A better deal might come in the form of Richie Leone, of the Ottawa Redblacks. Leone has been in the league for 4 years, splitting his time between BC and Ottawa. Playing for BC, he racked up a total of 65 field goals and 52 converts, but for the last two years he’s been largely in the shadow of Lewis Ward, and has played as the team’s punter. The Redblacks may wish to hang on to Leone, but in terms of experience and performance he looks to be the best fit for the Ticats within the league while they foster their rookie kicker.
Nick Arbuckle / QB
Calgary Stampeders → Ottawa Redblacks
In the biggest Free Agency move so far, the Ottawa Redblacks have acquired the rights of QB Nick Arbuckle in exchange for a 3rd-round Draft Pick. While Arbuckle’s move isn’t the QB carousel of 2019, it will likely prove incredibly impactful in 2020. Ottawa struggled last season, with only 3 wins after losing QB Trevor Harris and WR Greg Ellingson. The struggling quarterback trio of Jonathan Jennings, Dominique Davis and Will Arndt were unable to keep the offense afloat, recording 258 points and 5299 yards, the lowest in the league. Following this disastrous season, the Redblacks desperately need someone steady at the helm that can anchor the team together and get them back on track, and Arbuckle seems like just the guy to do this for them.
Arbuckle had a breakout season in 2019 as one of the many 2nd-string QBs thrust into a starting role after an injury of a starting quartback. Filling in for Bo Levi Mitchell after a Week 3 injury put the Stamp’s starting QB on the 6-game injured list, Arbuckle continued the momentum of Calgary, recording 2,103 yards over 9 games with an 11-5 touchdown/interception ratio. With his dynamic playmaking ability, Arbuckle was able to seamlessly slot into Mitchell’s shoes, and the team didn’t skip a beat.
Compared to his new QB teammates, Arbuckle shines. Dominique Davis – Ottawa’s highest-ranking QB in 2019 – only threw for 113 more yards than Arbuckle with much less efficiency, sporting a 5-14 TD/INT ratio. Arbuckle is also miles ahead of remaining QBs Jennings and Arndt, with only 2,094 yards and 6 touchdowns between the two of the them. The move of the Calgary QB to Ottawa will give the Redblacks a lot more options next season, especially in terms of re-diversifying the team – all-star Canadian receiver Brad Sinopoli saw his numbers axed in half compared to last season, for example. With a stronger QB at the helm, the Redblacks will be able to get back to winning games, and might become a dangerous team once more.
Who do you think should have been included here and why? Let me know in the comments!
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