All weeks are exciting in the CFL, but with all the unpredictability that’s been introduced to the world of pro sports by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, things are getting wild and changing by the day. In the first edition of This Week Around the League, we discuss the different ways COVID-19 is impacting the CFL, as well as other going-ons around the league.
Training camps postponed indefinitely
At the start of this week, CFL fans and teams were greeted with the news that the league’s training camps, which were scheduled to start on May 17th, were cancelled indefinitely, according to TSN’s Dave Naylor. The postponement of camps means that sticking to the current schedule will see teams go into the season with no training; additionally, league officials looking as far ahead as May spells trouble for the season – the first preseason game is scheduled for May 24th, and the regular season opener for June 11th. Delay of the season looks likely if the league wants to allow for teams to get some practise in before hitting the turf.
Talk starts around the Draft
The CFL Draft, where Canada’s top college prospects are selected to play for teams around the country, is still set to go ahead on the 30th of April, despite cancellation of the majority of the combines. Attention has turned to players such as Calgary Dinos QB Adam Sinagra who are hoping to convert success in university to a place on a CFL team. As with the CFL schedule, however, COVID-19 threatens to derail the dreams of these young players – CFL insiders such as Farhan Lalji say that the insecurity around the upcoming season means that teams will be hesitant to sign contracts with draftees, especially with current financial insecurities being faced by both teams and the league.
Rule changes being debated
A lot of times, we miss the small things while focussing on such a big game like football. But with the league slowing down, those small things are beginning to take focus, such as the CFL rule committee debating changes for the future of the league. New standards for roughing the passer and long snapper tackles as well as penalties for illegal participation are all being discussed, with the committee hoping to combine current rulings with those existing in other gridiron football leagues. The changes will be small, but they’ll all add up to make the game safer, fairer and easier to officiate in the long run.
Winnipeg signs a new QB
The Blue Bombers are still making the most of the off-season, signing a new quarterback to complement the skills and experience of Zach Collaros. After last year’s starters Chris Streveler and Matt Nichols left the team, the Bombers were left with only Collaros to hold down the fort and try and defend the Grey Cup in 2020. However, Winnipeg looks to bring more options to the position by signing former Montana QB Dalton Sneed. Sneed is fresh out of college and has a lot of great stats to his name, including 6,159 passing yards over two years. With more college talent on their roster, the Bombers look poised to explode back onto the scene when the season kicks off – as long as they can avoid the injuries that plagued the league in 2019.
Thoughts on the news of the week? Let me know in the comments below, or on Twitter at @TheEndZone_Blog
The End Zone 
Leave a comment