CFL NOTEBOOK

The CFL and CFL Players’ Association will at least have a starting point Wednesday when they resume contract talks.

According to league sources, the CFL will table a new offer to the union Wednesday morning. It will be the first meeting between the two sides since Thursday when the CFLPA rejected a league proposal for a 10-year deal with no salary-cap increases that also eliminated the Canadian ratio.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as neither the union nor league divulged specific details surrounding the offer. But time is of the essence as the current collective bargaining agreement _ which was negotiated before the 2019 season and amended last year to allow for a shortened 14-game campaign _ is slated to expire Saturday.

CFL training camps are scheduled to open Sunday with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders on May 23 in the first exhibition game. Both Brian Ramsay, the CFLPA executive director, and union president Solomon Elimimian said Friday players won’t report to camp without a new agreement in place.

CFL teams countered by informing players that any who attend camp will be housed and fed by franchises in the event of a lawful strike. League players have walked off the job once, in 1974, but the situation was settled before the start of the regular season.

The league and union have three negotiating sessions scheduled for this week but could continue talking into Saturday if a deal is close or significant progress is being made.

Last week, CFL players gave their union a 95-per-cent strike vote. However, if the CFLPA called for a work stoppage Sunday, not all teams could participate immediately as provincial labour laws differ across Canada.

For example, the Alberta Labour Relations Board lists on is website many requirements for unions to stage a legal strike. They include:

– A CBA must be expired.

– The parties must enter into collective bargaining.

– A 14-day cooling-off period must elapse following mediation.

– A labour board-supervised strike vote (unions) or lockout poll (employers) must be taken and a majority of those voting must agree to the strike or lockout.

– One party must serve the other (as well as mediator) with 72 hours notice before the strike or lockout commences.

At first glance, the CFL tabling a new proposal is a positive sign, if only because it gives the two sides new and different parameters to discuss and potentially tweak. What will be very interesting to see, though, is if the CFL has come off its original deal and if so, how far?

In a memo to its membership, the CFLPA outlined details of the offer it rejected. They included:

– A 10-year agreement with no increases to the salary cap. That figure was $5.35 million last season

– A revenue-sharing program the union stated was “not likely to show any significant growth by the CFL’s own accord, until the TSN contract is renewed in five years.”

– Earlier in negotiations, the two sides spoke about guaranteed contracts, but “the CFL has now removed the PA’s proposal to allow players to negotiate guaranteed contracts.”

– The league wanted teams to return to padded practices, “even with a decrease of 35 per cent of on-field injuries, yet refuses to support our proposal for coverage for those same on-field injuries.”

– The elimination of the Canadian ratio and veteran American ratio as well as a reduction of Canadians on the roster. In the current agreement, CFL rosters must include 21 Canadians, of which seven must be starters.

After formal talks ended Thursday, the CFL and CFLPA had informal discussions leading up to Wednesday’s session. For some, that could be seen as an encouraging sign, but often in collective bargaining the two sides continue talking between scheduled meetings.

This marks the fourth straight year the league and union have met. After hammering out the current CBA before the ’19 season, they gathered in 2020 to amend the agreement for a shortened season that didn’t happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the league and CFLPA did so last year, laying the groundwork for the CFL’s return to play.

And 2020 should serve as a painful reminder to both the CFL and CFLPA regarding the economic hardships a work stoppage could bring. Players weren’t paid that year, while not operating resulted in the league losing between $60 million and $80 million.

For many CFL teams, however, it’s business as usual with rookie camps slated to open Wednesday. But not the Montreal Alouettes, whose first practice is scheduled for Sunday.

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WINNIPEG – Veteran CFL quarterback Dakota Prukop was competing along with first-year players Wednesday at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers rookie camp.

Prukop’s presence was somewhat surprising, given the CFL Players’ Association had said it directed veteran quarterbacks on eight CFL teams to skip rookie camps.

The union added there was “the exception of one club, where there is concern by our Association over a pattern of retribution toward players by team management.” According to a league source, that team was the Edmonton Elks.

Prukop spent time with the Toronto Argonauts (2017-19), Calgary Stampeders (2020-2021) and Edmonton (2021) before signing a one-year deal with Winnipeg.

He said he came to rookie camp with the blessing of the union, Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros and veteran linebacker Adam Bighill, who’s also a member of the CFLPA executive.

“What it came down to is everyone’s situation was a little different,” the 28-year-old Prukop told reporters. “You’ve got the veterans with solidified jobs or veterans competing against other veterans.

“You’ve got another group, which is the group I’m in, which is I’m a veteran but I’m competing against rookie-tag guys in a new offence, a new playbook. So with the support of the other veterans around the league, guys had no problem with me coming and competing for my job.

“I reached out to Zach and Adam and just checked with them because the biggest thing is you don’t want to create any kind of disruption or friction on the team. From my conversations with them, no one thought that would be the case because while the PA were standing to make a statement, we’re also still taking care of the guys.”

Prukop said he couldn’t afford to stay away and put himself behind the other quarterbacks competing for the backup job behind Collaros, last year’s CFL outstanding player.

“I just wasn’t in the position to be able to put myself in a competitive disadvantage competing against really great quarterbacks that just have a rookie tag,” he said.

The six-foot-one, 208-pound Prukop has appeared in 49 career regular season CFL games. He has completed 36-of-56 passes for 467 yards with four TDs and four interceptions while rushing 38 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

Prukop appeared in eight games last season with Edmonton. He completed 18-of-26 passes for 183 yards with one TD and two interceptions while running for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.

Prukop signed with Toronto in 2017 and earned a Grey Cup ring that season. He spent three campaigns with the Argos before signing with Calgary in 2020 before the cancellation of the 2020 season.

Prukop was released by the Stampeders at the end of training camp last year before joining the Elks.

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VANCOUVER – The B.C. Lions signed seven players they selected in the 2022 CFL draft in time for the start of rookie camp Wednesday.

Saskatchewan defensive lineman Nathan Cherry, who B.C. took third overall, topped the club’s draft class.

Also signed were: McGill defensive lineman Joshua Archibald (third round), Regina linebacker Ryder Varga (third round), St. Mary’s defensive back Adrian Greene (fourth round), Saskatchewan defensive lineman Riley Pickett (fifth round) and Ottawa defensive linemen Frednick Eveillard (sixth round) and Adam Wallace (eighth round).

Saskatchewan offensive lineman Noah Zerr (second round) and Alabama receiver John Metchie III (seventh round) remain unsigned. Zerr is scheduled to attend the New York Giants mini-camp while Metchie is headed to the Houston Texans, who selected him in the second round (No. 44 overall) in last month’s NFL draft.

Makonzo, Ford and Pelley among players signed by Edmonton Elks

EDMONTON – Coastal Carolina defensive back Enock Makonzo, Waterloo quarterback Tre Ford and Calgary defensive tackle J-Min Pelley were among 12 players signed Wednesday by the Edmonton Elks.

Edmonton selected Makonko with the fourth overall pick in the ’22 CFL draft, then took Ford, the ’21 Hec Crighton Trophy winner, at No. 8.The Elks selected the six-foot-six, 320-pound Pelley in the ’22 supplemental draft, giving up a ’23 second-round CFL draft selection as a result.

Edmonton signed all 10 of the players it drafted, along with kicker Rafael Gaglianone, who was taken in the ’22 global draft.

Also signed were Calgary defensive lineman Jacob Plamondon (second round), Fresno State offensive lineman Marc-David Bien-Aime (third round), Queen’s long-snapper Peter Adjey (third round), Manitoba receiver Gavin Cobb (fourth round), Tuskegee linebacker Wesley Appolon (fifth round), Charleston defensive back Jeremie Dominique (sixth round), Ottawa running back Jean-Paul Cimankinda (seventh round) and McMaster linebacker Nate Edwards (eighth round).

Montreal Alouettes hire Lionello as receivers coach

MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes promoted Mike Lionello to receivers coach Wednesday.

Lionello joined the Alouetes as an offensive assistant in 2020. The Vancouver native also served as a running backs coach with the Toronto Argonauts in 2019. “Mike has gained a lot of experience in recent years and he deserves these new responsibilities”, Montreal head coach Khari Jones said in a statement. “He knows our team and our culture very well, and we are convinced that he will succeed. Our players respect him and enjoy working with him.”

Ticats add Turner, Buchanan to roster, release Glave

HAMILTON –– The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added Canadian receiver Tyler Turner and American defensive back Baylen Buchanan to the roster Wednesday.

Turner, 25, spent time with the B.C. Lions in 2020. The six-foot-two, 200-pound native of St. Albert, Alta., split his college career at Alberta and University of British Columbia.

Buchanan, 23, played 12 games in his only season at Louisiana Tech University (2021, registering 48 tackles (one for loss). The five-foot-11, 188-pound Buchanan began his college at the University of Tennessee.

The Ticats also released Canadian defensive tackle Donovan Glave, of Brampton, Ont. The six-foot-two, 297-pound Glave played two seasons at McMaster, registering 52 tackles (five for loss), 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble.

(Canadian Press)