FARHAN WITH A REPORT ON DURANT
TSN’s Farhan Lalji was on 620 CKRM’s SportsCage Wednesday talking about all things CFL and he offered the latest on the contract talks between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and their star quarterback Darian Durant. Here’s what Farhan said from Vancouver:
LALJI: I think you’re going to hear something in the next week to 10 days. I think both sides want some clarity in the situation sooner rather than later. When we went through the situation last week, it certainly sounded like both sides were wrapping their heads around moving on. There are some bad feelings there.
Chris Jones has said some things about Durant having some “moderate success” as a quarterback which offended Darian. It’s funny because when you follow the NHL arbitration process, this is par for the course. Teams and players carve each other, then an arbitrator decides the contract terms and everybody kisses and makes up. But an arbitrator’s not going to make this decision and I think both sides like the idea of Darian being a lifelong Rider.
And truly they’re not totally far apart on what the compensation will look like except Darian wants it guaranteed and the club isn’t willing to guarantee more than 75-80% of it. They want the rest of it to be in games played and roster bonuses.
That’s kind of where they’re at but it’s also become about more than just money. If I’m Chris Jones, I’m gonna kick as many tires on Matt Nichols and James Franklin and maybe even Henry Burris. Who knows on Henry, but I doubt it. But kick as many tires as you can and if none of that is happening, then maybe you circle back.
If you’re Darian, there’s nothing you can really do but wait until February and see what’s offered in free agency but I do think something’s going to happen in the next week to 10 days.
*James Franklin is currently under contract with the Edmonton Eskimos for 2017 at a salary of $55,000 as a back-up to Mike Reilly. On Monday there was a report that Eskimos GM Ed Hervey is attempting to sign Franklin to a contract extension.
In the past 24 hours, Franklin reached out to CFL great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon on Twitter asking for some advice on some upcoming personnel decisions.
Moon replied to Franklin saying he’d like to chat and requested that he message him privately.
RP
@rodpedersen
I am still confused on what Farhan is actually saying here. In one breath he makes it sound like Darian won't sign. Then near the end it sounds like they could be close and may sign.
Either way he's right.
I for one would like to see the riders move on from durant…..too injury prone and while he's on IR they just go thru a host of back ups. Cut durant lose and find the next bo levi.
Durant is one of the most durable CFL QB's there is, unfortunately he had two back to back freak injuries, neither of which had to do with age or health issues and he has rehabbed them both successfully. Between 09 an 2014 he basically had ironman status. Next – you dont need to release durant to find the next guy. In fact, the ideal route is to find a promising qb who is under 25 now, so that hes got a few seasons to learn under durant. Then when DD is 36-37, look to transition at that point. Finally Bo… Read more »
There's a hole in Jones' theory.
If DD goes on the injury list his guaranteed money (prorated) doesn't count against the salary cap.
What bothers me is that Jones has never once acknowledged that the O-line needs to be fixed. Without that it doesn't matter who the QB is, it still won't work.
You can have a Bo Levi…great regular season quarterback but he has struggled in both grey cup appearances. Yes I know he did win one but had a whopping 16 points on the board and got lucky on the Banks run back or he wouldn't even have one.
To the 4th anon.
Agreed, we all saw what Blow Levi did when there was pressure in his face. THREE interceptions!!! LOL
SWC
But is Durant as durable as a Mike Reilly, Drew Willy, Tavis Lulay, Matt Nichols, or Ricky Ray. Seems those guys are never hurt!
Exactly. Durant has had two major injuries in his career, which is guaranteed to happen to any player over a long enough career. But he has rebounded from both of them. Otherwise hes been as solid as a rock – the "injury prone" theory is a complete myth.
All of those guys except Nicholls have been injured just as often as Durant. Willy was never healthy in Winnipeg. Lulay was out for a year which is why he lost the job. Ray has been our most of the last 2 years.
All of those guys have been hurt MORE often than durant, except maybe for Willy, but all it took was one major injury and hes never been the same. Not so for DD, he always bounces back.
what Durant did 3 to 7 years ago is meaningless now….how has he done since 14? playing well in 2009 to 2014 should not get you a contract for life…but in the cfl it seems once your in as a player or coach…..no matter how you do you still seem to stick around. I hope Jones makes a clean sweep and starts fresh and then we don't have to listen to " oh if only Durant was healthy" which is the excuse we've listened to for far too long……he can't stay healthy and he's proven that.
Actually there is a hole in your intelligence.
If they sign Durant to a 350,000 contract and give him 250,000 up front that is a quarter of a million dollars gone from cap regardless how much he plays. That's what Durant wants and that is what the Riders don't want.
The Riders want Durant to earn more money by playing. If he doesn't play then the money he owed doesn't count against the cap.
I'm sorry. I love doubles but Jones has the right way of thinking on this one.
Nichols had that broken leg and a few other injuries in Edmonton. Chance are he will never suffer a freak injury going forward now that he has such a solid O-line should he stay in the Peg.
Nichols had a dislocated ankle in Edmonton too.
If Jones does not sign DD to a new contract, he had better have one heck of a QB in mind to take his place. If we have a new QB, I will expect him to be winning games from day 1. Anything less will not do. If this does not happen, Jones can hit the road. After all, Jones' performance has been less than moderately successful. So far, it's been dismal at best.
Bingo!
"Highly suggested you hit the road, immediately" Jones has a three year contract and his mandate is to build a winning on field product. Its high time the Roughriders Club be run like a professional sports entity and not your local parent interfering amateur minor league team.
To the person naming all those QBs who he says never get hurt. Are you serious? Do you even watch any CFL football in the last two years? Lulay has had so many shoulder surgeries that he is now relegated to a backup. Ricky Ray hasn't played more than half a season in the last few years. Drew Willy was injured badly in Winnipeg and has never been the same since. Reilly seems to be injured every year for a few games(that is why you saw Franklin in a few games). Nichols has had serious injuries in his career. To… Read more »
Darian Durant has had multiple head coaches where they were instructed by interferring higher up management to play him, thus his mediocre 8+ year playing carreer with limited winning results at Sk. Mr Reynolds, Mr Jones, Mr Murphy not obligated to one player as they turn around the whole entire Roughriders Football Club Inc and how it conducts its business opps to a high professional sports league standard. Past regimes and their bad business practice a thing of the past moving forward. Highly suggested riderville and their simple mindedness also move forward asap! Move on there now, Mr Jones a… Read more »
the bottom line is that nobody else in Canada cares about darians contract only Riders fans so to think Rod reported that his contract was the talk of the Grey cup week I think is totally out to lunch .NOBODY ELSE CARES TRUST ME