RIDERS MOCK PROTECTED LIST

I don’t know why but expansion drafts always freak me out. Countless people have asked me to put together a mock Rider protected list for Monday’s CFL Ottawa Expansion Draft however I’m simply not comfortable with it. I’ve seen firsthand how players react to learning they weren’t protected by their teams.  Also the Rider roster is somewhat of a moving target (take for instance last week’s signing of four players to extensions).

I’m sure the Roughriders are having a big ole laugh at everyone trying to do their job by putting these lists together right now.  BUT I also know this is one of the most enjoyable things for fans of pro football to do.

So I got our good friend, CFL Joe, blogger Ryan Mulligan of Ottawa (pictured), to put together a pretty good mock Rider list for this blog.

Here goes:

OTTAWA — It’s not easy making a Mock Protection List. The Canadian side of the draft is the toughest simply because the Riders have so much Canadian talent. Great drafting and free agent signings have made their non-imports the envy of the league. There has been quite a bit of talk already about the Riders nucleus but by in large, you can protect a nucleus and it will only be a select few (3 to be exact) who leave the team.

We’ll start with QB:

Durant is the man. Any other option is ridiculous. He’s Rider royalty now.

Who I didn’t protect: Drew Willy. A great QB future ahead of him. He’s a pending FA and if he does get picked up by the Redblacks, he may not resign unless he can have a legitimate shot at starting. Does he have that shot?

Protect 10 Imports:

1) Xavier Fulton: One of the best offensive tackles in the league. Fulton quietly does his job and rarely gets penalized. He also faces off against the best pass rushers in the league and most of the time, keeps Durant upright. Protect Fulton.

2) Weldon Brown: Brown was a big offseason signing for the Riders and clearly impressed coaches because he moved all around the defence. 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 3 fumble recoveries. Keep him.

3) Renauld Williams: Rey Williams still has a couple good seasons left in him. He was also a big part of the Riders’ defensive success this year. He’s a leader and without him, the Riders leave a big gap in talent up the middle. I’m not convinced the team have a replacement ready to go at middle linebacker. He’s someone the Redblacks would like to have and worthy of protection.

4) John Chick: The Riders were in tough to replace him when he left the first time and won’t want to give him up for nothing. Chick has everything you look for in a defensive end and showed in 2013 he could still get the job done. Stevie Baggs left the Riders for an NFL try-out and then re-signed in Hamilton. Chick on the other hand came right back to the province that he loves and loves him back. Keep Chick.

5) Tyron Brackenridge: Voted one of the hardest hitters in the league and became a fan favorite. This was the break out year from Brackenridge. You could tell Richie Hall loved working with him because he put him in the position to make plays. By having Craig Butler and Brackenridge to both play safety, the Riders had a one two punch at safety and can you name another CFL team with that luxury? The safety position was rock solid for the Riders, and Brackenridge was a big part of that.

6) Weston Dressler: I’m torn on Dressler. Dressler will be getting NFL tryouts and might even stick with a team for a few months. Many believe he’ll eventually return. Do the Riders risk him returning to the CFL as a Redblack? I doubt Desjardins would pick Dressler because of his NFL ambitions but he’s worth protecting if you’re the worrying type.

7) Jermaine McElveen: A solid defensive linemen that can play interior and outside. Was huge in the playoffs and on his playoff performance alone, showed his worth. He’s smart and a veteran that has loads of talent. He’s a pending free agent so the Riders should do a resign and protect.

8) Rod Williams: One of the best offseason pickups from free agency. My sense is the Riders love this guy and why wouldn’t they? Chamblin and Hall have been prioritizing guys who are versatile and can play all over the field, and Williams has that. He could be a mainstay in Saskatchewan for a while.

9) Terrell Maze: Tough because he’s going to be an FA in February but proved to be a shut down corner this year. Maze had a great playoff run and the Riders need his talents going in to next year. Seems that this year Maze really “got it”. Why let him go now?

10) Taj Smith or Jock Sanders: This is a toss up. Smith and Durant have a great connection on the field and the Riders searched a long time for a wideout that Durant could get the ball to. Appealing case to keep Taj Smith. Sanders on the other hand, has explosive potential. I see the Redblacks picking up Sanders if he’s unprotected. Anyone who has watched tape on Sanders knows he is an impact player. He’s a joy to watch and a great receiver/running back combo. I’m leaning towards Sanders.

Who I didn’t protect:

1) Kory Sheets: What a season! He’ll have some NFL time. Maybe even for a few months. However, seems to have no desire to return to any other team if he does return to the CFL. Leave him unprotected because Desjardins needs a running back in June not next September.

2) Geroy Simon: Although he was a great pick up for Saskatchewan, they just can’t protect a player this age, unfortunately.

3) Tearrius George: It seems clear that the Riders prefer McElveen more than George at this point. If the Riders do protect an interior guy, I see McElveen getting the re-sign and protection.

4) Diamond Ferri: Age & attitude. Too many penalties and too many guys who can replace him.

5) Carlos Thomas: Originally he was on my protected list. I think he’s a guy the Redblacks would be happy to have. If he stays with the Riders, he’ll still be a starter.

Protect 6 Canadians:

1) Chris Getzlaf: Although I am not convinced Getzlaf is a better receiver than Rob Bagg, those knees make me nervous and will likely make Mr. Desjardins nervous. I’m also guessing there is some contract smithing that will take place after the draft. Now that Bagg is resigned, they may re-jig some stuff once the expansion draft is over. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

2) Best: This O-line, needs to stay intact. We all noticed the added punch the run game had when Best was back. Protect the meanest and most educated guy on that O-line.

3) Heenan: Again, keep these guys together. Heenan is young and could be one of those guys in a Rider jersey his entire career. Being around these vets will just make him better.

4) Shologan: The term ratio buster is over-used. In the case of Shologan however, it can’t be overstated. He’s allowed the Riders tremendous flexibility and would be exactly the kind of guy the Redblacks would want to snag. Protect him.

5) Picard: Finding a good centre is ridiculously difficult. A centre needs to be smart, tough and quick. Picard is likely the best centre in the league and the Riders’ offensive success relies on this position. Lock him up.

6) Labatte: Remember how much was made of the Bombers being unable to resign Labatte. Well, Taman made it look easy. Ideally he’s signed to a long contract. No one will be disappointed by the Riders keeping this O-line together for a long time.

7) Butler: I know, I know there is no #7 in this scenario but let’s be honest, this guy is a beast. He is a pending free agent in February. Maybe Butler can have a Kory Sheets deal. If he gets picked, come on back to the Green and White. Taman wouldn’t be happy if Butler ended up on another team. Do what you need to do to keep this guy.

Who I didn’t protect:

Ricky Foley: Sometimes you just need to lose a good guy to keep the better guys.  Foley did his job this year but I don’t see the Riders prioritizing him for their few Canadian spots they can protect.

Scott McHenry: Up against Getzlaf, he just doesn’t compare.

Tristan Black: Just hasn’t worked out to get him in to a starting role over some import players. Great on special teams though.

Zach Evans: On and off the roster. I like Zach Evans and I think Desjardins will as well. He may go.

Rob Bagg: We’ll see what happens to Rob. Either Taman gave Bagg a big extension to reward him for all he’s done or he wanted to scare off the Redblacks from resigning him. We’ll see. As I said earlier, I think Bagg has a nudge, nudge, wink, wink contract.

Levi Steinhauer: Seems like he has loads of upside. I see Steinhauer as someone who might leave the Riders for Ottawa.

(Follow Ryan on Twitter at @CFL_JOE and check out his website at www.cfljoe.com)