MMQB: 3 questions from Week 1 of the off-season
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A new off-season is officially one week old, and we've already had what feels like months' worth of news since the Toronto Argonauts won the 111th Grey Cup.
We've seen three front offices shaken up, which raises fascinating questions in each of those markets. And as is usually the case once Grey Cup week wraps up, we've seen a cascade of contract extensions as 2025 Free Agency looms in less than three months.
This week we've got three burning questions in reaction to a lot of what's happened over the last seven days.
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WHAT DOES ED HERVEY’S HIRING MEAN FOR TRE FORD?
The Edmonton Elks turned back the clock early last week by hiring Hervey as general manager, a position he held with the team from 2013 to 2016. And Hervey, who was also named vice president of football operations, now has a significant decision to make on the future of a dynamic quarterback.
Ford is a pending free agent and is set to generate plenty of interest if he makes it to February's signing frenzy. With 18 CFL starts under his belt, and after being the catalyst of drastic turnarounds in two straight seasons, there's plenty to suggest handing Ford the 2025 starting reins is the way to go.
"Ford is an electric and dynamic player," Hervey said this week at his introductory news conference. "I don't know him personally; I'm looking forward to having a chance to speak with him.
"I want to get to know him and if we can find common ground as to what that looks like. I'd love to give him every opportunity to compete to be the starter here."
But if Ford is looking at potential starting offers in free agency, it might take more than just a chance to compete for a No. 1 job. Will Hervey and the Elks be willing to strike a deal with him with the intention of making him the guy? And will they compensate him as such?
I'm on record that Edmonton should make that happen. They're the team that drafted Ford in the first round and his development into a dynamic CFL quarterback has all been done with the Elks. It makes sense to ensure Ford's journey continues in Green and Gold.
Whether or not that's the way it goes remains to be seen.
WHERE WILL RYAN RIGMAIDEN SEND VERNON ADAMS JR.?
Promoted to general manager in BC's front office shakeup last week, Rigmaiden wasted no time in confirming what we all assumed: Big Play VA will be on the move this winter. Adams's future shapes up to be the biggest story of the off-season. After all, it's rare to have an MOP level quarterback available like Adams is set to be.
"I'll start reaching out to some teams," Rigmaiden said as he confirmed the search for Adams's new team will be begin immediately.
"I'm not a timeline guy. I want to make the best decision for the club and so I'm never going to throw out an arbitrary date. But we'd like to do it sooner than later, out of respect to both him and the club, just so everybody knows what they're doing."
Now that there's no ambiguity when it comes to their quarterback situation, the Lions are going to have plenty of suitors for Adams. The destinations come to mind quickly.
Could the Elks be in the mix if Hervey decides Ford isn't the answer? Will Calgary be interested even after signing former NFL pivot P.J. Walker earlier this month? And are the Roughriders ready to bring back 38-year-old Trevor Harris or will they go in a different direction?
There's a good possibility Rigmaiden would rather not send Adams within the West Division, which is understandable. But with Nathan Rourke in the fold going forward, BC needs to be focused on getting the best possible return for Adams. And, just based on the quarterback climate, trading in the division is likely the best ticket to accomplish that.
CAN HAMILTON’S NEW GM SUPPLEMENT PROPERLY?
The Tiger-Cats now have a front office hole to fill with Hervey leaving after spending three years in the organization, including last season as GM. Whoever ends up filling Hamilton's vacancy, though, is entering a situation rife with promise and optimism. But getting the Ticats back to the playoffs means making a few smart moves this winter.
Hamilton enters next season with a lot of key players already under contract, starting with East Division Most Outstanding Player Bo Levi Mitchell. After a nightmarish injury-riddled first season with the Tiger-Cats, Mitchell bounced back huge in 2024 and led the league with 5,451 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes.
Ace receiver Tim White is also under contract for 2025, as is East Division Most Outstanding Rookie Shemar Bridges after reeling in 83 catches for 933 yards. On the defensive side, Hamilton has both linebacker Kyle Wilson and defensive tackle Casey Sayles in the fold for next year. The former led the team with 88 defensive tackles, while the latter paced the team with seven sacks.
It’s a great foundation for a new general manager to build on, which is the important theme here. For instance, the Ticats averaged under 87 rushing yards per game in 2024, which ranked them third from the bottom. They also allowed more than 116 rushing yards on average, which was the league's second-worst total.
Hamilton had a strong finish to the season, which is a massive positive. Now whoever president of football operations Orlondo Steinauer opts to hire as GM has a clear task: get this roster to the next level to ensure a return to the playoffs.
