The CFL simply may make a case it’s been harm greater than maximum different males’s skilled sports activities leagues via the COVID-19 pandemic.
A league pushed via gate income was once on the mercy of the virus for the previous two years, resulting in a cancelled season in 2020 and a shortened marketing campaign with crowd restrictions in lots of towns in 2021.
After all, it wouldn’t be the CFL with out any other hiccup or two – and right here we’re in 2022 with camps beginning 4 days overdue for the reason that league and its avid gamers couldn’t resolve a labour dispute till Wednesday.
Even supposing it wasn’t a just right glance, a minimum of it was once settled sooner than the common season – and 2022 will have to constitute a much-needed contemporary get started for the CFL, with all 9 groups totally open for industry.
However, as we all know, it’s a modified international, so it received’t simply be a case of opening the doorways and anticipating complete properties – even in CFL hotbeds.
The largest questions going through the league in 2022 is, do the enthusiasts come again in earlier numbers to Saskatchewan, Winnipeg and Calgary and will longtime bother spots Toronto, Montreal and B.C. acquire momentum after a long time of woes?
At the box, the league is desperately seeking to get extra offence again into the sport after a number of years of less-than-thrilling play on that aspect of the ball, main to a couple rule adjustments within the low season.
On the franchise stage, 8 groups will likely be seeking to save you the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from successful a 3rd Gray Cup in a row.
The common season kicks off June 9 with Calgary entertaining Montreal.
Right here’s a have a look at a large query going through every workforce heading into camp:
EAST DIVISION
Montreal Alouettes: Can Vernon Adams Jr. keep wholesome and lead the workforce to its first playoff win since 2014?
The quarterback looked to be poised to take a look at to reply to this query closing yr sooner than struggling a season-ending shoulder damage in October. The Als then got veteran Trevor Harris in a industry with the Edmonton Elks, however he had a coarse afternoon in an East semifinal loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Harris is again as backup, however Adams is the person the Alouettes want to thrive. The warmth is on trainer Khari Jones, a former quarterback. If the workforce doesn’t blank up its self-discipline issues and Adams doesn’t take a step up, Jones’ standing will fall into query in his 3rd yr.
Ottawa Redblacks: Will rookie GM Shawn Burke’s low season overhaul repay?
After making 3 Gray Cup video games (and successful one) of their first 5 seasons within the league, GM Marcel Desjardins’ workforce began an uncongenial decline. The Redblacks received simply 3 video games in 2019 and Desjardins was once canned in the course of closing yr’s three-win season. The Redblacks employed Shawn Burke to fill Desjardins’ position within the low season and the previous Tiger-Cats govt didn’t waste any time making his have an effect on felt. He landed former Ticats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli in unfastened company – a man who has megastar possible but additionally has battled inconsistency. There are adjustments in every single place the roster. Working again William Powell returns for a 2d stint after two 1,000-yard seasons with Ottawa and the offensive line and receiving rooms have very other appears. Defensively, key additions come with linebacker Patrick Ranges and lineman Kwaku Boateng.
Toronto Argonauts: Can large strikes in unfastened company propel the workforce to an East identify?
The primary complete yr with Ryan Dinwiddie as trainer and Michael (Pinball) Clemons as normal supervisor went somewhat smartly, however the Argos blew a lead at house within the East ultimate in opposition to Hamilton. That clearly wasn’t just right sufficient for Clemons, who was once busy in unfastened company. The Argos signed former Winnipeg Blue Bombers megastar working again Andrew Harris and ex-Hamilton defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis, a playoff standout, amongst others. The quarterback, then again, will likely be a well-known face. McLeod Bethel-Thompson enters his fourth season in Toronto, however nonetheless has to turn out he can win the most important video games.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Now that he’s the undisputed No. 1 QB, can Dane Evans get the workforce over the past hurdle?
After Masoli suffered a season-ending knee damage in 2019, Evans took the reins and was once superb, guiding the Ticats’ to the league’s easiest file sooner than the workforce was once dissatisfied via Winnipeg within the Gray Cup recreation. With Masoli again in 2021, the Ticats had a two-headed monster at QB. Neither QB submit eye-popping numbers, however they have been just right sufficient to get the workforce again to the Gray Cup recreation – after Evans changed an useless Masoli within the East ultimate and went 16-for-16. The momentum was once short-lived, despite the fact that. Evans suffered a game-ending neck damage in the second one quarter of the Gray Cup. Masoli took over and host Hamilton misplaced to Winnipeg. Masoli is now a Redblack. It’s Evans’ workforce. Now, Ticats enthusiasts need him to finish the league’s longest Gray Cup drought.
WEST DIVISION
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Can Mike O’Shea’s workforce turn out to be the primary squad to three-peat since Warren Moon and Edmonton received 5 in a row from 1978-82?
Making an allowance for how lengthy it’s been since a workforce has received 3 titles in a row, the chances are in opposition to the Blue Bombers. However on paper, the workforce positive looks as if a drive. Quarterback Zach Collaros has equipped balance – he has reignited his profession because the Bombers got him in a 2019 cut-off date maintain Toronto. He has misplaced a number of key guns on offence – together with Harris (Toronto) and league-leading receiver Kenny Lawler (Edmonton). However Winnipeg has intensity at working again, signed two notable receivers in Jalen Saunders and Greg Ellingson and returns the majority of a defence that was once an enormous drive in 2021.
Saskatchewan Roughriders: Can the house workforce make the Gray Cup recreation once more?
The Ticats became the trick closing yr, simplest to lose to Winnipeg. The Roughriders have been the closing workforce to get right into a Gray Cup recreation at house sooner than that, doing so in 2013 after which beating the Ticats. That still occurs to be the Roughriders’ most up-to-date look within the Gray Cup. Trainer Craig Dickenson and quarterback Cody Fajardo have led the Roughriders to the West ultimate the closing two seasons, however they couldn’t get previous the rival Blue Bombers. Roughriders GM Jeremy O’Day boosted the defence in unfastened company, signing linebackers Darnell Sankey and Derrick Moncrief and veteran defensive finish Charleston Hughes.
Calgary Stampeders: Can Bo Levi Mitchell go back to MVP shape after an injury-riddled stretch?
The Stampeders’ megastar quarterback has battled accidents in every of the closing two seasons, a stretch through which Winnipeg overtook Calgary as the category of the West. At 32, Mitchell definitely isn’t too outdated to go back to best shape. If the two-time maximum exceptional participant can accomplish that, he’s almost definitely the highest quarterback within the league – which might make the Stamps critical contenders once more. The Stampeders have made the playoffs 16 years in a row, however issues have fallen off a bit of because the workforce made 5 Gray Cup video games in seven years from 2012 to ’18.
Edmonton Elks: Can Chris Jones flip issues round after the workforce’s horrific 2021?
Armed with a brand new identify, the Elks have been a crisis at the box in 2021. They didn’t win a unmarried house recreation and completed 3-11, ensuing within the firings of trainer Jaime Elizondo, GM Brock Sunderland and president Chris Presson. The Elks have introduced Jones again to run soccer as GM/trainer after he went to a West ultimate and received a Gray Cup with Edmonton in 2014 and ’15. However he has a number of paintings to do to get the workforce again to contending standing. For starters, the workforce’s quarterback image is muddled. Veteran Nick Arbuckle was once got from Toronto closing season, however he couldn’t stay the highest process with the Argos. Taylor Cornelius returns after enjoying 9 video games for Edmonton closing yr after which there are a host of newcomer, together with intriguing first-round draft select Tre Ford, the reigning Canadian college participant of the yr with Waterloo.
B.C. Lions: Will Nathan Rourke be that elusive Canadian quarterback to be successful?
With veteran Michael Reilly retiring within the low season, the Lions have opted to move with a Canadian at quarterback – so all eyes will likely be at the fabricated from Oakville, Ont. It hasn’t been simple for Canadian QBs within the CFL. Alternatives are scarce and the few who’ve had professional probabilities simply haven’t been in a position to carry jobs. Rourke, a standout school QB at Ohio, was once 52-for-82 (63.4 in step with cent) for 754 yards passing with 3 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in his rookie yr in B.C. The Lions’ backup – Michael O’Connor – is also Canadian. The early time table is type for a growing quarterback – the season opener is at house in opposition to rebuilding Edmonton, adopted via a bye week and any other house recreation in opposition to Toronto. The primary street recreation is at rebuilding Ottawa.
