It’s 1 p.m. last Tuesday and REDBLACKS General Manager Marcel Desjardins is in his office on the south side of TD Place.
There are still six days to go until the opening of the Canadian Football League’s free agency period, but Desjardins is ready to make a splash.
“We have new deals with Diontae Spencer and Nolan MacMillan,” he says.
A little over two hours later, the re-signing is announced. The news is, of course, excitedly shared by RNation and throughout the league. Within minutes of the announcement, Spencer is making the media rounds by phone from Lafayette, Louisiana, just over 30 kilometres from his hometown of New Iberia.
Just like that, the CFL’s top-ranked pending free agent is off the market.
That type of scenario plays out around the league in the weeks leading up to free agency as teams try to lock up their own players before noon on February 13. How many times it repeats itself, at least in Ottawa’s case, remains to be seen.
Patience is the biggest thing – GM Marcel Desjardins on getting contracts done
“Patience is the biggest thing,” says Desjardins, who is in regular contact with player agents as the opening of the market approaches.
Some deals happen faster than others, such as in the case of receiver Brad Sinopoli, who re-upped in November and Trevor Harris before that, while others will take longer, such as the new deal for Spencer. In some cases, players are looking for a shot in the NFL. In others, teams are waiting to make sure a player they may be after fits under both the salary cap and the team’s makeup.
“Everyone has their own reason for waiting but at the same time we are going to have our priorities,” he said.
While fans want to see big names signed on the regular, Desjardins and his team – Assistant GM Jeremy Snyder and Director of Player Personnel Jean-Marc Edmé are also involved in talks with players and agents – have to look at the bigger picture. Each position needs to have depth behind it and crucial but unsung positions such as on special teams need to receive equal attention.
As for how active he expects to be on the open market when it comes to pursuing possible new additions, Desjardins said time will tell.
“It will depend on what we’re able to do with our own (pending free agents),” he said. “It won’t be like it was in 2015 when we brought in Greg Ellingson, Brad Sinopoli, Chris Williams and Ernest Jackson.”
Desjardins has already had a busy off-season when it comes to keeping the core of the REDBLACKS together. In addition to Harris, Sinopoli and Spencer, the club has also inked key pieces like running backs William Powell and Mossis Madu, as well as offensive linemen Alex Mateas and Nolan MacMillan.
The CFL Free Agency period officially opens at noon ET on Tuesday, February 13.
