1969 Free Agency Part 2

1969 Free Agency Part 2

REMAINING TOP FREE AGENTS SIGN WITH NEW CLUBS
Following the draft, the remaining top free agents finally found a home. The biggest name was RB Hugo Hughes, who had shockingly gone unsigned through the first month of free agency. Hughes was looking for a significant raise from his $26,500 salary from his last contract, but it had cost him the best opportunities as teams went for cheaper options. There would be rumours about Hughes joining a different league to make his desired salary money, but eventually, he would take a cheaper deal with the Minnesota Serpents. His new deal pays him $25,500 a season over the next 2 years. A couple of other top free agents would land some smaller roles with veteran WR Jack Duncan landing in Louisville on a 1-year $14,500 contract, replacing Nick Nacker, who the Thunder traded to Buffalo during the draft. Lastly, former 2nd-round QB, Michael Miranda, would land a new job as a backup for the Halifax Mariners. He inked a new 2-year deal and should be in a battle for the QB2 spot with QB Gilles Doucet. 

ROYALS, STEELHEADS SIGN EXPANSION TAGGED ACQUISITIONS
Both the Royals and Steelheads made moves to acquire players that the Serpents had applied their expansion tags too (each player can’t enter free agency and would eventually need to sign at least 1-year deal with the team if they were not moved to help expansion teams from losing their best players from the expansion draft). In the end, both teams would extend their respective players to multi-year deals.

The Royals would sign DL Winfield Winchester to a 4-year deal worth $22,500 a season. The Ottawa native and former 2nd overall pick was very excited about being able to play in his hometown. As for Toronto, they would ink OL Mason Fitzpatrick to a 2-year deal worth $17,500 a season. 

SEVERAL MINOR TRADES THROUGHOUT THE OFFSEASON AND TRAINING CAMP
Following the draft, there were a few smaller moves that several teams would make. The first move would see the Serpents send LB Ed Krzano back to Long Island after selecting him in the expansion draft. The Serpents felt they had the depth at the position after adding LB Garrett Roberts in the draft, so they moved Krzano in exchange for a 3rd Round Pick in 1970. 

Next, was the biggest move of the offseason as the Rouge would acquire DB Adam Levesque and LB Buddy Harwick from the Indiana Victors in exchange for WR Denis Langlois and LB Kyle Essena. Levesque returns to his home province after falling out of a starting spot with Indiana’s pick-up of DB Neville Falkner. While Langlois returns to Indiana to fill a hole in the WR3 spot on the Victors. The Rouge do exchange the solid Essena for a younger, depth LB in Harwick in order to make room for their first-round LB of Willie Stetson. 

Boston and Providence would make a small swap that saw the Gold Stars finally get rid of the horrible contract of DB Ty Boone in exchange for a depth OL in Ken Kennedy. Boston was in need of secondary depth and had the space to take on the expensive Boone.

The Raiders would grab a new starting TE in Ryan Hatcher, who had lost the starting job in Ottawa to rookie TE Luiss de Brands. Hatcher has come off some injuries, so there are some risks that he may not be what he used to be, but if it pays off it should be a solid move. In return, the Royals get a depth Safety in Donald Dozier and a 5th Round Pick in 1971. 

After Minnesota signed RB Hugo Hughes the team was more than willing to part ways with former Mariners’ starting RB Ronald O’Sullivan, who remained on the expansion tag. They would eventually send the veteran RB to Pittsburgh for a 4th Round Pick in 1970. O’Sullivan is expected to be a part of a tandem with RB Tresean Jones.

Near the end of training camp, there were a pair of late moves that would see several WRs change teams. The first move saw the Rouge make a second trade with the Victors. They would acquire former 2nd Round WR, Erik Hodge, who had struggled to make the roster in his first 2 seasons, in exchange for 3rd Round WR, Izzy Woods. The Rouge were in need of a 5th WR on their roster and none of their younger pieces were looking strong enough to crack the roster, so they would get Hodge who had been impressive enough in camp to get some eyes looking his way. 

Finally, the Gold Stars would be looking to make some space for 2nd-year WR, Mark Taylor, who made some strong impacts on the field last season, so they would have to give up one of their veterans. In the end, they looked to move long-time star WR, Cedric Peterson, who was 33 and didn’t look to be a starter heading into the season. Unfortunately, Peterson, who has a No-Trade-Clause would only waive it if he were to be traded to his hometown of Ottawa. In the end, they would get a deal done by acquiring a 4th Round Pick in 1970 from the Royals. Ottawa expects Peterson to be their WR4 this season, sending rookie WR Matthew de la Cruz to the Reserve List.