1971 Re-Sign Stage

BIG NAME QBs LOCK UP BIG CONTRACTS
Rumours were swirling around QB Nathaniel Braddock on whether he would remain in Boston after the team's 4th playoff miss in 5 seasons. However, the veteran QB would give it one more shot with the Independents, inking a 2-year deal worth $92,000 over two seasons. The pressure will be on the Independents to make the most of the next two seasons. 

Elsewhere, the Royals would commit $202,000 to QB Drake Young in a 5-year deal that sets up the UHamilton alumni as the team’s franchise cornerstone. The Royals have been fortunate enough to not have to pay very high for QBs in recent years following the retirement of QB Jean Matieau, but the bill came due at some point and the team is happy to keep building around Young. 

Following their 3rd championship, the Raiders finally committed to QB Ivan Sanchez, signing the young QB to a 3-year deal worth $105,000. The Mariners and Rangers are both bringing back their veteran QBs on 1-year deals with Lyle Painter signing on for $30,000 and Blair Collins at $35,500. 

Finally, the Wolves would ink up QB Kevin Westwood to a big deal that keeps him with the team over the next 4-years at $45,000 a season ($180,000 in total). 

TRACY HEADED TO MARKET DESPITE CHANGE AT GM
The hiring of GM Reginald McMahon may have saved the Steelheads as a team. It was expected that the team could lose a lot of the young talent that they had on the roster with several key pieces due for an extension. However, with McMahon now at the helm, players appear to be ready to get back on the horse in Toronto. WR Sterling Underhill inked a 2-year extension, worth $60,000 in total. OL Alan Farquharson also returned for a pair of seasons, as did LB Lincoln Webster. The biggest name to return was former 1st overall pick, LB Judge Barrett, who inked a 3-year deal worth $112,500. However, they were still unable to get Max Tracy to change his mind about his decision to go elsewhere. Tracy did have a little interest initially in a return, he ultimately was already settled on moving on, so he continued with his original plan. 

Overall, there are going to be many RBs available this offseason. Fellow MVP winner, RB Jimmy Golden will also be moving on from Buffalo after they extended RB Jasper Dickerson. RB Hugo Hughes did not come to an agreement with Minnesota. Indiana is wiping their backfield clean by letting go of both RB Tresean Jones and RB Shannon West. RB George Seahorse and RB Théodore Lemieux will also be available for teams to target. 

VETS LOOKING TO WIN
RB Max Tracy wasn’t the only veteran looking to take a stab at a McCallister Cup. With the struggles in Montreal continuing into a new regime, 1967 MVP, S Garet deVale and DL Lucas Kipling are hitting free agency and looking for an opportunity to win. Those two should make a strong impact for any team looking to go all-in. They will also be joined by OL Emil Jennings out of London and DB Oliver Langstrom from Toronto, as well as DB Cameron Taylor and OL Taylor Forbes. 

CLEAN SLATE AT QB FOR THE TIGERS
After electing to hold onto their current QB room of Emmitt Jackson, Magnus Torrensen, and Gilles Doucet last season and passing on a QB in the draft, the Tigers have elected to start fresh by releasing all 3 QBs this season. Torrensen struggled in his 5 starts at the beginning of the season, Jackson struggled to stay healthy all year, and Doucet played pretty well all things considered, but was never looked at as a franchise option long-term. Many expect the Tigers will look at QB with the 2nd overall pick in the 1971 draft, but they may also be targeting some of the top QB options in free agency to gain some stability in the short term.

Top 25 Free Agents
1 - RB Max Tracy - TOR
2 - S Garet deVale - MTL
3 - RB Jimmy Golden - BUF
4 - OL Emil Jennings - LDN
5 - DB Oliver Langstrom - TOR
6 - DL Lucas Kipling - MTL
7 - OL Shane Willis - MTL
8 - QB David Simmons - LI
9 - DB Lawrence Ralph - BOS
10 - QB Tyrion Gainsborough - OTT
11 - QB Landon Ross - PRO
12 - DB Corey Ross - MIN
13 - S Mathieu Cazenave - BUF
14 - OL Taylor Forbes - LOU
15 - OL Clifford Pratt - HFX
16 - WR Alex Browne Sr. - EDM
17 - RB Shannon West - IND
18 - WR Edward Webb - PRO
19 - QB Emmitt Jackson - LDN
20 - RB Hugo Hughes - MIN
21 - S Wesley Jones - BUF
22 - RB George Seahorse - PRO
23 - DB Cameron Taylor - IND
24 - S Jay Shepherd - HFX

25 - LB Brian O’Flaherty - LOU