Logan, Cox want to stay with Als

Veterans not ready to retire yet, and are upbeat about team’s chances next year

While John Bowman, one of the Alouettes’ oldest players, contemplates his future, two other greybeards said they plan to continue playing. Stefan Logan and Chip Cox certainly hope that means they return to Montreal. “I’ll retire when I feel like retiring,” a defiant Cox, the Als’ strongside linebacker, said Sunday. “I’ll feel like I’m getting old when my numbers start to decline.” Cox, 35, re-signed with the team in June but, coming off a knee injury, agreed to only a one-year contract, making him eligible to become a free agent in February. But he has also spent his entire 12-year Canadian Football League career with the Als, never displaying an inclination to play for a rival club. Cox just completed a solid season. He was third on the team in tackles, with 98. He also was one of four Montreal players to tie for the team lead in sacks, with five. He recovered two fumbles, while forcing three others. “I ain’t getting old,” Cox said. “I probably missed six tackles the whole season. I don’t even think I missed six. Of course I can still play. I’m going to continue to pursue my career. Nobody’s putting up the percentages and numbers I am.” Logan, a kick-return specialist, is 37 and the Alouettes’ oldest player. He has a year remaining on his contract. Logan averaged 9.1 yards on 63 punt returns, scoring once on a 74-yarder. He averaged 21 yards on 35 kickoff returns. But he maintained statistics don’t tell the entire story. Because of his experience, Logan said, he provides the Als with good field position because he rarely allows a punt to land and roll, catching the majority on the fly. Logan believes an athlete should continue playing as long as he’s physically competent. Bowman has spoken with owner Robert Wetenhall and general manager Kavis Reed about his future. But the 36-year-old, one of the Als’ player representatives, said his primary focus remains on hammering out a new collective agreement with the CFL before training camp next May. “They told me to take my time,” Bowman said. “They’ll know as soon as possible. Whether they decide to share that with you guys, that’s up to them.” The Als missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season, requiring a modest two-game winning streak at the end to finish with a 5-13 record. Montreal won two more games than in 2017, when it ended the season on an 11-game losing streak, dropping many of those games by large margins. This season, the Als had two long losing streaks of six and five games, respectively. They never won more than two straight games, accomplishing that twice. Nonetheless, the players insist the team has improved and believe brighter days are ahead. “We have some stability,” Cox said. “We have a leader. We have a head coach. Last November, we didn’t. We have a foundation that’s been started. We’re 5-13. Last year, we were 3-15. We didn’t have an 11game losing streak this year. That’s progress. We’re better.” Middle linebacker Henoc We have a leader. We have a head coach. Last November, we didn’t. We have a foundation that’s been started. Muamba, who signed with the Als last spring as a coveted free agent, believes the culture of a successful organization is being established, adding championships can’t be won without creating that culture. Culture, he said, is defined by a team’s spirit and the ability to act in a proper manner without necessarily seeing immediate results. Muamba said he likes that the players are constantly talking football, even after practice. He also likes the chemistry of the team. More than one player this season said the locker room remained tight despite the Als’ repeated losses. “I’ve been on good teams and bad,” said Muamba, the Als’ triple nominee as the CFL’s most outstanding player, top defender and top Canadian. “I saw the attitude in the locker room. I saw the enthusiasm, the energy at practice. These are things people don’t see from the outside. “I feel like we’re in the right place. We’re setting ourselves up to take that next step. I feel like we reallyestablishedthatculture,and I’m not just saying that. I believe, deep down, we’re headed in the right direction and have the things in place to take that next step. All we need is another season. It’ll be up to us to pick up where we left off.” Among Reed’s priorities this winter will be re-signing three potential free-agent receivers — B.J. Cunningham, Eugene Lewis and Ernest Jackson. Cunningham was the Als’ leading receiver before suffering a season-ending knee injury. And Lewis, 25, produced two 100-yard games during the final three weeks. But Jackson, 32, failed to live up to his potential the last two seasons, after being signed as a free agent from Ottawa. “I think we have the pieces,” Lewis said. “The sky’s the limit, I honestly feel. We have a lot of guys that can make plays on this team. I’m excited for the future. “You learn a lot about guys when you lose,” he added. “You see which guys buy in and which don’t . ... I think this experience, for a lot of guys, is going to help for the future.”