Olafioye victim of salary cap crunch
Lions ship six-time all-star lineman to Montreal for pair of unproven CFL players
With the signing of dynamic free agents such as receiver Chris Williams and bumpups for returning veterans, the perils of the salary cap weighed heavily on B.C. Lions general manager Wally Buono.
No matter how he crunched the numbers, he couldn’t make it fit. That led in short order to the dumping of a big salary — six-time CFL all-star Jovan Olafioye, believed to be one of the league’s highest paid offensive linemen — in a much-rumoured trade that finally came down with the Montreal Alouettes.
In return for a well-decorated offensive tackle who has played 126 games in the CFL and was named the league’s most outstanding lineman in 2012, the Lions get two for the price of one: Import Vincent Brown, who has a single CFL game on his resume, and Montreal native David Foucault, who has yet to play in the league.
Dumping a star player is like a warship jettisoning cannons to get faster. The gain in speed is offset by the loss in firepower.
Still, Buono feels the Lions are a better team now than the one that closed out the 2016 season with a 42-15 defeat to Calgary in the West Division final.
“These are the tough decisions you have to make as a GM,” he acknowledged Monday. “Obviously, Jovan is a great player. He did a great job for us here. But when you have to look at getting an asset, you have to move an asset.”
While not much is known about Brown, the 6-foot-8, 305-pound Foucault represents the anticipated asset gain in B.C., offering ratio flexibility, versatility and NFL experience.
Though he played five games with one start in his 2½ seasons in the NFL, Foucault hardly languished on the practice roster. He fought to maintain his spot and prepared himself to start every week.
“I’m mentally tougher, physically tougher and I have so much more experience than when I left university (Montreal Carabins),” said Foucault, the fifth overall pick in the 2014 CFL draft by the Alouettes.
“On the (Carolina Panthers) practice squad, you’re asked to give 100 per cent every day. I went up against some very talented guys like (Pro Bowl defensive end) Greg Hardy. My position coach (John Matsko) was a tough coach and I like that.”
The tough-as-nails Matsko has a long history with Lions offensive line coach Dan Dorazio, beginning with their undergraduate football days at Kent State, where the pair shared lockers next to each other. Foucault knows of Dorazio’s exacting standards from his conversations with Matsko and feels as if they will be a good fit.
“I’m very happy to be on a team with an O-line coach I know, who coaches the same way,” Foucault says. “I know Dan is a tough coach and that’s very good for a player. I’m familiar with the playbook, the techniques and the coaching style over there.”
Likewise, Dorazio is appreciative that Foucault’s acquisition allows the potential to start four Canadians on the offensive line, freeing up an import spot elsewhere. Where Foucault fits is open to possibility. While primarily a left tackle with the Panthers, Foucault played every other offensive line position in practice, with the exception of centre.
“David has lot of flexibility,” Dorazio says. “Right tackle, left tackle, right guard, left guard, he’s been developed at all of those positions. With his experience in the NFL, he just adds more competition and talent to the mix.”
The option of having Hunter Steward return to his more natural position at left tackle is another byproduct of the trade. Last season, Steward played left guard on an experimental basis, but the 2013 first-round pick is most comfortable at the spot vacated by Olafioye. “He’s (Steward) got some background there,” Dorazio says.
Wherever Foucault lands — whether he competes with Steward for the starting left tackle spot or serves as his backup — the Montrealer is looking for starter’s money.
While the Lions have Foucault’s CFL rights, they don’t have him under contract yet.
“I’m not a greedy guy,” Foucault maintains. “When I spoke to Wally (Buono), I’m thinking it’s going to be a good contract. But I don’t know the terms. My agent (Darren Gill) expects to get something done sometime this week. I just want the opportunity to play, to be one of the starters.”
According to Spotrac, Foucault was paid US$420,000 in his first NFL season and $112,200 in his second as a practice roster player.