Muamba a cap casualty, Alouettes GM Popp says
The fact the Alouettes had to eventually release a linebacker wasn’t a surprise considering the team is stacked at the position. But who could have expected non-import middle-linebacker Henoc Mu a mb a would draw the short straw?
“To retain him under the current situation would have forced our hand to cut somebody else,” general manager and head coach Jim Popp said. “He’s only been with us (four games) compared to other players who have been with us for a while.
“The simplest thing to do was to let him go.”
It was only Sept. 30 when the Als signed Muamba, a first overall draft choice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2011, to a rich two-year contract.
But as the clock approached midnight on Monday, and knowing Muamba was due a bonus payment of $60,000 at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Popp instead elected to release the player. He spent much of Monday evening in discussions with Jonathon Hardaway, Muamba’s agent, seeing if the contract could be restructured or even extended. But Hardaway refused to acquiesce, knowing Muamba either would receive his guarantee or become a free agent.
Muamba, scheduled to earn $230,000 in 2016, was owed another bonus payment of $23,000 in April followed by an additional $23,000 when he reported to training camp at the end of May — provided he passed his physical. That’s a total of $106,000 he would have received before playing a game for a team working with a $5.1-million salary cap.
“When payments are due, it’s not always conducive for it being the right timing for everyone while you’re trying to figure things out,” Popp said. “We were in a situation where it would have been better that we didn’t have that payment and we had time to figure things out, rather than being rushed to getting it done right then.
“It became a factor. It came to a deadline and we had to move on.”
Hardaway refused comment when contacted by the Montreal Gazette. Muamba couldn’t be reached for comment, but posted a number of Tweets (@HenocMuamba): “Well that was short lived!” followed by “Back to the drawing board! It was real Mtl!”
Popp said some teams inquired about trading for Muamba weeks ago. When Popp learned of the potential interest, he began shopping the player. But he said he never received an offer. Teams called his bluff, knowing of the impending payment that would have counted against the Als’ salary cap. While making that payment would have expedited a potential trade, it also would have increased the Als’ demands in terms of a return. They were seeking multiple draft choices or a combination of picks and players, according to numerous sources.
“A trade wasn’t going to happen,” Popp said. “We were going to retain him or we were going to cut him. We’re not going to sit here and give money away when we’re still trying to figure out the structure of our team. I’m not going to pay a big bonus, put it on our cap, then turn around and trade him. That’s unnecessary money on our cap.”
The argument could be made the optics don’t look good, with Popp forced into an untenable situation. Management people throughout the Canadian Football League are suggesting the end result is embarrassing for Popp and the organization. But after Bear Woods and Kyler Elsworth sustained serious injuries, the Als badly needed Muamba’s services last year in their final push for a playoff berth.
Perhaps Popp waited too long to act. Had he attempted to trade Muamba in January, before free agency, he might have found several suitors. Now, one week into free agency, many teams have spent any money that was allocated for reinforcements.
Still, there’s no denying the Als are deep at the position. Woods was the East Division’s outstanding defensive player in 2014. Chip Cox captured the same award in 2013. Winston Venable, who could have been the division nominee last season, signed a new deal with Montreal, while Elsworth and Kyries Hebert are returning. And nonimports Nicolas Boulay and Nic Shortill have promising careers ahead.
“When we signed (Muamba) there was a huge need,” Popp said. “Those were the demands made for last year. Things changed in the offseason. Our best option was to let him go right now.
“Regrets for what? We needed him at the time.”
Popp said he never considered retaining Muamba while releasing Woods. The Als used a 3-4 system last season with Woods and Muamba playing different positions, he stated. And Elsworth, in his second year with the team, received valuable experience replacing Woods.
“Both of them make a lot less than Muamba,” Popp said. “To have him last year, that was the demand. He had at least two other teams vying to get him. We had the cap room at that time or he wouldn’t have been with us.”
Popp denied the Als are tight against the cap and said cap restrictions don’t exist in February. He also denied that was behind the loss of free-agent offensive-tackle Josh Bourke to Toronto. The Als made Bourke an offer and weren’t given an opportunity to match the Argonauts’ proposal, Popp said. Of course, he quickly added, the Als made it clear they weren’t prepared to increase their offer.