Harris, Lulay signings up in the air
It’s possible Canadian running back will move on, while veteran QB stays in Vancouver as backup
Welcome to our latest class in Trying To Guess What Wally Buono Is Really Saying. Please take your seats. Buono, the B.C. Lions general manager and head coach, gave us time to rapid fire some questions at him earlier this week. It happened before the team named its latest batch of assistant coaches Thursday.
Buono had this to say about where his bid to re-sign running back Andrew Harris stands: “Right now, I’m nowhere. At this point, as I’ve said before, until we get all our coaches in place, I’m not sure how we’re going to build our team and our ratio … I’m at a point today where I have my own thoughts, but I’d like to sit down with our coaching staff when it’s completed and get their thoughts. We should have plenty of time to get something resolved.” Interesting. Here’s what he said about where his bid to re-sign quarterback Travis Lulay stands: “That process is continuing. In fairness to myself and his agent, I was on vacation and he was on an extended honeymoon. At this point, we’re trying to move forward.” Interesting. Again. We could easily be reading too much into both comments. CFL free agency opens Feb. 9. Buono could be tossing things out to get into the heads of Harris and Lulay and the people in their respective camps, as well as other players and opposing teams. This isn’t Wally’s first rodeo.
That said, is it feasible to think the Lions will let Harris sign elsewhere, add an American running back and re-sign Lulay as both an insurance policy for Jonathon Jennings and a coach-in-training? There’s logic there. First the quarterback. As grandiose as Jennings’ season was, he was the third-stringer for a good chunk of time and didn’t start his first game until September. He’s also just 23 years old.
Do you realize Jennings only threw for 51 more yards last season than Lulay? That doesn’t mesh with the popular narrative.
Lulay is 32. As much as his body has failed him, he showed flashes of his old form at times last season. By all accounts, he was a positive mentor to Jennings. By all accounts, he has the makings of a coach.
Buono balked at the notion a future position somewhere in the organization would be included in any negotiation right now, saying, “that’s unfair to the player.” He did say there are certain players every year who “might have an opportunity after football,” in the organization.
Could another club offer Lulay a starting job and starting money if he gets to the open market? It could happen. Harris, 28, will get multiple offers if he gets to free agency. You’d think if Buono really wanted him that badly that B.C. would have locked him up already, as they did with receiver Manny Arceneaux.
The betting money seems to be on B.C. finding another starting Canadian offensive lineman to meet ratio requirements and handing the running game off to a U.S. tailback.