There's an article in the Province about the Cats signing Windsor Lancer fifth year player Matt Morencie. BC had drafted him in the third round before the start of this season, but Morencie went back for his fifth year after I assume the Lions released him. That meant with Windsor out of the playoffs and their season done, he was free to sign with any team and ended up with the Cats.
This is an interesting issue as players routinely go back for a fifth year of CIS ball if they can't make the club. BC could have done what the Cats (Zack Carlson) and Riders seem to be doing and kept Morencie on the roster this season, but then put him on the nine game injury list, where he and his salary doesn't count against the cap or the roster limit. This nine game injury list is now a way of getting around the salary cap. Teams with more resources like the Riders can stockpile players, compared to the Argos who tend to be underfunded (probably from paying too much to coaches past and present) and keep the bare number of Canadians and end up screwed when injuries occur.
The Cats are looking good for next year in terms of young Canadians on the offensive line. They have number one pick Rottier, supplementary pick Carlson and now Morencie getting some practice in before next year's camp. Morencie was highly rated going into the draft but somewhat inexplicably dropped down to third. With guard Dyakowski also being quite young, the Cats are probably OK next year even if backup guard Gagne-Marcoux goes to Montreal to replace Bryan Chiu at centre (his natural position). Hudson is getting quite old, although his play has been reasonable and better than Gagne-Marcoux's. Goodspeed and Gauthier will no doubt be back, with probably this year's crop of offensive linemen making their presence felt in 2011.
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