2023-12-20 21:12:00
MONTREAL – Will the last two big dominoes, Tyrice Beverette and William Stanback, fall into place for the Montreal Alouettes? This looks good for Beverette while sacrifices will have to be made at the running back position.
After completing key deals with Darnell Sankey, Shawn Lemon and Mustafa Johnson, general manager Danny Maciocia extended quarterback Cody Fajardo’s deal and also made sure to retain Canadians Frédéric Chagnon, Alexandre Gagné and Tyrell Richards in the nest.
No offense to Stanback, Beverette is the next real big thing on the list.
Sometimes, the general manager of the Alouettes does not hesitate – one might even say that he likes – to convey his messages publicly when he negotiates with players.
In the case of Beverette, Maciocia has in no way denied that he too can demand a significant salary.
“Absolutely and he deserves it. You look at his production over the last two years (56 and 89 tackles) plus his 20 tackles on special teams last season and 7 quarterback sacks. He is a versatile player who accomplishes a lot for us. We are in negotiations with his agent and things are going quite well. Will we have an agreement in the coming days? I don’t know, but we hope for his return,” explained Maciocia.
Let’s return to Stanback where the process encompasses several factors since the other American option, Walter Fletcher, might also achieve autonomy just like the Canadian Jeshrun Antwi.
However, only one element really matters: the Alouettes must determine the direction they will take for the next few years.
On the one hand, Stanback did not have the brilliant season that was anticipated in 2023. On the other hand, we find Fletcher who has patiently waited his turn in recent years. Somewhere in the middle of that, Antwi should put his stamp on the bottom of another Montreal contract if he’s not too greedy.
We judge it would be a considerable risk to let Fletcher leave without being able to assess his true potential for a full season as number one in Jason Maas’ system.
But, for the moment, Maciocia claims to continue his reflection.
“I don’t know, I’m completely open,” he said.
“The facets to look at are money, ratio and production, because every time you sign players like Sankey and Lemon, Mustafa, it comes at a price,” Maciocia added.
“There will be sacrifices and choices to make. Am I saying today that I am ready to sacrifice one of them? No, but will all three be back? No more,” continued the DG who undoubtedly hopes to use the time remaining before autonomy – on February 13 – to his advantage.
The leader of the Alouettes still imposed a little pressure on Stanback’s shoulders by making this clarification.
“Will told me that he wants to stay in Montreal, but here…” Maciocia pronounced without finishing his sentence to suggest that it deserves a financial sacrifice from Stanback to grant his wish.
So far, he has only had a short conversation with Stanback.
Due to the restrictive salary cap, Maciocia cannot spread the dollars as he wishes following the Alouettes’ championship. But he approaches the period of autonomy without the deplorable stress of 2022.
“It’s not like last year when, a few hours before the launch, I didn’t have a penny to spend,” recalled Maciocia as the team searched for a new owner.
This winter, he can “take care” of the players he wants to keep in Montreal.
Maciocia impressed by Mboumoua
It was nice to meet Maciocia on the same day that the excellent Steve Mboumoua announced that he would be attending the University of Alabama.
If there’s one fan of local talent, it’s Maciocia.
“I met him at the airport and he was accompanied by a trainer who came to introduce him to me. It’s quite a man’s piece! », Confided the GM of the Alouettes who mightn’t help but spy on his impressive physique before meeting him.
“We talked a little regarding prestigious universities like Alabama and what it means to him. He is a young man with a lot of potential, I am convinced that we will hear his name in the coming years and even following his university career. He will certainly make a living from football,” he said.
With Mboumoua at Alabama, Maxence LeBlanc at Ohio State and Jérémy St-Hilaire at Vanderbilt, Quebec football seems on the way to reaching another level of excellence.
“It shows early on that young people have potential for high caliber. It also involves infrastructure and the quality of coaching. All of this makes our lives a lot easier. There will be more and more local players that it will become difficult to keep them all in Montreal. But it’s important for us to identify them, fish them out and keep them,” said Maciocia, who works so hard for this that he concluded negotiations while enjoying a week’s vacation in Aruba with his wife. .
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