TSN and SportsCage analyst Glen Suitor compares the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moving on from veteran linebacker Adam Bighill to Wally Buono's time as head coach with the B.C. Lions
"It's such a balancing act," Suitor told the SportsCage. "The greatest coaches in the league's history know that better than anybody. Wally Buono in Vancouver used to do it two years before a guy's expiration date and make the move then."
Suitor singled out the B.C. Lions trading Geroy Simon to the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an example. That deal happened on January 2013, when the Riders sent Justin Harper and a third-round pick in the 2014 CFL Draft to the west coast.
Simon spent the 2013 season with the Green and White, suiting up in 15 games for the Riders, catching 40 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Saskatchewan won the 2013 Grey Cup when the Roughriders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23.
Bighill is currently rehabbing a torn ACL knee injury sustained in August 2024. He wrote on social media that his "intentions are to keep playing." Suitor wonders if Bighill is willing to take a reduced role to continue his pro football career.
"I'm not sure if he would be okay with a contract that didn't make him an every down player," Suitor explained. "Because of his injuries and some of the things that he's gone through and his age, he's 36; I'm not sure that Adam is an every down player now because he is such a strong character. Is he going to be okay with that?"
Last year, Bighill started 10 games for the Blue Bombers, recording 48 tackles and one sack. That was the fewest games he played since his rookie CFL season in 2011 with the Lions, which was 12. Bighill helped the Bombers reach five straight Grey Cups, winning two in 2019 and 2021. His first Grey Cup victory came with the Lions in 2011, when B.C. defeated Winnipeg 34-23.
The CFL free agent communication window opens on Sunday, February 2 at 11 a.m. during which players can talk with other teams. If players do not agree to a deal with their team by Tuesday, February 11 they become free agents. Suitor believes the league should adjust the timing around the process.
"I think you actually should tighten up the window where teams can sign their own guys back. The Grey Cup is done mid-November, you have to account for holidays because we have to respect Christmas and New Year's holidays," Suitor said.
"Before and after, let's say, the second week in January, that's the window where you can exclusively as a team talk to your potential free agents and see if you want to re-sign them. Then after that, we should let them go."
