After the Ticats missed out on Ricky Foley, they went too hastily after an overrated Stevie Baggs.
What are the Hamilton Tiger-Cats thinking signing rush end Stevie Baggs?
With all due respect to Baggs, who had an unsuccessful tryout in the National Football League with Arizona, he’s highly overrated.
Last year he had an outstanding season with Saskatchewan, compiling a personal-best 55 defensive tackles and tying for first overall in the league with 12 sacks.
But I’m inclined to think that happened because of Saskatchewan’s helter-skelter defence, combined with the team’s other rush end, John Chick, who was voted the top defensive player in the league.
Chick played three years with the Riders and appeared to be improving each season. He had 32 defensive tackles and 11 sacks in 16 games last year. He played less than Baggs and had lesser stats, but was voted the best defensive player in the league. He signed a huge contract with Indianapolis in the off-season and is currently on their practice roster.
Baggs played previously in Winnipeg and Edmonton and played one and a half seasons in Regina. If he was such an impact player, why didn’t the Roughriders re-sign him? Money played a major role, but equally important they are happy with their defensive ends and know they can probably pick up a younger version than the 30-year-old Baggs somewhere on the market.
Baggs parlayed a great season a year ago into a bidding war for his services and Hamilton had the money to sign him. Why they decided to do it I have no idea. They have two premier ends in Justin Hickman and Garrett McIntyre. These guys are young studs. The Tiger-Cats released import rush end Khari Long, who really was a backup at best. So now the Tiger-Cats have to find a way to play Baggs, which means Hickman and McIntyre will have their playing time reduced.
Hickman, 25, has 32 defensive tackles this year and three sacks. Last year in his rookie season, he had 51 defensive tackles and seven sacks.
McIntyre, 23, has 17 defensive tackles but six sacks. Last year in his rookie season he had 19 tackles and one sack in only nine games.
Did the Ticats feel they needed depth at defensive end, so they paid dearly for Baggs? Remember how they overpaid for running back Kenton Keith, a solid player with Saskatchewan, but who was an injured bust in Hamilton after a brief period in the National Football League? Remember what happened with Casey Printers, a young stud in B.C., who played briefly in the NFL but was a bust in Hamilton?
Did they not learn how bringing in a high-priced player can upset the chemistry of the team, albeit the Cats weren’t doing anything of consequence anyway when they signed Keith and then Printers.
The Cats are second in the East now with a 5-5 record and have won three of their last four games.
I’m not convinced they needed help at defensive end.
And I’m certain if Baggs was really that important, the slumping Roughriders would have found cap space and a way to add him to the lineup.
The Cats were in the running for free agent rush end Ricky Foley, who signed with Toronto after spurning the B.C. Lions, with whom he played his first four years. He’s a Canadian, so his value is far greater than Baggs as a ratio player, combined with the fact he has steadily improved each year in the CFL. He failed in tryouts with Seattle and the New York Jets in the off-season, but he’s a young guy whose non-import status gives him added value.
The Cats couldn’t get Foley, so they rushed after Baggs.
I’m just not sure why.
