CFL Player Debating to Join Jets

[billiejimmy]

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/football/2011/01/24/17015336.html

Chad Owens is mulling a contract offer from the New York Jets and is expected to make a decision soon.

The Argonauts return specialist was the Canadian Football League’s most outstanding special teams player in 2010.

“The offer is on the table from the Jets, but we are weighing all of our options,” Owens’ agent, Richard Burnoski, said on Monday via e-mail. “It’s a fair offer and Chad has to make the final decision.”

Burnoski said that a possible National Football League work stoppage is being weighed heavily in whether Owens decides to return to the NFL. Owens, who turns 29 in March, had brief stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Argos acquired Owens from the Montreal Alouettes last June and the Flyin’ Hawaiian proceeded to tear up the CFL. Owens racked up 2,701 return yards for the Boatmen, almost 1,000 more yards than the 1,722 Marcus Thigpen had for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Thigpen was second in the league after Owens.

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Chad Owens made all the right decision on the field last season but now he has a bigger decision to make.

According to the Toronto Sun, Owens has been offered a contract by the NFL's New York Jets and is expected to decide his future very soon.

"The offer is on the table from the Jets, but we are weighing all of our options," Owens' agent, Richard Burnoski, told the Sun via e-mail. "It's a fair offer and Chad has to make the final decision."

One issue Owens must contend with is the possibility of a work stoppage in the NFL and at 29 years of age, it's a critical time for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player to be performing on the field.

Owens is in the option year of his contract, which allows him to seek employment in the NFL until the free agent deadline of Feb 16.

Earlier this month, Argonauts head coach Jim Barker said he was prepared to move on without Owens but wouldn't be surprised to see him back in Toronto.

"Chad has told me that unless the upfront money is real strong, he's staying here," Barker told the Toronto Star. "I still think there's a good chance he'll be an Argonaut for the rest of his career."

Owens has had previous stints in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

[Mattyandthejets]

return specialist? uh oh......

makes me think they wont be resigning brad smith =[

[Bravejamriot]

return specialist? uh oh......

makes me think they wont be resigning brad smith =[

Daniel Snyder will probably give him a huge contract. Jets need to have other options.

[MTJ06]

return specialist? uh oh......

makes me think they wont be resigning brad smith =[

Shouldnt we be looking more in this direction?

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Source: Vikings eying CFL's top pass rusher

1 day ago by AdamCaplan

The Minnesota Vikings, who could be in the market for depth on their defensive line, have interest in signing Canadian Football League DE Phillip Hunt, a source said. Two of Minnesota’s top three pass rushers, Ray Edwards and Brian Robison, are unsigned for next season.

Hunt, who worked out for the Vikings on Dec. 18, also worked out for the Cleveland Browns (Dec. 16), Houston Texans (Dec. 28), New England Patriots (Dec. 20) and Philadelphia Eagles (Dec. 14). The Vikings also recently worked out six other CFL players.

CFL players were prohibited, by rule, from signing with NFL teams until Jan. 3, which is when the NFL regular season ended. The window to sign CFL players expires on Feb. 15. The CFL free agency period starts the next day.

Hunt, who posted 19 sacks over the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, went unselected in the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed with the Browns a few days after the draft but was waived during the preseason. He signed with the Blue Bombers in September of that year. He was the CFL’s top pass rusher this past season with 16 sacks.

The defensive lineman out of the University of Houston is the latest sack artist to come out of the league north of the border.

Miami Dolphins second-year OLB Cameron Wake was a former two-time CFL player of the year. He finished third in the NFL during the 2010 season with 14 sacks and was selected to the Pro Bowl.

http://nflbuzz.yardbarker.com/blog/nflbuzz/source_vikings_eying_cfls_top_pass_rusher/4031821