Blue Bombers acquire and extend Chris Randle, tell Jovon Johnson they won’t make him an offer

There are plenty of changes happening in Winnipeg this offseason, including new head coach Mike O'Shea and new quarterback Drew Willy, and now the changes have spread to the secondary. Veteran Bombers' cornerback and pending free agent Jovon Johnson announced on Instagram Monday that his time in Winnipeg was over thanks to the team not opting to offer him a new contract, and part of the reason why soon became evident. The Blue Bombers announced a deal with the Calgary Stampeders Monday evening to land pending free agent defensive back Chris Randle, then managed to sign Randle to an extension just ahead of Tuesday's free agency deadline. Randle should be a solid acquisition for them, and the new-look secondary (which also will likely include former B.C. defensive back Korey Banks, who the team traded for at the end of January) could be a substantial improvement over the unit that struggled last year, but the departure of 2011 CFL defensive player of the year and long-time Bomber Johnson will be disappointing for some Winnipeg fans.

Bringing in Randle makes a lot of sense for Winnipeg. He's spent only two seasons in the CFL, but they've been good ones; he was named Calgary's most outstanding rookie in 2012 after notching 35 tackles, two knockdowns and one interception in 12 starts (plus eight special teams tackles), and he had an impressive 2013, starting 16 games for the Stampeders and recording 34 tackles (plus eight special teams tackles), four interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble. Trading for him early also makes sense. Yes, they could have got him for nothing but money in free agency, but swinging a deal let them negotiate with him exclusively, and the price they paid wasn't high (merely swapping third-round picks in this year's draft, dropping the Bombers from 24th overall to 26th overall). Now they have a good young DB who can play corner, and they'll have him for at least two years.

The Randle move (and to a degree, the earlier Banks one) likely led to Johnson's exit, though. Johnson's last contract had a relatively high salary cap hit, and there probably wasn't room for Winnipeg to try and bring him back. Moreover, while he shone for the Bombers in 2011, becoming the first DB to ever win the CFL's defensive player of the year award, he hasn't been as strong in recent seasons, and he particularly struggled at times in 2013; he recorded 62 tackles, but only one interception, and was burned at times in coverage. Winnipeg obviously felt they could get younger in the secondary with Randle while maintaining or improving performance, and it's hard to blame them for that.

Johnson may still have some good years left in the CFL, though; he's only 30, and if a team's willing to take a chance on him returning to his previous form, a change of scenery might be just what he needs. If that happens, it may be hard for Bombers' fans to watch. Johnson has been with Winnipeg since 2008 and has spent just about all of his CFL career there (he started in Saskatchewan in 2007 after a great college career at Iowa and a short stint with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, but didn't play much for the Riders), and he was a key part of the team's 2011 run to the Grey Cup. Watching a guy like that go and compete against your team isn't easy, but that's how things go in the CFL these days, and the Bombers can make a strong argument for moving on from Johnson to Randle. It's going to be interesting to see where Johnson winds up and if he's able to make this look like a bad move by Winnipeg, though.