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Eric Rogers' massive NFL contract could help the CFL attract more talent

Eric Rogers' massive NFL contract could help the CFL attract more talent

The CFL is losing its top receiver from 2015, but it's likely to gain something as well. Calgary's Eric Rogers, who led the league with 1,448 receiving yards last season, was set to become a free agent in February and has worked out for 16 NFL teams; Scott Mitchell of the Calgary Sun noted Wednesday that Rogers has accepted a deal from the San Francisco 49ers, one of 13 offers he reportedly received. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Rogers' deal is the most lucrative for a CFL player since Cameron Wake in 2009, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and The Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson have further contract details, revealing that Rogers is signed to a two-year deal with base salaries of $450,000 and $500,000, $100,000 in base salary guaranteed, a $125,000 signing bonus and $75,000 in possible further bonuses. (Update: it may not actually be the most guaranteed money since Wake's deal, as Armond Armstead's 2013 three-year deal with New England included $655,000 guaranteed; that doesn't seem to have come with a big signing bonus, though.) Rogers' deal is a massive contract, and one that could have big implications for the CFL's reputation.

This deal looks to to be done. The Stampeders have released Rogers so he can officially sign the deal before CFL free agency starts Feb. 9, and they're smart to do so. Given the NFL interest, Rogers was all but certain to land somewhere south of the border this year, so retaining his rights until CFL free agency doesn't really matter. Letting him go early could provide some goodwill in case things don't work out for him in the NFL, and it also could prove a boon to attracting further top talent. That's the really important angle of the Rogers story - while he may be leaving the CFL, and while he will be a significant loss, his departure may do more to help the league than his continued play north of the border would.

Attracting top talent is essential for the CFL's health, and the top football talent wants to be in the NFL. The more the CFL appears like a viable pathway to the NFL, the better off it will be from a talent standpoint. Yes, this will lead to losing talented players such as Rogers, but while many players come to the CFL with NFL dreams, only a fraction actually get NFL tryouts, only a fraction of those get NFL contracts, and only a fraction of those stick around in the NFL long-term.

The hope of making it to the NFL may drive many of the players who head to the CFL, but only a few are going to be able to pull that off, and many of the others wind up being happy and productive long-term CFL veterans. That's why it's important not only that Rogers go from the CFL to the NFL, but also that he's done so with interest from a variety of teams, significant negotiating leverage, and a large salary with substantial guaranteed money. Regardless of what he does in the NFL, the deal he managed to land here is proof that the right player can use the CFL as a springboard for a big NFL contract, and that's going to attract a lot of talent to the CFL.

The CFL is already pulling most of the top football talent outside of the NFL, but that isn't necessarily always going to be the case. The NFL has been making more and more rumblings about starting its own developmental league recently, and if that ever gets off the ground the CFL may no longer be a clear top option. The Fall Experimental Football League, currently operating outside of the NFL but with dreams of being a full feeder system (and with one prominent success this year in Josh Freeman), could also be a threat. Deals like this one for Rogers reinforce that the CFL is still drawing top talent and can still be a top pathway to the NFL, and that's excellent for the league's reputation.

As per how well Rogers will do in San Francisco? That's tougher to predict. For one thing, we don't know what the 49ers' offence will look like under new head coach Chip Kelly; if it features a lot of the run-focused stuff he's done in the past, receivers like Rodgers may not see as many targets. We also don't know just where he'll land on the depth chart when the season rolls around, although one big advantage of picking the rebuilding 49ers is there aren't as many established receivers in his way. Rogers does have the physical frame (he's 6-foot-4, 215 pounds) for NFL success, and mostly wound up in the CFL thanks to his small-school status after playing Division III football at Cal Lutheran.

However, Rogers' career shows he hasn't always stunned at first impression. He did sign with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2013, but didn't last long. He tried to make the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks in early 2014 and failed, played nine games with the AFL's Portland Thunder, then was signed by Calgary in July 2014 but didn't play much until late in the year. When he did get the chance to be a featured target this year he was amazing, but we'll have to see if he gets that chance in San Francisco.

The money the 49ers have invested in Rogers is a good sign for him, though, and he certainly has plenty of talent. He's also turning just 25 in February, making him quite young by CFL-to-NFL standards, which is another point in his favour.  If he does find NFL success, that will be a further boost for the CFL on the talent-attraction front. Even if he doesn't stay there for long, though, his NFL contract is a big deal for Canadian football, and one that may help draw other top players north of the border.