Jim Popp’s extension should ease some worries in Montreal, but this season’s still troubling

When the Montreal Alouettes elected earlier this season to disregard general manager Jim Popp's reported wishes to stay on as head coach as well and bring in Tom Higgins, it seemed like Popp's days in Montreal might be numbered, especially given that his contract was set to expire at the end of this year and that he's received NFL interest in the past. That's no longer the case, as Popp signed a three-year contract extension with the team Thursday, which should run through the 2017 season. The deal ensures that the Alouettes will keep the only GM this current incarnation of the franchise has ever had, one who's been there since their days in Baltimore in 1994 and 1995, and someone who's won four Grey Cups and led his teams to 10 Grey Cup appearances. However, while Popp's record is remarkable and keeping him on seems like the right move, there are still going to be issues ahead for Montreal this season.

The biggest issue may be how Popp and Higgins work together going forward. The two said all the right things at first, but things haven't been completely smooth so far (see the firing of offensive coordinator Rick Worman before the preseason started), and while the team's 1-1, there's still a lot of work to do, especially on offence. Quarterback Troy Smith has a great arm and has shown plenty of potential, but desperately needs to improve his accuracy, and the offensive designs of Higgins and new offensive coordinator Ryan Dinwiddie haven't helped him much thus far, focusing on low-percentage long bombs over shorter, easier-to-complete routes and marginalizing the role of star running back Brandon Whitaker. Popp's found plenty of talent for this team, but it hasn't necessarily been put to its greatest use thus far; perhaps Popp's players don't fit Higgins' plans, or vice-versa. We'll see if that changes going forwards, but if it doesn't, there could be tension between the two.

If Popp is able to stay on the same page as Higgins, though, that could be a beneficial relationship. Being a general manager and a coach at the same time is exceptionally difficult, and there's a reason there are only two people with that dual role in the league at the moment (Calgary's John Hufnagel and Hamilton's Kent Austin). A general manager has to be always working on improving his team's talent, watching endless film and reading scouting reports on NFL cuts, college free agents and players from around the CFL, while a coach has to be on top of improving his current team, running practices, working with his coordinators to design schemes that maximize his players' talents and working to sub players in and out of the starting lineup as appropriate. That's a lot of work for one man, and separating those roles may help the Alouettes, especially when it's a proven CFL hand as the coach (unlike The Dan Hawkins Experience last year).

The Alouettes will certainly need plenty of help, as they're still adjusting to the post-Anthony Calvillo era and trying to develop Smith into a competent starter. Popp's extension seems unlikely to improve things immediately, but he's done a tremendous job during his time in Montreal and has proven to be a great judge of talent. Giving him more job security and keeping him around for the forseeable future seems like a smart move for the franchise, even if it won't necessarily bring immediate success.