Khalif Mitchell’s back in B.C., proving that some CFL bridges never get completely burned

The CFL's long been known as a league of second chances, but you don't often see a second chance happen with the same team. That's the case with the B.C. Lions, though, who announced Tuesday (after days of rumblings, including Farhan Lalji's report Friday that a deal was imminent) that they'd signed Khalif Mitchell. The 29-year-old defensive tackle was a key part of the Lions' defensive dominance en route to their 2011 Grey Cup win, and he even turned down an NFL offer from Miami to return to the Lions that offseason, but things soon deteriorated. His 2012 campaign was marred by on and off-field incidents, and B.C. then traded him to Toronto that offseason. At that point, Lions' players and coaches made it very clear they wanted him gone, which makes it so surprising that he's back now (as part of an ongoing roster makeover). Mitchell's return to B.C., which happened after the Argos released him in March (reportedly so he could try the NFL), also illustrates a potential flaw with that open-door approach.

What went so wrong for Mitchell in B.C. in 2012? Well, he wasn't quite as effective as he had been before, but it was the disciplinary issues that really got him in trouble. He received a league-imposed two-game suspension for hyperextending Edmonton lineman Simeon Rottier's arm (a rare suspension upheld in full in arbitration, which says something about its deservedness) and racist comments on Twitter that led to a team-imposed one-game suspension. The Lions then traded him to the Argonauts that offseason for not much of a return, and Mitchell created more problems by initially saying he wouldn't report to Toronto. By the time he finally left, many B.C. types were glad to see him go; running back Andrew Harris tweeted "Good riddance," and general manager Wally Buono said the "wanted a guy that was more predictable and over the long term, more dependable." It's fascinating to see the team bring him back after that, but that says a lot about what Mitchell did in Toronto in 2013.

The Argonauts' version of Mitchell was much more about talent than controversy, as he racked up 32 tackles and five sacks, not easy to do from the interior of the defensive line. Those numbers were right in line with what he did in B.C. in 2011 (33 and six), and as in 2011, they saw him earn one of the two league-all star slots at defensive tackle (along with Edmonton's Almondo Sewell). Mitchell also didn't appear to create any unnecessary drama on or off the field, seemed to fit in well with the team by all accounts and (as in 2011) earned more headlines for his piano playing than anything else. It was thus surprising when Toronto released him in March, but a league source told Dan Ralph of The Canadian Press the move was to let him test the NFL waters, similar to what the Argos had done with plenty of under-contract players in the past (including Dontrelle Inman, Armond Armstead and Marcus Ball). Unlike those guys, though, Mitchell didn't land in the NFL, and his decision to go to B.C. instead illustrates a potential pitfall of that strategy.

Releasing players so they can try the NFL makes plenty of sense in general. Many CFL players are motivated by the thought of trying to get to the American league's brighter lights and bigger salaries, and the CFL is at least partly a developmental league. The salaries are a different level of magnitude down south, and hanging on to a player who's made it clear he wants to go (and has actual NFL options) can be problematic; as we saw with the Ticats-Chris Williams situation, it's quite possible (and perhaps even logical) for a player to sit out a CFL campaign in an attempt to make the NFL. Releasing a NFL-bound player can be good optics in terms of attracting future talent, and many players are willing to return to their past CFL team if their south-of-the-border stint doesn't last. However, unlike the old option-year window, teams that release players don't retain their CFL rights, so they become free agents, able to go wherever they want. Most do return to their previous CFL team, but there are a few who choose to go elsewhere. Oddly enough, the last time this happened prominently, it was the Lions who were burned and the Argonauts who benefited.

That was the case with Ricky Foley, who shone as a defensive end with B.C. from 2006-2009, went to the NFL in 2010 with Seattle and New York, and then indicated he'd return to the Lions, but opted to go to Toronto instead. (After a couple of strong years there, including winning the 2012 Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian award, he signed with Saskatchewan in 2013 and has shone for the Riders since.) Of course, that was a little different, as Foley hit free agency before going to the NFL rather than receiving an early release; he didn't violate any unwritten code, except perhaps telling the Lions he'd return and then changing his mind. Mitchell's case may be more problematic; if his release really was for the NFL and not because the Argonauts were tired of him, he essentially worked his way into early CFL free agency, giving the Lions an all-star defensive tackle and the Argonauts nothing in return. Given that the teams are both owned by David Braley and that the Lions are hosting the Grey Cup this year, that's sure to bring up some of the good old conspiracy rumblings, but it seems far more likely that this is just Mitchell making his own decision rather than any grand plot between the teams. Still, this is a loss for the Argos, and one that may lead to some changes in their NFL-friendly approach.

How will Mitchell fit in with the Lions this time? Well, both Buono and Harris have said they're happy to have him back, and if he maintains the form he showed in Toronto last year, he could be a key cog on a B.C. defence that's undergoing a substantial makeover. He's a remarkably talented guy, and an excellent contributor at a spot that can be tough to fill with an impact player. If there truly aren't hard feelings between him and the rest of the B.C. players and management, and if he's able to avoid unnecessary controversy on and off the field, this could be a great move. He certainly might be able to provide them with a good off-field soundtrack, too. If Mitchell gets into trouble again, though, the Lions might remember why they shipped him off in the first place.