Korey Banks – Kito Poblah trade carries high upside for both Bombers and Lions

It's unusual to see big-name players traded in the CFL, and it's even more rare to see trades that look like a win for both sides, but both of those elements can be found in Friday's deal that sent B.C. import defensive back Korey Banks to Winnipeg in exchange for Canadian receiver Kito Poblah. Banks is a much more established player at the moment, and he should help shore up a Winnipeg secondary that was extremely leaky last season, but Poblah has a lot of potential and could give the Lions extra Canadian depth at receiver, something they haven't always had. Both players were unlikely to do much with their current teams going forward, so this looks like a win for both B.C. GM Wally Buono and Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters; each addressed a need of their club while giving up someone who wasn't a big part of their future plans. There's no guarantee that either Banks or Poblah will do big things with their new team, but both have the potential for greatness, and acquiring players with that kind of potential while only giving up minimal assets is smart.

Banks is the more established player here, and the one who's more likely to star with his new team. He's a 10-year CFL veteran, a seven-time divisional all-star, and a four-time league all-star (including back-to-back nods in 2011 and 2012), so he instantly improves the credibility of a Winnipeg secondary that was awful against the pass last year. In 2013, the Bombers gave up 432 completions, a 68.1 per cent completion mark, 235 passing first downs and 35 passing touchdowns, putting them last or tied for last in every one of those categories; they also recorded a league-low 12 interceptions, less than one-third of Banks' career total of 37. Thus, it shouldn't take much to make them better.

2013 was a bit of a down year for Banks from an interceptions standpoint, as he only notched two picks, but he's still an incredibly capable defender, and a versatile one who can play linebacker, nickel back or deeper in the secondary. That could be important, as Winnipeg hasn't named a defensive coordinator yet, so acquiring players like Banks who can fill a multitude of roles may prove beneficial regardless of what scheme they eventually run. Banks turns 35 in August, so who knows how long he'll be able to keep playing for, but he should be able to at least help the Bombers out this year, and he might be a key part for them for several seasons if he can maintain his form.

Why did B.C. let Banks go? According to Lowell Ullrich of The Province, money seems to be a factor:

Thus, getting rid of an unhappy player who's making more than you want to pay isn't necessarily a bad thing, and the benefit for the Lions is that they grabbed a substantial talent in return. The 26-year-old Poblah entered the CFL in 2011 as one of its most promising young receivers following an outstanding career at Central Michigan University, and Winnipeg gave up a first-round pick to take him in the supplemental draft (which he became eligible for very late in the process). He hasn't put up great stats so far, recording just two catches for the Bombers last year, but he demonstrated solid potential in 2012, catching 41 balls for 417 yards that season. The Lions have plenty of promising young receivers, but most of them are imports; adding to their Canadian depth at the position with a guy who has impressive physical skills seems like a worthwhile gamble. Poblah didn't really seem to be in the Bombers' plans going forward either, so this isn't a huge loss for them. Both teams managed to upgrade at a position of need without giving up assets they viewed as vital, and that makes this look like a win-win trade.