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Stampeders lock up Bo Levi Mitchell through 2018, an extension that should work for the team and the player

Bo Levi Mitchell (19) won the Grey Cup and the Grey Cup MVP award this season with the Stampeders, who have now extended him through 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press.)
Bo Levi Mitchell (19) won the Grey Cup and the Grey Cup MVP award this season with the Stampeders, who have now extended him through 2018. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press.)

The Calgary Stampeders' announcement Tuesday that they've signed quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell to a contract extension through 2018 is an obvious win for the team. It allows them to keep their Grey Cup-winning quarterback, who had a very impressive 2014 season, for the next several years without worrying about free agency or a defection to the NFL. Given that Mitchell really only has one full season as a CFL starter and that he was still under contract for this coming year, they also likely got him at a lower cap number than they would have if they had waited until after 2015. However, this deal also could be a win for Mitchell; it gets him more money, helps to entrench him as a well-paid starter and provides him with some stability going forward.

There are numerous good reasons for the Stampeders to make this kind of significant investment in Mitchell. He put up a remarkable 2014 regular season, completing 264 of 417 passes (63.3 per cent) for 3,389 yards and 22 touchdowns with eight interceptions and rushing 35 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns. He had an even better playoffs, throwing for 336 yards and four touchdowns against Edmonton in the West Final, then throwing for 335 yards in the Grey Cup and earning a Grey Cup MVP nod. There's evidence to suggest 2014 wasn't a one-off from Mitchell, either, as his career stats over three years in Calgary (he played a more limited role in his first two seasons) are even better. For his career, he has a 64.6 per cent completion rate, 4,713 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns against 13 interceptions. He's also only 25. All the evidence so far indicates that Mitchell has the potential to be a great CFL quarterback for years to come.

The Stampeders are also smart to make this deal now. Yes, Mitchell was still under contract, and there is some risk in offering a big-money extension to someone with only one full season under his belt. There's also risk in extending him right after he won a Grey Cup MVP, as that improves his stock. However, they likely got him at a lower rate than they would have if he'd put up a stellar 2015 and come closer to CFL free agency or testing the NFL waters. For the moment, the Stampeders were Mitchell's only option, boosting their negotiation clout, and their move to extend fellow quarterback Drew Tate earlier this offseason also enhanced their hand. They're taking some risk by extending Mitchell before they see if he can continue to play at this level, but from this corner, the money they save by doing so likely makes this a good bet. 

This move makes sense for Mitchell as well, though. Sure, he might be able to cash in more if he'd waited, but he's still likely getting very good money here. (Contract terms aren't disclosed by the CFL or the CFLPA, which is a rant for another day.)  He's also solidifying his position on top, which is why the Tate extension was so important for Calgary. If Mitchell had played hardball and expressed a desire to test the free agent market, the Stampeders might have switched to Tate as their starter before the season and potentially even traded Mitchell, or more likely, still started Mitchell but given him a shorter leash and been more willing to turn to Tate if he had struggled. A quarterback heading into free agency has lots of incentive to play well, but teams don't have any off-field incentive to stick with him; if he's substantially better than your other options, of course you'll keep playing him, but if not, you may go in a different direction. This deal means that Calgary now has incentive to stick with Mitchell. It provides both sides with stability and security, and likely at a price point that's workable for both. That looks like a win-win from this corner.