'Durant is a commodity': CFL player agent gives inside look at contract talks
Rich Gabruch is a Saskatoon-based lawyer who has represented CFL players
Amidst conflicting comments from Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant and head coach and general manager Chris Jones over contract negotiations, one expert is able to shed a bit of light for stressed football fans.
"First of all, I think we have to recognize that Durant is a commodity and this is a marketplace," Rich Gabruch, a CFL player agent and lawyer in Saskatoon, told CBC Radio's Morning Edition.
"Each of them are going to say things that appeal to the marketplace or appeal to some of the emotions of the marketplace to get the public on their side."
Durant is set to become a CFL free agent in February. So far, weeks of negotiations haven't led to a new deal.
On Sunday, the quarterback said talks were at a "standstill." The next day, Jones said he felt "really good about it."
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Gabruch, who formerly represented three-time Grey Cup champion Scott Flory, finds the negotiations in this case very interesting.
Riders' advantages
Looking at the negotiations from the team's perspective, Gabruch said there are some things that give the Riders leverage for a smaller deal.
"Unfortunately for Darian, his season wasn't that good this past year for his own personal production," he said. "But there's some argument that the offensive line didn't help them this year.
Other factors that work against Durant, Gabruch said, include his age (34), recent injuries, and the fact that he was the leader of a team that only won five games.
"There are a whole bunch of things that they're thinking about in determining what his value is," he said.
Gabruch added that the team needs to consider what happens if they don't sign Durant: Who replaces him and who does he play for next?
Case for Durant
Gabruch — who also played football at the University of Saskatchewan — said Durant has a lot to bring to the bargaining table.
"He's a champion. He's won a Grey Cup," he said. "He's been a Rider for basically his entire CFL career. How do you argue with that? The fans love him."
Adding that he has heard Durant is a "great team room guy," Gabruch believes the quarterback can cancel out any statistical shortcomings by pointing to the players around him.
"One of the challenges for the agent is to respectfully remind management, 'Look, we had a porous offensive line. We had LaBatte injured for a while; Chris Best injured.'"
The Riders allowed 57 sacks this season. The Alouettes were the only team that allowed more, with 64.
Gabruch believes the age of "blockbuster contracts" is gone. However, Durant also has value based on the availability of quality quarterbacks.
When pressed to put a dollar figure on Durant, Gabruch said the veteran quarterback falls between $300,000 and $375,000.
"I would make it [the contract] incentive-laden this year because of some of the injuries he's had in the past," he said.
In 2016, the CFL salary cap was $5.1 million per team.
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With files from CBC Radio's Morning Edition