Music: {allcanada} From West to East

Monday, January 2, 2012

{allcanada} From West to East

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders have agreed in principle on a trade that would send Stamps quarterback Henry Burris to Steeltown for two players, one of them being Kevin Glenn.

Sources say Glenn will be accompanied in the trade by Canadian centre Mark DeWit, a Calgary native. There may be a conditional draft pick in the deal, too.

Burris finished last season as the backup to Drew Tate, who has extended his current contract with the Stamps. Although it hasn't been announced, sportsnet.ca has indicated it's a three-year deal.

Burris has apparently agreed to restructure his salary of more than $400,000 to $300,000, but will receive a $100,000 signing bonus, sources tell Sporstnet.ca. He was due a signing bonus on February 1.

Burris was voted the Most Outstanding Player in the Canadian Football League in 2010, but his play dramatically tailed off after the eighth game of the season. He ostensibly became Tate's backup in the final three games and the playoffs, which the Stamps lost in the Western Semi-Finals. Burris played in the game, but did little to turn around his team's lackluster play, although Tate struggled in his first post-season game as a starter.

Whether the deal is announced before the Ticats have a new head coach in place is uncertain. The Ticats have narrowed their search to two, although they plan to ask the Buffalo Bills for permission to talk to quarterbacks coach George Cortez, who has a long history in the CFL, in particular with the Stamps and Burris. Winnipeg defensive co-ordinator Tim Burke is the leading candidate if Cortez is out of the picture.

Glenn had issues last season with head coach Marcel Bellefeuille, who was fired after the season.