Music: {allcanada} Stampeders lock up No. 1 draft pick Lavertu

Thursday, May 29, 2014

{allcanada} Stampeders lock up No. 1 draft pick Lavertu

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Pierre Lavertu will not holdout after all.

Sportsnet has learned the Calgary Stampeders and the No. 1 pick of the 2014 CFL draft have reached an agreement on a three-year contract, allowing the three-time all-Canadian offensive lineman to report to the club’s rookie camp on time.

Lavertu was close to missing the opening day of pre-season practices Thursday, while his agent and the Stampeders hammered out his rookie contract.

Regarded as the most pro-ready prospect in a thin draft class, Lavertu is expected to be an immediate contributor on the Calgary offensive line. Since the organization already has a centre – 2013 CFL rookie of the year Brett Jones – occupying Lavertu’s natural position, the Stamps will likely use the six-foot-three, 300-pound Laval Rouge et Or product in the interior of its offensive line.

Lavertu’s near-holdout was mainly a result of the usual rookie slot money suddenly being altered, and had little to do with the CFL’s collective bargaining negotiations – which continued Thursday morning in a Toronto airport hotel between the league and players. Sources told Sportsnet that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers gave No. 2 overall draft pick Matthias Goossen a signing bonus of $15,000 and a hefty first-year contract to ensure the offensive lineman was locked up, and in camp on time. That changed the economics, and the talks, between Lavertu and the Stampeders – which ended up getting resolved by Thursday.

Lavertu was regarded as the best prospect in this year’s CFL draft, and it appeared as if he was headed to the expansion Ottawa RedBlacks with the first selection – just as the Ottawa Renegades did with former Laval offensive lineman Alexandre Gauthier in 2002.

But a draft-day trade between the RedBlacks and Stampeders had the No. 1 pick dealt to Calgary (for veteran offensive lineman Jon Gott), which general manager John Hufnagel promptly used to take Lavertu.

Lavertu becomes the last Calgary draft pick to sign with the club. The Stampeders have two-a-day practices for rookies on Thursday and Friday at McMahon Stadium. The main training camp is scheduled to begin Sunday, should the league and players come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, before it expires May 30.

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