For someone who has only played in four games and contributed four tackles (all of which came in a single game against Montreal in Week Two), Jasper Simmons has had a heck of an impact on the CFL this year. Simmons was released by the Calgary Stampeders Tuesday following a weekend that saw his agent Sammy Gahagan blast the team on Twitter, calling them the "worst organization in the CFL" and saying they were holding Simmons "hostage." That was just the start of it, though; the Stampeders acquired Simmons, an import linebacker, from Ottawa in the Maurice Price trade in January, and Twitter comments about Simmons and Price from Calgary receiver Marquay McDaniel Sunday night quickly turned into a social media feud between McDaniel, Price and others. The drama then continued Monday, with Simmons taking to Twitter himself (earning him a fine on the way out for violating the club's social media policy) to protest and getting called out by teammates like QB Bo Levi Mitchell, plus Gahagan talking to Scott Mitchell of The Calgary Sun. The Stampeders' release of Simmons (something they'd previously said they wouldn't do) brings an end to one chapter of this odd CFL story, but it sets the stage for another one; will any other team in this league now take a chance on Simmons, a talented young player, but one who's now shown he'll complain if he doesn't get the playing time he wants?



First, let's examine just what led to Simmons' release. Calgary acquired him in January in the Price trade (along with import receiver Dan Buckner, who was cut in camp), and there were reasons to think he could potentially help the Stampeders; he led Ottawa last year with 80 tackles and added three interceptions, earning selections as the Redblacks' top defensive player and top player overall. However, the Price trade wasn't made specifically to pick up Simmons; the key for Calgary seemed to be clearing Price's salary off their cap and easing their logjam at receiver, with returns from the players they acquired as a bonus rather than the main feature, and the Stampeders already had strong depth at linebacker. They may have targeted Simmons as a depth piece and a young player (he turns 26 on Thursday) who could potentially start down the road rather than an immediate contributor. Gahagan, in his comments to Mitchell Monday, doesn't seem to feel that's fair:

“This is not a publicity stunt, this is more about awareness,” Gahagan said from Tampa, Fla. on Monday. “We truly feel that the organization is holding him hostage. If they think he’s such a valuable backup, then why don’t they dress him? Just even dress him? They dress other people at his position in front of him.



“You’re basically, out of spite, not playing him, not starting him, not dressing him, whatever you’re doing, and this kid’s got a family.”



...“How much can you take? Gahagan questioned. “When you’re coming from a team where you were just an MOP candidate, the MVP of your team and you’re a four-year guy, not a rookie. I think that’s where I lot of the misconception is when they talk about him. He’s not a rookie. This is a four-year guy who’s been in the league for four years.”



...“They said it themselves that they won’t get enough value for him in a trade, so they know that they have, essentially, the best backup linebacker in the league who can go and start on any team in the CFL right now,” Gahagan said.



“There’s plenty of teams he can go play for.

















Gahagan told Mitchell he's trying to do the best for his client long-term:

“We’re looking five or six years down the line for Jasper, not just what’s happening right now. They’re not going to sit Juwan Simpson, who’s a fixture in Calgary, and the Mayo kid is good. I would never discredit him. The kid is good and probably one of the best in the league. But, I think, Jasper is one of the best in the league.”



After calling the Stampeders “the worst organization in the CFL” on Twitter, Gahagan admitted his view of the franchise has changed in the past few weeks and is still trying to find a way to get Simmons, who is signed for this season as well as 2016, out of Calgary.



“Unfortunately, contractually, and this is what we don’t like, Calgary can do whatever they want to him,” Gahagan said. “Hufnagel and Murphy have, obviously, taken offence to this — I’ve received text messages from John Murphy since this happened. This isn’t a personal attack. I’m trying to get my client on the field, who deserves to be there. Jasper Simmons should be playing and starting in the CFL. Hands down, that’s all there is to it."









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