BC Lions trade Geroy Simon
Posted January 24, 2013 11:29 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Calling it part of the football business, the BC Lions announced today they have traded receiver Geroy Simon to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“It’s going to be a new era because Geroy Simon has been a big part of my success here, our success as a football club and we wish him the best, but football, like sports, goes on and now for us our next step is to find the next great Geroy Simon,” says vice president of football operations and GM Wally Buono, who says when you can’t come to a concensus, there has to be a seperation.
“I never thought that I would be leaving the BC Lions in this capacity,” says Simon, who called it the toughest decision of his career. Simon and the Lions were unable to come to an agreement on a restructured contract.
His contract with the Roughriders is reportedly for one year plus an option and will pay him $170,000. With team bonuses in Regina, Simon could make close to $200,000.”
The Lions acquire receiver Justin Harper and a third-round pick in the 2014 Canadian college draft.
Harper, who played college at Virginia Tech, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft and, in three seasons in Baltimore, received limited playing time in the preseason.
Simon leaves the team as a two-time Grey Cup champion, as well as the club’s and the league’s all-time leading receiver with 15,787 yards (14,756 with BC).
Last year, the six-time CFL All-Star missed five games with hamstring problems and was limited to 700 yards on 54 receptions in 13 appearances.
