Darrell Davis: CFL players get shafted by bad roster rules

Hot-headed Duron Carter may not be everybody’s favourite CFL player, but he and fellow receiver Kenny Stafford don’t deserve the punishment they received.

After not catching a single pass in Montreal’s last game — another loss — both players were cut by the Alouettes. That’s allowed. And it’s also a bold move to dump two big salaries in an attempt to stay under the league’s salary cap.

But the Alouettes are exploiting CFL rules. Because it’s so late in the season, neither Carter nor Stafford can play for another team this year. And because neither has played four CFL seasons, their contracts aren’t guaranteed. So they aren’t making any money and they’re not being allowed to make money.

That’s illegal. Nobody should be prevented from earning a living. The CFL is doing that.

Carter and Stafford have had fights with their teammates during Alouettes practices, but maybe a playoff-bound CFL team would like to sign one of the temperamental, talented receivers. Only a horribly unfair rule is preventing that from happening.