Als’ Reed aims to foster ‘winning culture’
Kavis Reed’s first off-season as a CFL general manager will be a challenging one.
The 43-year-old native of Georgetown, S.C., was named as the Montreal Alouettes’ new GM on Wednesday, replacing Jim Popp, who was fired Nov. 7 following 21 years on the job.
Reed inherits a team that’s missed the CFL playoffs the last two years, has an expensive and aging roster with 17 players 30 or over and potentially 25 free agents but no proven franchise quarterback.
While hardly ideal, Reed knew what he was getting into nearly two weeks ago when he formally accepted the job after two years as an assistant coach with the franchise.
“A part of problem-solving is knowing the question,” Reed said. “Having been an active part of this football team the last two years I’m pretty familiar with where the questions are.
“Our roster, as it currently stands, has gone through a thorough vetting and we’ll continue that process ... we’ve got to look at every avenue at getting better and that’s roster changes.” But Reed’s mandate doesn’t stop there.
“We need a culture that’s about winning,” he said. “I’ll use the example of the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks (who played in this year’s Grey Cup).
“Those teams, when you play against them, you have the feeling they have that winning attitude, that winning culture. In many respects talent isn’t enough, it’s having the right attitude, the right approach and having the right environment that’s going to nurture that kind of approach.”
A key element to CFL success is having a franchise quarterback. Montreal hasn’t had one since Anthony Calvillo.
Popp led Montreal to three Grey Cup titles over his tenure, but couldn’t find Calvillo’s successor. Veterans Jonathan Crompton, 29, and Rakeem Cato, 24, both on the roster, have each had opportunities to start, but youngster Vernon Adams Jr., acquired from B.C. for a 2017 first-round pick, showed tremendous late-season promise.