The Montreal Alouettes are five weeks into the 2008 Canadian Football League season, but general manager Jim Popp was in Baltimore today watching Ravens' rookies go through their first training camp practices.

Popp is in the middle of a scouting trip through the NFL, looking for future CFL stars, while renewing some old friendships. Popp was the general manager for the Baltimore Stallions' Grey Cup teams in 1994 (lost) and 1995 (won). He moved with the team to Montreal, where they became the Alouettes, in 1996 after the Browns came to Baltimore.

Popp's scouting mission coincides with a Sept. 7 window when every CFL team can add five players to the roster. This, of course, is after the NFL makes its final cuts. Popp is looking for more help down the road than immediate reinforcements, however.

"I'm looking at every position for 2009," he said. "We may get just one guy who will help us this year, but most of the five will be developmental players for 2009. I'm always scouting one or two years ahead."

Popp, whose wife is from Baltimore, had plans to meet with Mike Gathagan, former Stallions' PR man and now PR director at the Pimlico and Laurel race tracks, at the Orioles-Blue Jays' game.

Popp had already visited the Washington Redskins and was headed next to Long Island to see the New York Jets.