Argonauts.ca
TORONTO — Wednesday’s opening of QBs and Rookie Camp may have been just the beginning of the Toronto Argonauts 2016 season prep but it more importantly marked the end of what has been an up-and-down recovery for future hall of fame pivot Ricky Ray.
Ray, who enters the season healthy after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery in 2014 and missing the first half of the 2015 season, made things look easy on Wednesday and showed no signs of hindrance on his throws.
“I thought he threw the ball well,” said Scott Milanovich. “His arm strength was better than I’ve seen in years. That’s what I was hoping to see, the old Ricky Ray.”
The 15-year CFL veteran was pleased with his own progress on Wednesday, and felt relieved with the absence of any discomfort previously felt in his throwing shoulder.
“This is the first time in a couple years that it hasn’t really been painful to throw,” explained Ray. “It’s just nice to be able to go out every day and not have to think about that.”
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Ray, Milanovich and the entire Argos coaching staff were joined by newly-acquired free agent signings, including players present at the team’s Rookie-Free Agent Camp in Bradenton, Florida in April, as well as Canadians who were selected in the 2015 and 2016 CFL Drafts.
A handful of players who were with the team in 2015 also joined the group, including the team’s four quarterbacks, Ray, Adrian McPherson, Logan Kilgore and Cody Fajardo; receivers, Kenny Shaw and Phil Bates; and offensive lineman Joe Circelli.
“It was a good first day,” said the Argos General Manager Jim Barker. “For these young guys, it’s a chance for them to see what this league is about and the tempo they have to have.”
The Argos will spend the next two days working through Rookie and QBs Camp before officially kicking off 2016 Training Camp this weekend.
