Expanded practice roster allows chance to look at more players

By Scott Petersen, with files from Vicki Hall,
Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON -- Facing an injury-depleted roster and thin talent pool in many areas, Danny Maciocia is about to bloat his roster in search of a home run.

Canadian Football League practice rosters expanded by five spots on Monday and the Edmonton Eskimos head coach plans to take full advantage.

Among the first members of the National Football League cavalry expected to arrive in town are offensive lineman Trey Darilek, a recent cut of the Dallas Cowboys, and wide receiver Ryan Hoag, who bounced around for four years with the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins.

Both should be at practice today.

"We need to get better, and at certain positions we're not playing as well as we should be playing," said Maciocia. "We have to get better and that's the reason I'm doing what we're currently contemplating doing."

Veteran rush end Rahim Abdullah was the latest to feel the coach's wrath, sent home with pay Saturday for disregarding his containment assignments and taking a costly penalty. His spot will be among a number of positions the team will attempt to upgrade with the practice roster increasing from seven spots to 12.

On Maciocia's laundry list of players he wants to add are an offensive lineman, defensive lineman, defensive back, receiver, and possibly a returner. In other words, help-wanted signs are posted at nearly every position.

While linebackers Siddeeq Shabazz and Kenny Onatolu, and positions like the receiving corps, were singled out for impressing the coach, under-performers still dot the lineup.

"Some we're not as happy with," said Maciocia. "Now we have an opportunity to take a look at it and address it and that's what we're going to do.

"Right now, it's free agents. But I might walk away from this (practice), the phone may ring and there may be a trade."

Injuries have also played a role in the team's 3-6-1 record and it was once again a storyline Monday. A cast of seven regulars sat on the sidelines for the week's first practice.

The number of injuries has Maciocia contemplating a change to the Canadian-to-American ratio on his offensive line, he said.

The losses of Dan Comiskey and Kevin Lefsrud for the majority of the season had already forced the club to drop the experiment of an all-Canadian line. Now they're considering adding even more of an American presence to buy more time for their quarterbacks and more room for their running backs.

As for the new additions to come, not all of them are guaranteed to play, added Maciocia, calling it a bit of a trial run to start working out guys for next year's club. But it does give him a shot at adding someone who can ignite a spark for the stretch run.

In the meantime, Abdullah's vacant spot on the defensive line was primarily filled by Isaac Keys during Monday's practice. A relatively recent addition himself, Keys will likely see time in a rotation with the more experienced Charles Alston and rookie Kenny Hollis.

"It's the business side of the game, and we can't worry about that," Keys said of the situation with Abdullah.

"Rahim was a good guy, and he took me under his wing when I came in, so I have nothing but respect for him.

"The situation didn't work out the way we all wanted it to, but that's the business side of the game, and I told myself a long time ago that I'd drive myself crazy trying to figure out the business side of the game. I'll just do my job and let everything else work itself out."

He is, however, happy about the possibility of seeing his first field time in the CFL and showcasing his abilities in game situations. As he noted, "This is what I came up here for."