MontrealAlouettes.com
TORONTO — There’s been plenty of news out of CFL training camps this week, as Day 4 has arrived and the first pre-season game is approaching.
In Montreal, the quarterback competition continues to heat up, but whoever ends up starting may not have veteran offensive lineman Ryan Bomben in Week 1.
Plus, in Winnipeg, rookie receiver Rashaun Simonise is making a strong push for starting job as Drew Wolitarsky sits.
CFL.ca is Checking Down on the latest and greatest of all nine CFL camps:
Jump to team:
| BC | Calgary | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal |
BC LIONS
Lions head coach Wally Buono is excited about the new-look offence in camp (BCLions.com)
– A few days after being released by the Als, the Lions expect to have new right tackle Jovan Olafioye on the field Wednesday in Kamloops (Lowell Ullrich, 3 Down Nation).
– Approximately 50 of the players in Lions camp this week are new additions by GM Ed Hervey, who’s brought energy to the team that missed the playoffs for the first time in two decades (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province).
– With the Lions’ offence in need of a vertical threat, Canadian Shaq Johnson could be ready to emerge as a star in his third season (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province).
– Wally Buono says the thing that’s impressed him most about Jarious Jackson’s offence in BC is the speed with which the ball comes out of the quarterback’s hands (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province).
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
Veteran back C.J. Gable is set up to be the work horse in the Eskimos’ offence (Esks.com)
– The Esks have added another international defensive lineman to the fold, adding Jason Carr out of West Georgia (Dave Campbell, CHED).
– After being sidelined early in camp, Duke Williams and Arjen Colquhoun are back on the field for the Esks while Nate Behar remains limited (Morley Scott, CHED).
– With LaDarius Perkins and John White out, C.J. Gable is left as the lone veteran running back in camp for the Eskimos (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Journal).
– Speaking of John White, where will the five-year CFL veteran end up landing? CFL.ca looks at some of the options (CFL.ca).
– Entering his 17th season on his ninth CFL team, Kevin Glenn is almost like a coach among the Eskimos’ quarterbacks in training camp (Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Journal).
– The son of a former Major League Baseball All-Star is looking to win a job with the Eskimos this week in camp (Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Journal).
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Emanuel Davis is one of several new faces in the Stampeders’ secondary (Stampeders.com)
– The Stamps have placed injured tackle Randy Richards on the six-game, while defensive lineman Brandon Banks has retired (Daniel Austin, Postmedia).
– While Adam Berger and Tunde Adeleke are supposedly competing for a starting role at safety, both nationals have gotten plenty of time at various positions in the Stamps’ secondary (Daniel Austin, Calgary Herald).
– Sophomore running back Dominique Williams hobbled off the field on Monday and is waiting for results on an MRI. The Stamps’ RB competition is among the most intriguing across all training camps (Daniel Austin, Calgary Herald).
– For Ricky Stanzi, the retirement of Andrew Buckley came as a surprise, but the timing may work out in his favour (Daniel Austin, Calgary Herald).
– The addition of Larry Brihm Jr. gives the Stampeders their fourth option at quarterback to back up starter Bo Levi Mitchell (Daniel Austin, Caglary Herald).
– For the second year in a row, Dave Dickenson has had to address his team coming off a Grey Cup loss (Farhan Lalji, TSN).
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Zach Collaros is heading into his first season with the Riders following an off-season trade (Riderville.com)
– After playing mostly receiver, Duron Carter worked exclusively with the defence on the fourth day of Riders camp (Rod Pedersen, CKRM).
– Chris Jones said recently-released defenders John Ojo and Nick James just weren’t ready physically (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).
– The Riders have confirmed that Canadian receiver Jake Harty has suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
– The ‘tremendously athletic’ Terran Vaughn, who is competing for the Riders’ left tackle job, says Willie Jefferson has aided in his development — not just now but in the past (Ian Hamilton, Riderville.com).
– Zach Collaros and Brandon Bridge have drawn plenty of attention in training camp, but potential third-string pivot David Watford is turning heads (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).
– Suspended for the first two games after a positive drug test, Marcus Thigpen says he’s focused on training camp like he’s playing in game one (Murray McCormick, Regina Leader-Post).
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Rashaun Simonise has an outside shot at a starting job in his first year in Winnipeg (BlueBombers.com)
– The Bombers could have another quarterback in camp, as Bryan Bennett worked out with the team on Wednesday. Bennett played for the Bombers and Riders before being released last year (Bob Irving, CJOB).
– Second-round draft pick Rashaun Simonise is getting some work with the first-team offence, with Drew Wolitarsky sidelined on Wednesday (Ed Tait, BlueBombers.com).
– Off-season addition Adarius Bowman has gotten his first good look at the Bombers’ receiving corps, a group he says is ‘unmatched’ by any other (Scott Billeck, Winnipeg Sun).
– Fourth-round pick Tyrone Pierre left practice Tuesday and was later spotted on crutches, while defensive tackle Ian Marouf was reportedly carted off the field (Darrin Bauming, TSN 1290).
– Adam Bighill is expected to participate in his first practice as a Bomber on Thursday, while newly-signed defensive tackle Jake Thomas arrived at practice on Wednesday (Darrin Bauming, TSN 1290).
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Fans will be watching to see if Johnny Manziel takes any reps in the Ticats’ first pre-season game (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
– June Jones says he’s still taking a wait-and-see approach, but believes Johnny Manziel will see action in the Ticats’ first pre-season game June 1 at Tim Hortons Field (Steve Milton, 3 Down Nation).
– The Ticats have signed first-round pick Darius Ciraco, while fellow first-rounder Mark Chapman remains without a deal (CFL.ca).
– So far Johnny Manziel has said all the right things, but as the CFL.ca’s MMQB writes, he’s still got a lot to prove (Pat Steinberg, CFL.ca).
– Speaking of Manziel, the Ticats’ newest pivot took his first meaningful reps during Tuesday’s practice, the third day of training camp (Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press).
– Among observers at Ticats practice on Wednesday was former Argos general manager Jim Barker (Marshall Ferguson, CFL.ca).
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Argos QB Ricky Ray says he thought long and hard about retiring in the off-season (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)
– In his first camp with the Argos, Ronnie Yell says he feels ‘re-birthed’ on an energetic Toronto defence (Terry Koshan, Toronto Sun).
– The battles for middle linebacker and boundary receiver are among the biggest at Argos camp this week at York University (CFL.ca).
– As Ricky Ray returns for his 15th CFL training camp, he recalls a time this past off-season when he seriously considered hanging up the cleats (Ryan Wolstat, Toronto Sun).
– Argos defensive back T.J. Heath says Johnny Manziel is just another quarterback he’ll have to defend, not unlike any other (Ryan Wolstat, Toronto Sun).
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Brad Sinopoli is looking to bounce back from off-season shoulder surgery in camp (Chris Hofley/Ottawa REDBLACKS)
– Brad Sinopoli has only the final mental hurdle to clear as returns from off-season shoulder surgery (Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press).
– Canadian receiver Austen Hartly has made significant progress in his second training camp since being picked in the sixth round (Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun).
– Evan Johnson, the REDBLACKS’ first-round pick a year ago, says he’s more familiar with his teammates and the playbook as he battles for a larger role (OttawaREDBLACKS.com).
– REDBLACKS camp hopeful Harold Brantley says he’s lucky to be alive. Tim Baines writes on the miraculous journey Ottawa’s defensive lineman has taken to this point (Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun).
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Drew Willy is apparently among the front-runners in the Alouettes’ QB competition (MontrealAlouettes.com)
– Word out of Montreal is that veteran Drew Willy and sophomore Matt Shiltz are ahead in the battle for starting QB in Montreal (Bill Beacon, Canadian Press).
– Starting guard Ryan Bomben is expected to miss at least two weeks and could miss the season-opener after suffering a hand injury (Didier Orméjuste, RDS).
– With five quarterbacks in the running to start, CFL.ca breaks down the quarterback competition happening in Montreal this week (CFL.ca).
