Ticats.ca
Jamaal Westerman is exactly the kind of guy you’d want as a member of your team.
Not only is he a force to be reckoned with in the trenches but when it comes to adversity, he’s cool and calm under pressure.
The 33-year-old’s first few days in Hamilton after getting traded from the Montreal Alouettes didn’t go exactly as planned. He was locked out of his airbnb, thanks to a malfunctioning lock on the door, and had to sleep for two hours in his car before finding a place to spend the night.
But did that break the defensive end? Not even close.
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Westerman participates in practice in his first week with the Tiger-Cats (Ticats.ca)
“Had to sleep in my clothes I wore yesterday,” laughed Westerman over the phone after the Tiger-Cats practice on Wednesday. “So it was a little bit of a logistical nightmare! You know what, that’s just the kind of things you handle when it comes to professional sports. A little bit of chaos every now and then doesn’t hurt anybody.”
Westerman was a piece of the blockbuster trade that sent quarterback Johnny Manziel to the Montreal Alouettes. Manziel and two offensive linemen, Landon Rice and Tony Washington, headed to the Als in exchange for two first round draft picks, receiver Chris Williams and defensive end Westerman.
Just two practices into his Tiger-Cats tenure, he was already starting to settle in. Off the field he started to get up on the Ticats’ signature cheer – he tossed an ‘Oskee Wee Wee’ at the end of a video feature on the Tiger-Cats Twitter account – and on the field he began to get a handle on the team’s playbook.
“I think they’re doing a very good job of teaching,” said Westerman of his first few days in black and gold. “Teaching not only the defence but technique, different parts of the game. Talking about situational plays, down and distance. They were really stressing those things and knowing the down and distance and thinking, ‘what’s best for the defence?’ I’m just trying to pick everything up.”
Westerman signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2015, where he spent three seasons.
His CFL career got off to an outstanding start, collecting 17 sacks and 53 tackles in his rookie season. That performance earned him a nomination as the West Division’s Most Outstanding Canadian. The following season, he collected eight sacks and 44 tackles in 2016. The six-foot-three, 249-pounder saw just 11 games in 2017 before suffering a season-ending upper body injury.
Westerman is listed second on the Ticats depth chart ahead the team’s contest against Ottawa (Ticats.ca)
He then signed a two-year deal with the Montreal Alouettes after becoming a free agent this off-season. In five games with the Als, Westerman amassed three sacks and 19 tackles.
“Just bring myself,” Westerman said, explaining what he hopes to bring to the Tiger-Cats defensive line. “Everything I have, whatever is asked of me. I’m trying to be a good defensive end, good defensive player, not just a good pass rusher or just a good stuff guy. Try to be good at everything and try to be consistent and fly around and hopefully be productive.”
Adding another Canadian to the Tiger-Cats D-line, that already has two players with national passports in Justin Capicciotti and Ted Laurent, gives head coach June Jones flexibility on the rest of the roster.
Not only is he a ratio breaker, Westerman will also add experience and skill to the team’s pass rush that has collected seven sacks though five games this season – that’s tied for second-last in the league.
Westerman is listed on the Tiger-Cats depth chart behind Capicciotti but it’s still up in the air how much playing time he will see at Tim Hortons Field this weekend.
“I’ll let you know Saturday,” Westerman laughed when asked if he’ll be ready for the Tiger-Cats Week 7 matchup against the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
“I think mentally (I will be). Obviously, there are some things that I’ll continue to learn. This group has been together for, this D-line group, has been together for a couple years and the defence has been in it since camp and everything. Of course, I’m a step behind.”
