Checking Down: News and notes from Week 4

TORONTO — With Week 4 on the horizon, injuries are starting to pile up around the league.

DeVier Posey will be a game-time decision for the Alouettes against Hamilton while Bralon Addision will miss the contest for the Ticats.

The Stampeders have not yet determined a time frame for the injured Bo Levi Mitchell.

James Franklin will miss this week’s contest against the Lions, leaving McLeod Bethel-Thompson to take over under centre.

Plus, Lions quarterback Mike Reilly opens up about his battle off the field.

All that and more in a busy week of Checking Down:

Jump to team:

BC LIONS

– They’re 0-3 to start the season, so what hasn’t worked so far for Mike Reilly and the BC Lions? TSN’s Davis Sanchez and Farhan Lalji discuss (TSN.ca).

– Receiver Bryan Burnham did not practice on Tuesday (lower body injury) while offensive lineman Brett Boyko was back on the field (Farhan Lalji, TSN).

– 2013 first-round draft pick Hunter Steward is now the BC Lions longest serving player and is relishing the opportunity to guide some of the younger players through a tough start to the season (Matt Baker, BCLions.com).

– BC Lions quarterback Mike Reilly opens up about his story of his battle off the field with mental health, as told to CFL.ca’s Chris O’Leary (Chris O’Leary, CFL.ca).

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

Trevor Harris had an impressive first month with his new team (Walter Tychnowicz/CFL.ca)

– Trevor Harris leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns and was named June’s Top Performer for his efforts (CFL.ca).

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

– With the Stamps facing an absence from their star quarterback, what’s the expectation if Bo Levi Mitchell misses games? (CFL.ca).

– The Calgary Stampeders have not yet determined a time frame for injured quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, it was reported on Wednesday (Farhan Lalji, TSN).

– Eric Rogers found the end zone five times in Week 3 – three touchdowns and a pair of two-point converts – and was named a Shaw Top Performer for his efforts (CFL.ca). 

– Defensive lineman Ivan McLennon suffered three torn ligaments in his knee against the Lions in Week 3 and will require season-ending surgery (Farhan Lalji, TSN).

– Don Jackson, Brandon Smith, Juwan Brescacin, Hergy Mayala all missed practice on Wednesday (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

– The Stamps have ruled out Brescacin and Jackson will not play Saturday’s game against the Riders (Danny Austin, Calgary Sun).

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Cody Fajardo has impressed everyone in his first two starts in the CFL (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

– Cody Fajardo looks like he’s here to stay, but just how far can the Riders’ pivot go? More in this week’s Quarterback Index (CFL.ca).

– After leading his team to victory in Week 3, Fajardo was named a Shaw Top Performer of the week (CFL.ca).

– The opportunity was right in front of him and Cody Fajardo is taking full advantage of it, throwing for a career-best 430 yards in just his second CFL start (Riderville.com).

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Mike O’Shea and the Bombers head to the nation’s capital to take on the REDBLACKS on Friday (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

– Adam Bighill did not practice on Tuesday with head coach Mike O’Shea calling it a ‘vet’ day, while defensive back Anthony Gaitor was back at practice (Ed Tait, BlueBombers.com).

– The Bombers have signed running back John Santiago to the team’s practice roster on Wednesday (Darrin Bauming, TSN1290).

– The team also made a trade on Canada Day, sending defensive end Patrick Choudja to Calgary for the negotiation list rights to an undisclosed player (BlueBombers.com).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Bralon Addison has been added to the Ticats one-game injured list (Geoff Robins/CFL.ca)

– The wins are piling up and so are points, as the Ticats open the season 3-0 while packing up the hype of a pre-season East Division favourite (CFL.ca).

– Three sacks, seven defensive tackles, a tackle for a loss and a pass knockdown helped defensive lineman Ja’Gared Davis being named a Shaw Top Performer (CFL.ca).

– After back to back 100-yard games, receiver Bralon Addison has been added to the one-game injured list (CFL.ca).

– Luke Tasker has missed the last two games but he returns to the lineup this week as the Ticats head to Montreal (CFL.ca).

– Brandon Banks and Sean Thomas Erlington were named Top Performers for the month of June (CFL.ca).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Bethel-Thompson will start for the Argos this week as they take on the Lions (Geoff Robins/CFL.ca)

– After a challenging 0-2 start, CFL.ca’s Matt Cauz wonders if it is not too early to make a quarterback change in Toronto (Matthew Cauz, CFL.ca).

– The Toronto Argonauts announced on Wednesday that James Franklin will miss Week 4’s contest against the BC Lions and that McLeod Bethel-Thompson will start the game at BMO Field (CFL.ca).

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Rick Campbell and co. are looking to remain undefeated with a matchup against the Bombers this week (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

– Head coach Rick Campbell knows his team needs to limit the Blue Bombers big plays, including containing receiver Lucky Whitehead (TSN1200).

– Linebacker Avery Williams is taking it up a notch in 2019 and has become a key member of the Ottawa REDBLACKS defence (Tim Baines, Postmedia).

– Defensive lineman Danny Mason is expected to miss most of the season with a lower-body injury (Tim Baines, Postmedia).

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Luc Brodeur-Jourdain will retire after Thursday night’s contest against the Tiger-Cats (MontrealAlouettes.com)

– Veteran offensive lineman Luc Brodeur-Jourdain will retire after this week’s contest against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Montreal (CFL.ca).

– Receiver DeVier Posey is dealing with a calf injury and will be a game-time decision on Thursday night (Didier Ormejuste, TSN).

– Head coach Khari Jones said that the signing of kicker Tyler Crapgina was to bring in some competition for Boris Bede (Didier Ormejuste, TSN).