A TC battle to keep an eye on for every team

Marshall Ferguson

CFL.ca

@TSN_Marsh

One of the best parts about CFL training camps is watching the best talent available battle it out to stake their claim at the top of a depth chart before all involved (assuming cuts aren’t made) band together to unite and take on the rest of the league.

Training camp battles are a tale as old as training camps themselves and have the ability to nurture healthy competition that generates a positive energy flowing through the team OR rip a divide between a positional group, one side of the ball or the roster entirely.

It really comes down to the concept of ego. If those involved have a large one and are more worried about tearing down the man across from them then building up their own performance and worthiness, the results will be divisive. If ego is ignored and players are strictly focused on honing their craft to show everything they’re capable of units can be fused in the fire that is training camp.

With that in mind I’ve picked one area of each team to highlight a training camp battle of interest.

BC LIONS
DE Mathieu Betts vs. DE David Menard

When Chris Jones took over in Edmonton it wasn’t long before Kwaku Boateng and Mathieu Betts services became available based on how Jones typically likes to construct his roster with American defensive ends. When David Menard had a big season and the asking price sounded high, I doubted Montreal would bring him back.

For both to end up in BC was intriguing considering they could have commanded their own landing spot elsewhere, but together they could form a dynamic duo with Obum Gwachum on the other side and Woody Baron inside while we wait for a healthy Steven Richardson to return.

EDMONTON ELKS
Quarterbacks

The Nick Arbuckle story is interesting by itself as a standalone topic, but adding a couple different Ohio State Quarterbacks – none of which remain – to the fray and then drafting Waterloo quarterback Tre Ford in the first round made me wish so badly I could sit at Commonwealth and watch the competition unfold daily.

I think Arbuckle is the guy. I think Ford deserves a roster spot. But there are a lot of bodies in line ready to pounce on either one in those roles.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Canadian receivers

Luther Hakunavanhu has all the signs of becoming an emerging talent that we won’t have to ask how to pronounce his name while Colton Hunchak, Richie Sindani and Tyson Middlemost are all solid players. Adding Jalen Philpot to the mix and the absence of Hergy Mayala, who signed in Montreal this past February, creates a real feeding frenzy for Canadian pass-catchers who will need to be highly efficient to take any targets away from Kamar Jorden and Reggie Begelton.

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Linebackers

This is less of a true camp battle and more of an excuse to highlight the ridiculous plethora of talent available at the Riders linebacker positions.

Larry Dean remains after a lost season in 2021 due to the ridiculous pre-season Achilles tears that swarmed Saskatchewan but Darnell Sankey and Derrick Moncrief have been added from Calgary and Edmonton, respectively, alongside Micah Teitz, who took a big jump forward in performance last year playing special teams and weak side linebacker. Moncrief at SAM with Sankey in the middle and Dean at WILL makes the most sense, but that’s a ridiculous collection of explosive playmakers in one positional group with any reps up for grabs being few and far between for those looking to crack the roster on anything other than special teams.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
OL Geoff Gray vs. OL Liam Dobson

When Drew Desjarlais left Winnipeg to sign with New England this off-season I wondered if it would be a simple switch of Desjarlais out and Geoff Gray in, but the recent signing of Liam Dobson creates some intrigue and really solid depth for the always talented Bombers offensive line.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
OL Kyle Saxelid vs. Incumbents

When the Ticats swung a deal the night before the 2022 CFL Draft for Kyle Saxelid from Edmonton, head coach Orlondo Steinauer said, “sometimes when the draft doesn’t have something you value, you have to go out and get it.”

They got Saxelid, who can play tackle to tackle, but the question becomes whether he’ll leap frog other like Jesse Gibbon, Coulter Woodmansey and Kay Okafor to get a starting spot Week 1.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Juwan Brescacin vs. The young guns

Brescacin is not an old man, or a player at great risk of being outright replaced, but Dejon Brissett and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. deserve an ever increasing amount of attention and targets.

Add in Brandon Banks arrival taking away game reps with DaVaris Daniels and Eric Rogers getting their fix and the likes of Cam Phillips, Chandler Worthy and more nipping at heels and all of a sudden Brescacin has to fight for every ball in camp and beyond.

OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Everyone

Okay, okay, I now this seems like lazy analysis… but honestly outside of Lewis Ward and Jeremiah Masoli, do you know exactly where this abstract collection of beautiful colours that has arrived in recent months via draft or free agency is going to play?

The pain of being a losing team is awful, but the re-birth with an empty canvas feels exciting and dangerous in much the same way baby robins crack through shells and immediately begin competing for the first worm delivered. It’s feeding time in Ottawa and – almost – everything should be up for grabs.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Secondary

With the loss of Ty Cranston, Patrick Levels, Money Hunter and Tyquwan Glass in free agency, the Alouettes have plenty of openings for those who can step up and claim a pro football starting spot in what will be a fast and exciting team to watch.

It’s the perfect environment for a training camp battle across the back end.

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