BCLions.com
MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes are hoping to make opposing quarterbacks’ lives a little bit sourer by adding a squeeze of Lemon to their defence.
The Als’ signing of linebacker Shawn Lemon on Monday gives them a much-needed pass-rushing weapon to help with a defence that has just seven sacks entering Week 8.
Lemon adds a lot of experience on the defensive side of the ball, tallying 92 sacks over 135 career games, including 14 last season with the Calgary Stampeders. The mark was the second best in the league behind only Lorenzo Mauldin and earned him a nomination to the CFL All-Star Team.
The veteran is hoping to use all of that knowledge acquired over the years to contribute right away.
“I just want to be disruptive.” said Lemon to MontrealAlouettes.com. “I really understand the CFL game, understand what I’m good at as a player. I’m just ready to come in and make an impact.”
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Lemon has played 11 seasons in the CFL for Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and BC, while also spending time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL in 2015.
The 34-year-old needs just eight more quarterback takedowns to reach triple digits, a big achievement for any defender in the CFL. The veteran said that goal fuels him going forward, but also displayed the patience that veteran players know is key to reaching any milestone.
“It motivates me. It’s a huge accomplishment but we’ll just take it one day at a time, one play at a time and one rep at a time.”
Lemon played collegiately for the University of Akron, where he was roommates with teammate Almondo Sewell, recreating the tandem now for the Alouettes’ defensive line.
One of the sack that stands out amongst the 92 that Montreal’s new addition accumulated over his career is deeply connected to his new team.
“When I sacked (CFL Hall-of-Famer) Anthony Calvillo,” said Lemon about an important memory related to the Alouettes. “I felt so accomplished as a player. Growing up and watching SportsCenter you’d see guys like Chris Berman talking about him so I was already aware about the type of player that he was.”
The veteran pass rusher joins a defensive line that has Sewell, Avery Ellis, Mustafa Johnson and fellow Akron alumni Jamal Davis II. Despite the low number of sacks, the defence has been doing a good job for Montreal in the category that matters the most: points. The Alouettes have allowed only 111 points over five games, tied for second-best in the CFL behind only the BC Lions.
Lemon signed with the Lions in February but was released during training camp in May. Despite not being with a team for the first two months of the season, the veteran never stopped preparing to continue playing in a league that means a lot to him.
“I’m a guy that loves this league,” said the edge rusher after practice. “I’ve been watching all the games and critiquing everything on my end and making notes of every offensive lineman that I could potentially play against. I was just ready, training and spending time with my family.”
Amongst the reasons he decided to join the Alouettes are a good fit defensively for what Lemon described as an aggressive unit that will allow him to get to the quarterback, but also everything that he has enjoyed on his previous trips to Montreal.
“Every time I would come here as a player from an opposing team I could see the passion in the fans. I just love this city. The food is very good, I would always have the best dishes here on the road.
“I’m just happy that I’m here playing football.”
Head coach Jason Maas hopes that Lemon’s arrival is going to help ignite a pass rush that has been dormant so far this season.
“He’s been proven to get to the quarterback,” said Maas after a practice session on Wednesday. “Over the last couple of years he has quite a few sacks to his name. He’s tremendous at doing that and usually when he gets to the quarterback he creates a turnover too.”
The Alouettes are coming off a bye week and will welcome Jake Maier and the Stampeders to Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on Sunday, July 30, for Week 8.
