The Canadian Press
As the leaves change, and in some places the snow begins to reacquaint itself with your Canadian lifestyle, CFL teams are busy making the push toward the playoffs. By this point, every team has a good idea of who they are. Strengths and weaknesses of each roster are established and it comes down to who executes better with the group they have.
That’s how it’s supposed to go, but the reality is rosters are constantly evolving and whether pushed to make a tweak by desperation or sense of opportunity to get over the top and be crowned Grey Cup champions, teams are always trying to find roster answers to gain that one per cent that might make the difference come November.
Every team in the CFL this season has made a move of significance which they believe will improve their roster. In BC it was the splashy signing of 2017 Grey Cup MVP and recently released NFLer DeVier Posey. Posey hasn’t had a huge impact on the Lions games as of yet but he has contributed and added a vertical threat that disappeared when Manny Arceneaux fell to a knee injury.
While Lions GM Ed Hervey made a splash getting the speed and quickness of Posey, his greatest second half addition has been the power of running back Tyrell Sutton acquired from Montreal via trade, some – including myself – raised an eyebrow at the move knowing that BC already had a power back in Jeremiah Johnson but after Sutton led the Lions to victory in McMahon this past Saturday it’s hard to find a critic who doesn’t understand the boost he gives their offence as the Lions try to miraculously make the West division playoffs despite switching quarterbacks several times.
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Tyrell Sutton made an impact in his first game with the Lions, scoring two touchdowns (The Canadian Press)
Elsewhere in the West the Eskimos picked up Martese Jackson from Toronto in a trade that immediately electrified the green and gold return game while adding a nice little change of pace from C.J. Gable in the backfield. That’s a move that currently looks to be one of the most effective at addressing specific team needs in the CFL’s second half.
Edmonton’s Alberta rivals lost receiver, after receiver, after receiver this year. Somehow the Stamps still appear to have a scary passing attack thanks to the return of Eric Rogers off the injured list, Chris Matthews from the NFL and Bakari Grant via free agency.
All three men fit what Calgary likes in their receivers and Stamps fans have to believe the pieced together lineup should be enough to get Bo Levi over the top. It will take a lot of chemistry building and it needs to happen quickly, but Dave Dickenson is the right man to lead that charge.
Saskatchewan has been more quiet in recent weeks than the same time of year in previous seasons but success on the field and an established core of national players could play a hand in that. The Riders did swap a couple draft picks to acquire fullback Patrick Lavoie and Philip Blake at the trade deadline. Lavoie had more catches and yards this past Saturday in Winnipeg than he did in the last two months combined in Montreal while Blake found an immediate starting role which should only be furthered due to the untimely injury to offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek.
In Winnipeg the Bombers announced the signing of 2017 first round pick Geoff Gray. Gray is an incredible athlete for his size who can essentially be used anywhere giving flexibility to one of the CFL’s best offensive lines already.
I don’t expect to see Gray play between now and the end of November but if he slots in due to injury or just flat out looks like he needs to be on the field there is no doubt he’ll quickly become an impact player.
In the East, Hamilton experienced a fate much too similar to the Calgary Stampeders by losing multiple receivers in a manner which forced the team to play a man short, dressing only two quarterbacks on the active roster in order to clear room and make an influential signing.
Early on the Ticats brought back Marquay McDaniel – who had his first dress Friday in Toronto – and Chad Owens who was released shortly after. The Ticats believe they’ve now found their game changer in Terrell Sinfield Jr. who has been bouncing around the NFL for a couple years after wearing black and gold in Hamilton previously as a standout receiver.
If Sinkfield shows the game changing speed he displayed his first time in the CFL the Ticats could have filled a desperate void on their roster while pushing for the East Division title and a Grey Cup berth.
Carter caught his first touchdown as an Argo in Week 17 against the Lions (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)
QEW rival Toronto picked up Duron Carter from the Riders and he had his first touchdown on the road in BC a few weeks back. Unfortunately for Duron and the Argos, the extent of his work this year was done after Toronto was eliminated from playoff contention. A difficult pill to swallow especially in a reduced role for a guy who was only a few plays from making it to the Grey Cup for Saskatchewan last season.
In Ottawa, the REDBLACKS attacked the playoff picture by adding another talented defender in Chris Ackie from the Alouettes where he spent time with now Ottawa defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe. Ackie has immense talent but I’m curious to see where he concisely slots into the lineup over the REDBLACKS’ next two games against Hamilton and into the playoffs.
If he finds a fit he will have every chance to be a late-season game changer.
Last are the Montreal Alouettes, who held a yard sale at the trade deadline as they realized their non-playoff fate and attempted to recoup some of the draft picks lost in various trades including the Johnny Manziel deal with Hamilton.
Not every late-season addition is about adding for now and the Alouettes proved to be the one team truly admitting that as others added pieces in hopes of a run.
What do all of these moves mean? It means teams know what they are now better than at any point in 2018 and have acknowledged that by making roster adjustments. You never know, it just might be one of these recent additions who hoists the Grey Cup in Edmonton come November 25th.
