SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ roster was in a state of flux as training camp approached.
On Saturday — one day before the Roughriders opened camp at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus — the CFL team announced one trade, two retirements, two suspensions, four signings and the additions of two territorial junior players.
For Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones, the retirements of safety Marc-Olivier Brouillette and fullback Aaron Milton were “a shocking kind of deal.”
“Milton called me two days ago and then Marco was yesterday,” said Jones, whose team had signed both players as free agents this off-season. “I respect (the players’ decisions). They’re both family-related and, around here, family is first. They both said that it was contingent on their families and they just didn’t feel like leaving home.
“It’s good that they did it now so we could make adjustments prior to camp starting so it didn’t count as moves.”
The loss of Brouillette — who reportedly has agreed to return the signing bonus he received — could be softened by the recent acquisition of Mike Edem from the B.C. Lions. Milton could be replaced by Albert Awachie, an undrafted Canadian free agent who recently joined the Roughriders.
Saskatchewan also added a solid Canadian in offensive lineman Peter Dyakowski, who was acquired from the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for international slotback Armanti Edwards.
Dyakowski, who’s entering his 11th CFL season, was an East Division all-star with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2012. He was released by Hamilton and signed with Toronto this off-season.
“When you have an opportunity to pick up a Canadian offensive lineman who has great experience, it kind of protects you for when you do have an injury,” Jones said. “Hopefully we don’t, but if we do have an injury like we had last year (to guards Chris Best and Brendon LaBatte), it’s not going to be as big a deal after adding a guy for depth.”
Jones also addressed the suspensions of offensive lineman Derek Dennis and slotback Bakari Grant.
Both players are former Calgary Stampeders and were called as witnesses at the trial of the man charged in connection with the shooting death of Stampeders defensive back Mylan Hicks in September.
Dennis and Grant were suspended by the Roughriders so they could return to Calgary for that trial. Both are expected at camp this week.
Punter Josh Bartel and long-snapper Jorgen Hus weren’t on the field Sunday, either. Both have been put on the injured list, but are slated to return soon.
•••
One transaction the Roughriders weren’t able to announce prior to camp was the signing of linebacker Cameron Judge, whom they selected in the first round (second overall) of the May 7 draft.
Judge has yet to sign with Saskatchewan, in part because he has exams he has to write over the next week to complete his studies at UCLA.
“We’re really close to an agreement,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a few days before he’s here anyway, even if there was an agreement in place simply because of his tests.”
•••
Quarterback Kevin Glenn is in his third go-round with the Roughriders, so he has a solid grasp on what it means to be part of the team.
On Sunday, Glenn said it should be mandatory for every CFL player to spend time in Saskatchewan so they can experience it. For Glenn, further proof of the fans’ passion was evident when players asked supporters to lend them bicycles to get around campus.
“I got a bike and I went and asked the guy, ‘Do you think you could get Bakari Grant one?’ ’’ Glenn recalled. “A day and a half went by and he got Bakari Grant a bike.
“That’s the kind of stuff that goes on in this culture — and we’re not even in Regina. We’re in Saskatoon. That’s how the culture travels through this province.”
•••
LaBatte went a different route with his bicycle: He bought one.
But within approximately four hours of picking up his $185 bike, LaBatte lost it to a thief on the U of S campus.
“It was a Walmart rental; I had 90 days to take it back,” LaBatte explained. “I ended up paying more than $30 an hour because it wasn’t in my possession for six hours.
“I had a lock on it and everything. I went back (to where it was parked) and the lock was laying on the ground. Somebody’s running around with bolt cutters in their backpack.”
At least LaBatte still has the medical scooter he has used at previous training camps.
“I’ve got the scooter, but I’m trying to be an athlete here and warm up in the mornings by riding a bike,” he said. “That was the plan, but now I’m just kind of hoofing it around here for the time being.”
•••
LaBatte missed the final 15 games of Saskatchewan’s 2016 season after sustaining a bruised nerve in his neck.
He hit the field Sunday for the first time since the injury and afterwards reported no physical problems. But that’s not to say he didn’t have some issues.
“Mentally, there was a bit of a hurdle coming here today,” LaBatte said. “I’ve been laughing and telling these guys, ‘I’m not sweating it. I’m not nervous,’ but deep down, there were some nerves.
“I was hopeful about how it would feel, but I hadn’t done any contact with it, so I didn’t know for sure. But I put a few marks on the helmet and nothing went through the neck or the back or anything like that, so that’s good.”
