In December, Brendon LaBatte’s future with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders appeared to be in doubt.
Ten months later, the offensive lineman’s future with the team is secure. The Roughriders announced Monday that LaBatte had signed a four-year contract extension that will keep him with the Green and White through the 2021 season.
“Coming off a season where there was an injury, everything was kind of up in the air,” the 31-year-old product of Weyburn said after Monday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “To be able to sign up with the club for four more years is a great thing for me.
“This is home for me, so I never wanted to leave.”
LaBatte began his CFL career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who selected the University of Regina Rams product in the first round (sixth overall) of the ’08 draft. He spent four seasons with the Bombers before signing as a free agent with Saskatchewan in February of 2012.
In a game July 16 of last season against the B.C. Lions, LaBatte was trapped under a pile and suffered an injury. Initially diagnosed as a concussion, the ailment turned out to be a bruised nerve in his neck.
LaBatte didn’t play again after suffering the injury — it happened in Saskatchewan’s third regular-season game — and there was some concern that his career was in jeopardy. Instead, the 6-foot-4, 304-pounder went through rehabilitation that had him ready to go this season.
He has appeared in all 16 of Saskatchewan’s regular-season games, splitting time between left guard and centre.
“Once I got back, the name of the game was to prove that I could be out here practising every day and go out on the field every week and be able to contribute,” LaBatte said. “Once I hit 14, 15 games and haven’t been feeling any ill effects, I knew I had more football left in me. It was a no-brainer to try and get signed up to play that here.”
LaBatte, who was due to become a free agent in February, said he had been negotiating with the Roughriders for more than a year. The sides came to an agreement after Friday’s 30-7 victory over the host Calgary Stampeders and signed the paperwork Monday morning.
“He’s a staple of this organization,” Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said. “He has been here a long time. He has been a good football player for a long time as well.
“Certainly when you can get a local guy who’s good at his position sealed up for a long-term contract, it’s a good thing.”
LaBatte handled the contract talks himself and said there was a lot of give and take during the negotiations. The four-year term was something for which he asked.
“They said that they’d be willing to sign me for as long as I wanted to continue to play,” said LaBatte, a seven-time division all-star, a four-time CFL all-star and the winner of the league’s award as most outstanding offensive lineman in 2013.
“I’m 31 years old now and this is my 10th year in the league, so that will take me to an even 35 and 14. We can see where we’re going after that, but I feel good where I’m at right now in my career that I can continue to play at this level for four more years.”
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Quarterback Kevin Glenn let out a “Wooo!” when asked about LaBatte’s contract extension Monday.
But Glenn wasn’t as exuberant discussing the situation that played out Friday in Calgary, where he was pulled after just two offensive series and replaced by Brandon Bridge.
It was the second time in three games that Glenn was yanked early. He admitted Monday that he was surprised to get hooked as quickly as he did, but he also stressed that he was over it.
“You can’t worry about things you can’t control,” Glenn said. “There’s a lot of other things that are more troublesome than that.
“I’ve been playing this game for 17 years. I’ve been around a lot. I’ve seen a lot. Why would I let something like that upset me? You want to be out there playing, but if I have no control over it, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Jones said after the game that Glenn would start Friday’s contest against the visiting Montreal Alouettes and the head coach repeated that statement Monday.
Glenn reiterated that the team’s success outweighs his own accomplishments.
“I would never take my personal feelings or anything and put them above the team,” said Glenn, who completed one of three pass attempts for 19 yards in Calgary. “I think everybody understands that. They know what type of person I am.
“I’m a team guy first. The ultimate goal is for the team to be successful.”
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Offensive lineman Derek Dennis, defensive lineman A.C. Leonard, receiver Naaman Roosevelt and linebacker Sam Eguavoen weren’t at practice Monday.
Dennis, who has been nursing a back injury, returned home to Arizona to spend time with his newborn child. Jones said Dennis was to return Monday, but he isn’t expected to play Friday.
Jones noted that there had been a death in Leonard’s family, so he went home to be with his loved ones. Jones said Leonard also was due back Monday.
As for Eguavoen and Roosevelt, both players have been dealing with concussions. Jones said they’re improving, but neither one would be in the lineup Friday for precautionary reasons.
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The Roughriders added two international receivers to the practice roster Monday.
T.J. Thorpe played six games with the Bombers this season, recording 33 receptions for 302 yards.
The 24-year-old product of Durham, N.C., played collegiately at North Carolina and Virginia. The 5-foot-11, 217-pounder had an NFL stint with the Washington Redskins in 2016 before signing with the Bombers in April of this year.
Ridge Jones is a 23-year-old product of Dallas. The 5-foot-10, 171-pounder played his college ball at the University of New Mexico.
The Roughriders also announced they had released defensive lineman Charles Walker off the practice roster.
