The Saskatchewan Roughriders were featured in a CFL-sponsored conference call with the national media on Thursday. Here’s a converted touchdown of topics that were addressed during the call:
1. His name is Bond … Travis Bond
When the Roughriders signed offensive lineman Travis Bond in free agency, many believed he was going to replace Bruce Campbell as the starting left tackle.
On Thursday, head coach-GM Chris Jones said that Bond will play guard; it’s unknown yet if he’ll play on the left or right side.
“He brings a level of physicality that a lot of people can’t bring in our league and that was one of the things that we tried to do,” Jones said. “As we recruited, we were trying to become a more physical football team, so that has been taken into account in all three phases: Free agency, the draft and our workout guys. We’re trying to get guys who are physical.”
Brendon LaBatte started the 2017 season at left guard before moving to centre to replace the injured Dan Clark. While LaBatte was in the middle, Derek Dennis played left guard.
Dennis was released in the off-season, as was starting right guard Peter Dyakowski. Jones said previously that second-year guard Dariusz Bladek is “on the cusp” of starting, so it would seem — if Bond is going to play guard — that LaBatte, Clark and Bladek could be battling for two spots on the line.
“We do have a good solid problem there with some guys who can play,” Jones said.
2. The end of the line
Campbell wasn’t re-signed after hitting free agency, so that means Saskatchewan is in the market for a new man to protect the quarterback’s blind side.
Jones said the Roughriders are to going to put the candidates to the test in training camp and “let it play out.”
“We went to mini-camp and we’ve been able to evaluate the top three out of mini-camp,” Jones said. “Those three are going to go and compete for the left tackle job.”
That list comprises Takoby Cofield, Jarvis Harrison and Terran Vaughn. Harrison and Vaughn spent time on the Roughriders’ practice roster last season, so they may have a leg up on Cofield in that battle.
Another candidate could be Josiah St. John, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2016 CFL draft. Jones said the Roughriders will take a look at St. John at both left and right tackle in training camp.
3. Solid ’backers
The Roughriders released Henoc Muamba in the off-season, opening a spot at middle linebacker.
LB Sam Eguavoen
After previously saying that Sam Eguavoen would slide from the outside to the middle, Jones reiterated that on Thursday.
“He’s a great athlete,” Jones said. “He doesn’t ever say boo; he doesn’t hardly ever speak unless he’s up there trying to impersonate me. With that being said, we just want Sammy to come in and lead our football team from in the middle.”
With Eguavoen taking over a position that was manned by a national last season, Jones noted that Saskatchewan will fill one of the outside linebacking spots with a Canuck in 2018. That player will join the safety and a defensive tackle to comprise the Roughriders’ Canadian content on defence.
That means one of Brandyn Bartlett, Alexandre Chevrier, Kevin Francis, Alexandre Gagne, Dillon Grondin, Sam Hurl or Cameron Judge stands to win a starting linebacking job.
“The whole key for that whole crew is to stay healthy,” Jones said. “They’ve all had bumps and bruises, so hopefully all of them come back and are able to find their niche on our football team and become the players that they can because athletically they’ve got good talent.”
4. Double duty
Wide receiver Duron Carter started one game at cornerback and saw some action at the position in other games in 2017.
According to Jones, Carter once again will see action on both offence and defence.
“I’m going to keep him very busy,” said Jones, who noted Carter will compete at boundary corner while John Ojo — who was signed this off-season — will get a look on the wide side.
Carter’s off-season has featured a pair of arrests for marijuana possession, so Jones said the Roughriders will take things as they come as the charges progress through the legal system.
That said, Jones noted he hopes the Roughriders can help Carter “make strides” off the field.
“I’ve had a lot of guys during my career who are very outspoken and don’t necessarily fit the mold that everybody would like them to be in,” Jones said. “Really, that’s going to be Duron’s decision as to how he wants to develop.
“All I can do is offer my experience and try to be a support for him as he’s trying to figure out exactly who he is as an individual.”
5. Staying home
Tailback Trent Richardson joined the Roughriders in September and appeared in three regular-season games, but this off-season, he has made some comments about returning to the NFL
Richardson remains on the Roughriders’ roster, but Jones said the former first-round NFL draft pick likely won’t be in Saskatoon for the start of training camp.
“Right now, Trent has got some situations going on at home so we’ll just have to see where that goes,” Jones said.
Richardson would have been competing with Cameron Marshall and Jerome Messam for the job as Saskatchewan’s No. 1 tailback.
6. Work, work, work …
For the second straight off-season, Jones took just three weekends off — one at Christmas, one at New Year’s and one at Easter. The rest of the time, he was on the road looking for players.
Even as he and his staff get the roster closer to where they want it to be, Jones won’t stop beating the bushes to create competition.
“Right now, we can be very selective on who we take,” Jones said. “We don’t just have to take a guy because he’s big or he’s fast. He’s got to be able to play and he’s got to play at a very high level and do it over and over and over.
“That’s what we told them at mini-camp: ‘We’re going to count every rep and if you try to skip reps or you try to skip a one-on-one opportunity, then all of a sudden I’m going to eliminate you because you’re eliminating yourself by not going out and competing.’
“We’re not looking for track guys. We’re not looking for people who just look the part. We’re looking for guys who can play the game of football and love playing the game of football.”
On Thursday, the Roughriders signed a player who has been at each of their past three mini-camps. Linebacker/defensive lineman Gary Wilkins was a standout at the 2017 mini-camp, but a knee injury prematurely ended his season.
QB Zach Collaros
7. A learning experience
Quarterback Zach Collaros, who was acquired from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in January, is eager to bury 2017 while also learning from it.
After Hamilton lost its first eight regular-season games, Collaros was replaced as the starter by Jeremiah Masoli.
The trade to the Roughriders has given Collaros a new lease on life — and a new outlook as well.
“Anytime you’re thrown into something like that, something that is kind of outside of your comfort zone, you become a better person and player,” Collaros said. “I’m really excited to be in a new situation.
“There are definitely things that I could take from my time in Hamilton that I learned from, whether they were positive or negative things, and hopefully be able to use in my time in Saskatchewan.”
