The Saskatchewan Roughriders did a little shopping Wednesday.
Prior to the CFL’s trading deadline, the Roughriders acquired national offensive lineman Philip Blake and national receiver Patrick Lavoie from the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for national receiver Josh Stanford and Saskatchewan’s second-round selection in the 2020 CFL draft.
In announcing the deal, Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said Blake and Lavoie “will fit into our locker room and certainly be able to help upgrade our football team.”
Blake, a 32-year-old product of Toronto, was selected by Montreal in the third round (23rd overall) of the 2011 draft out of Baylor University. He also was the Denver Broncos’ fourth-round pick (108th overall) in 2012.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder had NFL stints with the Broncos and Arizona Cardinals in the 2012 and ’13 seasons but was out of football in 2014. He joined the Als in 2015 and has played 57 regular-season games with them.
“He can play centre, guard and tackle,” Jones said, “and (he) certainly brings a level of experience that we’re going to need down the stretch.”
Lavoie, a 30-year-old who hails from Saint-Flavie, Que., was taken by the Alouettes in the second round (11th overall) of the 2012 draft out of the University of Laval.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder played two seasons with Montreal before being selected by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2013 expansion draft. After four seasons in Ottawa, he was acquired by Montreal in a trade in January.
In 115 career regular-season games, Lavoie has recorded 138 catches for 1,264 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 13 catches for 115 yards in 15 games this season; he also has three special-teams tackles, giving him 39 in his career.
His time in the CFL includes appearances in five playoff games and two Grey Cup contests. He won a CFL title with Ottawa in 2016.
“He can play (receiver), he can play fullback and he’s certainly a good special-teamer,” Jones said. “He’s familiar with our offence because he was in Ottawa (which operates with) the same type of terminology. It should be pretty seamless to try to get both of those guys ready to play.”
Stanford, 24, was Saskatchewan’s eighth-round selection (62nd overall) in the 2016 CFL draft. He had 17 catches for 165 yards in 14 games with the Roughriders this season, giving him 21 receptions for 243 yards in 21 career regular-season games.
The Roughriders also announced they had added kicker Felix Menard-Briere to the practice roster.
The 25-year-old product of Sainte-Agathe-Des-Monts, Que., attended the University of Montreal. He was selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the fourth round (34th overall) of the 2017 CFL draft and had stops in the league with Winnipeg and Ottawa.
To make room for Menard-Briere on the practice roster, the Roughriders released international linebacker James Graham.
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The acquisition of Blake could be coming at a good time for the Roughriders, who didn’t have centre Dan Clark at practice Wednesday.
Jones said Clark played most of Monday’s 19-12 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos at Mosaic Stadium with an injury. He’s still being evaluated, so his status for Saturday’s contest against the host Bombers isn’t known.
Guard Brendon LaBatte took snaps at centre with the starting offence Wednesday, with Josiah St. John and Terran Vaughn getting reps at guard.
The status of receiver Jordan Williams-Lambert also is unknown.
The first-year Roughrider absorbed a big hit early in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game and didn’t return. Jones noted that Williams-Lambert also was being evaluated Wednesday, when national Brian Jones got much of the work in Williams-Lambert’s spot.
Slotback Kyran Moore was on the field to start the practice, but he left before the workout ended. Jones suggested Moore should be good to go Saturday.
Long-snapper Jorgen Hus didn’t practise either — Alexandre Gagne handled Hus’ duties — but Jones expects Hus to be ready for Saturday’s game.
Defensive tackle Makana Henry also wasn’t on the field Wednesday. His status for Saturday’s game isn’t known.
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The smattering of spectators watching Wednesday’s practice included a member of Roughriders royalty.
George Reed watched the workout from a chair on the sideline, taking in everything that went on alongside Roughriders chairman Wayne Morsky.
A number of coaches and players shook Reed’s hand as they passed by to begin practice and others — including Jones — had a chat with the Roughriders’ legendary fullback.
“That’s cool,” LaBatte said of having Reed on hand. “Anytime George is around, you know you’re in the presence of greatness.
“It’s always great to see George come out and take it in. It kind of gave the sense that things are getting really important around here right now.”
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On Wednesday, Saskatchewan defensive end Willie Jefferson was named one of the CFL’s top performers of the week for his performance in Monday’s victory.
In addition to his 49-yard interception-return TD with 1:37 left in regulation time, Jefferson also had five tackles and a sack. He has 31 tackles and has set career highs with nine sacks and two interceptions this season.
Jefferson has returned both picks for touchdowns, allowing him to join Glen Suitor (1987), Bryce Bevill (1996), LaDouphyous McCalla (2000), Jackie Mitchell (2003), Chris McKenzie (2011) and Nick Marshall (2018) as the only Roughriders to have two pick-sixes in a season.
