Receiver Posey returning for Argos
DeVier Posey, barring something completely out of the ordinary, is expected to return to the Toronto Argonauts’ lineup when they take on the Calgary Stampeders Saturday.
It’s an addition that is long overdue.
Posey began the year by being productive and reliable, mixing in well with a virtually new receiving unit led by S.J. Green.
The Argos’ offence looked extremely sharp on opening night against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, by far the team’s best performance for most of the season’s first half.
Injuries have taken their toll and one of the casualties was Posey, whose stint on the six-game injured list has come to its end.
The past two days of practice have shown Posey hasn’t missed a beat as he’s running smoothly, catching passes in stride and showing no signs of any lingering effects from the leg injury that sidelined him.
“Just cutting, moving, getting the timing back with Ricky (Ray),” Posey said. “I think it’s about time.”
At the same time Posey returns, the Argos have to deal with the loss of running back Anthony Coombs to injury and will start rookie Jimmy Ralph against the Stampeders.
Posey described his time away from football as frustrating and painful.
“It was painful just doing the treatments our trainer, Scott (Shannon), had me doing and learning how to return from a lower leg injury because you have to know how to put weight on it again, to be able to cut and run,” he said.
“It was sore, but most of the time you have the off-season to care for it. This time, it was six weeks. I’m thankful, appreciative, feel very blessed I can play this year and hopefully everything goes right where I can contribute and help the team.”
Posey joined the Argos last season when the team was mired in a deep losing streak.
He practised with Ray and had the luxury of playing in Toronto’s final two regularseason games.
When Ray is on point, and he’s seldom off in terms of accuracy, all of his passes are catchable.
“That’s the easiest ball to catch,” said Posey when asked if there was any transition period following his extended injury absence. “The easiest ball to catch is the Ricky Ray ball.”
Posey was on the sideline when Calgary came to town earlier in the month. By the estimation of many CFL observers, the Stamps are the best team in the league.
One game Posey played late last season was in Calgary.
“They play well together,” Posey said, referring to Calgary’s secondary. “As a unit, they’ve been together for a long time. They have a winning formula.
“This is a good test for us to go up against a team that is playing its best. We’re taking it as a challenge playing one of the best teams. We want to go to Calgary, play our best together and see what happens.”
Argos head coach Marc Trestman has liked what he’s seen from Posey the past two days in practice.
“It looks like he’ll be ready to go,” Trestman said. “We saw in the first couple of games how he’s a real solid receiver, he loves to get deep, runs good intermediate routes, he’s a target we want to have on the field and we’re excited to have him back.”