Elks drop Diggs, Lemon during day of deep cuts
Defenders Lemon, Diggs among players who will not be part of opening day roster
The cuts ran deep at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday, as the Edmonton Elks got a jump on finalizing their roster to open the 2021 Canadian Football League season ahead of Friday evening's deadline.
Having previously cut veteran receiver Kenny Stafford and fourth-year linebacker Kevin Brown II heading into the final week of training camp, the Elks followed up with some more big names Thursday, including veteran defensive end Shawn Lemon, who was brought into camp as a free agent, as well as outside linebacker Vontae Diggs — the team's 2019 nominee for most outstanding rookie.
“Very simple, is there are players that we felt outplayed them. Nothing more than that, nothing less than that,” said general manager Brock Sunderland. “We had some young rookie linebackers that came in that had tremendous camps and we felt that they played better.
“And same on the defensive line, we have two other American defensive ends that we thought played better than Shawn. And it's not that they're bad football players, it's a good problem to have with a pro football team during training camp — when you have some younger guys you think are a little bit better. Both Vontae and Shawn are very good football players and they're great people.”
After cancelling the regularly scheduled practice on the second-last day of training camp Thursday morning, the Elks brass spent the day informing those players who made it and those who didn't, releasing a total of 16, while moving 17 to what will be an expanded practice roster throughout the shortened 2021 season.
“Vontae was as classy and professional as he could have been,” said head coach Jaime Elizondo. “Vontae brings an energy to the room, he always lights it up. He did a great job leading the young guys. One of the most high-character guys that we have, so that made the decision that much tougher.
“But he was professional, classy, treated it the right way. I know it's hard on him. But he couldn't have handled it any better. Any time any player gets cut, that's difficult.”
Other returning players from 2019 include safety Jordan Beaulieu and fullback Peter Cender, while receiver Kenny Shaw has been in the league since 2015, playing with Toronto, Ottawa and Saskatchewan.
As for Lemon, who has 70 career sacks to his credit, the 32-year-old pass-rush specialist was criticized earlier in camp by Elizondo for having an inconsistent effort in drills. Meanwhile, sophomore Canadian defensive end Mathieu Betts rose to a starting role.
Thaddeus Coleman, a late addition to camp after a string of offensive tackles were lost due to either retirement or injury, was also cut.
“Been a great time giving it a good run back in Edmonton, but it wasn't meant to be,” tweeted Coleman, who was making his third stop with the club in the city where he and his wife make their home. “Thank you, Edmonton, for everything. Still got love for ya.”
It's a day neither the coaching staff or management were taking lightly.
“We're not in the football business, we're ultimately in the people business,” Elizondo said. “So, if you really care about the players, their success, their families, it is hard. It's hard to look a guy in the face and say, `We have to move on from you.'
“That's always tough, but again, that's the nature of the business and I think everybody understands that.”
In 'n' out: Word around Commonwealth is Sirvincent Rogers will start the season on the onegame injured list. While the type of injury hasn't been specified, he is considered week-to-week. The CFL'S 2015 most outstanding offensive lineman didn't practise over the past two weeks of camp, along with second-year OT Kyle Saxelid, who were both pencilled in as starters coming into camp. Rogers has yet to play a down with Edmonton after requiring season-ending triceps surgery from an injury sustained shortly after arriving for training camp in 2019.
“We've got some guys that might be a week to two weeks, maybe. We're a little dinged up just like every other team,” Sunderland said. “It was a long camp and a lot of these players haven't done anything for a couple years, so it's a lot to go from training to this. We've got some long-term guys that are going to be out for the year in (OT) Colin Kelly and (Oludotun) Aketepe, a rookie defensive back.”
St. Mary's offensive lineman Peter Kourtis was placed on the club's suspended list.