Receiver Bailey vows to take chance with Alouettes
Devon Bailey understands the grace period’s over. Three years after being a firstround pick in the Canadian college draft, the time has come for the receiver to produce.
“That goes back to what I wanted from myself. I don’t want to disappear in this league,” Bailey said Tuesday, following the Alouettes’ late-afternoon training camp practice at Bishop’s University. “That’s what happens to Canadians. Then they fall off or get complacent.
“The last three years haven’t been what I’ve wanted. But the hunger in me has not subsided, whatsoever. My story definitely didn’t end here. It didn’t end in Edmonton. It’s starting all over again.”
Bailey, a 6-foot-5, 202-pound specimen from Mississauga, Ont., appeared to be a can’t-miss prospect when the Edmonton Eskimos selected him sixth overall in 2014. He produced decent, if unspectacular, numbers over four years at St. Francis Xavier, catching 87 career passes for 1,160 yards and six touchdowns.
The Eskimos and Ed Hervey, their former general manager, were undoubtedly impressed with Bailey’s size, knowing that’s an intangible that can’t be coached.
But the potential wasn’t realized in Edmonton. In 39 games, Bailey has only caught 33 passes for 469 yards, scoring two touchdowns. There were injuries to his knee and groin. The Eskimos won a Grey Cup in 2015, but Bailey got lost in the shuffle. And then head coach Chris Jones left for Saskatchewan.
“Personally, I’ve done nothing I wanted to do,” said Bailey, still only 25. “The expectation was never just to win a Grey Cup. The goal was to be one of the best. Have I hit that point? No. Have I shown I could potentially be (dominant)? Yeah. But personally, I’m not proud of myself. I want to do more.
“I haven’t done anything in this league, from yards to touchdowns. I haven’t done anything I wanted to. I wanted to come into this league and shut it down. It was to be one of the best receivers in this league and to leave my mark. The fact I haven’t done that yet kind of made me feel it was time to change. Something needed to give.”
The Als announced the signing of Bailey, a free agent, on April 20 — but the addition got lost in the shuffle later that day when S.J. Green was traded to the Toronto Argonauts, and with the Canadiens in the midst of their openinground playoff series against the New York Rangers.
Bailey and his American-based agent, Johnathon Hardaway, were negotiating with the Eskimos. But then the organization shockingly fired Hervey slightly more than a month before the start of training camp. Bailey’s interest in returning to Edmonton went south. At the same time, the Als and new GM Kavis Reed were proactive in their pursuit.
Bailey’s guaranteed a base salary of $84,000 this season. Playing time could increase his contract an additional $9,000.
“I felt (Montreal) gave me a fair shot. I felt I’d be able to do what I couldn’t in Edmonton — which was produce on offence,” Bailey said. “I felt this would be the best opportunity. Kavis played a huge role. He was adamant about me coming out here. That made it seem more welcoming.”
In transforming a team that has missed the Canadian Football League playoffs two straight seasons, Reed made it clear many areas required significant upgrades.
“Devon is going to hopefully start a trend for us, getting bigger, athletic, highly skilled (non-import) receivers,” Reed said. “Guys that are extremely big targets, that were reliable and consumed a lot of space.
“After three years in the league, I truly believe Devon’s time has come to blossom and flourish. It usually takes receivers about that time. Now that he has had a few years in the league and understands concepts, his skill-set will start to really show.”
Bailey has good speed for a receiver his size. He moves well and catches the ball with some consistency. Like other players new to Jacques Chapdelaine’s complex offensive system, the learning curve has been steep for him.
“When he becomes more comfortable with that, we’ll see more of his skill-set,” the head coach said.
Bailey likely would have made the Als’ roster regardless, as the team is seeking a Canadian receiver to back up veteran Samuel Giguère. But Giguère has missed a large portion of the workouts with a hamstring injury and is one of numerous veterans who won’t accompany the team to Toronto for Thursday night’s opening exhibition game.
That has further opened the door for Bailey. And he plans on entering the room with both feet.
“At some point you have to put that on yourself. You have to take some ownership,” Bailey said.
“Obviously I was putting something in the coaches’ eyes. I showed I wasn’t ready to do anything. That’s not pointing fingers. Personally, I know I can do more. That kind of played a factor in me coming here. I feel I can do that here.
“I’ll give the Als everything I’ve got. That’s dominance all around. I can complement these quarterbacks, these other receivers. I just want to show them I’m still here. I’m only going to make noise. This story’s just starting for me.”