ALOUETTES GM REED DESERVES FULL MARKS FOR DRAFT STRATEGY
Trey Rutherford will never lift fans out of their seats at Molson Stadium. Let’s face it, nobody goes to Canadian Football League games to watch 6-foot-5, 312-pound offensive linemen.
Slowly but surely, however, Alouettes general manager Kavis Reed is doing his best to improve this misfit band of spare parts he inherited almost 18 months ago. Will it translate into a competitive team, one that improves on its 3-15 record in 2017?
There are many throughout the league who firmly believe the Als, still potentially without a legitimate option at quarterback, will struggle. But it has been a good week and a good winter, for Reed, who has used the mulligan he received as a rookie GM and will be expected to improve this team’s fortunes.
Rutherford, the hulking guard from the University of Connecticut selected second overall by Montreal in Thursday’s Canadian college draft, must be considered an excellent addition who will soon pay dividends. And, unlike many other highly-rated offensive linemen, he expressed his desire to play in Canada — not in the NFL.
The additions of Rutherford and veteran guard Ryan Bomben, acquired in a trade from Hamilton, mean the Als’ offensive line should be vastly improved — and that’s crucial considering the questions surrounding the team’s quarterbacks. Even with veteran Darian Durant behind centre last season, the mobile veteran frequently ran for his life.
“We had issues on the offensive line last year,” Reed said on Friday. “That’s probably an understatement. We just didn’t have the depth we needed to sustain the offensive-line ratio. We’ve taken the opportunity to really solidify our offensive-line depth. When Montreal was successful, it had four or five Canadian starters. We’re putting ourselves in position to be able to to that.”
If Rutherford doesn’t possess that wow factor, Bo Banner and Jean- Gabriel Poulin eventually might. Banner, a defensive end from Central Washington University, was selected by the Als in the third round (19th overall), while Poulin, who played linebacker for the Vanier Cupchampion Western Mustangs, went 23rd overall.
Banner was considered the draft’s top pass rusher. In 31 career games, he produced 74 tackles, 7.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Reed would like him to gain weight but, more importantly, he’ll allow the Als to retain their ratio, backing up Jamaal Westerman and Jesse Joseph.
Poulin, from St-Nicolas, will back up Henoc Muamba and Nicolas Boulay — who’s coming off a devastating torn knee ligament — at middle linebacker. Western head coach Greg Marshall told Reed that Poulin’s a leader who changed the team’s culture. He’s expected to immediately improve the Als’ special teams.
But one move, more than anything, on Thursday exemplified the lack of Canadian talent Montreal had last season. The Als traded one of their fourthround selections (34th overall) to British Columbia to get the Lions’ fifth- and sixth-rounders, (38th, 46th), providing Montreal with 10 overall choices.
They used those selections on Ryder Stone, a Dartmouth College running-back, and Toronto linebacker Paul Kozachuk, who both should provide specialteams depth this season.
“There was a gap in our selection process and there were still some quality players,” Reed explained. “We had to solidify our Canadian depth. You can have the numbers. It’s more about having the quality. There are guys we targeted in free agency to upgrade the quality. Now we have the depth factor to sustain injuries.
“Last year, guys knew they were going to be on the roster. It wasn’t a competition,” Reed said, providing a critique of what he inherited from the previous regime. “Having a competitive camp is critically important to having a team being as good as possible.”
It would have been nice had Reed secured an impact receiver — they haven’t had one since Ben Cahoon. And there were three available, Mark Chapman, Rashaun Simonise and Daniel Petermann. Chapman went first overall to Hamilton following Wednesday’s trade, but Reed said he was going to take Rutherford, regardless. Simonise went 12th overall to Winnipeg, while Petermann (26th) will join him with the Blue Bombers.
Reed said there was a disparity between the Als’ prospect grades and those provided by the CFL’s central scouting bureau. Not only does Montreal have Canadian receiver George Johnson, a 2016 draft pick who will be good, the Als could conceivably start four non-imports on defence. That means they could play five American receivers.
“We drafted based on need and building a quality core of Canadian depth. I feel strongly about our draft,” said Reed, who noted the team secured nine of its top-35 rated players. “You have to make certain you always have guys in the pipeline. If you have those guys, you also have to find a roster spot. You can’t put them all on the practice roster.
“If we didn’t get Bomben, we would have changed our strategy and probably drafted a receiver.”
Bomben’s headed into the final year of his contract. If he plays here only a year and then returns to Hamilton, that’s on Reed. If the second-round pick in 2019 the Als relinquished as part of the deal turns out to be the 10th overall choice, criticize Reed all you want. But, for now, give him his due.