Redblacks snag some new receivers
Redblacks have 16 receivers in fold, competition already getting fierce
Will money buy some offensive happiness for the Ottawa Redblacks in 2015?
The team spent heavily on their passing game during the offseason, adding four free agent receivers and acquiring a fifth in a trade. There are currently 16 pass-catchers in mini-camp and the competition for jobs is already apparent.
“They have made a lot of moves and there’s a lot of good football players here,” wide receiver Matt Carter said after Tuesday’s session at TD Place stadium. “But, at the same time, there were a lot of good football players here last year and we took a lot of flak as a group.
“There’s some guys that proved that they can do some good things, so we’re all just here competing and having fun back on the football field.”
One of the newcomers actually has a lot of previous experience playing football at Lansdowne Park, but that was when the facility was Frank Clair Stadium and when Brad Sinopoli was a star quarterback with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
Now a wide receiver with four Canadian Football League seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, Sinopoli has been in Ottawa since the new year completing his U of O degree in human kinetics. He said his perception was that fans were more than happy about the flurry of acquisitions.
“We signed a lot of great players and a lot of explosive players,” he said. “It’s exciting to play with these guys. I think people and fans are excited that they’re going to have some playmakers this year and hopefully have exciting things happen on offence.”
Besides Sinopoli, the Redblacks signed Ernest Jackson and Greg Ellingson as free agents, all of which followed the January trade that brought Maurice Price from Calgary and before the early April signing of former rookie of the year Chris Williams.
Other newcomers in mini-camp — Price has been excused from the voluntary workouts less than two weeks after he was married in Florida — include Michael Campbell and Lanear Sampson from the
We signed a lot of great players and a lot of explosive players. It’s exciting to play with these guys.
United States and unsigned Yannick Morin-Plante of Drummondville, Que.
The rest of the roster includes L.J. Castile, who was a practiceroster member in 2014 and Eric Fraser, who was a defensive back and special-teams regular. Six receivers from Year 1 have returned.
“We have more depth at receiver and we have more depth on our football team, which is very noticeable,” said head coach Rick Campbell, whose team was dogged by offensive woes in winning just two of 18 contests in 2014.
“A year ago at Richmond (last year’s mini-camp site), we had a core group of good players, but not a lot of depth.
“Now we have more depth and some good athleticism out here, and it’s always a good sign when you have enough good guys that you have to make a tough decision.”
The offseason splurge on receivers, plus the signing of offensive tackle SirVincent Rogers, means that Henry Burris will be expected to generate more than 3,728 passing yards and 11 touchdowns with this year’s group of receivers.
Burris, in the CFL since 1997 and who will turn 40 during training camp, said he’s not worried about pressure to perform.
“Look at all the weapons that we have,” he said. “You can’t be anything but excited about this moment and the opportunity that we have.”
There’s one more practice in mini-camp — Wednesday from 9 to 11:50 a.m.; open to the public — for quarterbacks, receivers and linemen to familiarize themselves with the system introduced by new offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas. Rookies will return for training camp May 27, with veterans following a few days later.
CAMP NOTES
Sinopoli sat out the end of Tuesday’s practice and appeared to be icing his left collarbone, which he broke last fall ending his 2014 season. He said it was sore, but nothing serious.
On the sidelines for the full session was defensive lineman Jonathan Williams. In Campbell-speak, Williams was “nicked up” and held out as a precaution.