Redblacks aim to get `right pieces in place'
GM confident team taking field this year will be better than one fans saw in 2019
A big question for RNation — one that will play out over the coming days, weeks and months: Will the Ottawa Redblacks be better than they were in 2019?
The answer — about a team that won just three football games two long years ago — from Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins is simple: “Yes.”
“When you put it all together — players, coaches, everything — yes,” Desjardins said. “You never know until you play against somebody else. We're aiming for that first game, and hopefully we get there with the right pieces in place.”
Asked if the team had enough talent on the offensive side of the ball to win games, Desjardins said: “Our offence will progress. Just look at the scrimmage the other day, they were clicking pretty good, whereas in the practices, the defence was really taking it to them. It's coming along, the offence has taken the next stride and I think that will continue to happen over the last half of camp.”
What you see may not be what you get anyway. It wouldn't be surprising to see several experienced players around the league get released in the final roster cut-down — July 30 — as teams look for savings on salary. The Redblacks, who lost well-paid offensive lineman Alex Mateas and receiver Brad Sinopoli to retirement in the days leading into camp, will have some financial flexibility to add.
Said Desjardins: “We're certainly not against that, we can make that work, for sure. Maybe it's two, three or four guys, who knows?”
The Redblacks said goodbye to nine football players on Monday. Released were offensive linemen Daniel Omara (Carleton) and Kai Absheer, receivers Marvelle Ross and Shannon Smith, defensive linemen James Crawford and Johnny Dwight, defensive backs Denzel Johnson and Jocquez Kalili, and linebacker Lakiem Williams. There will be more cuts later this week, with running back Justin Davis and offensive linemen Jack Kramer and Nick Buchanan expected to come out of quarantine and off the suspended list.
“In a couple of instances, guys were hurt and weren't able to practise, and weren't going to be able to practise for an extended period of time,” Desjardins said. “So there was no sense in keeping those guys around. These guys have all been waiting for a long time to get back on the field. And within these 10 days, we have to take that opportunity away from them. It's unfortunate for them, but they know it's part of the business.”
The team still has four quarterbacks in camp: Matt Nichols, Dominique Davis, Taryn Christian and Caleb Evans. The latter two, both rookies, have impressed.
“They show a lot, they keep getting better,” Desjardins said. “The hardest part is we won't have those pre-season games to have a better gauge (on where the QBs stand), but it's the same for everybody. We would have liked to have the fifth (quarterback) when we had Chase Litton (on the roster), but he wasn't healthy enough.”
It looks like Timothy Flanders has a hold on the starting running-back spot. Two of his competitors — Brendan Gillanders and Detrez Newsome — have been nicked up, while another, Akeem Hunt, left the Redblacks and returned home to the U.S. A door may be open for Davis, who rushed for 2,465 yards and 19 touchdowns in four years at USC and spent time with the L.A. Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
“He's a bigger body (six-footone, 199 pounds). We like what we've seen on film,” Desjardins said. “Hopefully he's had his nose in the playbook and can hit the ground running.”
Asked if he had any roster concerns, Desjardins said: “Injuries. We have a lot of offensive linemen who aren't practising — that's hard. Receivers — hamstrings are straining, there are some slight pulls. It's a challenge. Guys get hurt and other players have to suck up more reps, that puts more strain on them.”