DEPALMA TRYING NFL
Riders receiver working out with NFL team.
Saskatchewan Roughriders assistant general manager Jeremy O’Day confirmed Friday that NFL teams have shown interest in one of the Roughriders’ receivers.
And no, it wasn’t Weston Dressler.
O’Day told a media gathering at Mosaic Stadium that wide receiver Dan DePalma — who appeared in just three games with Saskatchewan during the 2014 CFL season — has been offered a workout with an unidentified NFL team.
“There have been some other calls on some other guys, but at this time, we don’t have any knowledge of those guys going to work out or any contracts being offered or anything like that,” O’Day said.
“Right now, it’s just Dan that’s working out.”
O’Day declined to say which NFL teams had called about which Roughriders players.
DePalma had NFL stints with the New York Jets, New York Giants and San Diego Chargers before signing with the Roughriders in June. In spot duty with Saskatchewan, the 25-year-old product of Verona, N.J., had six catches for 161 yards and a touchdown.
“The interesting thing with Dan is that when he had an opportunity, he did make plays for us — and he made big plays for us,” O’Day said. “We think highly of Dan. We thought highly of him before the season and for whatever reason we weren’t able to get him on the field as much as we would have liked to.
“During those times when he had an opportunity, he did well. I can assure you that the NFL has watched the tape from this year and, in those limited games, it was enough to spark their interest in him.”
O’Day admitted it was “definitely interesting” that DePalma had garnered a look from the NFL instead of other Roughriders receivers — including Dressler.
Saskatchewan released Dressler before the 2014 free-agent deadline so that he could sign with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He went to their training camp and played in the NFL pre-season, but ultimately failed in his bid to crack the Chiefs roster.
His release prompted a bidding war in the CFL, but he chose to resign with the Roughriders.
He played in nine regular-season games and a playoff contest, but didn’t enliven the Saskatchewan offence as much as had been expected.
Dressler is eligible to file for free agency in February and there was some speculation that he would try again to make an NFL team.
O’Day isn’t so sure that will happen.
“I don’t want to speak for Weston, but I don’t know if that’s something that he’s overly looking at at this time,” O’Day said.
“We’re in discussions with all of our guys and talking to their agents on where they stand. But as far as an update on him, I don’t think at this time that (the NFL) is something that he’s looking at.”
There also had been suggestions that Regina-born offensive tackle Ben Heenan would look south when he becomes a free agent in February.
O’Day noted that he had an exit interview with Heenan after the 2014 season and during that chat the starting right tackle indicated he hadn’t even thought about the NFL.