Riders’ veterans expect big things from rebuilt defence
Changes are coming to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence and that’s a good thing.
Those sentiments were expressed by defensive end Willie Jefferson and middle linebacker Henoc Muamba when they were asked about the recent defensive additions to the CFL team.
“It’s been amazing seeing all of the transitions and transactions that have been happening in the off-season,’’ Muamba said during the inaugural CFL Week in Regina. “(Head coach and general manager) Chris Jones and the front office have been doing a good job of bringing in guys that we need and adding to the pieces that we need to be successful this upcoming season.”
Jones turned his attention to one of the league’s worst defences after the 2016 season by signing defensive backs Justin Cox and Ed Gainey and defensive ends Jonathan Newsome and Ivan Brown to contract extensions. Jones later re-signed defensive end Willie Jefferson, who was eligible to test free agency.
Since the Feb. 14 free-agent deadline, Jones has added safety Marc-Olivier Brouillette, linebacker Glenn Love, defensive tackle Eddie Steele and defensive lineman Zach Minter in addition to re-signing safety Jeff Hecht.
“I like the changes we’ve made and the pickups that we’ve got from free agency,” Jefferson said. “We got Brouillette (from the Montreal Alouettes) and Eddie from Edmonton. (Steele) was a good one, because he knows the defence after having been in Jones’ system, plus we also have a little chemistry. I’m looking forward to the defence getting together and getting the game plan down.”
Jefferson is familiar with Steele because they were teammates with the Eskimos in 2014 and 2015. Jones was Edmonton’s head coach at the time.
“Eddie is going to contribute to the team in a big way,” Jefferson said. “He knows the defence, he’s experienced in the CFL, and he’s a really good defensive tackle. It really helps for the defensive line to have that push from the middle.”
Steele, who hails from Winnipeg, will help the Riders’ international/ national ratio. The Riders could start at least three national players on defence — Steele, Muamba and Brouillette.
Muamba and Jefferson were both October additions to the Riders’ defence in 2016. Jefferson signed after missing the first 13 regular-season games while trying to land a job in the NFL. Muamba also joined the Riders after being cut in the NFL pre-season by the Dallas Cowboys.
Jones signed the pair with an eye toward improving the defence in 2017.
What you can expect from the Saskatchewan defence this year is a lot of energy, intensity, physicality, speed, noise and all-out effort.
“What you can expect from the Saskatchewan defence this year is a lot of energy, intensity, physicality, speed, noise and all-out effort,” Jefferson said.
“I know that coach Jones will have us right when it comes down to the first pre-season game and the first regular-season game.’’
The Riders expect big things from their trio of international defensive ends: Jefferson, Newsome and A.C. Leonard, who tied for the team lead with five sacks in 2016. Jefferson had three sacks (in five games) and Newsome recorded two.
“You can expect a lot of noise and a lot of trash talking to the offensive linemen,” Jefferson said. “Our motors don’t stop because I feed off them and they feed off me. In those last couple of games, I never looked over and didn’t think they were giving it their all. It was always a race to the quarterback.”