Two QBs enough for Tiger-Cats

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will likely dress only two quarterbacks for the rest of the season, rather than the three permitted by CFL roster rules.

That’s a rare approach in a league where three quarterback spots are protected on the 46-man active roster and a roster spot at another position is not freed up when a quarterback is dropped.

So, with that uncommon decision, the Ticats don’t gain any game-day roster advantage.

But they do gain a salary-cap advantage. By moving No. 3 quarterback Bryant Moniz to the practice roster where players are paid less, the team will save cap space they can utilize elsewhere. That would most likely be at wide receiver where they’ve been hammered by injuries: season-enders to Chris Williams and Jalen Saunders; and game-togame status for Brandon Banks, who’s missed two straight weekends, and Terrence Toliver who was hurt Saturday night in B.C.

Head coach June Jones confirmed to The Spec he plans to dress only two QBs — starter Jeremiah Masoli and his backup Dane Evans — for the last five games of the regular season. Should both top pivots be injured in the same game, receiver Felix Faubert-Lussier, who is also the backup kicker, would go under centre. He was the No. 3 QB in B.C. Saturday night.

“I told Faubie we’d get him a package (of plays),” Jones said.

“And Luke (Tasker) also knows all the plays and where everybody is on the field.”

Most NFL teams use only two active QBs and Ticats’ research shows in the last four CFL seasons, in less than one per cent of games has a third QB had to play due to injury to the other two.

If he’s on the field, it’s usually been for short-yardage situations or as the holder on field goals, neither of which apply to Moniz. Tasker is the holder, with Evans filling in when he’s been hurt, and Masoli has generally worked short-yardage downs himself.

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Wide Terrence Toliver was on the field Tuesday, but didn’t work out. He’s still under concussion protocol after a late hit in B.C. and will be monitored during the week.

Brandon Banks, who’s missed the past two games with a groin pull, took part in the full practice and Jones is optimistic he’ll play in Saturday’s return match at home against the Lions.

Tuesday’s team drills were conducted at a jogging pace but during regular-speed individual drills Banks “looked like he was full go,” Jones said.

If he and Toliver are out, Marquay McDaniel could come off the practice roster. Jones liked the way returner/receiver Bralon Addison played in Vancouver.

Defensive tackle Jason Neill, who injured his hamstring during a touchdown-saving tackle on Chris Rainey’s missed field goal return in overtime, is not likely to play. Nikita Whitlock, who did not play would take his place.

Defensive end Jamaal Westerman is day-to-day with a sprained ankle.

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Jones reaffirmed his faith in kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, after the still-resonating decision to have him punt for a single, and an eight-point lead, late in Saturday’s OT loss to B.C. rather than trying a field goal which, if successful, would have put the game out of reach.

“He’s made all the pressure kicks that we’ve had to have,” Jones said. “He hasn’t been consistent on some of the others but when we’ve had to have it at the end of the game, he’s been productive. “It (deciding against a field goal) was more than I was looking at the returns. (Rainey) is electrifying. And I had confidence in our D that they wouldn’t go the length of the field.”

Assistant head coach Orlondo Steinauer, who was part of the discussion on punt vs. field goal, agreed with Jones’ assessment that the defence would hold.

“They made some big plays against us at the end,” said Steinauer, who was in the spotters’ booth.

“That decision didn’t lose the game, but I get it, some people think the glass is half-empty, some half -full. There’s no right opinion here. This was a collective thing. If the question is, ‘Was I on board with the decision?’ the answer is, 100 per cent.’”