Homegrown talent
Pier-Olivier Lestage finally signs with Montreal Alouettes
MONTREAL — Pier-Olivier Lestage still believes he’s an NFL-calibre player.
But with training camps having recently started, and faced with the prospect of sitting around for at least another month before potentially fielding offers, the offensive lineman figured there no longer was any point looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Selected 10th overall by the Alouettes in the 2021 Canadian college draft, Lestage signed a multi-year contract on Sunday with Montreal. Lestage, who will probably play guard or centre in the CFL, has practised twice and believes he’ll be ready to be activated Thursday night, if required, when the Als host the undefeated Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Quarterback Trevor Harris was sacked five times last week at Hamilton, and the Als have now allowed 22 sacks this season — ahead of only Saskatchewan.
“We could have waited, but decided it was best for me to start playing football,” said Lestage, who was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in May 2021 and spent last season on the Seahawks’ practice roster. He was released on June 22.
“I was tired of waiting and I wanted to play,” he added. “It’s not like my (CFL) rights were with Winnipeg or Saskatchewan. It’s Montreal. It’s home. I wanted to stay home ... and it’s best for me to play.
“I could have signed something (in the NFL) and still be released weeks later. That would be three more weeks I’d be losing. The better decision’s to play and have fun.”
The six-foot-three, 310pound native of St-Eustache played collegiately at Université de Montréal under Danny Maciocia, now the Als’ general manager and interim head coach.
A highly touted prospect, he was an RSEQ first-team all-star and second-team all-Canadian in 2019, when the Carabins captured the Dunsmore Cup, advancing to the Vanier Cup.
While Lestage played in three exhibition games with the Seahawks, it has been almost a full year since he participated in a game. Nonetheless, he said spending a season on an NFL team’s practice roster was a worthwhile experience. Not only did he practise against starting defensive linemen, the Seahawks allow their PR players to travel on the road. Lestage said one NFL team — which he refused to identify — contacted his agent after his release.
“Of course it was hard from time to time because you’re kind of an afterthought,” he admitted. “You’re not playing, and you’re a football player. You’re not doing football to practice. Of course it’s hard mentally and physically. But it definitely was worth the experience ... spending time (with experienced players) just to know how football is, how they experienced it, what worked and didn’t.
“You learn in the meetings about defensive fronts, stunts and technically, everything, because you’re still practising. Coaches still give you (advice). You’re going against the best. You’re going to get better.”
Maciocia said he has remained in sporadic contact with Lestage since selecting the player, just so he was cognizant the organization’s interest hasn’t wavered. Maciocia said Lestage texted him last week, saying he was prepared to pursue his career in the CFL.
“It’s always good to have (Lestage) in an Alouettes uniform, regardless of what happened last week,” Maciocia said. “If it was up to me, I’d have had him here a few weeks ago. The fact he’s here is really good for us.”
Offensive-line coach Luc Brodeur-Jourdain said Lestage has picked up the playbook quickly, takes notes and asks cogent questions. He believes, with one more practice on Tuesday, Lestage will be ready to play this week, perhaps in a limited role.
“I really like his professional approach,” BrodeurJourdain said. “He’s ready to play. For him, it’s to adjust to the yard (off the ball) and get to know the personnel across the league. The learning curve’s there. Everything he does is with effort, strength and power.”