Esks add kicker, subtract another
Three left in picture as Edmonton signs Wilbur, releases Duval
Eric Tillman had an efficient Wednesday.
The Edmonton Eskimos general manager added a kicker to his roster in the afternoon, in import Eric Wilbur.
Before questions of a cluttered kicker picture could arise, Tillman simplified things by releasing kicker/ punter Damon Duval, who spent the 2011 season with the Eskimos after a six-year stretch with the Montreal Alouettes.
The Eskimos are now left with three kickers/punters in Derek Schiavone, Grant Shaw and Wilbur. There could still be a few alterations to the picture, though.
“Ultimately, the best thing management can do is to provide coaches with quality options and ratio flexibility,” Tillman said. “Then in training camp, based on performance and injury, the ratio options become much clearer when it’s decision-making time.”
Duval leaves the Eskimos after playing in all 18 games in 2011. While he has a cannon of a leg — his 47-yard punting average was second to Calgary Stampeders’ Burke Dales — he struggled with his accuracy. He made 23 of 34 of his field goal attempts and his 67.6 percentage was 11th in the Canadian Football League last year.
Money factored into Duval’s departure as well. He made in the range of $85,000 last season and it is believed that his contract would have had him crack into the $100,000 range this year. As an import coming back to the CFL after a year playing for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League, Wilbur likely signed for considerably less than what Duval would have made this season.
Shaw is a fit to play Duval’s role this year if head coach Kavis Reed elects to go with two kickers again, as he did late in the season in 2011. Schiavone proved to be a valuable add-on in that setting. He highlighted his season with a 27-yard field goal in the final minute of Edmonton’s 23-20 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Nov. 4.
“Via acquiring Grant Shaw, who led the CFL in kickoff average this past season (62.2 yards), we certainly have the ability to go with an allCanadian kicking combo of Derek and Grant if the coaches decide to go that route,” Tillman said.
Another option that Tillman presented was that of Shaw playing defensive back for Edmonton.
“Since he was a kickoff specialist with the (Toronto Argonauts), it’s easy to forget that he played on several of their cover units,” Tillman said of Shaw.
“And it’s easy to overlook that Grant was a very talented defensive back with the Saskatoon Huskies. In fact, (Eskimos head scout) Ed Hervey told me they were going to select Grant in the second round of the 2010 draft as a defensive back, but the Argos took him with the pick (11th overall) right before the Eskimos’ next choice,” Tillman said.
“Plain and simple, the young man is a football player, not just a kicker — and that’s why he was on several of the Argos cover teams. So, given his versatility, it really is quite possible to have Grant, Derek and Eric make our club. Regardless of what happens, our coaches should have quality options to choose from.”
Asked for his thoughts on Saskatoon group Credit Union Centre’s quest for a CFL team in its hometown, Tillman briefly said he liked Saskatchewan’s football situation the way that it currently is.
“The Riders have a very special place in that province and across our country. Consider me as a traditionalist who values how much that franchise means in so many ways, including our television ratings,” Tillman said.
“While I respect your question, our goal is to rebuild a championship tradition in Edmonton, so it’s best for me to focus on our team and our responsibility and let the good people of Saskatchewan debate the merits of having two teams.”
Tillman was the Riders GM from 2006-10 and won a Grey Cup with the team in 2007.
No place like home
With the Hamilton Tiger-cats releasing Edmonton-bred offensive lineman Simeon Rottier on Wednesday, Tillman is optimistic the 28-year-old would join his hometown team. Rottier, the first-overall pick in the 2009 draft, played for the University of Alberta Golden Bears and, according to TSN, is building a house in Edmonton.
“Earlier (on Wednesday) I had a good talk with Simeon’s agent, Darren Gill and Kavis (Reed) is going to meet with Simeon in the next day or two and give him a tour of our firstclass facilities,” Tillman said.
“We have certainly expressed our desire for Simeon to finish his career as an Eskimo, but nothing is imminent and I’m sure they’ll take their time and review all of Simeon’s options. That said, we have a bright future in Edmonton and we would love for Simeon to come back and be one of the building blocks as we re-establish that proud Eskimos tradition of success.”
Reaching back into his movie vault — or perhaps the Maurice Lloyd goto quote book — Tillman cited a famous movie line.
“While he’s in the decision-making process, we’ll definitely encourage Sim to watch that legendary movie,
and listen to one of the greatest lines in cinematic history — ‘There’s no place like home.’ ”