Injuries give other players a chance
Alexandre makes his CFL debut Friday
Patience is obviously a virtue of Gregory Alexandre.
The 29-year-old defensive tackle has never played a Canadian Football League game since he was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts in 2011.
“I’ve waited for the chance for like three years, so I’m going to be ready,” said Alexandre, who will make his CFL debut at 8 p.m. Friday against the expansion Ottawa Redblacks at Commonwealth Stadium.
Alexandre will replace the injured Don Oramasionwu in the Edmonton Eskimos’ three-man interior linemen rotation with fellow Canadian Eddie Steele and 2013 CFL all-star Almondo Sewell.
“I want to prove to Coach (Chris) Jones that I can play a CFL game,” said Alexandre, who spent the 2011 season on the Argos’ practice roster, last season on the Eskimos’ practice roster, and was cut in Toronto’s training camp in 2012.
“Greg is going to get a shot to see what he can do, so I’m looking forward to watching him play,” said defensive line coach Ed Philion, who needs a Canadian on the D-line (in addition to safety Chris Rwabukamba) so the Esks can put 10 international players on defence.
“I remember when I first started in the NFL, I was that guy,” Philion continued. “I was a bubble guy, the second guy, the backup. So you’ve got to make sure you take advantage of your opportunities when they come, because they don’t come around very often.”
Oramasionwu, 28, was lost for the season with a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee when he stepped awkwardly while running during Friday’s 28-24 victory over the Hamilton TigerCats.
“Not only is Don a good player and a veteran guy who has been around, being a Canadian, you just can’t go out and pick those guys up off the street,” said Philion. “We’ll adapt and adjust, and now it’s someone else’s opportunity.”
Another injury Friday — right tackle Thaddeus Coleman is sidelined indefinitely with a dislocated right elbow — may have also opened the door for six-foot-four, 314-pound offensive lineman D’Anthony Batiste to play his first CFL game.
After being released in training camp in 2006, the now 32-year-old Batiste spent time with several NFL teams — starting 14 of his 37 games — before returning to Edmonton this year. Once again, he didn’t make the active roster, but this time, the Eskimos kept him in town on the one-game injured list.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s an opportunity for everybody to step up as a unit and pick up the slack,” said Batiste, who worked with the first offensive line in Monday’s practice.
“That way, we don’t miss a beat. That’s the main thing, just stepping in there and being able to contribute to keep this team going.”
Offensive lines often take time to jell as a unit, but Batiste said he is already comfortable with his linemates because of all the time he spent alongside guards Andrew Jones and Simeon Rottier in training camp.
“I’ve played next to them, we communicate very well, and that’s one thing that’s very positive,” Batiste said.
Offensive line coach Jonathan Himebauch said Coleman was hit on the arm during a scrum for a loose ball on Edmonton’s 13th offensive play Friday.
“He seemed very optimistic, so we’re excited that he feels like he’ll be back quickly,” Himebauch said.
The six-foot-eight, 320-pounder played all 18 games at left tackle last year but shifted to the right side this season.
Matt O’Donnell, who started eight games at left guard and 10 games at right tackle last year, came off the bench to replace Coleman
“Matt jumped in and did a good job,” Himebauch said. “He’s had to be a very versatile player in our offence right now. He’s had to play both tackle spots, both guard spots, and against their defensive package, he provided a service that graded out very well this last week in the game.”
O’Donnell, 6-foot-11 and 340 pounds, admitted to being “a tad bit rusty” his first couple of plays.
“You’ve got to be able to play right away, any position,” he said. “I always make sure to study every position on the O-line just so I know. I might play centre next week and somewhere else the next week.”
Veteran defensive halfback Marcell Young and rookie kick-returner Patrick Robertson (left knee) were also injured Friday and are considered “iffy” by Jones to play against Ottawa. If they’re out of the lineup, that’s six starters hurt in the first two games. Safety Ryan Hinds and defensive back Robert Sands were placed on the six-game injured list after the season opener with the B.C. Lions. EXTRA POINTS: The Eskimos signed wide receiver L.J. Castile and defensive back Markus Smith to the practice roster on Monday.