Eskimos cut seven, including Corbin Sharun
Move follows pre-season 31-24 win over Riders
Five-year veteran safety and special teamer Corbin Sharun headlined the list of seven players that the Edmonton Eskimos released after Saturday’s first pre-season game.
Sharun, a 26-year-old local product, played 55 games for the Eskimos since joining the team in 2010 and made his name on special teams, where he made 77 tackles.
He reacted quickly to a broken play on a field-goal attempt in 2012 and made an offensive highlight reel as well, when he caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Matt Nichols against the Calgary Stampeders.
Sharun likely reported to camp with confidence. The Eskimos had extended him in the off-season, giving him a new contract on Dec. 12, 2014.
The other six cuts come as less of a surprise, given that they were all new faces in camp, trying to crack a roster that has many of its starters and depth spots laid out.
Returner and receiver Etauj Allen was the most predictable name on the list, given his butter fingers on Saturday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The 23-year-old from San Antonio showed promise with his speed, but fumbled twice, with the Eskimos losing possession on one. Allen rushed nine yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, but injured his left wrist and left the game.
The Eskimos topped the Riders 31-24 on Saturday night in Fort McMurray.
Offensive lineman David Griffin, running back Harold Mutobola, receiver/returner Eric Page, defensive end R.J. Roberts and defensive back Scott Williams were also released. Mutobola and Sharun were the only Canadian players cut.
The Eskimos had to get their roster number down to 65 players on Sunday (excluding non-counters such as draft picks who have yet to take the field in regular season) and will have to make their final cuts for Saturday. They’re in Vancouver on Friday for their final pre-season game, playing the B.C. Lions at the University of British Columbia campus.
GOAL FOR LIONS GAME : LESS FLAGS
Coaches and players across the league anticipated a lot of penalty calls in the preseason, but the flags flew as frequently Saturday night as mosquitoes did in the summery Fort McMurray sky.
“Unbelievable,” Eskimos head coach Chris Jones said on Saturday, when the mosquitoes re-assumed control of the sky.
“We’ve got to look at what we’re doing, got to see if we can’t coach it better.”
It will be a leaguewide challenge while everyone on the field adjusts to the rule changes introduced this season. The five-yard window for contact between receivers and defensive backs was a tough one, as was interior linemen staying stationary until the ball was kicked on punts.
“I think they want to call the new bump rule closely,” Jones said. “It wasn’t just our football team, it was theirs as well. Any time you have 50 or 60 penalties in a game that’s just absurd.”
The Eskimos were called 29 times for 225 yards. The Riders were flagged 26 times for an identical 225.