Cluster of casualties testing Edmonton’s defensive depth
ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI
The few defensive backs still left competing in Edmonton Eskimos training camp are probably feeling a little blessed … and cursed.
A handful of job openings just became available with injuries to three veterans, but the way the DBs have been dropping they probably can’t help wondering who’s next.
Bad luck has cut a major swath through the Eskimos defensive backfield, with corner Patrick Watkins out since June 6 and starting safety Cauchy Muamba out for pretty much the entire camp. John Ojo is the most recent and serious casualty, with a ruptured Achilles tendon ending his season before it started.
“It’s a devastating injury for us as a franchise, we’re expecting a guy to come back from a strong year last year and be able to play a position for us,” said Eskimos head coach Jason Maas. “My heart goes out to John because I know how badly he wanted to play here.
“Now we have to look to the future in that position. Thankfully for us it happened in training camp where we have guys around who’ve been playing there.
“We’ve got some veterans back there and the young guys are just going to have to play, learn as they go.”
The situation has stretched Edmonton’s depth at the position to its limit, but the coaches are confident the remaining talent can withstand the sudden pressure.
“You keep moving, you keep plugging along, that’s what training camp is about, that’s what football is about,” said defensive backs coach Barron Miles. “We have to keep moving along, the next guy has to be ready to play.”
From the outside looking in, it would seem like these injuries have weakened the defence, but Miles doesn’t see it that way. He says they just changed the personnel.
“I don’t know if it weakens us because we don’t know what we have yet,” he said. “We have some young guys in here who can play and they’re doing a great job right now. The better man is going to play and win, they’re fighting for spots.
“It’s football. You have to love it. It can change at any minute.”
If you’re one of the remaining defensive backs, you have to be pretty excited about the unexpected opportunities.
“You’re very excited,” said Miles. “Opportunities don’t come around too often where you get veteran guys who are out or labouring around and you get a chance to really show your stuff and play.”
One thing the Esks have in their favour is that the rest of the defence is very strong and very experienced and can help with the slack. Nothing makes life easier for a defensive back than a QB who isn’t getting a lot of time.
“Pressure is a secondary’s best friend anyway, so with the front seven that we have we should be able to get pressure on most quarterbacks,” said Maas. “If that’s the case, the secondary will always be better.
“It’s a collective group effort. Defence is like that, you have to play well at all 12 guys to make it work. I have the confidence that we’ll get the job done.”