RETURNING TO ESKIMOS
Chambers part of Jones purge
Shamawd Chambers is happy to draw the dots and let others connect them.
But in the end, they form an arrow that pointed the Canadian receiver back home to the Edmonton Eskimos. Released on Jan. 27 after one season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Chambers didn’t have to wait until free agency opens on Feb. 14 to pursue employment.
In fact, he didn’t ask for it. Nor did he have any say in the matter. And there certainly had been no previous deal in the works to return to an Eskimos club that drafted him sixth overall in 2012.
That all just happened in the days leading up to Thursday’s announcement that Chambers was rejoining the team he spent his first four CFL seasons with.
“You want my honest opinion?” asked Chambers, whose last game in green and gold saw him named the top Canadian in the 2015 Grey Cup. “I had no idea. None, they just (released me). And all of the guys they released that day were my agent’s guys.”
The plot thickens, it seems, as Chambers was one of four soonto-be free agents released by Roughriders GM Chris Jones, along with quarterback Mitchell Gale, running back Curtis Steele and Canadian defensive lineman Dylan Ainsworth, all of whom are represented by Dan Vertlieb.
“And my agent sent Darian (Durant) to Montreal,” Chambers said of the veteran quarterback, who expressed disappointment in stalled contract negotiations with the Roughriders prior to having his rights traded to the Alouettes on Jan. 13. “So there was a little bit of ... “There was something there.” And while Chambers said it’s all water under the bridge now, it appears Saskatchewan’s loss is Edmonton’s gain.
“I got to talk (to other teams) when I wanted to, which is good. I didn’t want to go into free agency,” Chambers said, expressing his frustration with tampering rules barring teams from speaking with players prior to the conclusion of their contracts. “It’s terrible, they need to change it. I think it would be beneficial to be able to talk with your employers of what plan they have for you.
“So a lot of guys just go ahead and sign to teams and they don’t even know what they’re getting into until they’re there.”
Last off-season, Chambers was one of four Eskimos players who blindly followed Jones and the former Eskimos coaching staff to Regina once free agency opened, with another handful to come over the course of the season.
And, given their success going 26-10 with a Grey Cup during Jones’ two seasons in Edmonton, who could blame them?
“It was kind of tough at that point just because of everything I was coming off of to just not accept the position they were giving me,” Chambers said. “I did what I did. I don’t regret going to Regina. I think being in a different environment away from a lot of people that you’re used to really builds growth.
“I think I’ve grown a lot from being in a different place and experiencing life outside of Edmonton. Low and behold, I’m back.”
This time around, Chambers didn’t even have time to think about free agency following his sudden release from Saskatchewan, where the six-foot-three, 219-pound Sir Wilfrid Laurier product had 269 yards and a touchdown in 14 games last year.
“Immediately I heard from Edmonton. As soon as they got the news, they called me,” said Chambers, adding it was meant to be. “I always had this idea in the back of my head.
“It was a good situation and being here in Edmonton, it’s going to be exciting. I can’t wait to get back on the field, that’s mainly what I wanted to do.”
Also on Thursday, the Eskimos announced a contract extension for pending free agent defensive end Marcus Howard.
In just 11 games (eight starts) of an injury shortened 2016 season, the pass rusher earned 10 tackles and was tied for second on the team with seven sacks.
That pushes the career totals of the six-foot-one, 245-pound Georgia product to 76 tackles, 36 sacks and five forced fumbles in 63 games as he heads into his seventh CFL season, all with the Eskimos.
That leaves 14 players on the club’s roster who are set to become free agents at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, including running back Shakir Bell, Canadian receiver Devon Bailey and cornerbacks Patrick Watkins and John Ojo.
I had no idea. None, they just (released me). And all of the guys they released that day were my agent’s guys. SHAMAWD CHAMBERS