STAMP OF APPROVAL
Former Redblack adds strength and potential sacks to defensive line
Riders trade for Campbell
Defensive end Justin Capicciotti has already made a big hit with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Shortly after meeting with the media Thursday, Capicciotti and receiver Shamawd Chambers slammed together in a massive embrace in the Roughriders’ lockerroom at Mosaic Stadium. Capicciotti and Chambers, who were teammates with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2012 and 2013, were reunited Thursday after signing with the Riders as CFL free agents.
Capicciotti’s signing was officially announced Thursday. The national defensive end joins the Riders after spending the previous two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks. The signing of Chambers, who spent his first four CFL seasons with the Eskimos, was announced Wednesday.
“It feels great and I’m happy to be here,’’ said Capicciotti, 26. “I’m excited to get things started.’’
The reunion isn’t limited to Capicciotti and Chambers. The Riders recently signed international defensive end Shawn Lemon, who recorded five sacks and three forced fumbles in nine regular-season games with Ottawa in 2015. Capicciotti, who dressed for 17 regular-season games, led the Redblacks with 12 sacks — the third-highest total in the league — while chipping in 47 defensive tackles.
Lemon had four defensive tackles and a sack and Capicciotti added five defensive tackles in Ottawa’s 26-20 loss to the Eskimos in the 2015 Grey Cup game. Capicciotti and Lemon were also teammates on the 2012 Eskimos.
“Those guys are good players and they are definitely going to do some really good work here,’’ Chambers said. “Everyone should definitely be excited about the future.’’
Lemon played a role in Capicciotti signing with the Riders.
“I’ve been actually talking to Shawn a lot during this process,’’ Capicciotti said. “He has been throwing his recruiting pitch at me as well. It’s good that we’re back on the same team again.’’
So what can the Rider Nation expect from Lemon and Capicciotti in 2016?
“Hopefully lots of sacks,’’ Capicciotti said with a chuckle.
The impact of Capicciotti’s signing will be felt along the whole defensive line. The Riders are in position to rotate Capicciotti, Lemon and Dylan Ainsworth, a national free agent who re-signed with the Riders on Tuesday, at defensive end.
They are also looking at playing internationals Tearrius George and Caesar Rayford at defensive tackle. Nationals Brandon Tennant, Rory Connop and Tim Agbaje, all of whom are heading into their second seasons with the Riders, could see action as backups.
“This allows time for Tennant, Connop and Agbaje to get their feet wet in the CFL rather than just being thrown into the fire,’’ John Murphy, the Riders’ assistant vicepresident of football operations and player personnel, said Thursday. “I thought in the second half of the season that you saw Connop and Agbaje doing some good things because the game wasn’t as fast and it started slowing down. (Signing) Capicciotti improves our depth and we’re getting is another young player in his prime.’’