Lions’ forecast calls for more Rainey
B.C.’s dynamic returner/running back wants more touches after signing deal through 2018
Wally Buono laughed. He knew what was coming from Chris Rainey.
“I hear it every week,” Buono, the B.C. Lions general manager and coach, said of word that return man/ running back Rainey was insisting he needs more touches every game. “I’m not surprised about it at all. “He keeps bugging me about it.” Rainey’s going to keep after him a little while longer, it would seem. The Lions announced Monday that Rainey, 28, who had one more year left on his contract, had inked an extension that keeps him in B.C. colours through the 2018 CFL campaign. Details were not announced. When asked about how much room he had for improvement, Rainey said, “If you ever saw me in high school, you’d know. The more I get the ball, the worse it gets for opponents.” “You’ve seen nothing yet.” All Rainey did in 2016 was lead the CFL in combined yards (2,945), including a league-best 1,359 yards in kick returns, along with a thirdranked 942 yards in punt returns as well as 252 yards in receiving and 309 yards in rushing. He was third in kick return (23.4) and punt return (13.9) averages.
His kick and punt return yardage were both the second-highest marks in Lions history.
His carries (36), catches (30) and returns (58 kick, 68 punt) worked out to 10 touches a contest over the 18-game regular season. He played nine games in 2015 for B.C. and averaged nearly 10 touches on six carries, eight catches, 27 kick returns, 48 punt returns total.
Where this goes next year for the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Rainey remains to be seen.
“There’s a lot of wear and tear on a returner and a lot of wear and tear on a running back,” said Buono. “We’re trying to find a balance with him. And when teams started kicking the ball away from him, that gave us a chance to give him more opportunities on offence.
“We don’t want to overwork him. We want him playing the full season.”
Buono said adding a year to his deal was to ensure continuity in the group and to excite the fan base. Rainey was instant offence this season for the Lions, considering his longest plays of the campaign: A 56-yard rush, a 30-yard reception, a 95-yard punt return, a 70-yard kick return and a 56-yard missed field goal return.
The University of Florida product got looks from the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals and spent time with the CFL rival Montreal Alouettes in 2014 before coming to the Lions midway through last year.
“I like the team, I like Vancouver and I like playing home games in a dome and never worrying about the weather,” said Rainey.
Among the next items on Buono’s agenda are working on contracts with the team’s pending free agents. Vancouver lists 24 of them with linebacker Solomon Elimimian the biggest name. Elimimian, 30, was named the CFL’s top defensive player this season after leading the league in tackles (129).
“He’s a priority, but free agency isn’t until Feb. 14,” said Buono.
Elimimian, who grew up in Los Angeles, was quoted last month as saying: “This is a special place for me, but as you know, a lot of this isn’t in my control. Would I like to be back? I’d like to be back. But it’s a business first and both parties have to want the same thing.”