Vancouver Sun

Newcomers scramble as linemen fall prey to injuries

Ex- Eskimo en route to camp, rookie guard holding his own after veteran starters bang up knees in practice

- MIKE BEAMISH mbeamish@vancouvers­un.com

KAMLOOPS — Two years ago, the B. C. Lions picked up an unwanted Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman, Joe McGrath, who helped the team rebound from a horrid 1- 7 start to qualify for CFL playoffs on the final week of the season.

The Lions reached out again Monday to another unemployed ex- Eskimo lineman, Patrick Kabongo, following injuries to guards Jesse Newman and Dean Valli on the first day of training camp.

Kabongo, an eight- year CFL veteran from Montreal, joined the Eskimos in 2004 from the University of Nebraska and was released in January of this year, his salary being a major factor. He was one of the highest- paid players on the Eskimos at the time.

Benched for what was deemed to be an excessive amount of holding calls during the 2011 season, Kabongo eventually played his way back into favour, however. And Eskimos head coach Kavis Reed referred to him as “our best offensive lineman” down the stretch as the Esks finished in a three- way tie with the Lions and Calgary Stampeders at 11- 7.

Kabongo, who turns 33 on June 27, was a CFL all- star in 2008, and Lions GM Wally Buono regards him as something more than a stop- gap player.

“I talked to Patrick in May, and we talked about this scenario,” Buono explained. “We talked about signing him, if we ran into injuries. We needed to have a veteran presence. He’s an aggressive player, good in the locker- room, and he has lots of experience.”

From the Lions’ perspectiv­e, the situation is not nearly as dire as it was in August of 2010 when McGrath first joined them. After all, they’re undefeated, going into the third day of training camp.

But when Newman and Valli went down, even before taking part in a scrimmage, Buono quickly had to put in a emergency call to his backup plan in Edmonton.

Newman, B. C.’ s starting left guard, has a history of knee problems and surgeries. He re- injured his problemati­c left knee in a conditioni­ng drill when he slipped on the wet, greasy turf at Hillside Stadium in the second of two practices on Sunday.

Valli, the starting right guard, later injured his knee in a one- on- one drill, but he is not expected to miss significan­t time.

“Jesse’s knee just slipped and buckled,” explained Lions medical trainer Bill Reichelt. “He’s had problems with that knee before. We’re probably sending him back [ to Vancouver] for an MRI.”

The spate of injuries to the veteran linemen has given extra work to rookie guard Matt Norman, who started working with the first- team offence right away as a replacemen­t for Valli.

Norman was the Lions’ third pick in the 2012 draft, 22nd overall, from Western Ontario.

“He’s taking a lot of reps, and he’s doing well,” said veteran guard Jon Hameister- Ries. “He’s dog- tired ... but he’s holding his own. This is all about opportunit­y, and I think he’s doing a good job.”

Hameister- Ries, whose career has been marred by a recurring series of injuries, replaced Newman at left guard with first unit for Monday’s practices.

 ?? MARK VAN MANEN/ PNG ?? Korey Banks stretches as Lions get in shape during the second day of training camp at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops.
MARK VAN MANEN/ PNG Korey Banks stretches as Lions get in shape during the second day of training camp at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops.
 ?? MARK VAN MANEN/ PNG ?? Rookie guard Matt Norman, filling in for injured veteran Dean Valli, catches his breath.
MARK VAN MANEN/ PNG Rookie guard Matt Norman, filling in for injured veteran Dean Valli, catches his breath.

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