After losing two more defensive backs in Saturday’s loss to the Calgary Stampeders, the Edmonton Eskimos have had to go out in the market this week for reinforcements.
On Tuesday, the club announced the signings of defensive backs Ahmad Dixon and Devin Smith and followed that up Wednesday with the signing of another defensive back, A.J. Jefferson.
Jefferson is 29 years old, 6’0″, 200 pounds and and brings a great deal of experience to the Eskimos secondary. This is his third CFL season after spending four seasons and playing 43 NFL games with Minnesota and Arizona.
After two solid years in Toronto, Jefferson was a sought-after free agent last off-season and signed with the Ottawa Redblacks where he played only two games before being released. On Aug. 30, Jefferson was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders and later released Sept. 11 without playing in a game.
Jefferson had four tackles in two games played this season and has 95 career tackles in 32 games with six interceptions.
In the last four games, the Eskimos defensive backfield has been decimated with injuries. Brandyn Thompson, Arjen Colquhoun, and Josh Woodman are all on the six-game injured list along with Mercy Maston, who was added this week after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in the warm up of Saturday’s game with Calgary.
Garry Peters is likely also headed to the six-game injured list. He left Saturday’s game early and was on the sidelines at the end of the game on crutches.
The only good news for the Eskimos is that safety Neil King and and DB Johnny Adams have been practicing this week and appear ready to return; King from the six-game and Adams from the one-game where he has been for the last two weeks.
The 7 and 4 Eskimos will be dragging a four-game losing streak with them to Toronto this weekend where they play the 4 and 7 Argos on Saturday afternoon.
Game time is 2 p.m. with pre-game coverage on 630 CHED starting at 12:30 p.m.
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