As the Riders get set to open training camp on Sunday, May 29th in Saskatoon, we preview the battles at each position on offense, defense and special teams. We previously reviewed the offense here and now, we wrap it up with a closer look at the defense and special teams.
Defense:
Defensive Line:
– Lose two big names in John Chick and Alex Hall, so replace them with two other big names. That’s exactly what the Riders did when they signed free agents Shawn Lemon (age 27, 6’2″, 251 lbs) and Justin Capicciotti (age 26, 6’3″, 235 lbs) this off-season. Chick is 33 and Hall is 30, so the Riders picked up two new defensive ends, who are not only younger, but are still on the upside of their career. Lemon had 13 tackles and six sacks in nine games last year with Ottawa. while his teammate Capicciotti had 43 tackles and 12 sacks. Oh, and Capicciotti holds a pretty valuable Canadian passport.
– Sticking with the defensive ends, the Riders brought in another big name earlier this month, as they announced the signing of former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Eric Norwood (age 28, 6’3″, 255 lbs). In three seasons, the South Carolina product had 123 tackles and 24 sacks. He was an East Division All-Star in 2014 but suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs last year, so he will still be on the mend when the Riders open training camp this weekend.
– Markus White (age 28, 6’4″, 263 lbs) is back for his third season with the Riders. In 10 games last year (three starts), White collected 15 tackles, one sack, and a blocked punt. White has been on and off the roster in the past few years and with the depth the Riders have, he might be relegated to backup once again.
– Canadians Levi Steinhauer (age 25, 6’3″, 235 lbs) and Dylan Ainsworth (age 23, 6’3″, 232 lbs) are back for another season and will be mainstays on special teams. These two represent draft success, as Steinhauer was a 5th round pick in 2013 and Ainsworth was a 2nd round pick in 2014. Two guys who always have their motor going.
– Moving to the inside, the Riders will also have a new look here. Tearrius George retired and both Derek Walker and 2015 draft pick Brandon Tennant were cut this off-season.
– The front runners to be starting tackles are Corvey Irvin (age 31, 6’2″, 295 lbs) and Caesar Rayford (age 30, 6’7″, 285 lbs). Irvin spent 2015 with Montreal and had 12 tackles and three sacks in 13 games. Prior to that, he spent five seasons in the NFL, playing 24 games. Rayford, meanwhile, also has NFL experience. He attended 2015 training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, playing four preseason games.
– Another guy in the mix is Jonathan Williams (age 30, 6’2″, 282 lbs). The Riders have yet to officially announce the signing, but Chris Jones confirmed it verbally in the season preview press conference earlier in the week. Williams played three games with the RedBlacks last year, gathering three tackles and a sack. In 2014, he had 15 tackles, four sacks and an interception in 12 games.
– The Riders also have some Canadian content in the middle. 2015 draft pick Rory Connop (age 25, 6’5″, 282 lbs) is back, along with former Saskatchewan Huskie Tim Agbaje (age 26, 6’4″, 290 lbs). Connop had seven tackles in 16 games last year, while Agbaje picked up one tackle in six games.
– The Riders also signed Canadian Hasan Hazime (age 28, 6’5″, 280 lbs) in February. Hazime spent the last three seasons with Hamilton, racking up 23 tackles and two sacks in 35 games. He’s a former Edmonton Eskimos draft pick (2012).
Linebackers:
– One player who became a household name last year for the Riders was linebacker Jeff Knox (age 24, 6’2″, 225 lbs). Fresh out of college at the University of Pennsylvania, Knox picked up a franchise-record 107 defensive tackles in 17 games. He also had 10 special teams tackles and was one of the few bright spots in the Riders dismal 2015 campaign. Knox is back this year and will no doubt be a starter in Week 1.
– Shea Emry is retired and Jake Doughty was released meaning there’s an opening for starting middle linebacker, which is one of the most high profile jobs on the defense.
– And the Riders have a good candidate to take over, as they signed Greg Jones (age 27, 6’0″, 242 lbs) this off-season. Jones spent 2015 with Toronto and had a team-leading 98 tackles in 18 regular season games with the Argos. He was also named a 2015 East Division All-Star. Jones has the potential to be one of the biggest free agent signings by the Riders if it all pans out. He’s got size and experience, including in the NFL, as he played six games with Jacksonville in 2012 and 16 games, including five starts, and four playoff games with the 2011 Super Bowl champ New York Giants. He could fill the void the Riders have been looking for since Rey Williams.
– Otha Foster (age 27, 6’0″, 205 lbs) is listed as a defensive back, but I expect him to play weak-side linebacker, much like Macho Harris did. Foster will be entering his third CFL season, after playing the last two with Edmonton, and becoming very familiar with Chris Jones. Last year, he had 57 tackles and an interception in 17 regular season games and of course, he also won the Grey Cup. With Jones in the middle and Knox and Foster on the outside, the Riders linebackers could be a force to be reckoned with this year.
– The only concern, a lack of depth. The Riders have just three other linebackers under contract. Canadian Nehemie Kankolongo (age 24, 5’11”, 205 lbs) returns for his second year with the Riders after dressing for nine games last year. Samuel Eguavoen (age 23, 6’0″, 227 lbs) is the only other International on the depth chart. He joins the Green and White after four seasons at Texas Tech.
– The Riders also have newly signed 2016 draft pick Alex Ogbongbemiga (age 23, 6’0″, 235 lbs) under contract. The Calgary native spent 2015 with the Calgary Colts of the CJFL after spending three seasons at the University of Calgary. Ogbongbemiga has played both linebacker and defensive line, and he could make an impact on special teams for the Riders.
Defensive Backs:
– The Riders defensive backfield is a complete overhaul. Aside from Tyree Hollins (age 25, 5’9″, 190 lbs), the Green and White will have a brand new secondary. The speedy Hollins had 43 tackles in 13 games last year and he will most certainly compete for a starting spot this year.
– Ed Gainey (age 25, 5’11”, 195 lbs) is entering his fifth CFL season, spending time with Montreal and then Hamilton. In 43 games, Gainey has 69 tackles and two interceptions, along with three fumble returns. He has the lead on one of the starting DB spots.
– Derrius Brooks (age 27, 5’10”, 192 lbs) makes his return to the CFL after spending parts of two seasons in the NFL with New Orleans and Tampa Bay. The former Calgary Stampeder (2012 and 2013) has 52 tackles and five picks in 20 career regular season games. If he can make the transition back to the CFL game, he can be a great addition.
– Curtis Brown (age 27, 6’0″, 185 lbs) is another guy with NFL experience. Brown played 34 regular season games (no starts) with Pittsburgh from 2011 to 2013 after being selected in the 3rd round of the 2011 draft. Last season, Brown attended training camp with the New York Jets. Can he adapt to the Canadian game?
– Marte Sears (age 25, 6’5″, 220 lbs) and Jonathan Shuler (age 23, 6’1″, 188 lbs) are two lesser known DBs who will have to prove their worth in camp. Sears attended the Eskimos training camp in 2015 and played two preseason games. He has also spent time with the Cleveland Browns. Shuler comes to the Riders after four seasons at Austin Peay State. Last season, he went to the Tennessee TItans rookie camp as an undrafted free agent.
– David Barks (age 20, 6’0″, 185 lbs) is more of an unknown, coming to the Riders fresh out of college at Northwood University.
– Two Nationals in the defensive backfield are Kwame Adjei (age 24, 6’1″, 205 lbs) and Tevaughn Campbell (age 22, 6’0″, 190 lbs). Adjei was a Riders 5th round pick in 2015 but was cut following training camp, He was brought back by Chris Jones in December. One word to describe Campbell: fast. He broke the electronic 40-yard-dash at last year’s CFL combine. He comes to the Riders via trade with Calgary. The Stamps drafted the Regina native in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft. I believe Campbell has the ability to make an impact. He had seven tackles last year for Calgary and is also a Regina Cougars sprinter. The only concern, he has been hampered by a should injury.
Safety:
– The safety spot will return to a Canadian in 2016 after Tyron Brackenridge received the majority of the starts in 2015.
– Matt Webster (age 24, 5’11”, 195 lbs) got a few starts at safety last year, racking up 21 tackles. He has been a bright spot of the 2014 CFL Draft and has a good opportunity to prove himself to Chris Jones. Definitely has a chance to start Week 1.
– Dan West (age 29, 6’2″, 205 lbs) was also on the Riders active roster last year, mostly playing special teams. West joined the Riders in July 2015 after three seasons in Winnipeg, and he has been a valuable special teamer.
– Another former Bomber who might have a good chance at the starting safety spot is Graig Newman (age 26, 6’1″, 214 lbs), as the Saskatoon product returns to his home province. Newman first joined the Riders practice roster in 2011 after his Saskatoon Hilltop career wrapped up. He then played two years for the Riders and was a beast on special teams. In 2013, he helped the Riders win the Grey Cup, before signing with Winnipeg, where he has been since. Newman has CFL experience and big play ability and could very well be the starting safety in Week 1. This will be a good battle to watch.
Special Teams:
– Seemed like the Riders were impressed enough with Tyler Crapigna‘s (age 23, 5’7″, 166 lbs) kicking abilities late last year and are giving him a shot again this year. The McMaster product and former Stampeder draft pick went 4 of 4 in three games last year in his first CFL action. He is the front runner to be kicking field goals this year, and years to come.
– The Green and White also brought back Josh Bartel (age 31, 6’3″, 200 lbs) for another stint here. The Aussie-born punter played with the Riders in 2014 after two successful seasons in Hamilton. He didn’t play in the CFL last year but has a career average of 43.3 yards per punt.
– One guy who can push Bartel, and even Crapigna, is 2016 3rd round draft pick Quinn van Gylswyk (age 25, 6’2″, 192 lbs) out of UBC. He led Canada West kickers with an 83.3 % field goal percentage and averaged 43.6 yards per punt en route to the Vanier Cup. Pro for van Gylswyk: he can both punt and kick field goals.
– We mentioned Kendial Lawrence (age 25, 5’9″, 195 lbs) in the offensive section , but he deserves another shout out here. The former Edmonton Eskimo will be an important factor on special teams, as he will likely be the feature returner. Nic Demski also returned kicks for the Riders last season and could be another name thrown into the mix this year.
– Jorgen Hus (age 26, 6’1″, 230 lbs) returns for a second straight year as Riders longsnapper. The Saskatoon product bounced around the NFL for a few years before his rights were traded to the Riders in the Cory Watson trade in May 2015. If we aren’t talking much about the former Regina Ram, he is doing a good job. Just the way it is.
Riders training camp kicks off Sunday in Saskatoon.
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