Edmonton Eskimos head coach Jason Maas says he’s been thinking about Saturday, June 17 for the last three months. A day later, Maas feels very good about the team he will field in 2017.
“Since we created our roster that we were going to go to camp with, there’s not been a moment I haven’t thought about this point of creating the team and going out and seeing how well they can do,” Maas said. “I slept like a baby last night — that’s the first time in three months that I’ve slept that good.”
On Saturday night, the Eskimos released 23 players and set their practice roster. The Eskimos will begin their CFL regular season schedule June 24 in Vancouver against the B.C. Lions (8 p.m., 630 CHED).
Eskimos general manager and vice-president of football operations Brock Sunderland says the players didn’t make the roster decision easy on him in his first training camp as the man who makes the final decisions.
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Two players familiar with the Eskimos, offensive lineman D’Anthony Batiste and receiver Kenny Stafford, signed with the team on Saturday and were placed on the team’s practice roster. Batiste wasn’t re-signed by the team in the off season, but will join the Eskimos for his fourth season. Stafford was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers yesterday and quickly signed with the Eskimos. Sunderland feels both players will make the team better.
The most notable cut from Saturday was veteran running back and kick-returner Kendial Lawrence, who was a high-profile free-agent signing in the off-season. Maas said the other running backs in camp showed some abilities he couldn’t pass up, but the door remains open for Lawrence if the Eskimos should need him later in the season.
The Eskimos will begin preparing on Tuesday for their 2017 regular season opener.
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