The smile on the face of the Edmonton Eskimos’ Brandyn Thompson couldn’t be removed if you tried on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old defensive back was added to the team’s practice roster and he took to the field for his first practice in close to a year with his teammates.
Thompson ruptured his Achilles last season in a home game against the Calgary Stampeders in late October.
He went through a rehab process during the off-season and arrived at training camp in May not fully healthy. Thompson was expected to return sometime in July but suffered a setback working out in camp and was released.
The Eskimos left the door open between then and now with the message to Thompson being get healthy and keep in touch. Thompson says he feels healthy and ready to contribute.
“It was a long process man. You know, an Achilles is an injury that takes a little bit and they’re kind of tricky,” Thompson said. “You don’t know if it will be seven months, nine months, 11 months — but fortunately, and Lord willing, I’m back and happy to be back and feeling good.”
Listen below: DB Brandyn Thompson says he’s happy to be back with his teammates over three months after his release from the team
In 19 games with the Eskimos, Thompson has recorded 45 defensive tackles, one interception, one pass knockdown and one fumble recovery.
The chances of him playing on Saturday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are slim, but head coach Jason Maas knows Thompson will be able to make a contribution soon.
“All of our options are open every week to our players but obviously I think B.T. is going to work his way back a little bit more slowly than that,” Maas said. “I would never say never. He’s a veteran presence, he communicates extremely well and he’s a top-calibre player.
“Physically and mentally, he’s as good as any DB in this league and he knows our system extremely well. He has the ability to make people around him better.”
Listen below: Head coach Jason Maas says being able to add veteran players like Brandyn Thompson and Taylor Reed at this point of the season is a plus
With five games left in the regular season, the Eskimos sit in third place in the CFL’s Western Division with a 7-6 record. Two years ago, when the Eskimos had five games left, the team sat with a 6-7 record. Last season, the team had the same 7-6 record as this season. The previous two seasons ended with five-game winning streaks and appearances in the division final.
Thompson says there’s still time for the Eskimos to catch lightning in a bottle.
“We know the seasons are broken up into three parts, three six-game seasons,” Thompson said. “We’re in the back stretch, which is always the most important one.
The Eskimos signed four more players to their practice roster on Tuesday. One of those players is veteran linebacker Taylor Reed, who has 69 games experience with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Calgary Stampeders, and the Ottawa Redblacks.
Also signed on Tuesday were receivers Torrance Gibson and Peter Berryman. Both were released after training camp. Also signed was defensive back Justin Gibbons, who played two seasons at Aurora University.
Defensive back Arjen Colquhoun and offensive lineman Tommie Draheim were back at practice on Tuesday. Colquhoun has one week on the six-game injured list while Draheim hasn’t been seen on the field since opening night in Winnipeg back in June where he broke his thumb. Not practising on Tuesday was defensive lineman Mike Moore who left Saturday’s game in Ottawa.
The Eskimos host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a key Western Division matchup on Saturday on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium. The Eskimos are in third place in the Western Division, just two points up on the Bombers who are in last place at 6-7.
Kickoff on The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium is at 5 p.m. Catch all of the action on 630 CHED with Countdown to Kickoff following the conclusion of the Oilers-Flames game.
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