The Eskimos have become a “Land of Opportunity” for unproven young football players this season.
A ridiculous number of injuries have created numerous chances for talented newcomers to find a place on the roster of a CFL team that’s off to an incredible 6-0 start for the first time since 1961.
The Eskimos, who have only 12 starters left from their season-opening lineup (one of those starters is playing a different position this week), will attempt to sweep the season series against the reigning Grey Cup champion Ottawa RedBlacks (1-6-1) in Thursday’s 5:30 p.m. MDT road game at TD Place Stadium. Edmonton won the first game against Ottawa 23-21 when the RedBlacks’ two-point convert attempt at the end of the game was unsuccessful.
Among the latest players to take advantage of the “Next Man Up” situation in Edmonton are kick-returner Chris Edwards, wide receiver Bryant Mitchell, running back LaDarius Perkins and defensive back Mercy Maston.
“Once those injuries happened, it was just guys who were chomping at the bit to get on that field and show everybody what they can do,” said Eskimos strong-side linebacker Kenny Ladler, a second-year player who has three fourth-quarter interceptions this season and is tied for sixth place in the league with 33 defensive tackles.
“It shows what type of depth we have on this team and the value of each person on this team,” Ladler continued. “(Regardless of whether you’re playing or not), you have to be ready for when your name’s called. Those guys made the plays they were supposed to make.
“That’s what we need to be able to win the Grey Cup this year. We need everybody. It’s not just about (quarterback) Mike Reilly or about the D-line. It’s about the whole defence, the whole special teams, the whole offence working together and making plays for the team.”
Edwards, 24, wasn’t initially on the Eskimos radar as a kick-returner, but he has already had a 51-yard punt return to set up wide receiver Vidal Hazleton’s touchdown that boosted Edmonton into a 33-21 lead in the fourth quarter last week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats plus an 87-yard kickoff return in the previous game since moving full-time into the kick-return role. He totalled 184 yards on four punt returns, four kickoff returns and one missed field goal return against the Ticats.
“I like doing this,” said Edwards, who leads the CFL with an average kickoff return of 32.0 yards. “It’s a lot of fun. I like having the ball in my hands.
“Every one is not going to be a big one, but I feel like each game I should be able to break a big one,” he added. “Get the offence good field position and, if not, score. That’s the plan every time.”
Edwards, who played with the Oakland Raiders during the NFL pre-season last year until injuring his shoulder, hadn’t returned kicks since his freshman year with the University of Idaho Vandals, but he once scored two touchdowns on kick returns in a high school game.
“I’m pretty used to it,” he said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
He said he has “good vision” as far as being able to see the opponent’s punt and kickoff coverage plus he tries to hit the holes with speed.
“That’s pretty much the key to it,” he said.
Mitchell, 24, was a last cut at Edmonton’s training camp in 2015 and spent the entire 2016 season on the Esks practice roster until making his CFL debut in the final game of the regular season. He also impressed during two pre-season games in June so his performance against the Tiger-Cats – eight catches for 121 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to give the Esks the lead for good – didn’t come as much of a surprise.
With slotback Brandon Zylstra joining all-star Adarius Bowman on the injured list, Mitchell becomes an important cog in the Eskimos passing game.
“It’s been a great experience,” he said about playing the last three games.
The receiving corps will get some help from national slotback Shamawd Chambers, who is among four players returning to the lineup after spending the first six games on the injured list. Veteran Marcell Young will replace injured defensive halfback Garry Peters while defensive halfback Forrest Hightower goes on the roster as a backup and offensive lineman Colin Kelly, who played with Ottawa in 2014 and ’15, starts at right tackle.
“Our coaches always tell us you never know when your time may come up, so stay ready,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I try to do, just stay prepared.”
It’s also the message Mitchell has been telling Perkins, who was on the practice roster last year, and Maston this season.
“It was fun to watch both of them flourish,” Mitchell said of the last game.
Perkins, 26, became the third Eskimos running back to rush for more than 100 yards this season – joining original starter John White and backup Travon Van – when he ran for 105 yards on 19 carries last week. He also had a 24-yard run the second time he touched the ball in his first game as a starter since 2014 (NFL pre-season game with the Green Bay Packers).
“I’m just getting my feet wet now,” said Perkins. “I know the offence now. It’s coming real natural to me and protection is coming real natural to me. So there’s a lot more to come from me.”
Perkins was on the roster for the season opener, but had only one play at running back and three kickoff returns for 103 yards, including a 64-yarder.
“I was 100 per cent on my protections (of the quarterback),” he said about last week’s game. “The only thing I wish I could have back was that fumble.”
Hamilton scored a touchdown two plays after recovering Perkins’ fumble at the Edmonton 17 late in the game to close within five points, 33-28.
“It was just a mistake on my end,” said Perkins. “I thought I was down, but the referee said I wasn’t down.”
The Eskimos defence couldn’t stop the Ticats after Perkins’ fumble, but didn’t let Hamilton back in the end zone, with Brandyn Thompson and Peters, respectively, knocking down passes in the end zone on the last two plays of the game.
“They did have a guy sitting back there open for a second, but (Peters) made a great play to end the game,” Ladler said.
“We have a lot of guys stepping up,” he pointed out. “Mercy Maston didn’t even practise at strong corner last week and he did a great job of going in there and doing what he was asked to do. He’ll be better this week.”
Maston, 24, has filled in at three different positions in the secondary during the last four games without missing a beat. He’ll make his second straight start at strong-side cornerback this week.
The injury-riddled Eskimos have five more players heading to the injury list this week, totalling disrupting their veteran offensive line.
D’Anthony Batiste, a 35-year-old veteran right tackle, looks to have resurrected his pro football career after making his 2017 season debut last Friday. He’ll be at right guard as the Eskimos shuffle the offensive line to offset injuries to centre Justin Sorensen and left guard Danny Groulx (who played with back spasms in the second half last week). Sorensen and Groulx, who replaced the injured Simeon Rottier two games ago, have both been placed on the one-game injured list.
Right tackle Matt O’Donnell moves over to left guard beside veteran left tackle Joel Figueroa, who returns to the lineup after sitting out one game, while 2015 draft pick David Beard takes over at centre, where he played seven games last season. Veteran offensive tackle Tony Washington was released on Monday to make room on the roster for newcomer Colin Kelly, who will make his Esks debut at right tackle.
“My heart was still in it,” said Batiste, who wasn’t re-signed during the off-season but rejoined the Eskimos on the practice roster after training camp. “I definitely was looking to still play football, but I knew the situation just had to be right. Over the years, Edmonton has grown to become my home and it just didn’t feel right going anywhere else, so I just stood tall and just had faith that things would work out in my favour and here I am now.”
Batiste, who thought he did a good job of protecting Reilly last week, said he’s “never satisfied unless I’m putting somebody on their back.”
He had chances to go to other CFL teams during the off-season, but turned them down in case another opportunity opened up with the Eskimos.
“It definitely felt good to be a guy who could be depended upon again,” he said about last week’s game. “I felt like I was back in my zone on Friday.”
Edmonton, one of only 16 teams in CFL history to win each of their first six games, will attempt to match the ‘61 Esks 7-0 start on Thursday. The Green and Gold club record for wins at the start of a season is 10 straight in 1955.