Aaron Grymes is exactly where he wants to be right now, and maybe in the future, as well.
Grymes will play his first CFL game since winning the 2015 Grey Cup when the Eskimos take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.
“That’s almost two years now,” said Grymes, who has been training with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles for most of that time. “Honestly, that’s all I’ve been thinking about. I haven’t played on defence in a regular-season game since then and it ended pretty well. Hopefully, I can still bring some of those good vibes back and we can get out here and fly around and make some plays.
“It’s awesome to be back,” he continued. “I got a warm welcoming from the teammates, from Brock (Sunderland, the Eskimos general manager), from the coaches and a warm welcome on social media from the fans. I can’t wait to see their faces on Saturday and, hopefully, we keep them with a smile on.”
Grymes retrieved his former Eskimos jersey (No. 36) by making a deal with rookie cornerback Arjen Colquhoun, who is among six defensive backs on the six-game injured list, and is back in his former locker, courtesy of Equipment Manager Dwayne Mandrusiak.
“I knew that they needed a little help (because of all the injuries), but whether they were fully healthy and 13-0 or 0-13, Edmonton was where I wanted to play,” said the 2015 CFL all-star defensive halfback. “I looked at the roster and, at one-point, there was twenty-something people on the six-game and there’s still a high number (19) right now.”
Grymes, 26, also kept track of the Esks last year, when they lost the East Division final in the snow at Ottawa, and knew about the seven-game winning streak to start this season and the five-game skid the team is currently on.
The injury situation has improved a little lately. The Eskimos are rested after coming off the bye week and didn’t lose a player to injury for the first time this year in their last game at Toronto two weeks ago nor during practice this week.
Grymes called several teammates – defensive back Marcel Young, injured middle linebacker J.C. Sherritt and defensive end Odell Willis – before his agent agreed to terms with the Eskimos and he jumped in his truck and drove to Edmonton from Moscow, Idaho.
“I knew I wanted to come back to Edmonton,” he said. “I didn’t call them to see if I should come back. It was, ‘I’m coming back. Now help me get a head start on coming back. What defence am I going to be running when I do come back? And also, how has the locker room been? What can I bring to the locker room? Where would I fit right now with you guys?’ ”
Grymes will be back at defensive halfback against the Bombers, who are 9-3 and in second place in the West Division – four points ahead of the third-place Eskimos, although he also practised some at cornerback this week.
“I’m pretty good with the playbook already,” he said.
The Bombers ended Edmonton’s 7-0 start to the season on Aug. 17, so payback will be on the agenda for most of the Eskimos.
“Hopefully, they snap a losing streak, too,” quipped Esks quarterback Mike Reilly, who leads the CFL with nine games with 300 or more passing yards this season.
While acknowledging that Winnipeg is a good football team that plays with “a recipe for success” – the Bombers are disciplined, don’t take many penalties and usually end up on the positive end of the turnover battle – Reilly is looking forward to Saturday’s game because “we don’t feel like we played our best football the last time we played them. We get another opportunity, another chance at them, so yeah, we’re fired up.”
The Bombers compiled 38 first downs – the most by any CFL team since the Eskimos moved the yardsticks 40 times against Ottawa in 2004 – and didn’t have a single two-and-out series (another first for a CFL team in more than two years) in the 33-26 victory over Edmonton at Winnipeg.
Like wide receiver Derel Walker earlier this month, Grymes signed a contract that allows him to become a free agent at the end of the season, just in case any NFL teams come knocking at his door this winter.
He said his NFL experience “was absolutely awesome,” even though he only played one regular-season game on special teams.
“It was a dream come true,” he said. “I couldn’t trade it for anything. Last pre-season, I made some plays and put myself in a position to make the roster. I went through the off-season, did pretty well and put myself in a position to make the roster again this year. Things just didn’t go in my favour.
“I had some of the best times in my life down there, but probably the most fun time ever playing football was when I was in Edmonton those three years (2013-15). I definitely was happy to come back.”
Grymes impressed a lot of observers with his play during the Eagles’ training camp last year until he injured his shoulder making a spectacular diving interception in the end zone.
“That was by far the best play I made there, but it wasn’t my only play,” he said. “I had a pretty solid camp going. It definitely turned some heads and it’s what kept me there for that time. Hopefully, I can make some of those plays this Saturday.”
He was waived through the league after hurting his shoulder, re-signed partway through the season and played that one game in November 2016.
“That’s always been a childhood dream of mine,” said Grymes. “I can’t even describe how I felt. My wife and daughter got to be there to see me play my very first NFL game, so it was a pretty awesome experience.”
Grymes made another strong run to make the Philadelphia roster this season, playing corner, nickel and even safety in the last pre-season game.
“I took it as an opportunity to show my versatility,” he said. “I can play more than one thing. I pride myself on understanding the playbook at multiple positions.”
Unfortunately, the Eagles opted to keep different players and Grymes was cut loose at the end of training camp.
“I’m happy to be here,” Grymes said once more about wearing a Green and Gold jersey again. “I’m pretty much done with the whole (NFL) experience for now. I’m here with the Edmonton Eskimos trying to win a Grey Cup.”
SHORT YARDAGE: The Eskimos five-game losing streak is the team’s longest since the fall of 2013. Edmonton hasn’t lost six games in a row since dropping eight straight games earlier that year … Offensive lineman Danny Groulx returns to the lineup at left guard after missing the last two games with an injury … The Eskimos signed Swayze Waters, a 30-year-old international kicker who played 46 games with the Toronto Argonauts from 2012-15, after learning Sean Whyte has only a 50-50 chance to play again this season. Waters actually started his CFL career with the Eskimos, but didn’t play any games here … Kicker Chris Milo has returned to his position as a Canadian college scout in Quebec for the Eskimos after playing two games … Veteran national receiver Chris Getzlaf, 34, was released this week. Getzlaf had spent the last four games on the practice roster.