While the vast majority of the 67 players attending the Ticats’ three-day mini-camp in Hamilton this week are new to both the club and the CFL (45 in total) there are some familiar faces and league veterans.
The most recognizable name is former Ticat defensive back Geoff Tisdale who has played eight years in the CFL for four different teams, including two separate stints in Hamilton. He has 115 starts in the CFL, including four for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season. Tisdale is 31 and, given his non-roster invite to this camp, still trying to keep his career going.
There are four kickers at the mini-camp: former Ticat Delbert Alvarado, who was with the club briefly in 2013 before moving on to Montreal and Ottawa. He’s played in eight career games, hitting 11 of 14 field goals (78.6 per cent) and last played for the Redblacks last season before being released on Aug. 1. Ray Early, who was Saskatchewan’s punter last season and averaged 45 yards per kick, is also here. So is former Redblack Brett Maher, who his 67.6 of his field goals as the team’s kicker in 2014. He suffered an injury right before training camp last season and was released. The final name is former Alabama kicker Cody Mandell, who has spent time with the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys.
All four kickers were at the Hamilton workout we wrote about earlier this month (which has video of all of them.)
Another interesting name is Canadian offensive lineman Scott Mitchell, who was drafted second overall by Edmonton in 2011, signed in Toronto as free agent in 2014 and played nine games for the Argos last season, including one start.
Also at camp, American defensive tackle Zach Anderson who was cut by the Bombers in February after their free agent spending spree. Anderson had 81 tackles and 10 sacks in 35 games for Winnipeg over the last three seasons and started 16 games in 2015 but was healthy scratch by the end of last season.
One other note: quarterback Zach Collaros is the only one of the team’s five quarterbacks not on the roster for mini-camp so, as expected, he won’t be taking part in on-field drills.
More later.
