The third and final day of practice and here’s what we know, what we think we know and what we might know.
• receivers Terrence Toliver and Luke Tasker are practicing with the first-team offence for the third straight day and will play Friday. The line up could very well be: Toliver, Tasker, Jalen Saunders, Chris Williams, Mike Jones and Rashad Lawrence.
• receiver Brandon Banks was on the field for the first half of practice but left to attend a family matter (nothing serious.) Given where he was on Monday – wearing a knee brace and limping – it’s kind of amazing that he could be ready to go Friday: Banks has been durable and tough during his time in Hamilton.
It’s certainly within the realm of possibility that he’ll play Friday and if he can go, I would expect it will be at the expense of Lawrence.
June Jones has said the Ticats would consider going five Americans at receiver (Banks, Williams, Tasker, Toliver, Saunders) but I think that’s unlikely this week. I certainly don’t see the corresponding ratio change they’d need to make it happen.
• it looks to me like Alex Green, who is due to come off the six-game injured list, will start at running back in place of John White. The running game hasn’t been great the last few weeks (not that it’s all White’s fault) but the Ticats look set to make a change in hope of providing a spark.
• the defence looks very much the same as last week with Justin Capicciotti starting at defensive end and Jamaal Westerman part of an extensive rotation. The Ticats have eight sacks on the seasons – only Toronto and Montreal (with six) are worse.
• meanwhile in Montreal, you may have heard that Johnny Manziel is starting. This won’t get nearly the ink but it’s also significant:
Tommie Campbell isn’t practicing today due to a hamstring injury #AlsMTL
— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) August 1, 2018
Campbell was one of Montreal’s big name free agent pick ups and has been their starting boundary corner.
