This week’s Insider Talk is full of discussion about Derek Dennis’ contract with the Edmonton Elks, this week’s trade between the Bombers and Argonauts, and the future of Ottawa Redblacks’ head coach Paul LaPolice.
Insider Talk includes anonymous quotes from people around the CFL — players, coaches, personnel staff, executives, and agents — regarding the latest news around the league. It’s a combination of insight, analysis, rumours, and friendly gossip.
Enjoy this week’s quotes and come back next Wednesday for another edition of Insider Talk.
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Derek Dennis shouldn’t have signed with Edmonton in the first place. (General manager) Brock (Sunderland) loves to throw cheap deals out at veterans just to see if they bite. If Dennis had been more patient, I’m guessing he’d have ended up getting paid by Saskatchewan or Hamilton.
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If I were a betting man, I’d bet that Paul LaPolice is going to have the title of co-general manager in Ottawa by December just like Rick Campbell has in B.C.
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We didn’t get to have mini-camps this year. Usually we get a chance to bring in a bunch of rookies in April and cut the guys who just aren’t competing. That’s basically how I saw the early cutdown day this year — the end of mini-camp going into a normal training camp.
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Lucky Whitehead has great speed and he’s a really good returner, but that doesn’t mean he’s a great receiver. Can he separate? Does he run good routes? I don’t think so. If it did he wouldn’t have lost his starting job in Winnipeg.
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The Ticats seem to be giving (rookie national defensive end) Mason Bennett a lot of work. If (reigning CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman) Chris Van Zeyl’s injury is bad, I bet they’ll start him so they can dress an American at right tackle.
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I like preseason games, but camp has been pretty great without them. No packing or changing cities. I like watching all the guys compete in camp, but feel bad for the ones who won’t get the chance to do it in a game.
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Just you wait and see. That o-lineman Toronto got in the trade from Winnipeg (Terry Poole) is going to start at left tackle for them. That might not happen in Week 1, but it’ll happen eventually.
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The impression I got when Willie (Jefferson) left Saskatchewan is he wanted to be No. 1. In Winnipeg, he could be ‘the guy’ and not risk being in Charleston (Hughes’) shadow. Obviously, that worked out for him (in 2019 when he won Most Outstanding Defensive Player and the Grey Cup).
