The Calgary Stampeders made it clear they are going for it with the late-season signings of all-stars Reggie Begelton and Tre Roberson.
The Stamps have won four of their last five games after a 2-5 start put them third in the West Division.
The moves tell Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell the team is confident in the players to make a push into December for a Grey Cup.
“It’s just in the message that we are going for it. It doesn’t send the message to the guys that we are hoping to make the playoffs and see what else we have in the room, let’s try out some different young guys. To me, it shows we have an ownership group and the group up top that are willing to spend the money to go for it,” the two-time CFL MOP said.
“I think we are very lucky to have those two guys in the building and lucky to have the ownership we have and Huf and those guys up top to go out and make those kinds of acquisitions.”
This is Roberson’s second stint with the Stampeders as the Indianapolis native played 32 regular season games and three post-season contests for Calgary in 2018 and 2019 before signing with the Chicago Bears.
In 2019, Roberson earned three-down league all-star honours and was the Stampeders nominee for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. He made 16 starts and ranked second in the CFL with seven interceptions.
The six-foot, 200-pounder scored two touchdowns, one on an interception return and one on a fumble recovery. Roberson also had 12 knockdowns, the third-highest total in the CFL, and 41 tackles.
In 32 regular season games for the red and white, Roberson had 95 tackles, four tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, including a pick-six, 18 knockdowns, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, one that he returned 93 yards for a touchdown.
In Begelton, Mitchell gets back a receiver who earned the Stamps’ nomination for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award in 2019 after becoming just the fifth player in franchise history to record at least 100 catches in a season. He finished that year second in the league with 102 receptions and third in both receiving yards with 1,444 and receiving touchdowns 10.
“Having him back, to me, going into the playoffs is big. Being able to sign him and Tre coming in I think as two pieces that can carry you to the end so hopefully, it plays out that way,” Mitchell said.
“Reggie is an amazing receiver that when he was here was a YAC machine, a guy that was very, very troublesome for a lot of people to cover and was one of the better receivers in the league and he also does a lot in the blocking game as well.”
In 33 career regular season games over three seasons with Calgary, Begelton has 149 catches for 2,335 yards and 12 touchdowns. The six-foot-two, 205-pound Begelton provides Mitchell with a familiar and trusted target. But the veteran quarterback was quick to make sure to give credit to the guys who have been with the tea all season long.
“It’s awesome to have him back, I was very excited,” Mitchell said.
“The thing I’ll caution you guys on is I don’t think you’ll catch me or Dave [Dickenson] jumping out of our seats because to me that’s kind of disrespectful to the guys that are here in this room that has been working all year.”