Vernon Adams Jr. doesn’t even have a number yet with the Calgary Stampeders but he’s ready to start dialling them to help his new franchise.
The recently acquired quarterback made his first trip to Calgary last week and assured reporters that he will play a large role in attracting new talent to the CFL’s last-place team.
“I would call myself a top recruiter in this league,” Adams grinned cheekily. “I’m gonna do my best. I’m gonna sit with Dave (Dickenson) and the guys and see what their plans are free agency-wise. I know a lot of players who would love to come over here and help be a part of this thing we got going.”
The Stampeders have traditionally avoided making big splashes in free agency, preferring instead to replace departing players with cheap internal prospects. However, desperate times may call for a radical change in philosophy as the team has failed to win a playoff game since 2018 and missed the postseason for the first time in 20 years with a 5-12-1 record last season.
It was out of that necessity that the franchise acquired Adams, swapping draft picks with the B.C. Lions in order to land the elite pivot. In so doing, they’ve added a powerful weapon to their off-season pitch deck.
“I think guys just gravitate towards my passion, my energy — just things like that,” Adams explained. “The way I am as a leader, a competitor, a winner and I’ve always been like that. I’m going to continue to be like that and hopefully, I can get some good guys over here.”
The Stampeders have been much maligned this offseason, with a bevy of former players taking shots at the organization for their conservative business practices, eroding facilities and poor quality of player treatment. That shadow is likely to loom over the team for the remainder of the year, with the CFLPA expected to release full report cards on all nine franchises later this month.
Despite Calgary’s poor on-field performance and declining reputation, Adams still believes the team has a lot to offer free agents.
“The team is good here, the system is good. I said it a couple of times already this morning, but you see Ryan Dinwiddie and Corey Mace, those teams being successful over there, that’s still a little bit of the Calgary system,” he insisted. “Now we just come here, we spice it up a little bit. We bring in a few more players and have the players we have here be all on the same page, and let’s get back on track.”
Adams completed 197-of-302 passes (65.2 percent) for 2,929 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine interceptions last season. He also rushed 40 times for 213 yards and three scores, going 6-3 as a starter.
The 31-year-old passer was the front-runner for Most Outstanding Player at midseason before suffering a knee injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Nathan Rourke and did not get his job back until the regular-season finale, dividing the Lions’ locker room.
Many players felt loyalty to Adams due to the offseason mini-camp he hosts in Tacoma, Wash., flying down receivers and fellow quarterbacks for three days of on-field training and off-field bonding. He intends to continue that practice with the Stampeders.
“When you know your brothers off the field then you know I’m fighting for his family. I’m playing for his family, he’s playing for my family. You just play together more as a team and you understand,” Adams said. “I know what he’s going through off the field, so I’m gonna give him my all every single time. I just want my teammates in this organization to know that’s what I’m about.”
He’ll also make several more trips to Calgary in order to establish his face in the community as the franchise quarterback. Those trips are certain to include meetings with head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson to discuss whose phones he needs to be blowing up in February.
“First is just talking to Dave and seeing what’s going on with players moving forward, and giving my input on some guys who I feel like can help us here,” Adams said. “If we get them, great. If not, it’s a business and we just keep going and we work with what we have. I guess those are the next steps.”
