Matt Cauz
CFL.ca
The start of training camp brings a ton of question, few definitive answers and a wide range of expectations. With so many storylines out there I’ve decided to focus on nine players who will be a major factor for their team’s success. (Yes that’s right, nine players, not ten! Everyone does a Top 10. I dedicate my nine players to Ferris Bueller, who was sick from school ‘Nine Times’.) I also make a few predictions along the way, most of which I’m sure will be wrong:
(1) KEN-YON RAMBO:
My vote for the most intriguing classic “comeback player” story angle story. The CFL’s leader in receiving yards in 2008 saw his ’09 season cut short after just three games with a torn ACL. With Jermaine Copeland in Toronto and Brett Ralph retiring the Stamps are going to need a healthy and effective Rambo to team up with Nik Lewis. The question is just how healthy is Rambo? Will he be able to get his speed back, will he be able to create separation from defensive backs on a consistent basis?
(2) ROB MAVER:
Yes when it comes to rookies the spotlight will shine brightest on Shomari Williams. The number one pick has the daunting task of trying to replace John Chick and Stevie Baggs. I’m more curious to see how the 5th overall draft pick does replacing one of the game’s best in Sandro DeAngelis. Mistakes made by defensive lineman are harder to see on a play-by-play basis, not so for kickers who are on an island. If Maver misses a short field goal late against the Eskimos you can bet he’s going to hear it from the crowd and the media. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a 24-year-old rookie.
(3) CASEY PRINTERS:
Here’s the guy I am most excited to watch this year, partially because I have no idea what to expect. Printers went from a washout in Hamilton to a career resurrection late last season; culminating in one of his best games as a pro in the Lions playoff win over the Tiger-Cats. His career has had more ups and downs than Mickey Rourke. A curious afterthought at the beginning of ’09, Printers is now the unquestioned #1 pivot. With all the talent B.C. has at wide-out his ceiling for 2010 is sky high. On the other hand, if he suddenly flames out this year, would anyone be totally surprised? Printers is like the upcoming ‘Avengers’ movie, he’s either going to be unbelievable or he won’t come anyway near the hype. My apologies for all the non-nerds out there who just read that last sentence and don’t have a clue about what I’m talking about.
(4) JAMAL ROBERTSON:
With Martell Mallett now an Eagle the Lions needed to bring in a proven back. I want to know just how much Robertson has left in his tank. I know he rushed for over a 1,000 yards last year, but trust me, there was very little dynamic about Robertson in 2009. He looked slow with the Argonauts and at 33-years-old clearly his best days are behind him. Of course maybe you’re skills just naturally get worse when you put on the Double Blue uniform. Let’s call it the Kerry Joseph effect. That said, I have a feeling he won’t be the team’s leading rusher in 2010.
(5) KERON WILLIAMS:
Yes I know I am going on a run with the Lions. I was accused last year of having an Eastern bias, especially for the Argonauts, so I figured I’d focus more on the West. Do you know how hard that is? The comedy gold that is the Gibran Hamdan era is just teaming with jokes but I am going to avoid it, too easy. Back to Williams. The Lions took a step back defensively last year, especially against the run. Yes Williams is a pass rusher first, but he’s the type of player that offensive coordinators need to account for on every play. Throw in his winning background and leadership and Williams will go down as one of the more underrated off-season acquisitions.
(6 & 7) ANTHONY CALVILLO TO BEN CAHOON:
It’s almost an annual tradition to wonder just how much longer the CFL’s greatest pitch and catch team have left in them. I wasn’t even going to put them on this list but then the Bryan Chiu retirement story hit and well you can’t help but speculate. Chiu is the only guy that I can think of who has been a member of the Alouettes longer than Calvillo and Cahoon. By the end of the season both men will be 38, at some point aren’t you supposed to be … you know washed up? Last year Calvillo had the league’s highest passer rating and Cahoon churned out yet another 1,000 yard season. So will this be the year where age finally catches up with them? You have to go back to the 1997 season to find a year these two weren’t on the field together. Back then Calvillo was playing in Hamilton, Tracy Ham was the starter in Montreal, Cahoon had yet to make his CFL debut and ‘Titanic’ was dominating at the box office.
(8) DRISAN JAMES:
The Maurice Mann acquisition deserves all the attention (Good move by the Tiger-Cats) but I’m more interested in the development of James. He only had 21 receptions during the regular season but exploded for 120 yards against B.C. in the team’s playoff loss. With defense’s paying so much attention towards Arland Bruce III and Mann I see James facing a slew of single coverage against the 3rd or 4th best defender of the opposing team. Look for a big year.
(9) LENNY WALLS:
Simple math on this one. The Eskimo’s were dead last against the pass so they subtracted most of their defensive backs and added a shiny new set. The prize acquisition is Walls who was second in the league with seven interceptions in 2009. The Eskimo’s are going to need a big year out of Walls to help a secondary that was playing like they had all bet the ‘Over’ for each game.
Which player do you think will be most integral to his team’s success? Make sure to vote in the poll on the right.
…looking forward to this weekend’s slate of pre-season games.
