By Richard Obrand
MontrealAlouettes.com
Morin-Soucy signs
It’s been an exciting month for Nickolas Morin-Soucy.
Just weeks after his name was called by Commissioner Mark Cohon during the 2009 CFL Canadian draft, the defensive-end quickly added another chapter to his young football career.
Tuesday, general manager Jim Popp announced that the six-foot-two, two-hundred- and-forty pound Quebec native signed a three-year deal plus an option year with the club.
Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Drafted in the third round (23) just 12 days ago, Morin-Soucy joins the Alouettes after a successful 2008 campaign with the Montreal Carabins. The 24-year old recorded 35 tackles, seven sacks, one knockdown, a forced fumble and recovered two fumbles, he also scored a touchdown on a 53-yard punt return.
Morin-Soucy is expected to be at Alouettes training camp which begins June 7 at the Campus du Fort St-Jean in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Stamps keeping busy
With less than a month remaining before CFL training camps officially open on June 7, the Calgary Stampeders made some key personnel moves this week, signing four players and releasing two.
Wednesday, the team announced the signings of three import defensive-linemen Malik Jackson, Odell Willis and Redmond Willis.
To make room for the three, the club then released linemen Montey Stevenson and Ryan Riddle.
”We’re happy with the Canadian depth and talent we have on the defensive line,” head coach/general manager John Hufnagel said on TSN.ca. ”But there will be significant changes to the import content on the line in 2009. This will be a very competitive area in training camp and we’re looking forward to seeing how these three players measure up.”
The defensive line shuffle comes just a day after the Stampeders inked star-receiver Nik Lewis to a multi-year deal.
Last season saw the 26-year old tally 1,109 yards, becoming the first Stampeder to record five straight 1,000-yard seasons.
Despite his improving numbers, Hufnagel believes that Lewis still has more in him.
“There’s an old football adage that you’re either getting better or you’re getting worse and we definitely don’t want to be getting worse,” Hufnagel said on TSN.ca. “We need to define and keep on define is route-running, his depth and his assignments and just keep working.
This will be Lewis’ sixth season with the club.
Make that five for the Eskimos
With Ricky Ray already slated to lead the Eskimos throughout the 2009 season and Jason Maas’ name all but etched in stone as his backup, the question surrounding the quarterbacks going into training camp revolves around the third-stringer.
Prior to yesterday’s signing of a fifth quarterback in Lester Ricard, it was between former Boise St standout Jared Zabransky – who was signed just weeks earlier than Ricard – and Juan Joseph.
While all three pivots have formidable collegiate credentials, only Ricard has seen any playing time as a professional, playing in three NFL pre-season matchups over his short NFL career.
The Eskimos season begins July 2 at home against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the question regarding who will be on the sidelines behind Ray and Maas, is far from answered.
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