By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Hammond, LA – Even with a steady diet of league news like player trades, free agent moves, and the CFL Canadian Draft, it’s been an incredibly long off-season. Truth be told, I was ready for the new season to start the day after the Grey Cup last November, but I’ve had to chew on that game for the last six months while itching to tee it up.
With the Als opening camp at the Campus du Fort Saint-Jean a couple of weeks from now, though, we can finally get down to the business of 2009. The roster is already as strong as it’s been in years, and I’m positive this year’s camp will bring us a few surprises.
That’s the beauty of training camp – new faces, new races. I can’t wait to see what players will emerge from this year’s camp to help the team. June 7 just can’t get here soon enough!
Heading into camp, I’ve got a ton of questions and only two weeks to get them answered. Here are the top five burners on my list:
1) Who will be AC’s number 4 receiver?
The Alouettes have three of the best receivers in the game with Ben Cahoon, Kerry Watkins and Jamel Richardson.
These days in the CFL, though, you have to go four and five deep to keep pace with the depth most defences sport.
Danny Desriveaux, Brian Bratton, and Eric Deslauriers all showed glimpses of being able to step up to the plate last season and each one of them brings something special to the table: Desriveaux’s got great quickness, Deslauriers is a great blocker and provides a big target for AC, and Bratton gives the offence another deep threat.
2) Can the offence stay on its roll from last season?
Looking back on 2008, one of the aspects of the Alouettes’ success that stands out most vividly for me is the efficiency of their offence.
Throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, the Als’ ability to execute long drives was astounding – Anthony Calvillo got the ball out quickly and accurately in the passing game, and Avon Cobourne ripped off yardage at a nice clip when handed the ball.
The real trick in ’09 will be to keep that roll on while adding enough wrinkles to an already successful gameplan to keep defences in preparation mode.
3) What effect will the additions of Jerome Haywood, Stanford Samuels, and Cam Hall have on the Als’ defence?
You just can’t beat the addition of three All-Stars to the roster and if they all show up to camp healthy and ready to play, there’s no doubt the Als’ defence will be dramatically improved.
Haywood is simply a force in the middle of the defensive line and is sure to cause some havoc for O-lines trying to defend against the Als’ defensive front.
Samuels is a quality cover guy with ball skills, and Hall has the ability to post 70-plus tackles any season he’s on the field. It’ll definitely be sweet to have those guys in the mix this year.
4) Which first-year player is ready to make an impact immediately?
Top draft pick Dylan Steenbergen might be the rookie most ready to contribute should he sign in time for camp, but with the depth already in place along the Als’ O-line, it’ll be interesting to see if he can find some playing time this season.
I’m also eager to see if Erik Galas can carry some of his prolific receiving numbers to the next level. And each of the three new fullbacks, Martin Bédard, Benoît Boulanger, and Michael Giffin, has a real chance to crack the roster.
5) How will the depth at quarterback shake out?
With Marcus Brady’s recent retirement and ascension to the coaching ranks, the fight for the job as AC’s backup will be on in camp. Adrian McPherson has the inside track as the incumbent, but he should be pushed mightily by Brad Banks, Chris Leak and Ricky Santos. There’s just no insurance like a quality backup who can win games when called into action. The Als have more than their share in this department, so it’s going to fun to watch the depth chart shape up this summer.
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