5 Thoughts on preseason finale against Redblacks
After a delay of nearly an hour due to the weather, the Alouettes and Redblacks finally played their second and final preseason game of 2025, and they come out with a 24-16 victory. The end result won’t affect the standings, but any win is good.
There was a lot of good things that came out of this game, and here are a few of them.
1 – Travis Theis makes a difference
If you read my pre-game story on the six players to watch in this game, you knew about running back Travis Theis. The former South Dakota tailback returned one punt in last week’s game, and he made it count. His first return on Friday night was equally impressive, as he took the ball down to the Ottawa 45-yard line after making several Redblacks miss.
The Alouettes ended up scoring their first touchdown of the game on that ensuing drive to give them a 10-0 lead at the time.
Despite being added to the roster later in camp, Theis has fit in really well which isn’t easy for an American. He’s an intriguing prospect that could be developed not only as a running back but as a returner as well. There’s value in versatility.
The most important thing for a running back in a Jason Maas offence is to protect the quarterback, and Theis showed that he can do that, too.
2 – Outstanding performance by Caleb Evans
It was nice to see quarterback Caleb Evans run for a 12-yard touchdown on the drive following Theis’ dynamic return. This was Evans’ first game back since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Hamilton last August.
Evans flashed some big-play ability on a late first-quarter drive when he scrambled to his left and hit Jordan Veasy down the sideline before throwing a beautiful touchdown pass to Tyjon Lindsey on the very next play.
Evans came out of the game after one quarter. He finished 8-for-11 with 111 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers. He also had the rushing major.
These reps were important for Evans because they allowed him to get back into a groove and get confidence in his surgically repaired knee.
Davis Alexander and McLeod Bethel-Thompson will be the first two names on the depth chart, but Evans gives the Als a solid third option and he’s one of the better short-yardage quarterbacks in the CFL.
3 – Nate Beauchemin is pro ready
2025 second round pick Nate Beauchemin looks like the real deal. The former University of Calgary Dino brings physicality to special teams, but he also always seems to be around the football when he’s on defence.
Beauchemin managed to recover an Ottawa fumble on a quarterback sneak in the second quarter. The first-year pro seems to be adapting quite well to the CFL game.
The 22-year-old is also versatile as he can line up as a strong-side linebacker and at free safety.
Don’t be surprised if you hear his name called a lot during Alouettes games in 2025. He’ll start out on special teams, but he could be featured in certain defensive packages as he gains experience throughout the year.
4 – Jordan Veasy makes it look easy
Receiver Jordan Veasy has received a lot of positive press for his performance in training camp, and he had a solid night in Ottawa. Veasy made a nice, contested catch over the middle on third down and he came up with a diving touchdown grab on a throw from James Morgan late in the third quarter. He finished the night as the leading receiver on the team with four receptions for 63 yards.
The 29-year-old has put himself in a good position heading into cut down day. The starting group of receivers appears to be set with Austin Mack, Tyson Philpot, Tyler Snead, Cole Spieker and Charleston Rambo, but CFL teams usually keep one or two extra Americans on the active or practice roster at that position.
5 –Underrated luxury
Nobody pays attention to the long-snapper until he messes up. Well, tonight, he didn’t. Not many veterans suited up in this game, but Alex Gagne did. He’s the Alouettes’ backup long-snapper behind LP Bourassa, so they wanted to get him some work in the preseason finale. Gagne did a solid job. The snaps were well placed and arrived at a solid pace. Having two players that can snap as well as Bourassa and Gagne do is an underrated luxury.
What’s next?
Alouettes management will make their final roster decisions this weekend, as cuts are expected to be announced on Saturday afternoon.
The Alouettes will need to set their 45-man active roster for next Friday’s season opener at home against the Toronto Argonauts. They’ll also need to set their 13-man practice squad. Players can also be placed on the one-game or six-game injured lists.
