Sask. Rush aims to end playoff drought as training camp begins
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The final weekend of training camp is set for Nov. 22-24 back in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders could be without one of the anchors of their offensive line in 2021.
During the Riders’ season preview call Monday, general manager Jeremy O’Day announced guard Brendon LaBatte told the CFL team over the weekend he would not be reporting for training camp starting July 10. He also may choose to sit out the entire 2021 season.
“He’s not planning on retiring,” O’Day said. “Just with all the (COVID-19) rules and regulations and the stuff that he has going on in his own personal life — I don’t want to speak for Brendon — but he has decided he’s not going to play under the current circumstances that we are facing.”
O’Day did say LaBatte left the door open to return in 2021 if restrictions began to relax when it comes to the CFL. LaBatte is under contract for 2022.
A former star with the University of Regina Rams, LaBatte is a six-time CFL all-star who has appeared in 181 games over 12 seasons in the CFL. Eight of those seasons have been with the Weyburn product’s home province team — the Riders — while the other four were with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
LaBatte played in only six games in 2019; he had surgery on a sports hernia he believes he was dealing with since 2017.
LaBatte’s decision could open up another spot on the offensive line for the season.
From their 2019 group, the Riders are now without Dakoda Shepley (signed by the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers), Dariusz Bladek (signed with the Toronto Argonauts), Braden Schram (retired), Takoby Cofield (retired), Philip Blake (signed with Toronto), and Thaddeus Coleman (free agent).
Only centre Dan Clark and tackle Terran Vaughn remain.
But O’Day feels confident about the team’s Canadian depth, with recently signed players like former Ottawa Redblack Evan Johnson and former B.C. Lion Brett Boyko to go along with CFL draft picks Mattland Riley and Logan Bandy and territorial junior Logan Ferland.
O’Day also said the Roughriders have six American offensive linemen for whom they have high hopes.
“It’s not super easy to replace a guy of Brendon’s status but every time a door closes, a door and opportunity opens for one of our guys,” O’Day said.
Head coach Craig Dickenson said he planned on reaching out to LaBatte on Monday.
“It’s unfortunate but it’s understandable; he’s at the tail end of his career and we all know that,” Dickenson said. “I think he can still contribute for another year or two, but a guy has to make decisions for themselves and their families and he’s decided he wants to sit this one out.
“It certainly was fun having Blue around. He’s just a fun guy to have in the locker room and a guy who always brought good energy into the team.”
The Roughriders, like many other CFL teams, are dealing with players deciding not to play in 2021. Along with Schram and Cofield, defensive end Chad Geter also chose to retire this off-season.
“When anyone calls you and tells you they’re not playing football, you’re going to be surprised at that point,” O’Day said. “It’s more of the timing.
“If it’s spaced out and a little further away from camp, it makes it a little bit easier to adjust but we’re dealing with a unique set of circumstances and it’s not a normal year with all the regulations that we’re going to have to do. So the expectation was that we were going to have some guys (decide not to play).”
Riders sign former NFL first-rounder Paxton Lynch
While the Riders lost a possible first-ballot Canadian Football Hall of Famer, they did add a former first-round NFL draft pick to their roster.
The team announced it has signed quarterback Paxton Lynch to a contract.
Lynch was taken 26th overall in the 2016 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. Lynch is a towering quarterback, coming in at 6-foot-7 and 244 pounds.
Lynch played in five games for the Broncos over two seasons, completing 79 passes for 792 yards and four touchdowns. He also spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Texas-born quarterback played for the University of Memphis Tigers for three seasons, appearing in 38 games. Lynch completed 758 passes for 8,863 yards and 59 touchdowns.