2004 CFL Western Preview - Edmonton Eskimos
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2003 record - 13-5-0-0. Playoff result: Grey Cup champion. Stadium - Commonwealth Stadium. Capacity - 60,081. Club Colors - Green, gold and white.
For the first time in two years, the Edmonton Eskimos face life without quarterback Ricky Ray.
Ray played an instrumental role in guiding Edmonton to a 34-22 Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes last season, the club's first CFL title in 10 years. But in the off-season, the 6-3, 210-pound Ray signed a four-year deal with the NFL's New York Jets.
Ray made $44,000 Cdn with the Eskimos last year. Financial terms of his NFL deal weren't available but a significant amount of the first-year salary was guaranteed. The NFL's minimum salary for 2004 is $230,000 US for rookies. That increases to $305,000 for players with one year of service and $380,000 for two-year veterans. If Ray sticks with the Jets for the entire length of his deal, as a five-year veteran in 2008, his minimum salary will be no less than $545,000.
Ray completed 348-of-515 passes (67.6 percent) for 4,640 yards and 35 touchdowns with Edmonton last year. In 2002 as a CFL rookie, Ray was 227- of-350 passing (63.2 percent) for 2,991 yards with 24 TDs.
With Ray gone, former No. 1 Jason Maas moves back into the starter's role, with No. 3 quarterback Bart Hendricks becoming the backup.
Maas beat out Nealon Greene as Edmonton's starter midway through the 2001 season and was the club's outstanding player nominee that year. Maas held the No. 1 job until being sidelined by a shoulder injury late in the 2002 campaign, paving the way for Ray to come on to the scene. Maas then had back surgery last spring, effectively leaving him as the backup to Ray.
The good news for Ray and the Eskimos is many of the players who were on last year's Grey Cup-winning team are back, meaning Maas will be surrounded by virtually the same talent Ray had to work with last season.
That includes rugged running back Mike Pringle, who is just 833 yards shy of eclipsing George Reed's CFL record total of 16,116. Pringle, 36, is showing no signs of slowing down, either, as he finished second in league rushing last year with 1,374 yards on 273 carries.
Pringle won't have the luxury of relying on veteran lineman Bruce Beaton to help pave the way. The 6-5, 287-pound tackle retired in the off-season after 11 years in the CFL. Beaton never missed a game in his six years with the Eskimos and in 2002 was the West Division finalist for the league's outstanding lineman award. He was a CFL All-Star in 2000 and 2001, an Eastern All-Star in 1996 and 1997 and a Western All-Star in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Edmonton's receiving corps was bolstered by the return of Grey Cup MVP Jason Tucker and the addition of slot back Derrell Mitchell, who was released last month by Toronto.
Tucker had two TD catches and 132 receiving yards against Montreal after registering 41 receptions for 744 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season. Tucker combined with veterans Terry Vaughn (106 catches, 1,558 yards, seven touchdowns) and Ed Harvey (72 catches, 1,022 yards, eight touchdowns) to give Edmonton a potent group of receivers.
Mitchell played 6 1/2 seasons in Toronto and was only 91 yards away from breaking Paul Masotti's team record of 8,772 career receiving yards.
Defensively, a familiar face is back with the Eskimos.
Rush end Elfrid Payton rejoined the team a week after being released. The 36- year-old appeared in just two games in 2003 after suffering a season-ending knee injury. In 2002, Payton was the league's outstanding defensive player. He has 149 career sacks and needs just nine more to break Grover Covington's all- time CFL record. Payton led the CFL in sacks in 1993, 1997 and 2002 and was a CFL All-Star four times.
If Payton can regain his 2002 form, he will help an already stout defense that includes defensive backs Robert Grant (returned two of his five interceptions for touchdowns last year) and Donnie Brady (league-best seven forced fumbles, six interceptions) and linebacker Signor Mobley (tied for CFL lead with four fumble recoveries).
The kicking game is in the capable hands of veteran Sean Fleming, who made 32- of-39 field goals (82.1 percent) and accumulated 162 points and sported a solid 41.7-yard punting average.
The skinny: Edmonton's Grey Cup victory was especially sweet for head coach Tom Higgins, who was able to finally quiet his critics. And, as icing for his cake, Higgins was named the CFL's Coach of the Year in the off-season.
There's no doubt the loss of Ray is huge. But Higgins and his coaches once again have a dearth of talent at their disposal. There is no reason, barring injuries, to think that Edmonton can't once again be a power in the West and put up a serious defense of its Grey Cup title.
Sports Network predicted finish: First.
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - East. 2003 record - 13-5-0-0. Playoff result: Grey Cup champion. Stadium - Commonwealth Stadium. Capacity - 60,081. Club Colors - Green, gold and white.
For the first time in two years, the Edmonton Eskimos face life without quarterback Ricky Ray.
Ray played an instrumental role in guiding Edmonton to a 34-22 Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes last season, the club's first CFL title in 10 years. But in the off-season, the 6-3, 210-pound Ray signed a four-year deal with the NFL's New York Jets.
Ray made $44,000 Cdn with the Eskimos last year. Financial terms of his NFL deal weren't available but a significant amount of the first-year salary was guaranteed. The NFL's minimum salary for 2004 is $230,000 US for rookies. That increases to $305,000 for players with one year of service and $380,000 for two-year veterans. If Ray sticks with the Jets for the entire length of his deal, as a five-year veteran in 2008, his minimum salary will be no less than $545,000.
Ray completed 348-of-515 passes (67.6 percent) for 4,640 yards and 35 touchdowns with Edmonton last year. In 2002 as a CFL rookie, Ray was 227- of-350 passing (63.2 percent) for 2,991 yards with 24 TDs.
With Ray gone, former No. 1 Jason Maas moves back into the starter's role, with No. 3 quarterback Bart Hendricks becoming the backup.
Maas beat out Nealon Greene as Edmonton's starter midway through the 2001 season and was the club's outstanding player nominee that year. Maas held the No. 1 job until being sidelined by a shoulder injury late in the 2002 campaign, paving the way for Ray to come on to the scene. Maas then had back surgery last spring, effectively leaving him as the backup to Ray.
The good news for Ray and the Eskimos is many of the players who were on last year's Grey Cup-winning team are back, meaning Maas will be surrounded by virtually the same talent Ray had to work with last season.
That includes rugged running back Mike Pringle, who is just 833 yards shy of eclipsing George Reed's CFL record total of 16,116. Pringle, 36, is showing no signs of slowing down, either, as he finished second in league rushing last year with 1,374 yards on 273 carries.
Pringle won't have the luxury of relying on veteran lineman Bruce Beaton to help pave the way. The 6-5, 287-pound tackle retired in the off-season after 11 years in the CFL. Beaton never missed a game in his six years with the Eskimos and in 2002 was the West Division finalist for the league's outstanding lineman award. He was a CFL All-Star in 2000 and 2001, an Eastern All-Star in 1996 and 1997 and a Western All-Star in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Edmonton's receiving corps was bolstered by the return of Grey Cup MVP Jason Tucker and the addition of slot back Derrell Mitchell, who was released last month by Toronto.
Tucker had two TD catches and 132 receiving yards against Montreal after registering 41 receptions for 744 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season. Tucker combined with veterans Terry Vaughn (106 catches, 1,558 yards, seven touchdowns) and Ed Harvey (72 catches, 1,022 yards, eight touchdowns) to give Edmonton a potent group of receivers.
Mitchell played 6 1/2 seasons in Toronto and was only 91 yards away from breaking Paul Masotti's team record of 8,772 career receiving yards.
Defensively, a familiar face is back with the Eskimos.
Rush end Elfrid Payton rejoined the team a week after being released. The 36- year-old appeared in just two games in 2003 after suffering a season-ending knee injury. In 2002, Payton was the league's outstanding defensive player. He has 149 career sacks and needs just nine more to break Grover Covington's all- time CFL record. Payton led the CFL in sacks in 1993, 1997 and 2002 and was a CFL All-Star four times.
If Payton can regain his 2002 form, he will help an already stout defense that includes defensive backs Robert Grant (returned two of his five interceptions for touchdowns last year) and Donnie Brady (league-best seven forced fumbles, six interceptions) and linebacker Signor Mobley (tied for CFL lead with four fumble recoveries).
The kicking game is in the capable hands of veteran Sean Fleming, who made 32- of-39 field goals (82.1 percent) and accumulated 162 points and sported a solid 41.7-yard punting average.
The skinny: Edmonton's Grey Cup victory was especially sweet for head coach Tom Higgins, who was able to finally quiet his critics. And, as icing for his cake, Higgins was named the CFL's Coach of the Year in the off-season.
There's no doubt the loss of Ray is huge. But Higgins and his coaches once again have a dearth of talent at their disposal. There is no reason, barring injuries, to think that Edmonton can't once again be a power in the West and put up a serious defense of its Grey Cup title.
Sports Network predicted finish: First.
