EDWARDS’ COMING OUT PARTY
First-year Roughriders receiver Armanti Edwards scored his first professional touchdown in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 26-23 overtime victory over the Edmonton Eskimos. The Appalachian State product spent five seasons in the NFL – four with the Carolina Panthers – before heading to Canada to resume his career this summer.
Edwards notched 60 yards on six receptions against the Eskimos, however he found the endzone on a fourth quarter run.
“Obviously I’ve got a lot of stuff I’ve got to improve on,” Edwards said on 620 CKRM’s SportsCage on Tuesday. “But considering I’m coming off injuries and this being just my second game, I thought I did pretty good.”
The Greenwater, South Carolina product is a big part of the Riders’ rebuilding plan and said Sunday’s emotional victory was a huge step forward for his young team.
“Yes it was a great, exciting feeling,” Edwards smiled. “We’ve been in this situation like four or five times this year where it came down to a touchdown, a field goal or the last possession and we’ve just been on the unlucky side of things. The hard work that we’ve put in week by week, to finally just get another win, it was a great feeling.”
Some feel Edwards could be the top receiver on the Riders’ roster, but many fans also wondered why it took until Week 12 for him to get on the field.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Edwards laughed. “We got a lot of great receivers including Naaman Roosevelt. He was doing great until he got injured. But I’ve been injured this whole time, beginning in Florida when I sprained my MCL real bad. I still wasn’t ready for training camp but I was fortunate these coaches kept me on. Once they felt I was healthy enough, that’s when I got my opportunity.”
The average NFL career is 2.5 years and Edwards spent five seasons in “The League”. I asked him why he’d come to Canada, when he could easily call it a career and be proud of his accomplishments.
“Ya I can shut it down but for myself, I have high expectations and goals that I set for myself,” Edwards said. “I don’t consider my pro career as great as in college (as a quarterback). There’s a lot of things I want to prove to myself – and everybody else – that I can play receiver.
“And I have two kids at home, and my son wasn’t born yet to actually to get to see me play down in the States. I want to give him the opportunity to watch his Dad play football.”
My SportsCage co-host Derek Meyers jumped on that statement, suggesting Edwards plans to be a Roughrider for many years to come.
“That’s up to Coach Jones and the rest of the coaching staff,” Edwards admitted.
The Roughriders are back at practice Wednesday morning at Mosaic Stadium. On Saturday night they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a 7:30 kickoff.
RP
@rodpedersen
Wonder what he would look like at QB?
He would look like every other quarterback that comes up here that ripped up a small school. These guys are great athletes.
The CFL still doesn't get the respect it deserves. Just like when a CIS QB is good and people think he should get a pro shot. Truth is, it isn't even close.
Voice of Reason
No one can look good behind our O-line with Best and Labatte out.
Edwards will be an outstanding receiver in this league and along with Holley and Roosevelt, that trio will be high octane. Our problem all year long hasn't been the quality of our receiving corps, it's been our anemic O-line. Most of that can be highlighted by the fact two all star linemen have bee injured all year, and that's simply too much to compensate for. This staff has got to start looking for help in certain areas like the O-line and pass rushers. Once they get those things will be just fine.
I don't know posters above. Our oline sucks but calgary always gets by with backups and fill ins. We haven't had a running back all year and I think there's something to be said for the fact mcadoo hasn't moulded the offence to durants traditional strengths.. move the pocket around and scramble be a threat to run. When Darian has pulled it down hes been very effective. Drop back Passer? He just doesn't have it quick release quick reads. Hell glen was way quicker. Darien has shown he can still run some so lets evolve the offense .. get a… Read more »
DD wants to be a pocket Passer to extend his career. Said so himself a few years back when he said he watched AC film all summer to learn what it takes to be a good pocket Passer in this league. Your right though, too slow on reads and release to be a pocket Passer, plus he doesnt have the arm, I said that as soon as he wanted to be one. When he said he wanted to be AC and extend his career I lost all respect for him. You do what it takes to win, bottem line, everyone… Read more »
I don't buy that injury excuse. Look at Calgary line, those guys can't jump any higher than the rider linemen, they can't run faster or bench press any more yet they are all better than the Riders.It doesn't seem to matter who gets an NFL invite or who retires or gets hurt. They still have a better line than the Riders year after year. The Stampeders O-line coach is Pat DelMonica and this is his third year but this has been going on longer than that. It's something Hufnagel has instilled that nobody else has figured out.It's called coaching, or… Read more »
Byob;
I agree Stephan McAdoo is not getting the job done. A coach is supposed to put you in the best scenario to succeed. If it means altering your schemes so be it. He's not, he's expecting 12 guys to conform to his deal.
O-line coach Mike Scheper has proven he don't know what Hufnagel does.
The defense has been improving and special teams is also getting better but the O still in training camp mode and sooner or later that has to fall at McAdoo and Scheper's feet.