RIDERS ACQUIRE CORY WATSON

The Saskatchewan Roughriders acquired Canadian receiver Cory Watson from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.

The Riders landed Watson and a 2015 third-round pick for Canadian receiver Kris Bastien, a 2015 second-round selection and the rights to a player on Winnipeg’s negotiation list.

The six-foot-three, 212-pound Watson spent five seasons with Winnipeg after being selected in the second round, ninth overall, in 2010 out of Concordia University. Last year, Watson, 30, a native of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., had 21 catches for 287 yards and three TDs in 12 regular-season games.

Watson has registered 178 career catches for 2,217 yards and six TDs in 67 regular-season contests.
The six-foot-three, 205-pound Bastien, a native of St. Lambert, Que., was a 2014 third-round pick by Saskatchewan, also out of Concordia, and spent last season on the Riders’ practice roster. With the trade, Winnipeg also now has three selections in the first 15 picks of this year’s draft.

“We are always looking to continue to grow our Canadian talent base, and being able to move up 11 spots early on in the CFL draft was significant for us,” Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters said in a statement. “Not only were we able to add a high draft pick, but we are very excited about Kris and what he brings.

“Kristopher is a big young man who we feel has great promise in our league.”

Commented Roughriders Assistant GM Jeremy O’Day: “We feel that (Watson) can be a really good player.  Any time that you can make your team better and increase your depth, but also add a quality Canadian, you’re going to take that opportunity.”

“We’re giving up Canadian talent as well so it’s not as easy as we’re getting quality Canadians.  We have to give up players in order to get those players in.  But obviously we’re focused on getting good strong Canadian talent.  It’s a huge factor in this league.”

“We’re trying our best to allow Corey Chamblin an opportunity to move the ratio around how he wants to.  We want to make those options available and work that out in training camp.  But you want good quality Canadian starters which provides more flexibility.”

Regarding contract negotiations with pending free agent receiver Weston Dressler, O’Day had these comments:

“Those discussions have opened up.  The last time we’d spoken it had been pretty quiet but those conversations have intensified.  It’s more of a back-and-forth thing now rather than before when we were just waiting and the ball was in their court.  Those conversations have increased for sure.”

“We don’t have a contract done.  We don’t have an agreement in place but, optimistically, it’s progressing let’s say.”

(CP)