It seems likely that C.J. Gable is almost ready to retake the starting position as the Tiger-Cats’ running back. Recent reporting from the Ticats practice indicated that he had almost completely recovered from his pre-season injury. And the clearest sign yet was Hamilton’s sudden release of Nic Grigsby today.
Grigsby was picked up late last year from Winnipeg; after spending most of the season on the injured list, Grigsby was benched by coach Mike O’Shea and asked to be released. Only a week later he was on the Tiger-Cats roster, and soon was tearing up the Montreal Alouettes defence in the Eastern final to the tune of 93 yards and a pair of TDs.
This season, as in the last two seasons, the Ticats have a number of strong options in the backfield, but very few healthy enough to play. Grigsby, Gable, and Moisses Madu were all sidelined before the opening game, and young import Ray Holley may yet develop into the position, but isn’t going to carry the ground game at this point in the year.
But with Grigsby, only in his third year of professional ball, getting cut, the Ticats have clearly decided that his injuries – and likely, his potential for injuries – are too serious to keep him on the roster.
When Grigsby is healthy again, other CFL teams will undoubtedly be interested in picking him up. But in the meantime, the Tiger-Cats appear to be solidifying their running game around Gable and Holley, and in the unsentimental world of CFL rosters, that leaves Grigsby out in the cold.
