At Wednesday morning’s media conference, Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin discussed transactions and talked about how the team plans to rebound from an 0-4 start. He mentioned other transactions, but most interesting was that receiver Ryan Smith has been activated and that receiver Taj Smith is done for the year. Let’s go back before we go forward.
The Past
Without a doubt the worst memory of 2013 for the team stem from an incident in Regina’s nightclub district. That night, a trio of Riders were involved in an early morning fight that saw all three eventually charged with aggravated assault.
Those men were Dwight Anderson, Eron Riley, andTaj Smith. The first two players, Anderson and Riley, have had all charges dropped and have moved on from the team. Smith will be tried in a Regina courtroom in December of this year.
The statements made today are where the waters of Chamblin’s words get muddy. Chamblin said with clarity, “We made a decision with Taj. He wasn’t at his fullest. So, we shut Taj down. There’s some other guys that moved ahead of him. So, Taj will be done for the year.”
I looked all over for the “shut him down” list and it doesn’t exist. Yes, I’m joking. In all seriousness, no one knows what General Manager Brendan Taman will officially do with Smith. Will he be outright released or sit on a list with the team? I’d imagine that he’ll be placed on the suspended list until his trial has concluded. That’s my own speculation, so stay tuned for more news.
The Present
I found the current and former Rider receivers’ reaction on Twitter to be very telling. Much of Rider Nation also chimed in. Here are his comments and a couple of the best from the nation.
Thanks everybody for your support. Have to get healthy appreciate #ridernation for everything. This won't be the last of me promise you all
— Taj Smith Tre Tail Q (@TajSW10) July 22, 2015
https://twitter.com/on_roughriders/status/623987408070008832
https://twitter.com/trbltmd/status/623957669536100352
“This won’t be the last of me,” says Smith. The defendant sounds confident.
The Future
Who are the “other guys that moved ahead of him” you ask? They are the aforementioned Ryan Smith and impressive rookie Naaman Roosevelt.
A rookie who didn’t drop a ball all training camp, Roosevelt is likely to make his debut on the 46-man roster with the league-leading Rider offence in the weeks to come. The veteran NFLer is chomping at the bit as one the very last cuts in training camp.
From an impact perspective, and less about the ratio, the Riders also hope Winnipeg product Nic Demski will continue his much talked about rookie campaign. The sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Demski is a threat on pass routes and on running sets out of the backfield. He’s also very needed to take some of the heat off Weston Dressler on special teams as a return man. Demski is making an honest man of himself; he said to me the familiar line, “I’ll be back.” Arny? The Governator would be happy for him.
So far in his second year with the Riders, Ryan Smith has hauled in 11 catches for 251 yards in just two games. He’ll also be utilized occasionally on special teams in the return game. It seems all around the CFL, people are expecting great things in his present and future. He made a 42-yard grab over Argos DB Matt Black, a play that’s an early candidate for TSN Sportscentre’s play of the year. Smith is not Dressler 2.0. He’s Ryan Smith. If he can stay healthy, he might have a 1000-yard receiving season.
The Other Guys
Still not confirmed for this weekend is Rob Bagg, who left last Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. I’m sure the fighter that he is, he’ll be in the lineup this week. Bagg has been a very reliable target for backup quarterback Kevin Glenn this year and a crucial part of the ratio for the Riders.
Chris Getzlaf got a major monkey off his back with his first touchdown of 2015 coming in week four. He might not be getting any better at this point in his career and is disliked by a pocket of fans. The one thing they can’t take away from him is where he’s been and what he’s done along the way. Getzlaf will find his usual stride and prove a valuable weapon down the stretch for the Riders.
Three-year CFL veteran receiver Korey Williams has had a few reps as well. From what I’ve seen he can be utilized in a more effective way than he’s currently being used: end around and hitch screen plays come to mind.
That is what’s current with the Riders receiving corps. Tune in to TSN this Sunday at 5PM CST or get your tickets for Mosaic Stadium and I’ll see you in the stands as the Riders battle the 1-2 Hamilton Tiger Cats.
