The Calgary Stampeders wanted to get better this Canadian Football League off-season.
That meant taking up a familiar slogan …
‘Faster, Higher, Stronger.’
Or in football terms, ‘Faster, Taller, Stronger.’
“I like our group,” said Stampeders GM and head coach Dave Dickenson, in introducing Wednesday eight of the players he’s brought in via trade or free agency.
“We feel as a group we got bigger, stronger, tougher …” continued Dickenson. “And I think you’ll see excellent character.”
In particular, on offence …
They wanted bigger — and taller — receivers.
“Vernon likes tall receivers,” said Dickenson, in talking about his new quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr., who was acquired in a trade early in the off-season from the BC Lions.
“Across the board, we’ll have size out there and toughness and guys that can make plays on the ball (among our receiving corps).”
Of course, those plays for the passing game furthered the commitment to improve the offence they started early in the off-season when addressing needs at the QB position.
“We did solve some of the things we felt we had to do with trades,” Dickenson said. “We came into the year with some things we said we’ve gotta do differently.
“The first thing was we were going to change the dynamics of the quarterback room, so we did that (by signing P.J. Walker and trading for Vernon Adams Jr.),” continued Dickenson. “And then we said we needed to have — if we can — some height and some playmakers … guys who could go get the ball in one-on-one matchups, and we did that.
“So I think we accomplished what we wanted to.”
Who did they bring in on offence?
- QB Vernon Adams Jr.
- QB P.J. Walker
- RB Jeshrun Antwi
- WR Tevin Jones
- WR Dominique Rhymes
The key to a successful football season is how it looks under centre.
The Stamps got it right this year by making a wholesale change at the quarterback position. Bringing in Walker and Adams brings them new life, as they are suddenly energized by the moves.
And Adams, in particular, is helping to bring in talent for the team’s turnaround.
Take, for instance, Adams’ influence on freshly signed pass-catcher Tevin Jones, a Stampeders killer last year in the Labour Day Classic.
“V.A. has his own presence,” said Jones, who has played 47 CFL contests for Saskatchewan and Edmonton after suiting up for five games for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. “When Calgary put their hat on the table, I knew that V.A. was going to be here, so I know that he was going to give me some opportunities to get the ball.”
In 47 career games, the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder has 125 catches for 1,878 yards and 11 touchdowns, as well as 14 special-teams tackles. Last year with the Edmonton Elks, the Mississippi native led the CFL with an average of 18.3 yards per catch as he hauled in 40 passes for 731 yards and five touchdowns, including a 208-yard, two-TD game against the Stamps on Labour Day.
“This is going to be my family outside the States,” said the 32-year-old Jones. “So I’m just glad to have a bigger family and glad to be here.”
Veteran receiver Dominique Rhymes played one-plus season — highlighted by his CFL all-star year in 2022 — with Adams throwing him the ball in B.C.
“Just to be back with V.A. is great,” Rhymes said. “The brotherhood we’ve built over the past few years is amazing.”
The 31-year-old Miami native boasts three 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including 1,011 racked up last year on 72 catches with the Redblacks.
In 90 career regular-season games, Rhymes has 322 catches for 4,936 yards and 26 touchdowns.
“I’m a big body that’s ready to catch anything, put fear into defenders and help everybody get open as well to be successful,” said Rhymes, standing in at 6-foot-4, 215 lb. “At the end of the day, V.A. is going to get the ball to everybody and we’re going to have fun. He’s going to throw up a little prayer every time he throws a touchdown.”
For the running back Antwi, he saw free agency as a chance to come home.
The 27-year-old Israel native played high school football in Calgary for the Bishop/McNally Laserwolves before committing to the U SPORTS’ Calgary Dinos.
“It feels great to be back home, man,” said the 5-foot-11, 207-lb. Canadian. “I remember when I was younger here, Jon Cornish and Bo Levi Mitchell — those guys were studs — and the Stamps used to be a place where guys wanted to come. I remember those days like just yesterday.”
With the Dinos, he rolled up 2,233 career rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, as well as 55 receptions for 479 yards and five scores. Antwi was part of the U of C’s Vanier Cup championship team in 2019.
“When you go to high school here and you play in university football here, you always dream about playing for the Stampeders, right? In the past years, we tried to make it happen, but it didn’t happen. But now I’m happy to be here.
“I’m ready to turn the ship around.”
The Stampeders also signed a handful of rookie Americans on the offensive side of ball — tight end Ryan Jones, offensive linemen William Barnes, Preston Nichols and Deiyantei Powell-Woods and receivers Daylen Baldwin, Kaylon Horton, Tykee Ogle-Kellogg, Terrell Vaughn and Marcus Washington.