Vernon Adams Jr. plans to bring positive energy to the Calgary Stampeders.
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To the field …
To the huddle …
And to the locker room.
Given his eight years of success in the CFL, bank on all of that happening for the Stampeders after they landed the veteran quarterback Tuesday in a pivotal trade with the BC Lions.
“Man … I bring great energy, great focus and chemistry to a team,” said Adams, with a big smile when talking about his future with the Stamps early Wednesday. “I’m big on bringing the team together, doing things outside of the locker room together.
“Nothing crazy, you know,” continued Adams. “But I’m just being me. I’m trying to bring my smile, trying to bring some wins and some championships home to Calgary.”
The 31-year-old QB will try to do so with a skill-set Stamps fans haven’t seen under centre since back in the days of Henry Burris.
Because Adams can run.
Yes, he’s mobile but with the intention of buying time for himself to make something happen with his arm downfield.
He does, after all, boast the nickname of ‘Big-Play V.A.’
“I wouldn’t say I’m a Lamar Jackson-type of runner or anything like that,” said Adams, when asked to describe himself. “I’m more of a buy-time scrambler. I scramble to throw, because that’s where the big plays come from. But then if I don’t have it, then I’ll get out and use my legs if I really need to.
“But I’m about those passing yards. I’m trying to get the passing yards and the passing touchdowns and win.”
He’s done all of that well in his three-down career.
The native of Pasadena, Calif., has thrown for 16,190 yards and 96 touchdowns and rushed for 1,644 yards and 24 majors. Most importantly for the Stamps, who have just 11 combined wins over the last two seasons, Adams boasts a career record of 38-22 as starting QB in the CFL.
Adams also has four career starts in the playoffs with 1,177 passing yards including a pair of 300-yard games, as well as four rushing touchdowns.
And an added bonus for the Red and White is he loves playing at McMahon Stadium.
“Just played good there,” said Adams, who has spent his CFL years with the Lions, the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“I think it’s really just the atmosphere, just the fans going crazy … I know those fans are very passionate in Cowtown, and they’re used to winning football. And I’m a winner. I’ve always been a winner.”
A lot of the credit, he says, goes to Beau Baldwin, the Stamps’ current quarterback coach.
Baldwin was the head coach for the NCAA’s Eastern Washington Eagles, with whom Adams was a stud for three seasons. He went 28-6 as a starter with the FCS-side Eagles and was a first-team Big Sky Conference all-star and the conference’s offensive player of the year in both 2013 and ’14. In 37 games with Eastern Washington, he completed 701-of-1,081 passes for 10,438 yards and 110 touchdowns. Adams also had 1,232 yards and 11 touchdowns along the ground.
“Yeah, give Beau a ton of credit for all that,” Adams said. “When I came to Eastern Washington, I was a raw — just a super-raw young QB, just more athletic, just doing it with my legs …
“And he really taught me to sit in that pocket and go through my progression reads and how to read different things. And he made the offence so simple for me to where the point I can play fast and get these guys the ball and let them do the rest. You know, I played with Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne down there and a few other big names down there. And you know, Beau was super smart, locked in all the time and a players’ coach — all the players could relate to him.
“And I’m hearing the same thing now,” continued Adams, who also starred for his senior college season with the NCAA’s Oregon Ducks before graduating to the CFL in 2016. “All the players I’ve talked to here in Calgary so far, they’re all saying how much they like Beau and how much I’m going to like him. I’m like, ‘Shoot, I already like him, I know him already … so I know what’s good.’
“So I’m excited to get back to working with him.”
It’s happening after Tuesday’s major trade, when the Stamps sent their second- and fourth-round picks — ninth and 29th overall — in 2025 and their second-round pick in 2026 to the Lions.
In exchange, the Red and White also receive the Lions’ fourth-round selection — 32nd overall — in the 2025 CFL Draft and the Lions’ third-round pick in 2026.
New Lions GM Ryan Rigmaiden said last week they were going to move on from Adams after the return of young QB Nathan Rourke, the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian, to the fold mid-season.
And Rigmaiden said Tuesday the Stamps offer was easily the best of those on the table for Adams, who says there’s “no hard feelings” with the “business” that went down in Vancouver.
“It all happened so fast, man — it happened so fast,” Adams said. “Like I was talking to (Stamps cornerback) DeMario Houston, and we were just talking scenarios and things like that. And I told him, I was like, ‘Hey, I would love to come over there and be a piece to the puzzle and help the Stampeders get back to where they need to be.’ And 10-15 minutes later, I get a call saying we executed a deal to Calgary. And I said, ‘Awesome, great … thank you.’ And after that, (Stamps GM/head coach) Dave (Dickenson) called me. So it just all happened so quick.
“But I’m just so happy and thankful just to be part of a great organization. I’ve always wanted play for Dave. I’ve been knowing him since I was in college. He came and spoke to us at Eastern Washington one season, and I have so much respect for him.
“Yeah … I’m super excited,” added Adams. “Calgary gives me that Eastern Washington vibe — just the colours and the country town. So I’ve always been a fan of the city.
“And I’m always a big community guy, so when I can get out there, or when I am out there, I will do things in the community — helping out kids, youth, football camps … things like that. You know, I’m always trying to just help out however I can to get my face out there and help the next generation, or whatever it may be.
“It comes from the heart … I’m all in.”
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