With the Edmonton Eskimos’ training camp set to get underway on Sunday, the team added three more import players to its roster.
The team announced on Wednesday afternoon that it has signed defensive back Aaron Grymes and a pair of receivers, in Owen Spencer and Terrance Lewis.
Grymes is a five-foot-11, 177-pound University of Idaho product who ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash on his pro day at Idaho last month, where he showed off his 40-inch vertical leap. He had a tryout earlier this month with the Green Bay Packers.
Spencer, 25, played at North Carolina State and spent the 2011 NFL season with four different teams. He began the year with the Cleveland Browns, went on to the Detroit Lions, then the Minnesota Vikings and finally the Seattle Seahawks. At six-fo0t-three and 185 pounds, the Eskimos could be looking at him as a plug-in for the injured Adarius Bowman, who will miss the start of training camp as he recovers from knee surgery.
Lewis, a five-foot-eight, 162-pound receiver and return specialist, caught NFL scouts’ eyes with his speed on his pro day in March at his alma mater, Alcorn State. The Eskimos have been in need of a return man for the past three seasons and Lewis will likely compete for that job with fellow Canadian Football League rookies Tavoy Moore, Tracey Lampley and second-year non-import receiver Ismael Bamba.
Training camp gets underway at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday with a single session running from 2 to 4:10 p.m. Sessions throughout the week will be open to the public.
CFL restructures two-a-day practices
The CFL announced on Wednesday that its teams can only have one practice a day during training camp. Teams can still have sessions twice daily during training camp, but only one can involve contact and the use of shoulder pads and other protective equipment, save for helmets, which can be worn in both sessions.
“Our players are our greatest asset, and we want to do all we can to protect them, while also protecting the essence and spirit of our game,” CFL commissioner Mark Cohon said in a statement issued by the league.
Traditionally, teams have had two contact practices on the same day during training camp. The league’s statement said that players had asked for the change when meeting with Cohon’s office. CFL team presidents and head coaches were consulted and supported the move.
“This change is another step toward ensuring the long term health and safety of our members,” Mike Morreale, the president of the Canadian Football League Players Association said in the statement. “We are pleased that the league has taken this action and that the move is supported across all levels of the CFL.”
“This change required cooperation from all sides, as it is being made outside of the negotiation of a new collective agreement,” Kevin McDonald, the CFL’s vice-president of football operations said in the statement.
“The responsiveness shown by the Commissioner, and the support expressed by our teams and coaches speaks to a commitment to players’ health and safety, one we share with the players’ association.”
