Eddie Steele is looking forward to some reunions as a member of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Winnipeg-born defensive lineman will renew acquaintances with guard Brendon LaBatte, whom Steele first faced when he played for the University of Manitoba Bisons and LaBatte was with the University of Regina Rams.
Steele also will get reacquainted with quarterback Kevin Glenn, a teammate of Steele’s with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2010 and ‘11 — and the man whom Steele picked off in 2014 for his first (and, to date, only) interception in the CFL.
Perhaps most importantly, Steele will be reunited with head coach Chris Jones, whom Steele played for in 2014 and ’15 with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Jones’ presence in Saskatchewan was a major reason why the 28-year-old Steele signed with the Roughriders on Tuesday.
“It’s his style of coaching; he’s no-nonsense,” Steele said from Edmonton when asked why he wanted to play for Jones again. “To be honest, I just don’t want to let him down.
“I’m like that with all coaches, of course, but personally there was more of a sense of urgency to not let him down. I had my best years of football under him when he was with us in Edmonton, so that’s a nice draw to me.
“I know the scheme, I’m comfortable with it and I had success in it. I wouldn’t mind going back to that.”
The Roughriders also announced Tuesday that Saskatoon-born long-snapper Jorgen Hus had re-signed. The 27-year-old Hus became a free agent Feb. 14.
Steele was selected by Hamilton in the third round (22nd overall) of the 2010 CFL draft.
After one season on the Tiger-Cats’ practice roster, he started his CFL career in 2011. He spent three seasons in Steeltown before signing with the Eskimos as a free agent in 2013.
Steele spent four seasons with Edmonton, including the two when Jones was the Eskimos’ head coach. Edmonton won the Grey Cup in 2015.
In 90 career regular-season games, Steele has recorded 109 defensive tackles, three special-teams takedowns, 13 sacks, the aforementioned interception off Glenn, and a forced fumble.
Steele had 14 defensive tackles and one special-teams stop in 18 games for Edmonton in 2016.
Steele hit the market Feb. 27 when he was released by the Eskimos — mere hours before he was to receive a roster bonus.
“The timing of it was terrible, but it’s part of the business,” said Steele who, with his wife Stephanie, is awaiting the arrival of a son (Jackson) in about a month.
“I’m not bitter or anything because I understand the business. I’m going into my eighth year of pro ball, so I get it.”
He also understands the lay of the land in the CFL — and that made Saskatchewan attractive to him.
As a Winnipegger, he knows the hype that surrounds the Roughriders and he wants to experience that.
“They bleed Riders out there,” Steele said. “To be a part of something like that gives me chills, honestly. The fans, the brand-new stadium — there’s so much going for it. Why would you not want to be a part of that?”
Steele can play tackle or end in Jones’ scheme and also can drop into coverage. In 2015, he further proved his versatility when he started two games at guard for the Eskimos after a rash of injuries.
“If something happens and they lose all their O-linemen in a game, I know I’m that guy, the next man up,” Steele said with a chuckle. “But I’m coming there to play D-line.”
Steele adds to an off-season of moves by Jones to shore up the Roughriders’ Canadian depth. Safety Marc-Olivier Brouillette, tailback Kienan LaFrance, fullback Aaron Milton and offensive lineman Ryan White are among the nationals signed by Saskatchewan this off-season.
• Hus rejoins the Roughriders for his third season.
He played nine games in 2016 before being sidelined with a wrist injury. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder has five career special-teams tackles in 27 games.
A product of the U of R Rams and the PFC’s Saskatoon Hilltops, Hus had NFL stints with the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Roughriders in May of 2015.
