Nick James has two aspirations with the Saskatchewan Roughriders: Producing and reducing.
The 6-foot-5, 335-pound defensive tackle has recorded four tackles and one blocked convert attempt over the two games he has played since joining the CFL team. He also has dropped about 20 pounds in that time — with 20 (or so) more to go.
“Right now, my goals are getting in shape and producing,” James said after Thursday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “As long I’m producing and making an effort on trying to lose weight, I think everybody’s OK.”
James signed with the Roughriders on Aug. 11 and immediately was plugged into the middle of their defensive line to replace an injured Zach Minter. Saskatchewan head coach-GM Chris Jones said at the time that James had to lose weight and get in shape — and Jones reiterated those thoughts Thursday.
But Jones also has noted that he likes the rookie’s energy and his ability to clog things up in the trenches.
“He has done a pretty nice job,” Jones said. “He’s a very big man. He’s extremely strong in the weight room. We need a guy who’s kind of an anchor point.”
James was available after being released by the NFL’s Detroit Lions. He went home to Long Beach, Miss., and worked on his strength, but he admitted with a laugh Thursday that he should have worked on his conditioning.
He never once thought about giving up the game.
“I knew something was going to come along,” said the product of Mississippi State University. “I put a lot of time into it — and coming out of the SEC didn’t hurt. I knew I had another decade under my belt for football.”
James recorded two tackles in each of his first two games. He blocked a convert try in Friday’s 54-31 victory over the host Edmonton Eskimos and also fell on Hugh O’Neill to make sure he didn’t recover the ball after one of his punts was blocked. That allowed Willie Jefferson to scoop up the ball and score one of Saskatchewan’s touchdowns.
Not surprisingly, James appreciates the opportunity he has been given to play again.
“Another chance to prove myself is a real blessing from God,” he said. “He’s giving me a test to see how I’m going to handle this. If I handle it well, I think He’ll give me another blessing.”
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The CFL rumour mill was spinning Thursday morning after a report suggested the Roughriders had talked to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats about acquiring quarterback Zach Collaros.
Asked about the rumour after Thursday’s practice, Jones called the report “very premature.”
“Were there conversations? Yeah,” he said. “They called and we spoke, but that’s about the extent of it.”
Collaros has been demoted to backup by the Tiger-Cats, who go into Monday’s game against the Toronto Argonauts with an 0-8-0 record. Jeremiah Masoli will start for Hamilton in that contest.
The Roughriders currently have three young quarterbacks — Brandon Bridge, Vernon Adams Jr., and Marquise Williams — to back up Kevin Glenn.
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The Roughriders did make one trade Thursday, acquiring the rights to national defensive back Adam Laurensse from the Calgary Stampeders for national offensive lineman Dillon Guy.
Laurensse, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound product of Sherwood Park, Alta., was selected by the Stampeders in the seventh round (61stoverall) of the 2017 CFL draft out of the University of Calgary.
The 23-year-old went to training camp with the Stamps before returning to the U of C for his final season of U Sports eligibility.
Guy, a 26-year-old who hails from Hamilton, signed with Saskatchewan in June of 2016 after going to training camp with the B.C. Lions. He was a fourth-round selection (30th overall) by the Lions in the 2016 draft out of the University of Buffalo.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder spent the 2016 season on the Roughriders’ injured list while rehabbing a knee injury. He started the 2017 campaign on the injured list before spending the past four weeks on the practice roster.
Jones said the trade will give Guy an opportunity to play — Saskatchewan already has a bevy of young Canadian O-line prospects in Emmanuel Adusei, Dariusz Bladek, Eddie Meredith, Josiah St. John, Ryan White and Jeremy Zver — and provides the Roughriders with a special-teamer who can join the team next season.
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Defensive end A.C. Leonard didn’t participate in Thursday’s practice.
Jones said Leonard was too stiff after sleeping poorly, so the team’s training staff recommended that he be kept out of practice. Jones expected Leonard to be ready for Sunday’s game against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Slotback Bakari Grant also took limited repetitions in practice, but Jones believes Grant will be OK for Sunday as well.
“He’s not a spring chicken, so we’re taking advantage of a week where he can (rest),” Jones said of the 30-year-old pass-catcher. “He knows what we’re doing and it’s not like we’re putting in a lot of stuff.”
