After the Saskatchewan Roughriders released running back Jerome Messam on Monday, the CFL made it clear that he won’t be joining any other team anytime soon.
In a media release, the Roughriders reported they had cut Messam after learning he had been charged with a crime relating to an incident that allegedly occurred in November of 2016. Messam was a member of the Calgary Stampeders at the time.
According to media reports, Messam was charged with voyeurism for allegedly videotaping a consensual sexual encounter. The reports stated the case’s first court date is set for Aug 31.
Asked Monday about the charges against Messam, Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones replied: “I’ve been instructed not to make any comment concerning that situation.”
Shortly after the Roughriders released their statement saying Messam had been released, the CFL issued its own release.
“The Canadian Football League is aware that Jerome Messam has been charged with voyeurism, a Criminal Code offence,” the statement read. “He has been released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has informed all member clubs that the league will not register a contract for Messam should any team attempt to sign him.
“We will have no further comment on this matter as it is before the courts.”
Messam, a 33-year-old product of Brampton, Ont., was signed by Saskatchewan as a free agent in February. He had spent the previous two-plus seasons with the Stampeders before they let him go in free agency this off-season.
Messam’s CFL career also featured stops with the B.C. Lions, Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes. He had a stint with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins as well.
Messam was the Roughriders’ leading rusher this season with 205 yards on 52 carries. His yardage total is ninth-best in the league, but his 3.9-yard average is the lowest among the CFL’s top 20 rushers.
Saskatchewan had been operating with a three-man rotation at tailback featuring Messam and internationals Marcus Thigpen and Tre Mason. The game plan will change Thursday, when the Roughriders visit Edmonton.
“There’s two of them now, so each one of them will get about half (of the playing time),” said Jones, who suggested the Roughriders will be bringing in another back in the near future.
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In another transaction announced Monday, the Roughriders revealed they had signed international defensive back Marcell Young.
The 30-year-old product of Utica, Miss., started the 2018 season with B.C., but he was released by the Lions on Saturday.
The 6-foot-0, 190-pounder had nine tackles in five games for the Lions this season. He also has CFL experience with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2011-12) and Edmonton (2013-17).
“You don’t know what to expect when you get released, but (the Roughriders) were interested in my services,” said Young, who played for Jones in Edmonton in 2014 and ’15.
“They called me right away and I was interested in continuing to play football, so this is just another opportunity to showcase my abilities with people who I’m familiar with and who I had a lot of success with in Edmonton.”
Young gained some notoriety in the CFL on June 16 when he flattened a fan who had run onto the field during the Lions’ home game against Montreal. The hit generated an online debate between those who supported Young’s actions and those who felt he went overboard.
“It was just an unfortunate incident,” Young said Monday. “I didn’t think it would get that big, but it did.”
The Roughriders also announced they had released defensive back Will Blackmon and linebacker Carl Bradford.
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Cornerback Nick Marshall was back on the practice field Monday, following the lead of nearly every CFL player who has one game remaining in his stint on the six-game injured list.
Marshall injured a hand in Saskatchewan’s season-opening victory over the Toronto Argonauts on June 15 and he was placed on the six-game list on June 18.
“Nick’s close (to returning),” Jones said. “It’s one of those situations where we’ll have to see exactly how good he is before we’ll have a real diagnosis on him.”
Unless the Roughriders activate him off the list early, he won’t play Thursday in Edmonton — a contest that would exhaust his time on the list.
If Saskatchewan does activate him, he could start at cornerback and Duron Carter could return to his normal position at wide receiver.
“We’ll see,” Jones said when asked about that latter possibility. “Duron practises every Day 1 (at receiver) just as (he did) last week when we over-reacted to the NFL guys there (like Blackmon) and anointed Duron back on offence. We’ll have to just see exactly where we’re at.”
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Slotback Naaman Roosevelt practised Monday, showing no ill effects from the hit he took during Saturday’s 34-22 loss to the Stampeders.
After being hit low by Calgary defensive back Ciante Evans, Roosevelt went head over heels, landed on the crown of his helmet and flipped onto his backside. He left the game and didn’t return for what Jones later said were precautionary reasons.
“You never want to see any of your players on top of their headgear — and certainly not one of your veteran, older players,” Jones said. “It’s good to have Naaman back out.”
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Defensive line coach Ed Philion has left the Roughriders and returned home for personal reasons. He isn’t expected to return this season.
The Roughriders aren’t expected to name a replacement for Philion, but defensive assistant Merritt Bowden has been working with the defensive linemen in Philion’s absence.
Philion had worked with Jones since 2014, when both men were employed by the Eskimos.
