Ticats sign three Canadians with some potential

The Ticats signed three Canadian players today, including a pair of 2016 CFL Draft picks and an offensive lineman who has reached something of a crossroads.

Everton Williams has spent the last two seasons on the Ticats’ practice roster – an unusually long time – as he makes the transition from the position he played at the University of Toronto (defensive tackle) to offensive line. He’s got size – 6-foot-5, 297 pounds – but this will likely be a make-or-break season for him to show he can play at the CFL level. He was originally signed as a free agent and the plan was to convert him right from the get-go.

The 24-year-old Uren played in one game this season after being selected in the eighth round last season. He’s one of several young, if largely unproven, receivers the Ticats have been developing over the last couple of years, a list that includes speedster Mike Jones, Giovanni Aprile and Matt Coates. With Andy Fantuz set to be a free agent in February and rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered late last season, there should be some competition at that spot this spring (depending what the Ticats do in free agency.)

Faubert-Lussier, 24, was selected by Hamilton in the fifth round of last year’s draft and stayed with the club until August when he went back to Laval to help the Rouge et Or win the Vanier Cup (he won three during his career.) At 6-feet, 220-pounds, Faubert-Lussier isn’t a sledgehammer but could still provide some much-needed depth behind C.O. Prime, who has been the team’s only fullback for much of the last few seasons. Prime has been remarkably durable – he hasn’t missed a game due to injury in his career – but a little insurance couldn’t hurt.

Faubert-Lussier was an effective receiver for Laval and he can also kick – not on a full-time basis but in a pinch – and so could be a useful piece, particularly if he can find a way to participate on special teams.

All three players played on the scout team during practice last season, the group of players charged with mimicking the play of the next opponent. It’s a largely thankless job, though one that didn’t go unrecognized by linebacker Simoni Lawrence when the deals were announced today.

2 ballers that ball out and prepared that 💩 outta of our defense happy they back https://t.co/Nt7rmkjcGh

— Simoni Lawrence (@Simoni_Lawrence) January 18, 2017