The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be without two of their top Canadians when the 2021 CFL season get underway on Thursday.
Ted Laurent was limited in all three practices this week due to a knee injury. The five-time all-star is one of the league’s best interior defensive linemen and recorded 16 tackles and five sacks in 2019, helping create space for fellow pass-rushers Ja’Gared Davis, Dylan Wynn, and Julian Howsare.
The 33-year-old will be replaced by Eddy Wilson II, a 24-year-old American out of Purdue. Wilson was a member of the Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF, though he was waived in February 2019. He played two games with the Ticats in that same year, making two tackles and one sack.
Chris Van Zeyl is the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman after a stellar 2019 season at right tackle. He was limited in practice on Thursday with a thumb injury, then missed practice altogether on Friday and Saturday.
The 37-year-old will be replaced by Kay Okafor, who was a third-round pick of the St. FX where he was a star along the defensive line. He was converted to the offensive line in his first season as a professional and spent three years developing to potentially take over a starting role at tackle.
Okafor will be bookended by Trevon Tate, a Memphis product who will be appearing in just his second career CFL game. It will be a tall order for Hamilton’s offensive line to protect Jeremiah Masoli against Winnipeg’s fearsome front-seven.
Hamilton will be without star receivers DeVier Posey and Bralon Addison in Week 1, both of whom have been placed on the six-game injured list. Safety Tunde Adeleke is out as well, which means veteran Mike Daly will step into a starting role.
The Ticats aren’t the only team with injury woes early this season, as Winnipeg will be without star running back Andrew Harris on Thursday as well as reliable receiver Darvin Adams and starting linebacker Kyrie Wilson.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers kick-off the 2021 CFL season on Thursday at IG Field at 8:30 p.m. ET.
