Louie Richardson. Mike Cornell. Teague Sherman. Matt Bucknor.
41 tackles
2 sacks
3 forced fumbles
2 tackles for losses
3 pass knockdowns
That's what those 4 guys have brought to the table this season after careers that totaled 82 games dressed and 51 tackles as their only stats registered in a defensive setting. 4 guys who were all undrafted. I'm not about to proclaim any of them to be 2014 CFL All Stars, but these 4 guys are taking a considerable amount of defensive reps this season and while they're not lighting the league on fire, they're proving to be contributing members to one of the league's toughest defenses. Some may suggest this is just Gary Etcheverry being Gary Etcheverry, but I think it has a lot to do with Mike O'Shea and Kyle Walters. These are guys who want that lunch bucket mentality. I truly think O'Shea means it when he believes his roster consists of 44 starters on a weekly basis. Guys like Richardson and Cornell are getting opportunities that they would have never got before. Even players like Kyle Norris and Derek Jones are seeing reps in our defense. Jake Thomas has been a contributing member. And the funny thing about it? It's working.
Is this going to give pause to the line of thinking that Canadians are not viable solutions in certain areas of the lineup? If this keeps up, is the league going to use the Winnipeg franchise as a model to support the idea that maybe our (the league, not Winnipeg) Canadian talent is not as weak as some suggest? And maybe all these guys need are a chance to prove it? Will we see more undrafted players getting the opportunity to show what they've got for meaningful offensive or defensive reps?
Whatever it is, I love it. How can you not cheer for these guys.