Lions Expansion to Practice Roster Sept 8, 2019: Informative

[Toppy Vann]

This sure tells you what the Lions are thinking of their DEF and possibly the lack of leadership, chemistry and big play making ability. That LB / DB and DL are begging for a big play guy.

September 8, 2019 – Practice Roster Expansion
OL Josiah St. John (N)
DB Jamie Harry (N)
DL Siupeli Anau (A)
DB Elijah Campbell (A)
LB Jason Hall (A)

Since firing Bryan Chiu Aug 30 they did this as well:

September 5, 2019

Add to Roster from Practice Roster: LB Oshane Samuels (N), DB Hakeem Johnson (N)

Add to Roster from 1-Game Injured: OL Hunter Steward (N), RB Brandon Rutley (A), OL David Knevel (N)

Place on 1-Game Injured: OL Jean–Simon Roy (N), OL Sukh Chungh (N), LB Khadim Mbaye (N), RB John White (A)

Place on 6-Game Injured: DB Anthony Thompson (N)

[JohnnyMusso]

Will any of these new guys play this year? Some should for when you at 1 and 10 nothing to lose and if they lose to Ottawa, few may play next game. It depends I think on whether Lions win this week.

[B.C.FAN]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

I'm nodding in agreement B.C.FAN, but I wonder if perhaps Kelly Bates is the sort of fellow who relishes taking on rehabilitation projects. I don't pretend to know if he's significantly different in that regard than any other coach (e.g. Chiu). However he seems to have seen a welcome coaching challenge in taking on the current O-line guys, so why not add another? I wonder also if he may have had a previous connection with St. John, wasn't Bates a guest consultant (or whatever the term was) with the Riders maybe either before or after his SFU gig? Maybe the two men's paths crossed there/then in Sask, and he saw some potential? Dunno. Memory fails about where Bates was when. I'll stand corrected where I'm mistaken.

[Hambone]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

Wonder if there's some depth concerns. I don't know what the deal is with Chungh but he's missed 3 of the last 6 games. Could he be dealing with something that would cause them to shut him down for the rest of the year?

[VictoriaFan]

https://www.bclions.com/2019/09/11/lion ... DooG-mW360

[Toppy Vann]

https://www.bclions.com/2019/09/11/lion ... DooG-mW360

Interesting moves here. An INT receiver would challenge Carter for sure. I don't think the Lions see Lankford ready for that as he drops too often so they're keeping him on punts where he is sure handed.


JAMIE CARTMELL
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The BC Lions Football Club today announced that Americans Cameron Echols–Luper (WR) and Tyron Roberts (DL) have been added to the team’s practice roster.

Echols–Luber (6’0”, 195) was originally signed to the practice roster of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in July 2018 and re-signed with the Ticats in January before attending training camp with the club this past May. He split his college days between Texas Christian and Western Kentucky notching 47 combined appearances with 26 receptions for 211 yards and five touchdowns. The speedster also racked-up 54 career punt returns for 558 yards and 31 kickoff returns for 551 yards.


Roberts (6’3”, 300) makes his way to the Lions after a four-year career at Winston-Salem State where he appeared in 39 games collecting 72 individual tackles, 20 of which were for a loss along with eight sacks. As a senior in 2018, the North Carolina native earned a Second-Team All Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) selection.

[JohnnyMusso]

Neither player is a NFL cut. Seems Lions again picking up other teams rejects, well in terms of Luper. Like to see them sign some players who were recently cut by the NFL. I doubt that new receiver even plays and will replace Carter. Could not even make Tiger Cats practice roster.

[BC 1988]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

Wonder if there's some depth concerns. I don't know what the deal is with Chungh but he's missed 3 of the last 6 games. Could he be dealing with something that would cause them to shut him down for the rest of the year?

Lions just placed Chungh on the 6 game injured list.
https://www.bclions.com/transactions/

[David]

I wonder if the club brings Sukh Chungh back next year? I really doubt they'll spend a quarter of a million dollars on him so could ask him to take a pay cut or release him.

Not sure when he first got hurt (tricep), but he has struggled all season. His run blocking has been okay but pass blocking has, at times, been atrocious. While he has hardly been alone in that regard a lot more was expected. I thought he would be much more of a physical presence (so maybe the arm has been bothering him most of the year?).

He is currently out with a hairline fracture in his leg.


DH

[Hambone]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

Wonder if there's some depth concerns. I don't know what the deal is with Chungh but he's missed 3 of the last 6 games. Could he be dealing with something that would cause them to shut him down for the rest of the year?

Lions just placed Chungh on the 6 game injured list.
https://www.bclions.com/transactions/

I like it when I do something that seems prophetic. Not this time though.

[DanoT]

Neither player is a NFL cut. Seems Lions again picking up other teams rejects, well in terms of Luper. Like to see them sign some players who were recently cut by the NFL. I doubt that new receiver even plays and will replace Carter. Could not even make Tiger Cats practice roster.

Most NFL cuts that are acquired at this time of year are put on the practice roster to learn the CFL game, attend next season's TC and then might be able to make a contribution. When you are 1-10 and need help right now, then a player with some CFL experience might be worthwhile.

And when you are 1-10, then other teams rejects are likely an upgrade.

[The_Pauser]

Josiah St. John is a strange acquisition. He was the first overall selection by Saskatchewan in the 2016 draft but the Riders gave up on him, and the Argos cut him in training camp this year. Given how the Lions have not had a good track record with other once-promising national O-linemen, I can’t see them salvaging St. John’s career.

The coaching staff is completely different from the past, so I don't think you can use their past track record and project what the future will hold.

I don't mind bringing in St. John. He went 1st overall for a reason, and perhaps could be our version of Justin Sorenson? If not, I'm sure he came cheap so it's not like we committed much to him.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have signed American defensive end Anree Saint–Amour to the practice roster. He is the fourth defensive lineman on the practice squad, joining the recently signed Siupeli Anau and holdovers Claudell Louis and Charles Wright, both of whom have seen playing time this year.

Saint-Armour, 23, played at Georgia Tech and is listed at 6-foot 3 and 260 lbs. He was among the final cuts of the Minnesota Vikings this year. Here's some background from bclions.com and a college highlight video from YouTube.

2015–2018: Anree enjoyed a productive collegiate career at Georgia Tech racking up 68 solo stops 23 of which for a loss along with 11 sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. As a senior in 2018, the Georgia native led the team in sacks, tackles for a loss, forced fumbles and quarterback hurries on his way to receiving an invite to play in the NFLPA Bowl.

[Reggiemac]

While St amour is listed as a DE he often lined up over theguards and was able to defeat double teaming to make plays inside so we migght see him play inside, hes also quite fast and was all over the feld making plays on his hilite tape