Courtesy Edmonton Journal:

Edmonton Eskimos quarterback Jason Maas threw a flag for procedure Thursday on all those football reporters who have already penned the obituary on his playing career.

At 32, Maas figures he has at least a few more years of football left in him — even with a medical chart as thick as the Toronto phone book.

“I feel normal again,” Maas said upon completion of back-to-back practices on Thursday’s Day 4 of Esks’ training camp. “My arm, last year, was pretty much dead at this point.

“My arm is alive.”

So are his dreams of retiring as a champion and leading the Edmonton Eskimos to another Grey Cup — perhaps even as the man throwing the football.

Sure, Maas is slotted at No. 3 on the quarterback depth chart behind Ricky Ray and Stefan LeFors. And sure, Ray is virtually guaranteed to start every game, provided he is healthy, of course.

But Maas knows better than most that injuries happen. After eight years in the CFL, he knows to expect the unexpected.

“Everyone knows what I can do when I’m healthy,” he said. ” If I can get out of camp healthy and I’m fortunate enough to make the team, then I feel I can contribute at any time.

Read More…