May
Reynolds is in the Stamps plans for 2009
Courtesy Calgary Herald:
It was a sound-bite that had jaws dropping all over the Calgary Stampeders’ McMahon Stadium offices.
Early on in TSN’s coverage of the Canadian Football League college draft earlier this month, panellist Matt Dunigan suggested Stamps running back Joffrey Reynolds could be on the block because not only did the Stamps covet Canadian running-back prospect Jamall Lee, but Reynolds “wasn’t used much last year.”
Yes, that would be the same Joffrey Reynolds who led the CFL in rushing last season for the first time, was second in yards from scrimmage and fifth in combined yards.
The Stamps brass was quick off the mark to deny any trade discussions had taken place regarding the 29-year-old Texan, who’s entering his sixth pro campaign.
Reynolds, though, was blissfully unaware of the story until he arrived back in Calgary shortly after the draft, returning from his home in Texas.
“When I got back to Calgary, coach (John) Hufnagel spoke to me briefly about it, and said there were some comments made, and he said to disregard them because they had no truth to them whatsoever,”said Reynolds. “Just guys looking to get something started, and that’s as far as we went with it.”
That Reynolds could be traded isn’t far-fetched, of course. He is entering the final year of his contract and is arguably at or near his peak as a running back in a league that chews up and spits out running backs at an alarming rate. But Reynolds insists there is plenty left in his tank.
“I was fortunate enough to win the rushing title last year and, on top of that, if people look at some of our games, the first game against Hamilton, at home to Winnipeg, at home to Saskatchewan, I didn’t play the whole fourth quarter of those games, and the last game against B. C.,I only played one series,”said Reynolds, who piled up 1,310 yards on the ground for the Grey Cup champs, who open their 2009 training camp on June 7 (the rookies report on June 4).
“You have to factor that in. If I was just looking for numbers, I easily could have had a 1,500-or 1,600-yard season if I was just looking to get carries. But in the bigger scheme of things, I’m just fortunate here in Calgary that I haven’t had to take as much of a beating.
“Here I am, just turned 29, and I don’t feel like I’m on my last legs and a hit away from being out. I still feel the same way as I did when I walked into Calgary. I feel more explosive now, my yards-per carry are still around the top of the league. Last year was a productive season without that much of a workload.”
Hufnagel doesn’t get back to Calgary until later this week, and wasn’t available to comment, but he made his feelings on the TSN report crystal clear in a blog he wrote for the Stampeders’ website.
“A lot of people around the league are talking about rumours and scenarios leading up to the draft,”wrote Hufnagel. “Everyone’s trying to get the scoop, games are played and wires get crossed.So, from the Stampeders’ point of view, it was very disappointing to hear rumours about us trying to trade up for Toronto’s pick so that we could get Jamall Lee; along with the suggestion that we aren’t pleased with Joffrey Reynolds. There’s absolutely no truth to either of those things and I would like our fans to be aware of that fact.”
Reynolds will face another push at training camp this season from fellow returning tailbacks Demetris Summers and Jon Cornish, as well as newcomers Reggie Bradshaw and Cedric Thompson.
“My job is to come in every year and take on all challengers and let the chips fall from there,”he said. “I still think I’m at the top of my game and probably at the top of the league.”
