DEDMON (NOT) WALKING: Ottawa Redblacks dynamic returner on crutches and outside

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As if things weren’t bad enough for the Ottawa Redblacks, they’ll be without DeVonte Dedmon, the CFL’s most electrifying special teams player, on Saturday at Hamilton and probably well beyond.

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Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice isn’t sure when the 25-year-old returner / catcher could return. But during Tuesday’s practice at TD Place, Dedmon, who was injured during his team’s 27-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, wore a walking boot and used crutches to get around. Before leaving Saturday’s game, Dedmon already had punt returns of 69 and 47 yards.

The Redblacks are just 2-8, with four games remaining. But Dedmon had been one of his bright spots, scoring two punt return touchdowns this season and getting another touchdown in a game in which he was forced to fill the running back spot. He now has four touchdowns back in the first 14 games of his CFL career. The fastest to reach five kickback touchdowns in his career was Gizmo Williams in 18 games.

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“It’s a huge blow when it comes to any player,” LaPolice said. “He is a very loved player and brings a lot of energy to our team.”

Ryan Davis replaced during the game against Montreal. Terry Williams is another comeback option for the Redblacks.

As for backup quarterback Taryn Christion, who was also injured Saturday, LaPolice said: “He’s typecast. He has a broken fibula. You will probably lose the rest of the way. I don’t expect to see him again this year. The boy had the opportunity to play and ends up hurt. He said: ‘I’m disappointed, I was enjoying the opportunity to play.’ “

With Christion out, former Pittsburgh Steeler Duck Hodges will step in as a backup.

“(Hodges) can process information,” LaPolice said. “He will make a decision and throw the ball quickly, that’s what I like about him. He has good arm strength. He knows system wise where to go with football and what we are trying to achieve. Now how different does it look at top speed? He will be ready to do short distances and we will see if there is more to it than that. “

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SIGNS OF YOUNGER FLACCO: The Redblacks signed QB Tom Flacco, the younger brother of veteran NFL QB Joe Flacco, who led the Baltimore Ravens to a victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco, 26, was with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but was released in late July.

Flacco left Towson University third in passing touchdowns (50), sixth in passing yards (6,086) and sixth in completions (484) over two seasons. In his senior year, Flacco was named All-CAA Second Team. As a junior, he finished fifth in the vote for the 2018 Walter Payton Award, was the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year and CAA Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the First Team All-CAA and the Third Team HERO Sports FCS All-America. Before Towson, Flacco played two seasons at Western Michigan. Upon finishing high school, he was selected as an outfielder by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 32nd round of the 2014 MLB Draft.

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With veterans Matt Nichols and Dominique Davis on the six-game disabled list, bringing in someone else was a must.

“If something happens, we can’t have Nate Behar (come in at quarterback) like we did once,” LaPolice said.

When asked if Nichols or Davis would return this season, LaPolice said: “ I do not know. But I know they have a couple of weeks until they are free. So we’ll see. “

O-LINE FLOOR: The Redblacks offensive line has been a work in progress all season. Ten games, 10 different combinations of offensive lines – it’s been a revolving door. If Tyler Catalina can return from the six-game disabled list this week, it’s another change. But 10 sacks against Montreal on Saturday are deflating and hurting quarterbacks who are taking a lot of hits.

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“Someone new has to play at certain times, you would love for your O line to be consistent every week, but that’s certainly not the case,” LaPolice said. “Every man has to be prepared to step in and do the things he needs to do correctly. Any sack is a concern for the offense. It’s a combination of things, it’s not just, ‘Oh, it’s the O line. It is also training. We have to call it in different ways. “

THE END AROUND: Something to watch out for this week: Long player Louis-Philippe Bourassa limped off the field, assisted near the end of Tuesday’s practice … LB Avery Williams, who missed Saturday’s game, was practicing again. .. A rarity: a guy in a black jersey practicing with the offensive line of white jerseys. With so many injuries, DL Clement Lebreux was with the O line on Tuesday… For those clinging to that hope of the Redblacks making the playoffs, their last three games are at home to Calgary, at home to Toronto, then after from a bye week, closing the regular season in Montreal on November 19… Guess who came back to last place in the CFL Power Rankings? Yes, the Redblacks are ninth again. I’m not sure how that is possible, given they have beaten the Edmonton Elks, the No. 8 team, twice. But the Redblacks, at 2-8, are technically worse than the 2-7 Elks. The Ticats are number 7. Number one, of course, is Winnipeg… Interesting comments from Elks general manager Brock Sunderland after ex-Redblacks quarterback Trevor Harris’ trade: “It’s a football decision. . We felt we needed a better game at quarterback. It never all depends on one person, but the quarterback game, in general, was not consistent and was not at the level we anticipated and where it has been before. “… The Winnipeg Blue Bombers acquired former Redblacks kicker Sergio Castillo from the BC Lions for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 CFL Draft.