HAPPY RETURNS: DeVonte Dedmon accepts the extension of the contract with Redblacks

Article content

Throughout a season that has been sidelined for the Ottawa Redblacks, DeVonte Dedmon still believes.

Article content

He believes in himself, but more importantly for the CFL’s best punt / kickoff returner, he believes in the city and the team. That’s why, he says, he agreed to a one-year contract extension that will take him through the 2022 CFL season.

“I love being here, I love the people here,” said Dedmon, who has two punt returns for touchdowns in nine games this season. “They know that I want to be here as long as I can. I see something that other people don’t see right now, but we are a young group. “

“DeVonte’s skill set is special and he has a reputation for altering the game when he’s on the field,” said Redblacks interim general manager Jeremy Snyder. “He is a real threat with the ball in his hand to score at any moment. This is the first step of many to build a better 2022. “

Article content

Redblacks coach Paul LaPolice said it’s not just Dedmon’s talent that makes him special.

“I talked to him a bit,” LaPolice said. “It’s a good thing when he says, ‘You know, coach? I believe in what we are doing. ‘ It’s good to hear that from a young guy. Sometimes talent is overrated. You have to win with character. (Dedmon) has heart, has character. Play hard, play through things. He’s also talented. You always want to make sure you have those kinds of guys. “

Dedmon has missed his team’s last two games after getting injured in a 27-16 loss to the Montreal Alouettes on Oct. 16 (he had punt returns of 69 and 47 yards before leaving the game). But he says he’s ready to play on Saturday, with the Redblacks hosting the Toronto Argonauts (4pm).

Article content

“I’m back,” Dedmon said Tuesday. “(The wound) scared me, I’m not going to lie to you. They told me they didn’t want me to walk with him, so he was on crutches and a boot; that was mentally exhausting. I am happy that it was not serious and I am ready to go back to the field with my boys.

In his second CFL season, the 25-year-old from Virginia has been excellent. Dedmon has returned 41 punts for 637 yards and two touchdowns (63 yards against Hamilton and 73 yards against Edmonton), while also returning 41 kickoffs for 1,011 yards. On offense, he has 10 receptions for 98 yards and has rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Dedmon excelled in his first CFL training camp, in 2019. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but was injured (hamstring) in the team’s final set-up for the regular season. With doctors telling Dedmon he would be out for 4-6 weeks, the Redblacks “suspended” him. Dedmon went home to Williamsburg and worked hard, hoping for another chance. The Redblacks gave it to him. In early August 2019, he scored two return touchdowns, on a 111-yard kickoff return and a 95-yard standout punt return, where he broke six or seven tackles.

Article content

You won’t see Dedmon patting himself on the back for his accomplishments. He credits his teammates and special teams coordinator Bob Dyce.

“They put me in a great position to do what I do,” Dedmon said. “I saw Dyce before signing my (contract). I was like, ‘Dyce, without you. I don’t think this is possible. ‘ It has put me in a situation where I just have to catch the ball, go and trust my teammates.

With two games remaining in the Redblacks season (they are 2-10), after hosting Toronto, have a bye week and then finish their season in Montreal, Dedmon said it is important that the team finish with some positive aspects.

“There is no disappointment,” Dedmon said. “We are ready to finish the season strong, that’s what is really important. I remember in college, when we were losing, it was like, ‘Hell, another week of this.’ Here we are going to turn it around. We are going into the next season ready to go. “

Article content

THE END AROUND: Practice fell silent as defensive back Abdul Kanneh was on the grass for a few minutes after being brought down in a collision with RJ Harris and Justin Howell. Kanneh got up and left the field on his own … The Redblacks are beaten from running. With Brendan Gillanders still in a walking boot and possibly out for the remainder of 2021 and with Justin Davis and De’Lance Turner (leg) out of play, it looks like Timothy Flanders will start this week. Anthony Coombs or DeVonte Dedmon would be the backups … Safety Antoine Pruneau (hand) is likely to miss the rest of the season … For what it’s worth, quarterback Caleb Evans was taking a lot of first-team reps in Tuesday’s practice. … DL Praise Martin-Oguike (ankle), OL Tyler Catalina (shoulder) and LB Don Unamba (hip), they were limited in practice. OL Dino Boyd (triceps), Chris Ferguson (knee) and Juwann Bushell-Beatty (biceps) did not practice … Not surprisingly, the Redblacks are last in the CFL Power Rankings, with the Edmonton Elks 2-8 doing their best to take over the basement position. Said LaPolice: “I really don’t care what the ranking (of other teams) is, I don’t care what ours is, we are just going to try to win (a soccer game).” … .. For some of the Redblacks, these last two games of the regular season may be the last time they play professional football. All LaPolice wants you to think about is the game that day. “I don’t think we’re looking too far. What we talked about last week, when you step onto the field, you have to bring it in all the time, whether you know if it’s Game 1 (or the last game). At the end of the year, people think about the purpose, but we have to play again.