Cates.

[url]http://communities.canada.com/REGINALEADERPOST/blogs/roughriders/archive/2010/03/05/cates-riders-close-to-a-deal.aspx[/url]

Good move for the 2010 season.

A healthy Cates, parlayed with a healthy O-line and new OC will hopefully equate to some much needed creativity and added yardage to the run game.
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The cohesion between Durant and Cates can only help towards THIS YEARS Grey Cup push.,. Come 2011 though I expect some large changes to the offense.

IMO. Adding Cates indicates Dorsey will not platoon as HB, but will be a full time returner - making Armstead expendable....unfortunately.

Good job Mr. Taman! Behind a beefed up o-line I expect Wes to return to the form he displayed in 2008.

if that happens you guys will pretty much dominate on offence

IMO, Cates should have 20-25 touches a game.. the Riders don't need to overuse him, essentially burning him out. There are plenty of offensive weapons.. Dressler, Fantuz, Getzlaf and now Rodriguez, to go along with a good ground game.

yeah that sounds about right. he'll be good for that much.. and they do have other weapons they can use on the ground too! they did a good job last season and they should be able to continue it this year.

Just wanted to say I love the attitude Wes Cates brings to the Riders. He is great for the team and for Saskatchewan!

I had a suspicion that Wes Cates was past his ‘best before’ date, given that running backs have a comparatively shorter shelf life than players in other positions. . . but boy is he ever proving me wrong this season.

And that’s a good thing.

The guy’s a class act, and I concur LadyGreen, he’s a credit to your team and your province.

No disrespect to Cates, but you could drive a truck through the holes his O-line is opening up for him. I haven't seen him make anyone miss in the backfield, nor have I seen him drag the pile for extra yardage, both of which Cory Boyd has been doing on a weekly basis.

Cates is fine.. Boyd is a flash in the pan, we'll see how long this guy sticks around.

Cates numbers are a bit skewed, for every time his O-line opens up a huge hold, there's 5 times where he has nothing to run into. When he does get those big holes he's taking advantage of them though, he's had a couple of huge runs in the first 3 games, included that 80 yarder last game stands as the longest run of the season. He's healthy and when he has the holes he is taking advantage of them. He's never been a guy with crazy moves and ridiculous speed, but he's looking in top form thus far this year.

The one thing that Cates does as well as any running back in this league is catch the ball of the backfield and provide top notch blocking. I think this is the reason why he beat Charles out for the starting spot this year, Charles is faster and has the ability to make guys miss, but he doesn't pick up the blitzes or catch the ball as well.

All running backs have pretty short shelf lives. It’s the nature of the position, which is the most physically punishing position in football, and IMO in North American team sports. I’m not concerned about down the road. In the here and now, Boyd is the top back in the league when it comes to actually running the football.

However, I agree with the poster who notes Cates’s ability as a blocker and pass-catcher. I give him full credit for that part of his game.

absolutely..

but you can't rate a Running back on solely 3 games!

Toronto's RB will either make it or will eventually fall to the wayside.

Wes is playing like a stud!

When did we start breeding Cates? :stuck_out_tongue:

That was a heck of a catch he made, not many running backs make that catch.

i love it when running backs make huge runs as Cates is one of my eye watch players. :thup:

Awesome game by Wes. Game after game this season he makes a big play to get us into scoring position. It's great to see him in top form this year and our offensive scheme being adjusted to take advantage of his skill set.

Women in Regina have been appealing for this programme for years.