Hamilton:Cobourne & Walker time to dress them both

It is time to stop the non sense and get both Avon Cobourn and Chevon Walker on the 42 man roster each game. I know the issue was that Cobourne would not play special team but I did see him line up on the edge of a PAT so maybe winning and playing are becoming more important. Both are special talents Cobourne has rushed for over 100 yards in two straight game and Walker has the ability to break one each time he touches the ball.
It would be great to be able to dress Brandon Rutley also. He is a rookie and specializes in kick off returns as does Giguere. Williams is getting all the hype in Hamilton with the returns for TDs as the punt returner but Hamilton is also second in the CFL in kick off return avg. Not quite as flashy as Williams but good field position after the opposing team scores and kicks off or to start a game and Half is quite important.
Cortez avoided the question when asked but even he knows that it will be best to have both available to put into the game when Walker is healthy again.
Cobourne most likely did not want to be on coverage teams but if he is goining to line up on the edge for place kicks he mind as well be a QB protector on punts if needed.
everyone is thinking it i thought I mind as well make it a thread

I’d hate to say it, but Avon is the best free agent signing we have had in ages.
Up the middle for hard yards, sure hands, solid blocking, special teams, leadership.
The guy is fresh, and probably just a bit angry.

Cobourne was also on the field for punts, making one ST tackle in the first quarter. While I was surprised to see him on the coverage team, I always took that “doesn’t play special teams” comment to mean as a returner. And the Ticats really don’t need him as a returner with the number of other players who can do this: Williams, Walker, Giguere, Jones, Rutley.

I think the Ticats coaches have a really tough decision to make when Walker comes back from his injury. Do they bench Cobourne again? I think they’d have a riot on their hands if they did. Do they move Rutley back to the PR? Probably, although he has shown some good abilities as well. Do they throw him in as a backup receiver, like they did with Thigpen last year? (Is he a good enough receiver to do this? Probably not.) And if they did that, who would they take out?

Nice problem to have.

it would be a tight sqeeze to get all three on the 42 man game roster.
from the Offensive side williams, jones, grant, walker cobourne, rutley, and the 2 OT gives them 8 imports on offense leving 11 import spots for the defense. both grant and Jones have played great and Burris is very confortable and likes both of them.
If jones, grant, or god for bid Williams woud be injured I would rather see them go with an extra back in rutley instead of aaron Kelly. It would leave them with one less receiver but NIs Giguere, fantuz already start and Stalla cna play all the receiver spots well and stephanson playing well is becoming a good receiver out of the FB/TE spot and cobourne ro Rutley would be able to fill in lining up out of the slot
Probably just will not be enough space for Rutley. recent trades for Both Davis as DT and Peguese at DE played really well and Colclough will also have a spot somewhere on the 42 he is flexible enough to play CB, DB, or Sam so Hamilton’s D suddenly got some depth and players who are fresh that were buried on depth charts on their previous team with an abundance of talent at their positions.
Rutley, unfortunetely will be odd man out but I see him staying on the 46 man roster taking the spot that Cobourne had and would be available on game day should Walker not be able to play. Rutley has been outstanding for the Cats kick off return game along side if Giguere where they have combined to be 2nd in the league on Ko return yards. Walker coud return to that spot when healthy or maybe Cobourne may have a change in heart and return Kick Offs also knowing that he will be getting plenty of time a RB also.
Ridiculous to think that Cobourne started the season selling insuranse. I think management, CFLPA, and even TSN will see that the Salary cap will need to be restructred and that there will be more money to raise the cap so that player like Cobourne are not releaesed simply because of age and salary. Players like Cobourne make the CFL a better league and should not be selling insurance not quite yet. Ken Yon Rambo also proving the same but thats another thread for another time.
Right now Cobourne and Walker co existng on the 42 man rostr makes the cats a muvh better team
With the new additions on defense players will have to earn there spots on the roster

If Cobournes special teams issue was to be a returner than this should have been a no brainer they have plenty of return men. Williams is in a class of his own on punt returns and Giguere and Walker were returning Kick offs and now they also have rookie Rutley who like Giguere is a KO return specialist. the Cats are also second in the league on KO returns just not as flashy as williams but great field pos just the sme.
Cobourne has always been a great special teams covrage player leading the league in ST tackles early in his career and did so a lot for the Als after.
Cobourne would most likely be the starter right now with Williams an excellent change of pace who can break a long ru with the touch od the ball at any time. That is a perfect 1-2 punch. Hopefully they can also squeeze rutley on also to return Kick offs and play all of the other sp teams as well. Sreohanson does a great job as the FB/TE set in which they use and going with WR williams and giguere. slots fantuz and grant. Onrea jones as the 5th receiver in the slot for the 5 receiver set and stciky stalla can play all the positions and with only 6 receivers will have plent on PT to be had. Aaron Kelly would be the man out of the 42 and they could even have a 7th receiver with Campeau as a NI to play sp teams. Rutley will be tuff to get on but if it comes to a choice between another receiver Kelly and an extra returner sp teamer import Rutley i wold choose rultely but most likely neither would hav room to dress with an extra import needed on defense with pegues colclough and Davis joining the Mix.
We will see though. If they were on top of the O line and have that 4th NI import starting at RT like cal, Tor, SASK of course monteal and even EDM had the option with sttenbergen and now with the signing of O donnell. The NI O lineman have began to take it to the next level and look for a lot of teams to use a NI at RT because they are ready now and an Import still needed to anchor the LT spot. will help with a lot more flexibilty