The best rushing attack in the CFL may get even better.
According to the Hamilton Spectator, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have made a contract offer to free agent running back Kenton Keith, who was released by the Indianpolis Colts. League sources told the newspaper the offer is the highest to be made by any other team in the CFL.
Tiger-Cats' general manager Bob O'Billovich told the Spectator he had spoken to Keith's agent and contract discussions could begin after Hamilton's game against the Blue Bombers on Friday.
O'Billovich is not concerned with the effect Keith's addition may have on Canadian tailback Jesse Lumsden, who is scheduled to become a free agent at season's end.
"If you can upgrade your team at any position, why wouldn't you?" O'Billovich told the Spectator Friday. "It's not going to hurt us with Jesse. We've wanted to work out a system so we could get Jesse, and who ever the American tailback is, to see if we can do something with it. It's been unfortunate the last couple of weeks with Jesse's injury."
Lumsden has missed Friday's game with a nagging ankle injury that has limited his abilities for much of the season. In his stead, Terry Caulley has picked up the slack with over 400 yards in just six games.
Other teams interested in Keith's services are rumoured to be his former team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos. Earlier this month, the Toronto Argonauts reportedly made a pitch to Keith but have since taken themselves out of the sweepstakes.