Roughriders pondering moves despite opening win

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Jayden Dalke was the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ starting safety.

One taunting penalty later — coupled with the arrival of an all-star defensive back — and suddenly Dalke may no longer be a starter. It looks like he’ll be relegated to part-time duty Sunday when the Roughriders visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for their second game of the CFL season.

That’s how it goes in professional football: No position is yours. Not the coach, assistants, general manager, quarterback, linemen or defensive backs. You’re only temporary, just filling the space until someone comes along that gives the team a better chance to win.

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The Roughriders appear ready to move Nelson Lokombo to safety from wide-side cornerback. That position will be filled by former all-star Marcus Sayles, who recently joined Saskatchewan after being waived by the B.C. Lions. Roughriders head coach Corey Mace was asked Thursday about his team’s DB changes by CJME’s Britton Gray.

“(Lokombo) looks pretty good, so we’ll see how that’s trending,” said Mace. “It’s trending that way.

“We’re giving (Sayles) lots of reps. There’s a lot on his plate, coming in late, essentially trying to learn everything we do here on the back end. Kind of a crash course, but he’s a (veteran). We’re gonna try him somewhere at corner right now.”

Mace said the ability of Lokombo and Sayles to play other positions in the secondary is a major reason why they’re pencilled in. Left unsaid was that they have better coverage skills than Dalke, who is a ferocious hitter, plus they haven’t taken a bad penalty this season.

The Roughriders won their regular-season opener against the Edmonton Elks. It wasn’t a perfect performance. Edmonton quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson was sometimes pressured while throwing for 336 yards.

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The Roughriders also took three foolish, dead-ball penalties by offensive linemen Trevor Reid and Logan Ferland, who got ejected, and Dalke, whose objectionable conduct penalty midway through the fourth quarter was the team’s only second-half infraction. Mace told the media he met with Ferland, doled out undefined consequences, and is comfortable the offensive lineman will be more responsible to his teammates.

A furious fourth quarter, in which the Roughriders outscored Edmonton 21-3, gave Saskatchewan an impressive comeback victory, earning laurels for quarterback Trevor Harris and coordinator Marc Mueller. It also begged the question: What happened in the scoreless second and third quarters?

“With their backs against the wall, that’s how they can produce,” Mace told the media. “So why wait?

“Some of that is depending on what the defence gives them. But as we’ve seen in practice … they have the ability to get hot like that at any given time.”

The Tiger-Cats lost their opening game against the Calgary Stampeders. Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell looked rejuvenated after a couple of subpar seasons, plus the Tiger-Cats have a strong running back in James Butler.

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The teams will get to know each other pretty well because the Tiger-Cats visit Saskatchewan one week after Sunday’s game. The CFL has started its regular-season schedule with one game each week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s a fine concept, attracting increased viewership through the early going, at least until NFL games start dominating Thursdays and Sundays in September.

Who knows what the Roughriders lineup will look like by then? Maybe the Roughriders will be undefeated and undergo only minor changes. There are always injuries to deal with. Plus there’s usually some tinkering, a little fine tuning required, even with a winning roster, or if someone gets too comfortable in “their” position. Or takes bad penalties.

Mace, in his first season with the Roughriders, is trying to find the strongest unit available and it’s admirable to see he’s willing to make a few changes, even after a victory.

By replacing Dalke (National) with Sayles (American) in the starting lineup, the Roughriders will have only one National starter on defence. To get to their quota of seven on offence and defence, it looks like National receiver Ajou Ajou will be replacing American KeeSean Johnson as a starting wide receiver.

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Because Johnson caught only one pass for one yard in his CFL debut, it’s a logical move. So far, Mace and his assistant coaches have been making practical moves that, properly and essentially, give their team a better chance to win.

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