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<\/p>\nSunday\u2019s first day of Calgary Stampeders main camp brought to the field a different vibe than in recent seasons past.<\/p>\n
A Grey Cup one, if you will.<\/p>\n
Not only because McMahon Stadium will host the 113th edition of the Canadian Football League championship in November, but because of the terrific turnaround campaign scored by the Red and White in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now \u2026 yeah \u2026 you come in and everyone\u2019s talking about it,\u201d said Stampeders GM\/head coach Dave Dickenson, when asked about the upcoming mission of defending home turf in a possible Grey Cup celebration.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can feel a little bit,\u201d continued Dickenson. \u201cAnd right now, we can talk about the Grey Cup. I know November 15, I want to be coming out of that locker room with the guys \u2014 and I sure hope we can do that. But in order to look forward, you\u2019ve got to kind of look where we\u2019re at. And for us, let\u2019s make sure we handle today. We kind of think our guys feel that there\u2019s a heavy competition already. I can tell the rookies are good players. It\u2019s always that when competition is there, you better pay attention to what you\u2019re doing today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, today is all about bringing their best in an attempt to crack the lineup ahead of the regular-season opener Friday, June 5, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium (7 p.m.).<\/p>\n
Of course, after a successful season last year \u2014 11-7 to finish third for a return to the playoffs in the CFL\u2019s West Division \u2014 it seems there are fewer questions to answer and fewer spots up for grabs.<\/p>\n
Especially since more than half of the 99 campers \u2014 51 \u2014 in attendance are returnees.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big thing we\u2019re just trying to do is grow,\u201d Dickenson said. \u201cLike everyone should just try to be better \u2014 coaches, players \u2026 just grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes you have growing pains, and we know that this is going to get tougher and harder each and every day,\u201d added Dickenson. \u201cBut be open to new ideas. Even though you had a good year last year, grow and get better. And obviously, you know another guy\u2019s chasing down your job, so you\u2019re going to have to be better in order to make this team. So we\u2019re just trying to make sure each and every one of us gets better and grows and finds a way to be a better person and the best version of ourselves. If we can do that, I think our team will be a good team.\u201d<\/p>\n
RelatedWhat does camp look like?<\/p>\n
After the Stamps\u2019 three-day rookie camp saw 45 take the field, the team cut three players \u2014 American receiver Corey Dyches, American offensive lineman Gerald Mincey and Canadian defensive lineman Jason Janvier-Messier, who was a 2024 draftee by the franchise \u2014 ahead of Sunday\u2019s start to the main sessions.<\/p>\n
They then signed American receiver Nunu Whatley, a standout with the NCAA\u2019s Arizona Wildcats, to a deal.<\/p>\n
That brought the total of hopefuls to 98 under contract, plus young quarterback David Jordan, who is the Calgary Dinos pivot with the Stamps as part of the CFL\u2019s QB internship program.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a lay of the land at McMahon \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2022 Two major talents \u2014 WR Reggie Begelton (leg fracture) and DL Folarin Orimolade (torn achilles) \u2014 are on the injured-veterans list.<\/p>\n
Superstar pass-catcher Begelton said at season\u2019s end last fall he hoped to be ready for Day 1 of camp. He\u2019s not.<\/p>\n
And sackmaster Orimolade was hard at work jumping rope on the sidelines Sunday, feeling good but not yet ready for action. Like Begelton, \u2018Flo\u2019 is still out indefinitely.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would like them back for Week 1 \u2026 both,\u201d Dickenson said. \u201cLet\u2019s see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Global DB Bailey Devine-Scott, who rose to become a reliable defender last season, is on the six-game injured list after suffering an injury about a week ago while preparing for the season.<\/p>\n
\u2022 And American WR Ryan Jones and American OL Ed Montilus have been placed on the suspended list.<\/p>\n
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Calgary Stampeders DB Bailey Devine-Scott is seen during CFL action in Calgary on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.<\/p>\n
That left 95 players on the field for the first day of main camp, including 43 fresh faces who made the grade from rookie camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, I was pretty impressed with how knowledge-based they are,\u201d said Dickenson of his rookie class. \u201cSome of them we got right after the NFL Draft, and they hadn\u2019t had any meetings at all. But they came in and they\u2019re grinding it out and they\u2019re finding ways (to showcase themselves). I think they know what we\u2019re doing now.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s pretty much the case always Day 1 and 2, and then around Day 3 or 4, that\u2019s when maybe the overload (of the jump to the professional ranks) comes in a little bit. So let\u2019s see how they respond.\u201d<\/p>\n
Who are the off-season additions?<\/p>\n
After the success of last season, Dickenson was all about adding to his lineup \u2014 and not revamping the roster \u2014 over the winter.<\/p>\n
That meant fewer big moves, although the Stamps did bring in a few big names via free agency \u2026<\/p>\n
\u2022 American RB Tyreik McAllister, who was been a runback specialist with the CFL\u2019s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2023 before catching on with the NFL\u2019s Las Vegas Raiders and the United Football League\u2019s Columbus Aviators the last two seasons.
\u2022 Canadian WR Dejon Brissett, who is a two-time Grey Cup winner from his four seasons with the Toronto Argonauts and was named the Most Outstanding Canadian in the Boatmen\u2019s victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2024 championship game.
\u2022 American DB Devodric Bynum, who was a solid defender for the Edmonton Elks the last two campaigns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy with the team we have here,\u201d said Stamps QB Vernon Adams Jr. \u201cI\u2019m happy with what Dave and (director of player personnel Brendan) Mahoney did in getting majority of the guys back.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we added Bynum and Brissett and a former Grey Cup Most Outstanding Canadian, a great returner and running back Tyreik McAllister \u2014 he can do it all for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Dejon Brissett #18 of the Toronto Argonauts is upended by Tyrell Ford #30 of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after making a catch during he first half in CFL action during the 2024 Grey Cup at BC Place on Nov. 17, 2024 in Vancouver, Canada.<\/p>\n
Who\u2019s gone from the Stamps?<\/p>\n
The talents lost by the Red and White during the off-season are not insignificant, including a couple of key receivers on offence and emerging forces on defence.<\/p>\n
Four players retired, including the Stamps\u2019 leading receiver last year and their second-string quarterback.<\/p>\n
And a trio of players headed south on contracts with NFL clubs, including their No. 1 draft pick of last spring.<\/p>\n
\u2022 QB P.J. Walker, who retired only a few weeks back after nine years of pro football, including last year with the Stamps.
\u2022 RB Jesrun Antwi, who retired in January after five years of pro football, including last year with the Stamps.
\u2022 WR Dominique Rhymes, who led the team with 886 receiving yards last season in his eighth year of pro football.
\u2022 WR Damien Alford, who is now with the NFL\u2019s New Orleans Saints after dazzling as a rookie last year as a first-overall selection by the Stamps in the CFL Draft.
\u2022 DL Jaylon Hutchings, an all-CFL tackle with the Red and White who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in January but has since been released by the NFL club.
\u2022 LB Jacob Roberts, who is now with the NFL\u2019s Vikings after becoming a key defender in his second season with the Stamps.
\u2022 LB Adam Bighill, who retired after playing late last season with the Stamps in trying to return to form from a serious injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realized we accomplished some positives last year,\u201d added Dickenson. \u201cI\u2019m not one of these guys that thinks you have to win the Grey Cup to consider it a successful season \u2026 I think there\u2019s levels of success. And for us, we want to make sure we\u2019re playing our best football.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as expectations of what we\u2019ve got, we\u2019ve got to be careful on that. Let\u2019s just get better and make sure this week\u2019s important to us and we get better on a daily basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Short yardage<\/p>\n
Main camp continues Monday at McMahon (10:15 a.m.) \u2026 The Stamps\u2019 first pre-season game goes against the Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a> on Monday, May 18, at McMahon (1 p.m.) \u2026 The second and final pre-season contest for the club is slated for Friday, May 29, against the host Edmonton Elks (7 p.m.).<\/p>\n