Toronto Argonauts: 4 Players to watch in pre-season opener vs. Tiger-Cats
Going up against their QEW rival, the Toronto Argonauts will put forth a roster full of starting talent including a few players looking to make the most of the pre-season reps.
With only two pre-season games on the docket, there isn’t a lot of time for the Toronto Argonauts to shake off the rust from the off-season.
Nothing gets the Argonauts excited more than going head-to-head against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, even in an exhibition matchup. Safe to say, don’t be surprised if this game has some memorable moments.
Looking at the depth chart, Toronto is looking to see what some of the starters on both offence and defence look like after a few weeks of practice.
While there are a strong number of starters getting in the game, there are a handful of veterans who are sitting out including Andrew Harris, Dariusz Bladek, Cam Phillips, Shawn Oakman Henoc Muamba and Wynton McManis.
Here is a look at five players to keep an eye on in the pre-season opener at Tim Hortons Field.
1. QB Chad Kelly
The biggest question mark for the Argos going into the is how the team will look with Chad Kelly as their starting quarterback.
This was a reality the team knew was coming up when it was made known and there is faith in Kelly’s ability to replace McLeod Bethel-Thompson. If there wasn’t a belief in Kelly, the Argos would have been more aggressive in their search for a veteran quarterback in the off-season.
Fortunately for the Argos, there isn’t much turnover with the offence which should help Kelly ease into the starting role. The team is also fine-tuning the offensive game plan to take advantage of Kelly’s mobility.
Looking back at his relief appearance in the Grey Cup and his only start last season, you got to see his ability to extend plays with his legs while also showing a willingness to go for the deep ball.
As Ben Grant wrote for 3DownNation, Kelly completed 10-of-12 pass attempts for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s scrimmage.
There will be some intrigue on whether there will be any other quarterbacks who show what they can do with some playing time. Ben Holmes is pencilled in as the backup but Brian Scott and Cameron Dukes will get the opportunity to make an impression.
2. Deonta McMahon
The competition at running back has been intriguing because there are many quality options in training camp. Andrew Harris is preparing for his final season while AJ Ouellette should see an increased role in the offence.
Where the intrigue comes in is with the players vying for a spot on the depth chart. Daniel Adeboboye remains in a good position because of his ability to play on special teams and as a Canadian. This leaves Javon Leake and Deonta McMahon as two players fighting for a spot.
McMahon joined the Argos after rushing for 1,408 yards and 12 touchdowns which led to him winning the Walter Payton Award. He has shown some great speed in training camp but now it’s up to him to produce if he wants to beat Leake who has a CFL season under his belt.
3. Peter Nicastro
After missing the 2022 season with a knee injury, the Argonauts will be happy to have Peter Nicastro back under centre.
The seventh overall pick from the 2021 CFL Draft took on the challenge of being the team’s starting centre for parts of his rookie season while also spending time at guard. He was a finalist for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award and was also a top offensive lineman.
An encouraging sign for the Argos was having Nicastro ready to go for the start of camp.
“He’s been a pleasant surprise,” offensive line coach Kris Sweet told Mike Hogan of Argonauts.ca. “Coming in we knew he was a tough sucker; we knew he was a gritty guy who was going to give you great effort and he hasn’t disappointed there. His play has been really good; he’s physical, he uses his hands well, and he plays with great anchor, so he doesn’t look like he missed any time last year.”
Nicastro is slotted in at centre against Hamilton so the team is hoping he can pick up where he left off in 2021.
4. Jordan Williams
Toronto took advantage of Jordan Williams looking to move out East and grabbed an All-Star calibre linebacker who will be able to play at different spots.
Toronto has many options in the middle of the defence and will be looking to show what he can do going into a contract year. Henoc Muamba and Wynton McManis have provided all-star calibre production for years and Williams knows he will have to earn his reps.
The 28-year-old had 89 tackles, seven special-teams tackles and three forced fumbles with the B.C. Lions. How the Argonauts plan to use their newest weapon on defence will be intriguing and should help a unit that has its fair share of producers.