Friday Round-Up: Hardin, Sheets and More

The sight of grass poking through the snow gives us hope that football's return will soon be coming. Not soon enough mind you. I don't know about you but I'm so football starved that I'm considering using Prophet Jr's Lego to make a model of a football stadium and use the Lego men to act out football games. That would inevitably end with me telling the Lego men to shave their sideburns and making roster cuts. Yes, I'm aware I have issues.

Let's get to actual football happenings. 
- Can't remember the last time the Riders had to have a news conference about a player whose not even on the roster. But this week they had to trot out O'day to calm the firestorm created by Chamblin's comments on "character issues" regarding Kory Sheets. O'Day pretty much clarified that what Chamblin meant was they aren't sure if he can get over the border with his pot charges and then there's the whole issue of his health. I do think the Riders are interested but Chamblin was just trying to throw a bit of cold water on the assumption that his return is guaranteed. It was a poor choice of wording that spiraled out of control.

- WR Greg Hardin who has been on the neg list for a while now was finally signed today. He is notable for having broken all of Weston Dressler's college records at UND. I had assumed that North Dakota of produced short white receivers... Hardin is not exactly tall but he sure breaks the Dressler/Smith mould. He's one of the few WR recruits in a while that I'm generally excited about.

- I'm less excited about Naaman Roosevelt, the other WR signed today. He's been in the NFL for a while, fitting the Schillens, Swain, etc... mold. 

- The Riders also made the signing of QB Brett Smith official. It had been reported for a while. Be interesting to see if Doege or Smith can unseat Sunseri for the solitary young QB spot.

Saskatchewan

In: WR Greg Hardin, WR Naaman Roosevelt, QB Brett Smith (free agent signing)

Calgary

In: WR Jabari Arthur, LB Deron Mayo (contract extension), LB Shomari Williams, DL Eric Taylor (free agent signing)

Hamilton

In: LB Christopher Johnson, LB Pawel Kruba (re-signed)

Ottawa

In: LB Eric Samuels, DL John Lattimore (free agent signing)

Out: DL Stephon Miller, DB Davon Key, WR Skyy Simmons (released)

Montreal

In: RB Stefan Logan, DL Cory Grissom, DL Damien Jacobs, DL Jerome Raymond, DL Markell Carter (free agent signing)