The Saskatchewan Roughriders were busy on Canada Day practicing for their season home opener this Friday against the B.C. Lions. Wes Cates at practice.
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Leader-Post
REGINA -- It's killing Wes Cates to have a shoulder injury.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders' tailback won't play Friday when the CFL team opens its regular season against the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium due to the lingering effects of off-season surgery on his right shoulder. In fact, it could be Week 3 before Cates is ready to go.
"Missing these games early definitely hurts because you want to get off to a good start," he said following Wednesday's practice at Mosaic Stadium. "But I know the most important games are going to be later on in the season.
"Missing these games early definitely hurts because you want to get off to a good start," he said following Wednesday's practice at Mosaic Stadium. "But I know the most important games are going to be later on in the season.
"Personally, it hurts because I have individual goals and team goals that I want to accomplish. When I'm not out there, I can't do that. But I'm still part of the team and I can still help in other ways, so I'm just trying to focus my energy on that right now."
Cates, 29, has worked more diligently this week than in previous weeks, participating in more drills and running on his own while his teammates did their work. The 2008 CFL all-star also has been mentoring those who will be asked to replace him until his return.
Cates, 29, has worked more diligently this week than in previous weeks, participating in more drills and running on his own while his teammates did their work. The 2008 CFL all-star also has been mentoring those who will be asked to replace him until his return.
"Obviously they haven't taken the reps at this level," Cates said of Hugh Charles and Stu Foord. "This is their first time going through it, so I'm trying to give them a heads up."
Charles is expected to start Friday's game, with Foord getting some time as well. Charles cemented the starting job with his showing in Saskatchewan's 27-19 pre-season loss to the visiting Calgary Stampeders on June 23.
"Hugh has a great step," Roughriders head coach Ken Miller said. "He has an extra burst and he's done very, very well. But as you know, Wes is person who's capable of carrying a team as he's demonstrated in past seasons."
Because of Cates' impact on the offence — and because of the recent ramping up of his participation in practice — has Miller been tempted to use Cates in Game 1?
"No, (there's) no temptation at all to put him in this weekend and probably no temptation to use him next week, either," Miller replied. "But we'll see how it goes. Maybe the week after that."
"There's no point in rushing it and throwing me out there right now," Cates added. "It's early in the season.
These games, although they do matter, they don't matter as much."
Cates, who had surgery on the shoulder in December, suggested the joint may never get back to 100 per cent. The fact that he's not ready to go for Week 1 disappoints him.
Cates, who had surgery on the shoulder in December, suggested the joint may never get back to 100 per cent. The fact that he's not ready to go for Week 1 disappoints him.
"When you have some work done in the off-season, you always hope you're going to be ready by the time the season rolls around," he said. "But everything doesn't always work out the way you want it to.
"There's obviously a lesson that I need to learn from this. I just don't know what that is yet."
- Rookie Johnny Quinn, who was expected to back up at all of the receiver spots and also play on special teams, rolled an ankle in practice Tuesday and won't play Friday. Miller said Quinn's replacement will be determined today.
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