By Ian Hamilton, Leader-PostOctober 13, 2009
REGINA — Cliff Washburn’s world tour is about to bring him to Regina.
Saskatchewan became the 12th stop of Washburn’s pro football career when the Roughriders acquired the import offensive lineman from the Toronto Argonauts in advance of Wednesday’s CFL trading deadline.
To get Washburn, the Roughriders sent their fifth-round selection in the 2010 Canadian college draft and a conditional pick in the 2011 draft to Toronto. It’s believed the conditional pick is dependent on whether Washburn — who’s in the option year of his CFL contract — re-signs with the Roughriders. He’s due to become a free agent Feb. 15.
The trade was the only move Saskatchewan made at the deadline.
“We didn’t anticipate doing much,” said Joe Womack, the Roughriders’ director of player personnel. “What Eric (Tillman, the general manager) and myself and (offensive line coach) Bob Wylie and Ken (Miller, the head coach) were thinking was that we were thin at offensive tackle, and so to cover ourselves with these important games coming up and the playoffs, we needed to get another good offensive tackle . . .
“(The trade) gives us great depth and a really good football player.”
Since graduating from The Citadel in 2003, Washburn has had NFL stints with the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, and NFL Europe stops with the Hamburg Sea Devils, Frankfurt Galaxy and Amsterdam Admirals.
He played five regular-season games with the Argos in 2006 and three last season. He re-signed with the Texans and attended their ’09 training camp, but returned to Toronto four weeks ago after he was cut by Houston.
Washburn wasn’t playing in Toronto — he was behind high-priced Rob Murphy on the depth chart — so the trade may have come at a good time for him.
“I want to play, but I don’t know what (the Roughriders) are going to do,” Washburn, a 29-year-old product of Forest Hill, N.C., said from Toronto. “They’ve got a line they’ve been using all year and I’m guessing they’re probably pretty happy with what they have.
“If anybody goes down, I’ll be ready. If they want to use me in place of someone, I’ll be ready.”
The Roughriders have lost three offensive tackles (Bobby Harris, Belton Johnson and Wayne Smith) to injury this season. The squad currently has Gene Makowsky — who started the season at guard — and rookie Joel Bell manning the tackle spots.
Washburn is a 6-foot-6, 300-plus-pounder — “I’m eating cookies right now so I’m about 315,” he said — who began his athletic career on the basketball court. He switched to football in 2002 at The Citadel.
“Especially in North Carolina, people play football because they can’t play basketball and that’s pretty much the only reason,” Washburn said. “That’s what happened with me. I probably could have gone overseas and played basketball, but that was up in the air. I just decided to play the sport everybody always told me I should be playing.
“High school football coaches tried to get me to play and I never did. My brother always thought it was my calling to be playing football. Whether it is or not, I don’t know. I’m playing it and I’ve been playing for a while now.”
And he’s been on the move for a while now, too.
“It has never been my decision,” Washburn said. “I don’t have any control over this. They say, ‘You’re traded’ and you leave.”
Would he like to end his nomadic days and settle down?
“I hope,” he replied. “One of these days, that would be great.”
ihamilton@leaderpost.canwest.com
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