Toronto Argonaut Obed Cetoute during practice in a file photo.
Photograph by: Peter J. Thompson, National Post
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The Toronto Argonauts traded wide receiver Obed Cetoute to the Saskatchewan Roughriders for offensive lineman Jonathan St-Pierre on Sunday in a swap of non-imports looking to bounce back from season-long injuries.
“We thought we had an abundance (of talent) at that position with (Mike) Bradwell, Spencer Watt, Keith Godding, Steven Turner, so we had a depth there and we had a chance to get a guy that’s a top quality Canadian offensive lineman so we just felt it was the right thing for us to do right now,” said Argos head coach Jim Barker.
Cetoute missed all of last season with an Achilles injury. The Argos drafted the six-foot-two, 213-pound receiver in 2006. The following year he caught 22 passes for 367 yards en route to being named the club’s most outstanding rookie. The Montreal native missed most of the 2008 season due to injury.
Earlier this week Cetoute said he has put his injury woes behind him and was confident of making the Argos.
The Roughriders selected St-Pierre in the second round (10th overall) in the 2008 draft. The Longueuil, Que., native missed of all last season with a left knee injury, which required surgery.
Barker said St-Pierre was on his radar back in 2008 when he served in the Calgary Stampeders front office.
Barker said St-Pierre was on his radar back in 2008 when he served in the Calgary Stampeders front office.
“Jonathan St-Pierre is a guy that we had ranked at the top of our draft board in Calgary . . . You know he’s a French Canadian so he’s familiar with (Dominic) Picard and (Cedric) Gagne-Marcoux and he’s just a solid player.”
The six-foot-three, 310-pound Illinois State product becomes the 15th offensive lineman on the Argos roster.
“He can play centre, he can play guard . . . I think guard might be his best position, but he’s got real good feet and you don’t even know a guy like that may even be able to play tackle so he’s just a real good football player and I just think at this time of the year you can’t have enough quality Canadian offensive lineman.”
Earlier this week St-Pierre said he had moved beyond the knee injury that kept him out of action last year.
“I came to camp healthy and it makes a big difference . . . I don’t want to use (the injury) as an excuse as to why I didn’t play last year,” said St-Pierre. “But definitely the mindset now is that I’m healthy and I’m making the most of it.”
National Post
With a file from the Regina Leader-PostRead more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Argos+send+Cetoute+Riders/3120009/story.html#ixzz0qCFOwPWW
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