The inevitable news arrived Friday when the former Saskatchewan Roughriders slotback announced that he had signed with the Chicago Bears.Photograph by: Don Healy, Leader-Post filesThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are hoping to successfully bear the departure of star slotback Andy Fantuz.
Having reached an inevitable contract agreement one week ago with an NFL team -namely the Chicago Bears -Fantuz is likely lost to the Roughriders until at least mid-season, and perhaps much, much longer. Given his considerable talents, he may never be seen in these parts again, except on cereal boxes or at the 2021 Plaza of Honor dinner.
Someone who is so expert at identifying holes in defences has himself created a significant void after parlaying his finest of five CFL seasons into an NFL contract he has long coveted.
So what now for the Roughriders?
It would be foolhardy to suggest that Fantuz can be replaced. Rare is the player who is capable of leading the league in receiving yards, as did Fantuz in 2010 when he caught 87 passes for 1,380 yards. As a bonus, he is a Canadian, so his impact on the ratio was enormous.
Fantuz's impact on the Roughriders' offence was comparable to that of Ray Elgaard, who was named the league's most outstanding Canadian in 1988, 1990 and 1992. Fantuz received that award this past November.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, and imbued with an intuitive feel for coverages, Fantuz was an inviting target for quarterback Darian Durant. The rapport between Durant and Fantuz was especially evident in move-the-chains situations, such as second-and-long. Their chemistry also benefited the Roughriders on the deep corner patterns that Fantuz runs like nobody else.
The Bears' brass took notice of Fantuz's attributes, and wisely so. Their 2010 roster did not include someone with Fantuz's body type, and few receivers in any league catch the ball as well as the Roughriders' erstwhile No. 83. If there is a 2011 NFL season, Fantuz stands a reasonable chance of dressing on opening day, thereby attaining a lifelong goal.
That may be of little solace to the Roughriders and their fans, who are trying to cope with life after Fantuz.
Granted, "notable player leaves Saskatchewan'' is hardly a fresh storyline. The Roughriders' current run of success, dating back to 2007, is largely attributable to the team's ability to withstand off-season departures of key players (see: Kenton Keith, Kerry Joseph, Reggie Hunt, Fred Perry, Maurice Lloyd, John Chick, Stevie Baggs, Rey Williams, Eddie Davis).
The team has a knack for silencing those who exclaim "The sky is falling!''
That said, one cannot automatically assume that the Roughriders will be fine sans Fantuz, merely because precedent suggests that they will cope.
In a West Division where there should be so little to choose between the teams, will Fantuz's exit alter the balance of power? The Calgary Stampeders, remember, were so determined to eliminate Fantuz that they assigned Brandon Browner to follow him everywhere.
The strategy worked, to a degree. The Stampeders were successful in eliminating Fantuz, but not the Roughriders -who defeated Calgary 20-16 in the 2010 West Division final at McMahon Stadium. Calgary's preoccupation with Fantuz created opportunities for other players and ultimately worked to the Stampeders' detriment.
Now that Fantuz is out of the equation, the Roughriders need to create a situation where one of their remaining receivers becomes such a priority for the opposition.
Weston Dressler is the logical choice, being that he is coming off an 81-catch, 1,189-yard season. And maybe, with Fantuz's $160,000 salary off the books, the Roughriders will be able to use some of that money to sign Dressler to a long-term contract extension.
Dressler is not the only option, mind you. Chris Getzlaf flirted with 1,000 yards in 2010. Cary Koch looks very much like a 1,000-yard receiver. Rob Bagg, if healthy, is a fine player. Jordan Sisco has a ton of potential.
And then there is Jason Clermont. If there is a positive aspect of Fantuz signing with Chicago, it is that an opening has been created for a starting Canadian slotback. Who better to fill that void than Clermont?
It will not be easy to replace someone who was recently decorated as the league's most outstanding Canadian. But the Roughriders have the luxury of employing a two-time winner of that prestigious award -namely Clermont.
Over to you, No. 82.
Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Without+Andy+Fantuz+Roughriders+retain+plenty+talent/4264428/story.html#ixzz1Dk5KK9Qf
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