ZICARELLI: Rookie receiver Brissett coming of age for Argos
Article content material
Dejon Brissett could have an eye fixed on his brother Wednesday evening when the Indiana Pacers tip off the NBA season with a gathering towards the Charlotte Hornets.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Brissett’s first sporting love was hoops. He was a capturing guard who might drain threes and dunk the basketball.
Oshae Brissett, Dejon’s brother, has steadily climbed basketball’s ladder, at one level being a part of the Raptors household.
When Dejon was drafted second general by the Argos in 2020, it was a dream come true for the Mississauga child, figuring out his brother was additionally below the MLSE umbrella.
COVID cancelled the CFL season, whereas Oshae discovered a brand new alternative with the Pacers.
Dejon stated he was capable of watch his brother in particular person final season, and plans on visiting Indiana in some unspecified time in the future throughout the coming NBA season.
On Could 16, Oshae scored 31 factors towards the Raptors.
Dejon has discovered a house with the Argos, who’ve used the rookie in just about each slot at receiver.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
He has but to haul down a landing go, however Brissett did rating his first main on the professional stage on a blocked punt.
In Toronto’s walk-off win over Hamilton on Thanksgiving, it was Brissett who hauled in a vital third-down reception that allowed the Argos to maneuver the chain and transfer into subject objective vary earlier than Boris Bede transformed from 51 yards with no time left on the clock.
“There’s much more I’m able to,” stated Brissett. “I’m undoubtedly pleased with my state of affairs and I simply wish to proceed to make performs that may assist the staff in any approach I can.”
The Argos have assembled a reasonably strong core of Canadian receivers.
Essentially the most completed is Juwan Brescacin, one other Mississauga native. Brescacin harm his knee in a Week 2 loss to the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He stays on the six-game damage listing, which implies he can’t practise. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie is hopeful to have Brescacin again within the subsequent few weeks.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Argos veteran Llevi Noel is nursing a hamstring damage.
The largest revelation has been second-year receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., who posted his first-career 100-yard recreation in Hamilton.
Gittens Jr. wears No. 19, whereas Brissett sports activities No. 18.
“Lots of people confuse us on the sector,” stated Brissett. “We speak on a regular basis.”
Their lockers contained in the room are subsequent to one another.
As a complete, the Argos are forming a bond and a togetherness that ought to serve them properly because the video games flip important down the stretch.
They confirmed quite a lot of character in coming again to beat the Ticats, and their psychological toughness will likely be examined towards this Friday evening in Montreal.
“That is an important recreation as a result of it’s the subsequent one,” stated Brissett.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
For Brissett, there was no greater reception than his third-down conversion within the Hammer.
Instantly after the win, he acquired a textual content message from former participant turned Argos radio analyst Natey Adjei.
“That’s my massive brother,” stated Brissett. “We speak virtually after each recreation … He’ll come into the locker room typically to point out his love like he all the time has.
“He’s all the time been there for me since I used to be 14 years previous. After that third-down catch he texted me after the sport in all caps with exclamation factors. He’s simply excited for me.”
It was Brissett’s solely catch on the afternoon, nevertheless it proved fairly well timed.
The very fact the Argos would go to Brissett in a do-or-die second speaks extremely of the child.
“It means all the pieces to me,” he stated. “It lets me know the fellows within the huddle and the coach on the sideline belief me. As a younger man, that’s all I can ask for is a chance to show myself.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
“Proper earlier than that play (veteran receiver) Ricky Collins stated: ‘The ball is coming to you.’ They don’t anticipate any totally different, any drop off, from the starters to the backups. And meaning quite a bit to me as a result of they belief me in that state of affairs to make a play.”
O-LINE MOVES
Veteran RT Jamal Campbell, who has began each recreation for the Argos this season, didn’t practise Tuesday and was scheduled to endure an MRI examination on his leg.
No starter on both facet of the ball has been with the Argos longer than Campbell, a Toronto native who performed his college soccer at York.
Dinwiddie has requested Campbell to offer extra on the front-side safety, however on the identical time Dinwiddie revealed Campbell has been banged up.
“We’re hoping to get some guys who might help us at proper sort out,” stated Dinwiddie.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
The Argos did announce the signing of Martez Ivey, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman out of Florida who was a ultimate reduce of the NFL’s New England Patriots in 2019.
Ivey appeared in 5 video games for Tampa within the XFL earlier than the league suspended its operations.
At Florida, he appeared in 49 video games for the Gators, beginning 44 occasions.
Dinwiddie stated the Argos have had Ivey on their radar.
He’ll need to quarantine earlier than he’s capable of get on the sector.
“I’ve watched him on movie,” stated Dinwiddie. “He’s a great participant. We’ll carry him in and see what sort of form he’s in and whether or not he nonetheless has the bodily ability set.”
The staff’s greatest O-lineman, Isiah Cage, was misplaced for your complete season when he was harm on the ultimate play of observe in camp.
The staff’s projected beginning centre, Cody Speller, is nowhere to be seen or heard from after he began on Winnipeg’s offensive line throughout the Bombers’ run to the Gray Cup two years in the past.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com