Rivers awaiting chance to shine

By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 9:32 PM CDT Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018

THE CFL can be an unforgiving place.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/08/2018 (2565 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE CFL can be an unforgiving place.

Some players toil for months on practice rosters without a legitimate shot at regular playing time.

For others, such as recently signed American defensive end Gerald Rivers, opportunity may come knocking only days after being signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Gerald Rivers played five games with Eskimos. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Gerald Rivers played five games with Eskimos.

The 6-5, 255-pound Atlanta product was facing a glut of competition for work in Edmonton when he was released by the Eskimos just over three weeks ago. The Blue Bombers, casting about for extra help with an injury to Jackson Jeffcoat, put in a call to Rivers at his Denver home and he jumped at the chance.

“The coaches have been really emphasing me learning plays, obviously they’ve gotta make sure I haven’t just been sitting on my butt the whole time,” said Rivers following Thursday’s practice at Investors Group Field. “It’s the same everywhere, kinda the next man up.”

The 28-year-old, who played at Ole Miss and had seven stops in the NFL after going undrafted out of college, says the adjustment to Winnipeg has been fairly seamless.

Rivers registered four tackles in five games for Edmonton earlier this season.

“Football’s football when it comes down to it,” he said. “Especially for a defensive end, there’s only so much you can do. It really comes down to terminology… Everyone has kind of the same thing, just different words, different terms, different checks. Getting that down is what my teammates and coaches have been helping me to do.”

River, an outside linebacker and standup defensive end in the NFL, believes his body and skill set are well suited for the Canadian game.

“I’m pretty much all long limbs, torso,” said Rivers. “I cover ground fast, so that really helps out in those situations. I can do a little bit of everything, whatever they need me to do. The more you can do, they longer you’re going to stay around.”

The Blue Bombers could insert Rivers into their rotation at defensive end or opt to use defensive tackles Corey Johnson or Brandin Bryant in that spot.

Will Rivers see the field Sunday afternoon against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina?

“It’s unlikely but what we’ve seen so far, we like,” said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “So there is a possibility. It’s not like he has no experience in the CFL, right? He was with Edmonton, he played some games this year.

“So he understands the yard off (the line of scrimmage), some of the nuances that players fresh to the league have trouble with. He’s well past that.”

Rivers felt welcome from the outset.

“They’re good people,” he said. “The guys have been really quick to bring me in, introductions and all that stuff. It’s a very family oriented kind of situation.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14