Evan Daum
Edmonton Journal
(Edmonton) With veteran Canadian receiver Andrew Nowacki‘s release in the off-season, second-year Edmonton Eskimo Nate Coehoorn is poised for an increased workload this season.
Coehoorn saw action in 10 games as a rookie last season after being selected fifth overall in the 2011 Canadian college draft, with the majority of the Medicine Hat product’s game time coming on special teams.
After recording only two catches at the wide receiver position last season, the Eskimos are confident the former University of Calgary Dino is ready to step up and fill the void left by Nowacki.
“He’s the guy that’s making the plays in the receiving corps right now,” Eskimo Head Coach Kavis Reed said Monday at training camp.
“He’s catching the ball with his hands instead of letting it hit his body, which sometimes young receivers do that.”
The three-time Canada West conference all-star has impressed Reed early in the training camp, after working tirelessly on his game in the months after Edmonton’s loss to the BC Lions in the West Division final.
“Nate came and he worked very hard this off-season in the weight room and in our field house to prove that he’s going to be a better route runner,” Reed said. “He’s getting separation, he knows how to set up his routes, so we expect that we’re going to have the same or better productivity from that position.”
BERTRAND BECOMES LONGEST-SERVING ESK
With the departure of Nowacki, fullback Mathieu Bertrand has the title of longest-tenured Eskimo all to himself.
Bertrand and Nowacki previously shared that honour, having both joined the Eskimos in 2004.
“I feel old and I feel sad at the same time, because I’ve got lots of friends I’ve lost all those years, but at the same time, we’ve got a good group, a young group and I love the energy,” Bertrand said.
“I’ve never been a big talker in the room. I’ve always led by example, just by having a good ethic on and off the field, but I’m trying to talk a little more this year. I had that feeling I need to be more vocal with the guys and that’s what I’ve started to do already.”
TEAM ADDS TRIO OF IMPORTS
The Eskimos added three imports to their training camp roster Monday, with defensive backs Rico Murray and Denatay Heard plus defensive lineman Almondo Sewell joining the mix.
Heard and Sewell were both briefly with the team last season.
Heard spent a week with the Esks in September, while Sewell lasted a little more than two months in Edmonton before he was released at the beginning of August.
“We’ve had some roster attrition, which is the norm in training camp, and feel fortunate to add these three young men,” Edmonton general manager Eric Tillman said in a release.
Murray, on the other hand, is a newcomer. He joins the team after spending the last three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals where he recorded 19 tackles in nine NFL games.