‘It’s a business’: Riders sign RB Armstead after release from Ottawa

Ryquell Armstead is now in green and white.

The running back played 11 games for the Ottawa Redblacks earlier this season but was released on Sept. 3.

“These past few weeks have been amazing. I got to go home and spend some quality time with my kids and continue to work my craft understanding that there would be an opportunity someday,” Armstead said after the Riders’ first practice back from a bye week. “I’m here and just ready to help this team win.”

Armstead had rushed for 623 yards and three touchdowns in his 11 games with Ottawa and was the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) fourth-leading rusher at the time.

However, discipline issues became an issue for the rusher. He was kicked out of a Week 8 game due to committing two objectionable conduct infractions. He has also been fined twice by the CFL for breaking the CFL code of conduct when it comes to verbal abuse.

Armstead was released and in a corresponding move, the Redblacks signed former Riders running back Jamal Morrow.

“Ultimately, we felt it was in the best interest of the team,” Ottawa head coach Bob Dyce told media following the release. “I think we tried, as did he, to make this work but in the end, it didn’t. I truly thank him for his efforts, the energy he brought to practice and games this season and being a part of our success.”

When asked what happened at the end of his time in Ottawa, Armstead said he didn’t know but wished them the best.

“Some people just don’t see eye-to-eye in a lot of situations and that’s fine. It’s life and it’s a business at the end of the day,” Armstead said. “I have just been working on the things that may have been a problem in their eyes and continue to just be better.”

Riders head coach Corey Mace said he didn’t have concerns over Armstead’s issues while in Ottawa.

“I’m big on making my own decisions on (someone’s character). Everybody has their own way of how they handle things. When we brought him in, we spoke about it a little bit but I reached out to a couple of people I trust and just understood the man and at the end of the day, he’s a competitor who wants to win,” Mace said. “We like those kinds of people. There’s a way we conduct business around here and he’s totally on board about that.”

Armstead spent some time in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to coming to the CFL.

When Ottawa and Saskatchewan met in Week 10, Armstead only had 37 rushing yards against the stout Riders’ defence.

“When we played them, I told a couple guys I was going to be (in Saskatchewan) whether it was next year or (in the future),” Armstead said. “I’m grateful to be here.”

The Riders running back room has been without AJ Ouellette in recent contests. The big free agent signing for Saskatchewan is currently on the six-game injured list with a hip injury.

The group has only averaged 78.7 yards per game on the ground — the worst in the CFL.

Saskatchewan is currently in a seven-game winless streak and will look to build momentum to end the season and get into the playoffs.

That begins with a game against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.

While Armstead is still getting up to speed with the Riders’ offence and might not play, he believes he can help the team get back into the win column.

“We’re about to turn that around. Hopefully, we win a lot of games but I’m going to bring a lot of passion and a lot of energy and a lot of effort and just be one of 12,” Armstead said.

Riders respond to Mace’s fiery speeches

The Riders were back on the field and had a better day than Tuesday. Mace had stopped practice twice to launch into profanity-laced tongue-lashings due to the standard not being met.

“Exactly how I figured,” said Mace when asked about the response at practice Wednesday. “Excellent practice today right from meetings. Everything was on point. I anticipated two steps forward and I thought we did that today. I’m proud of the guys’ professionalism and just how they handled that.”

Offensive tackle Trevon Tate said he feels Mace was in the right when he called the team out.

“That had to be done. As a head coach and as a person in general, there’s only so much you can and will allow guys to do before you put your foot down to that level,” Tate said. “All day yesterday when I was back at the house I just kept thinking to myself what could we have done to prevent that? When a group of guys go home and think about it — especially the ones that want to be great — they are going to say to themselves they will do whatever it takes to not have that happen again.”

Notes: Defensive end Malik Carney (ankle), offensive tackle Jacob Brammer (knee), Justin Herdman-Reed (elbow), Anthony Lanier II (knee), Nick Wiebe (knee) all out for the game on Friday.