With the return of Jordan Williams-Lambert to the Riders, Head Coach Craig Dickenson made one thing clear–when Williams-Lambert goes onto the roster, an American receiver will come off.
Manny Arceneaux is an American receiver, and thus his job is at risk. How does he feel about the Riders adding another chef into the kitchen, as it were?
“That’s the one thing you can’t control,” he says.
“(Williams-Lambert) was a young guy that had success with the Riders last year. So, whatever decision the coaches make, that’s the one they make. But that doesn’t change how I prepare, how I operate and how I attack the day.”
Watching Arceneaux through training camp and the season, working to get back to full speed after last season’s torn ACL, it’s clear he attacks every day. If that’s not enough to keep him in the starting lineup when Williams-Lambert is ready to play, Arceneaux says he’ll help the team in any way he can.
“If there’s pointers that I can give him being he’s a body type with a similar style to how I play, I don’t mind passing that down. And one thing that I never shied away from is just competing and competition.”
Arcenaux has 16 catches for 142 yards in seven games this season. Including a spectacular, contested, one-handed grab late in the blowout loss to Winnipeg. It’s clear he’s got something to contribute. And if he finds himself out, he’ll be ready when the opportunity to play comes again.
“Guys get injured, banged up, so you never know when your number will be dialed up again.”
NOTES: Charleston Hughes missed much of practice, appearing late in the session. Coach Dickenson says they gave Hughes Wednesday off to recover from some aches and pains. Dickenson says there’s nothing currently that will keep Hughes from playing Saturday…Receiver Justin McInnis missed a third straight day with a shoulder injury. Former Ram Mitchell Picton was running with the first team on Thursday…Centre Dan Clark and Linebacker Derrick Moncrief got in a brief shoving match during practice. It never appeared to get too heated, and the two were pulled apart.
