Glut of talented DBs made Adams expendable in Bombers’ secondary

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This article was published 28/09/2016 (2765 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mike O’Shea didn’t like the terminology, but admitted Johnny Adams became an expendable asset.

The 2015 West Division all-star was shipped to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Wednesday for the rights to negotiation list player Mekale McKay, an import receiver who was most recently with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

“He wasn’t going to be on our roster this week,” said O’Shea, whose team takes on the Edmonton Eskimos Friday night at Investors Group Field. “Terrence Frederick has earned an opportunity to play and he’s played well when he’s gotten in there for us before and made some big plays for us.

“When you have depth, you need to make decisions on your lineup on pretty well a weekly basis to give you a good chance — the best chance — to beat the opponent your playing.”

Adams, 27, started each of the Bombers’ 18-games last season, becoming a force at the boundary corner spot while finishing tied for first in the CFL with five interceptions.

The Michigan State University alumnus spent the first nine weeks of 2016 on the sidelines due to a lower-body injury he sustained in the infancy of training camp.

His struggles since returning to the lineup, combined with the emergence of Frederick as a capable replacement, ultimately made Adams expendable.

“Me and Johnny were good friends outside of this organization,” Frederick said Thursday. “It is what it is. It’s part of this business.”

Has to feel good though, right?

“From a personal standpoint, you always want to play every week,” Frederick said. “I’m happy to be in the position I am today.”

On Thursday, O’Shea said he was disappointed after the team’s walkthrough, not in Adams, but that he couldn’t give the defensive back a fair shot due to his injury,

“I think it was tough on Johnny missing training camp and missing those number of weeks,” O’Shea said. “When you miss training camp it’s tough. That’s what gets your body right, your mind right, gets you with your group of guys in a rhythm.

“My disappointment comes from not being able to help him get that done.”

As was the case with quarterback Drew Willy’s departure earlier this month, Adams’ exit from the club ultimately came down to a business decision.

“We understand it’s a business. Johnny is forever going to be part of our family; the relationship we built over these past couple seasons and the bond goes further than football,” said veteran cornerback Chris Randle. “I’m in contact with him now and I hope he does well this weekend. It’s just the way the game goes.”

Despite Adams’ failure to rekindle the form he found during the 2015 season, Randle didn’t think it came down to a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately scenario.

“I don’t think so. We’re in a situation where it probably worked out for both parties. We have a lot of talent on this team,” he said.

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And as with the Willy trade, Adams’ absence won’t affect the locker room negatively.

“Coach always says if you’re friends with a guy, the friendship will never go anywhere,” said running back Timothy Flanders, who will start his third consecutive game for the Bombers in place of injured tailback Andrew Harris.

“It could be hard at times, but at the same time, it’s a business. I mean I’m pretty sure the guys who are very close to Johnny are still going to talk to him every single day.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @scottbilleck