Pickett, Redblacks off to solid start to 2024 campaign

The Ottawa Redlbacks are on a nice roll but for linebacker Adarius Pickett, there's no bad time for a week off to rest, recover and reload.

Ottawa (5-2) has won three straight games and improved to 4-0 at TD Place with a 33-6 victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night. To some, it might not be an ideal time for a break but Pickett said players always welcome downtime during a demanding 18-game regular season.

Heading into a bye week off a win, though, makes it sweeter.

"You're thankful for a little time off to recover, then get back into the swing of things and right back into it," Pickett said. "It's always harder if you lose that game going into a bye week because your mind is on what went wrong.

"When you win, it's on what went right and building off it."

Ottawa resumes its schedule Aug. 8 hosting the Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-2) looking to maintain its winning ways at home.

"We want to make sure we don't allow anybody to come into our house and take what we feel like is ours," he said. "You're not going to let any strangers come into your home and take your food, sit on your couch and kick their feet up.

"We try to dominate every time at home. We want to have exciting games for our fans to keep them coming out to support us and give them something to cheer about."

The five-foot-11, 210-pound Pickett is in his first season with Ottawa. He's currently tied for seventh in CFL in defensive plays with 45 (32 tackles, eight special-teams tackles, one forced fumble, one interception and three knockdowns).

Pickett also had two kickoff returns for 53 yards in Ottawa's 20-14 win over Edmonton on July 19.

Pickett, 27, signed with Ottawa following a dominant '23 campaign with Toronto, He was the East Division's top defensive player and a CFL all-star after registering 105 tackles, 19 special-teams tackles, six sacks and one forced fumble.

“I always enjoy speaking to Adarius about football and other topics because he's such a well-rounded individual," said Kenny Kim of Summit Athletes, Pickett's Florida-based agent. "He's a natural-born leader, proven winner and one of the league's most versatile players.

"I fully expected Adarius to continue to dominate with his outstanding play."

Pickett, a California native, said it didn't take him long to adjust to life in Ottawa. That's because Redblacks defensive co-ordinator Barron Miles held the same position with the Montreal Alouettes when Pickett began his CFL career there in 2021-22.

"Some of coach Miles' stuff is similar to what we ran in Montreal," Pickett said. "Other things I picked up in the playbook pretty fast.

"Coach has done a really good job of putting things together for myself and the rest of the defence."

And it seems to be working. Ottawa cornerback Deandre Lamont is fourth overall in defensive plays with 48 (41 tackles, one special-teams tackle, one interception and tackle for loss, four knockdowns). Defensive back Damon Webb also has four knockdowns.

Middle linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox has 38 tackles (second on the team) while defensive ends Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Bryce Carter are both tied for second overall in sacks (four apiece).

"Deandre is having a great season as is Damon and (linebacker) Davion Taylor has stepped up in place of (injured) Frankie Griffin and done a heck of a job as well," Pickett said. "It's exciting to see guys make plays on a consistent basis."

Ottawa's offence has also kept pace as quarterback Dru Brown is averaging 354 yards passing over the last three victories. And first-year player Kalil Pimpleton has made an impact both as a receiver (16 catches, 289 yards, TD, in three contests) and on special teams (99-yard punt-return TD versus Calgary).

"Kalil is a heck of a football player," Pickett said. "Some people might knock him because of his size (five foot seven, 175 pounds) but the man can run and impact games at any given moment.

"He's a dynamic player and that's someone you want on your team."

The key now for Ottawa will be picking up where they left off when they host Saskatchewan.

"When you win early, you get a sense of belief that's been created through the work you put in on a daily basis," Pickett said. "The biggest thing now is continuing to build on what we believe in, which is discipline, respect and enthusiasm.

"When you turn on the film or are watching the game, you want to see the Redblacks out there having fun and celebrating each other's success. I think that's the biggest thing at the end of the day."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2024.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version of this story erroneously said Ottawa's record was 6-2.