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“He desires to be right here for all the correct causes” after his launch from the NFL’s Falcons.
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Now that receiver Austin Mack has returned to the Alouettes, normal supervisor Danny Maciocia‘s mandate is to get his contract prolonged past this season, figuring out he might change into a free agent in 2025.
“There could also be (a brand new contract), however not proper now,” Maciocia informed The Gazette in a phone interview Monday. “We’d wish to have him long-term. He preferred his earlier expertise right here. He has made that crystal clear. Even final (Might) after we noticed him on the Gray Cup ring ceremony.”
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Mack, 26, was named a CFL all-star after catching 78 passes for 1,154 yards and 4 touchdowns final season. He parlayed that manufacturing right into a free-agent cope with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons final January, and it was believed he had a professional shot of cracking the rebuilding crew’s roster. Atlanta went 7-10 and fired head coach Arthur Smith.
However Mack, 6-foot-2, and 205 kilos, was launched on Aug. 12. He was used sparingly within the Falcons’ 20-13 exhibition recreation loss to Miami three days prior, focused as soon as however held with out a reception.
Mack, who lives in Tampa, met with Maciocia final week in Orlando whereas the latter was in Florida scouting NFL coaching camps, and shortly got here to an settlement regarding his return. Mack was in Montreal as of Monday, participated in crew conferences Tuesday and can follow for the primary time Wednesday. Head coach Jason Maas will decide whether or not Mack’s able to play Sunday night time, when the Als host Edmonton.
Mack caught seven passes for 91 yards with the New York Giants in 2020 however was subsequently launched and had quick stints with Tennessee and San Francisco, however failed to decorate for any video games. Solely he can say whether or not he’s now ready to shut the e-book on the NFL.
Street to the Cup
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“He desires to be right here for all the correct causes,” Maciocia mentioned. “He loved the expertise and needed to return.”
In the meantime, whereas Maciocia wasn’t at Mosaic Stadium for final Friday’s electrifying comeback 27-24 victory towards Saskatchewan, he watched the sport stay within the places of work of the Jacksonville Jaguars with senior personnel govt Tom Gamble. Gamble would have been Maciocia’s assistant with the Als in 2020, however the season was cancelled as a consequence of COVID-19.
Maciocia mentioned Gamble, together with others in attendance, needed to depart with lower than one minute remaining within the fourth quarter, solely to be implored by the GM to stay. Quarterback Davis Alexander accomplished a nine-play, 91-yard drive with a 15-yard landing run with 30 seconds remaining.
“I informed them you might have considered trying to sit; that is the CFL,” Maciocia mentioned. “That’s a real story. They couldn’t get during the last 30 seconds and have been nonetheless speaking about it the subsequent day.”
Whereas nothing surprises Maciocia any longer, Alexander practised solely as soon as final week after returning to Arizona to be by the bedside of his father, Matt, battling Stage 4 lung most cancers. Left offensive deal with Nick Callender didn’t follow whereas proper offensive deal with Josh Donovan has been battling by accidents. Montreal’s receiving corps is also depleted, Canadian Tyson Philpot (foot) the most recent harm. He joins Kaion Julien-Grant and Tyler Snead, each sidelined.
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“We confirmed a whole lot of grit, no give up and we discovered a approach,” Maciocia mentioned. “That’s what I noticed. How far more does this crew must do to shock you?”
Together with Mack, the largest query this week will concern who begins at quarterback — Alexander or Cody Fajardo — towards the Elks.
Alexander is 3-0 as Montreal’s starter, and 4-0 general, since changing Caleb Evans to start the second half towards the Roughriders, July 25. Fajardo suffered a hamstring harm on the finish of the primary quarter towards Toronto on July 11, however dressed as Alexander’s backup — that means he’s wholesome sufficient to play — final Friday. This marked Alexander’s first important enjoying time in significant video games. He’s in his third season with the Als.
Maas has made it clear Fajardo will regain his beginning place as soon as he’s fully wholesome. That most likely means he’ll begin towards Edmonton. Fajardo was probably the most beneficial participant in final season’s Gray Cup victory towards Winnipeg after passing for 290 yards and three touchdowns. And the Als have been undefeated in 5 video games earlier than he was injured after Montreal gained its ultimate eight league and playoff encounters in 2023.
“For us, these are beneficial studying experiences,” Maciocia mentioned of Alexander’s physique of labor. “You might have a four-game pattern. You possibly can discuss somewhat extra intelligently on the subject of Davis.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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