With information now surfacing over the serious nature of the legal issues that Yonus Davis is facing, it’s sounding more and more like the shifty and dangerous returner has played his last game in the CFL for the BC Lions and possibly his last football game ever.
We’re not going to get into the charges. You can read more about the legal issues from Lowell Ullrich here and the Lions will hold a conference call on Thursday to address the situation but clearly this is a blow the club did not need.
The Lions had had talks to extend the contract of Davis, who had been looking for a hefty raise after being nominated as the top special teams player in the CFL West last year. Those talks will now almost certainly cease and judging by the serious nature of the charges and the ramifications of them, it’s likely Davis is done as a Lion.
That leaves the club in need of a kick returner, a position they looked to be set at just over a month away from training camp.To make matters worse the team already lost Andrew Harris to a torn pectoral muscle and Jamall Lee is recovering from major knee surgery. Neither may be 100% for the beginning of the season. With their free agent camps winding down it leaves the Lions with few short term options.
Looking at the current roster, there is newcomer Will Cole, who didn’t play football in 2010 after surrendering a year of eligibility. He also suffered a knee injury but is listed a “promising wider receiver and kick returner” in his bio on the Lions’ web site.
There is Edward Britton whose bio states, “A penchant for big plays on special teams his career included a 58-yard kickoff return versus Iowa State and a 46-yard return versus SMU. Britton was also a key player for Texas Tech in the 2088 Cotton Bowl and the 2007 Gator Bowl.”
There is the possibility of bringing back former Lion Ryan Grice-Mullen, who left to try the NFL and returned last year to finish the year with Saskatchewan before being released in the off-season.
No doubt Roy Shivers and company will be busy looking for returners to bring into camp as well and it will likely take time to find a replacement.
Despite the inconvenience to the Lions and their fans, the saddest part of all is that a promising player with a great future ahead of him as allegedly thrown all of that away.
Related: Yonus Davis detained in California: Official Club Statement.
