Shawn Oakman poised to become towering force on Alouettes' defensive line
At age 33 and potentially nearing the end of his CFL career, defensive-lineman Shawn Oakman wants at least one more opportunity to win a Grey Cup.
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And after spending last season with Edmonton, which went 7-11, missed the playoffs and fired general manager and head coach Chris Jones after an 0-5 start, the tackle was seeking stability.
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'It wasn't about the wins and losses in Edmonton,' Oakman said this week after a practice. 'I had a different role. They had a lot of young guys there that needed my help. The wins that we got were great, but it was more about growing.'
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There shouldn't be any growing pains in Montreal. The team won the Grey Cup in 2023 and had the league's best record (12-5-1) last season before imploding in the East Division final against Toronto. Even with new starting quarterback Davis Alexander, the Als should be competitive in 2025, prompting Oakman to sign a one-year, free-agent deal in February.
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The 6-foot-8, 280-pound behemoth is looking forward to playing under defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe. And the feeling is mutual.
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'It's a dominant, in-your-face defence,' said Oakman, a Philadelphia native. 'That's my mentality. That's my personality. It should be a perfect fit. He (Thorpe) is an attack coach. He wants our defence to attack and get after the quarterback, crush down on short passes. I think I should fit right in.'
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In 14 games last season with Edmonton, Oakman had 32 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. He signed with the Elks as a free agent after three seasons with the Argonauts. In 53 career games, he has 122 tackles, 21 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception.
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Oakman won a Grey Cup with Toronto in 2022. The Als host the Argonauts Friday at 7:30 p.m. in their regular-season opener.
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'As a coach, you look at the body of work there,' Thorpe said. 'He's a big fit for us. When we got him, it was great news. It's not only what you see on the field, but there's also the work ethic, how he approaches practice, how he conducts himself in the meeting rooms. He's a consummate pro.
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'He has been in the league and you've been able to watch him from an opposite sideline, see how disruptive he can be and the problems he causes, ' Thorpe added. 'He's a challenge to block. That's a guy you want on your team. The guy has been outstanding for us and is a great fit. He has that blue-collar, hard-working mentality.'
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Oakman won't be the only addition to Thorpe's defence.
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