Dickenson’s status questionable; injury bug hits Stamps ahead of clash with Redblacks

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Ahead of Friday night’s clash against the Ottawa Redblacks at TD Place Stadium, the Calgary Stampeders are fighting the injury bug – and it’s not just their players.

Head coach Dave Dickenson remains a game-time decision after testing positive and spending the past week in the Canadian Football League’s COVID-19 protocol. Special teams coordinator Mark Killam, who also serves as the team’s assistant coach, has been running practice and will fill in if Dickenson is unavailable on Friday.

“I’ve been preparing like I am [going to coach] just in case,” Killam said this week.

“We're just preparing – myself and the rest of the coaching staff – just to handle our business." 

Meanwhile, running back Ka’Deem Carey, who scored twice in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last Saturday, is out with a hamstring injury while cornerback Tre Roberson and centre Sean McEwen were both placed on the six-game injured list after leaving last week’s game.

The Stampeders defensive backfield will look different in Week 9 after the team shocked many CFL observers by releasing starting safety Raheem Wilson earlier this week. The 28-year-old started more than 30 games in his two seasons with the club, including all six games this season and all 14 games during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season.

Lining up in his place during practice this week was Branden Dozier, who was one of several Stampeders injured during training camp and is suiting up for his first game of the 2022 campaign. Killam called Dozier the team’s best two-phase player last season after he led the group with 17 special teams tackles. Dionté Ruffin will shift from safety to corner to replace Roberson, while Trumaine Washington draws into the