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Derel Walker is excited to return to Commonwealth Stadium — but this time in a different shade of green.
Walker spent six of his previous seven CFL seasons playing with Edmonton, but he will represent the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 2023 regular-season opener for both teams Sunday. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it. I’ve had some great games in that stadium so I’m very familiar with that field and it’s a great turf and I feel like I can fly around on it,” the 31-year-old receiver said. “I’m super-excited and ecstatic — whatever word you want to think of. That’s what it is for me going back to play (in Edmonton).
“I’m just thankful to be playing another season with a great group of guys and being able to help our team win.”
Walker signed with the Riders in the off-season after catching 65 passes for 874 yards and one touchdown last season with the Elks. His best season in the league came in 2016, when he had 1,589 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns for Edmonton.
Since then, Walker has only passed 1,000 yards once (2019).
“I feel like I have something to prove every year. The past few years have been not so great over there in Edmonton,” Walker said. “I’m just looking to get back to doing what Derel does as an offensive weapon.
“I’m looking to put myself in a great position for an entire year.”
The move to Saskatchewan in the off-season also reunited Walker with quarterback Trevor Harris, with whom Walker played in Edmonton.
“Before we even got to running routes out here, we already developed that trust because we have played with each other so we are very familiar with how each other view the game and things like that,” Walker said.
The receiver has impressed the coaching staff with his work throughout camp and during the pre-season, when he caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown in the one game he played.
“I am happy for Derel and Derel has steadily gotten better every day at practice,” head coach Craig Dickenson said. “I know he is really excited to get out there. We are happy to have him.
“When he has had the opportunity to make a play, he has made it.”
With the Elks not having a home win since 2019, the team has a guaranteed-win ticket promotion in place. If a fan buys a ticket to Sunday’s game, they can continue to use that ticket until Edmonton claims a home victory.
But Walker said the Roughriders aren’t focusing on that.
“At the end of the day, we have to do what we’ve got to do. Our job is to go over there — it’s a business trip — we have to put great things on film and come out with the victory at the end of the day,” Walker said.
Notes: Friday’s practice was closed and Dickenson wouldn’t comment if Philip Blake (pectoral muscle) was on the field. The veteran offensive lineman hasn’t practised this week … Dickenson said the club still believes tackle Jerald Hawkins (personal matters) will return to the team at some point.
