The Future of Dwight Anderson With The Alouettes?

Heading into the offseason, an unanswered question that’s still a mystery is the future of Dwight Anderson with the Alouettes.

Last February, the addition of Anderson was heralded as “the rich getting richer,” as it provided another weapon in the Alouettes secondary. However, pundits said “buyer beware” as some wondered could any staff member handle this expressive player?

No doubt Anderon was at his best when he played for the Calgary Stampeders. From what I was told by my source close to his former team, they knew how to handle and get him to play at his full potential everyday.

Back in May, current Hamilton Tiger-Cat, and former Alouette, Avon Cobourne, said on my show, good luck to the Alouettes in handling of Anderson.

Did the great potential outweigh the risks of having a player on-board who might be a problem? Without question it did, because in the past, they got the best out of the controversial former NFLer, Lawrence Phillips. That resulted in bringing their first Grey Cup back to Montreal in 2002.

This past season, there were a couple of on-field penalties that was caught on camera that did not shed a good light on Anderson. Then there was the alleged spitting incident in Hamilton in which he was later cleared. This was unchartered territory for this team, as they never had this much negative attention on one player.

Off the field, Anderson was always a class act, exuding his bright smile with the media taking time out of his busy schedule to converse before he would leave the complex.

But, as first reported by this scribe and confirmed by many sources close to the team, there was an apparent disagreement with Anderson and the staff on some internal issues that resulted in him being sent home.

Shortly thereafter, representatives from Anderon’s camp issued a statement saying he was sent home due to an injury, not because of the supposed incident being mentioned.

Finally esteemed writer, Herb Zurkowsky of The Gazette wrote and cemented what I had mentioned on-air about Anderson, that there was an apparent disagreement with him and management.

Now the issue is what to do with Anderson? Sportsnet CFL insider and writer, Perry Lefko tweeted that Anderson to the Roughriders would be a perfect fit because of relationship with new head coach Corey Chamblin, who coached him with the Stampeders.

Would the Roughriders bite on Anderson? This is a team coming off their rollercoaster season in which they fired their coach midway through the season, their key players were injured, and essentially have to remake their image.

In speaking to a source close to the Alouettes, a lot of the guys enjoyed Anderson, and would like him back on the roster. Now, will it sway the vote for management to keep him? Popp is entering an offseason with more holes to fill than Ste. Catherine Street. After less than a year from signing him to a contract, does he want to risk the embarrassment of trading or releasing a player he paid handsomely, due to a bad first year experience?

If the option exists to rid of his services, what value does he have in the trade market? Clearly, the Alouettes, and Anderson got off to a rough start. Is it rectifiable for him to come back? It depends on who will blink first, Anderson’s camp, or the team in stating their intentions.

Right now, the Anderson question is shroud in mystery. No one knows the direction of Alouettes management, or Anderson’s camp. But one thing is for certain – he does have a CFL future, but where?

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