Arthur Hamlin opens camp as starting safety

You can’t draw many conclusions from the first three days of CFL training camp, but it is notable that Canadian Arthur Hamlin appears to be leading the Montreal Alouettes’ depth chart at safety.

Through the first 72 hours of camp, Hamlin has taken nearly every snap at safety with the starting defence.

The safety spot unexpectedly became available this winter when All-CFL safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy retired in February.

“(Dequoy) built a culture within our defensive back group that emphasized us being a team from Quebec and Montreal,” Hamlin explained.

“I thought he had some more juice left in the tank, but I respect his decision. I have the utmost respect for him. As a player, you never know when it’s going to be your time (to step away). You want to be able to determine when that is. … I would have loved to play another training camp with Marc. He’s a great guy and a great leader.”

The competition to replace Dequoy was always going to be stiff, as the Alouettes have invested a lot of draft capital at safety over the last few years.

Jonathan Sutherland, a first-round pick in 2023, finally signed with the team after spending three years in the NFL. He’s expected to be in the mix as well. Nate Beauchemin was selected in the second-round last year out of the University of Calgary, while Shakespeare Louis was chosen in the second round of this year’s draft.

But it’s Hamlin, who was drafted in the third round of the 2024 draft, who will get the first opportunity to hold on to the starting position in 2026.

Left to right: Shakespeare Louis, Arthur Hamlin, Nate Beauchemin

“Every football player’s dream and goal is to be a starter,” the former Colgate standout said. “Every year, I’ve prepared like I was going to be the starter, and I was fortunate enough to start some games. That prepared me for this position. The only thing left to do is stack good days on top of good days and make sure I take care of my responsibilities, so no one takes my spot.”

The 26-year-old from Ottawa, Ontario, has played primarily on special teams during his first two seasons, but he has also seen action at safety and nickel linebacker during his pro career. That versatility should help him in his quest to hold on to the safety position.

“I’m able to read quickly (on the field), react quickly, and I’m continuing to work on my coverage as well,” Hamlin said. “I’ve been learning how quarterbacks operate in the CFL. A big strength of mine is recognizing how quarterbacks look defenders away and how they like to return to their reads.”

In 16 games last season, he recorded 17 defensive tackles and four special-teams tackles. His most productive game came against Saskatchewan in Week 9, when he finished with seven tackles.

Hamlin has proven he can make plays at the pro level. Now, it’ll be up to him to show he can handle a starter’s workload week in and week out. It’s a big leap for a young veteran, but it’s one the team clearly believes he can make.

Training camp practices are important, but it will also be interesting to see how this battle unfolds once the preseason kicks off in Montreal on May 22, when the Alouettes host the Ottawa Redblacks at Percival Molson Stadium. The two teams will meet again one week later in the exhibition finale in the nation’s capital.

“I got a lot of confidence from playing those snaps,” he said. “For me, it’s about familiarity and being comfortable out there on the field, understanding the different checks, anticipating what’s going to happen, and recognizing all the movement involved in the CFL game. I feel a lot more detailed and experienced with all of that now.”

TRANSACTIONS:

The Alouettes added American receiver Javon Gipson (Abilene Christian) to the roster. He was on the field Tuesday. The team released receiver Demeer Blankumsee and suspended Canadian receiver Zachary Houde, the Alouettes’ eighth-round pick last month.

DAY OFF TOMORROW:

The Alouettes will have their first recovery day of camp on Wednesday, as players will not practise at the Université Laval campus.

CFL teams will also make a slew of cuts Wednesday, as they must trim their rosters from 85 players to 75 (plus non-counters).