Vernon Adams Jr. out to prove he’s a winner in fresh start with Stampeders

As his clip with the B.C. Lions appeared to beryllium coming to an end, Vernon Adams Jr. was talking astir his CFL aboriginal with Calgary cornerback Demario Houston.

“We were conscionable talking scenarios and things similar that. And I told him, I was like, ‘Hey, I would emotion to travel implicit determination and beryllium a portion to the puzzle and assistance america get backmost to wherever we request to be.'”

Moments later, Adams got his privation arsenic the Stampeders acquired the seasoned backmost successful a commercialized with the Lions connected Tuesday.

“It each happened truthful fast, man,” Adams said.

“I’m conscionable truthful blessed and thankful conscionable to beryllium portion of a large organization,” helium added connected a video league telephone from Phoenix connected Wednesday morning, a time earlier spending Thanksgiving with his family.

Adams said helium was excited astir moving with Dave Dickenson and spoke to Calgary’s manager and wide manager soon aft helium recovered retired astir the trade.

“I’ve ever wanted play for Dave. I’ve known him since I was successful college,” Adams said. “He came and spoke to america astatine Eastern Washington 1 season, and I person truthful overmuch respect for him.”

Calgary acquired Adams from B.C. on with a fourth-round enactment (32nd overall) successful the 2025 CFL draught and a third-round prime successful 2026. In return, the Lions received Calgary’s second- and fourth-round picks (ninth and 29th overall) successful 2025 and its second-round prime successful 2026.

Over his 8 seasons successful the CFL with B.C., Montreal and Saskatchewan, Adams has posted a 38-22 record.

The 31-year-old backmost from Pasadena, Calif., is present hoping to physique upon this past play erstwhile helium compiled a 6-3 grounds for the Lions (9-9) and completed 197 of 302 passes for 2,929 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“Yeah … it’s going to beryllium ace cool, man,” said Adams, who’s eagerly anticipating playing astatine McMahon Stadium adjacent season. “I cognize those fans are precise passionate successful Cowtown, and they’re utilized to winning football. And I’m a winner. I’ve ever been a winner.

“I’m not the full squad oregon thing similar that, but I’m going to bring my all, enactment my butt disconnected each azygous time and bash everything I tin to get that win, nary substance what it is. And truthful I’m excited to play successful beforehand of those fans, getting successful the reddish and achromatic again, similar I was astatine Eastern Washington. And yeah, I’m astir apt going to speech to (defensive backmost Branden) Dozier astir that No. 3, truthful we’ll see.”

Adams is besides excited astir reuniting with Calgary quarterbacks manager Beau Baldwin, who was his seat brag erstwhile helium played for the Eastern Washington University Eagles.

“Give him a ton of credit,” said Adams, who benefited from having the likes of existent NFLers Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne arsenic his receivers with the Eagles. “When I came to Eastern Washington, I was a raw, conscionable ace earthy young QB, conscionable much athletic, conscionable doing it with my legs. And helium truly taught maine to beryllium successful that pouch and spell done my progression reads and however to work antithetic things.

“He made the offence truthful elemental for maine to wherever the constituent I tin play accelerated and get these guys the shot and fto them bash the rest.”

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Baldwin is besides successful Phoenix this week and made plans to reunite with his prima assemblage QB.

“I’m astir to get connected the tract aft this interrogation and conscionable up with manager Baldwin and speech to him for a bit,” Adams said. “I’m excited.”

Following a large commencement to this past play for the Lions, Adams coiled up sustaining a genu wounded successful an Aug. 1 nonaccomplishment to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

A mates weeks later, the Lions signed backmost Nathan Rourke, the CFL’s astir outstanding Canadian grant victor with the Lions successful 2022. Despite Rourke’s struggles, B.C. him arsenic starter erstwhile Adams recovered from his injury.

Adams returned to commencement the Lions’ last crippled of the season, a triumph implicit the Montreal Alouettes, arsenic good arsenic B.C.’s nonaccomplishment to the Saskatchewan Roughriders successful the West Division semifinal.

Nonetheless, the Lions decided to determination connected with Rourke nether centre, which paved the mode for incoming Lions GM Ryan Rigmaiden to commercialized Adams to Calgary.

“It’s nary hard feelings oregon anything,” Adams said. “It’s nonrecreational sports. It’s a business.

“You conscionable person to support going. And obviously, I’m going to person a small spot connected my enarthrosis erstwhile I play those guys and things similar that, but it’s each portion of the business.”

Adams, who says helium prefers to ticker CFL games implicit NFL contests, noted that the Stampeders were competitory past play contempt finishing with a 5-12-1 record.

“They weren’t losing games by a batch of points each the time,” helium said. “It was existent adjacent games. So that means they’re that adjacent to getting implicit that hump. So I’m conscionable hoping I tin travel successful and beryllium a small portion of that and assistance america get implicit that hump.”