Toronto Argonauts: Ronnie Yell embracing new role with Double Blue

Since joining the Toronto Argonauts this offseason, Ronnie Yell is enjoying the new challenge in training camp with the Double Blue.

The Toronto Argonauts made two big additions to their defence in free agency bringing back T.J. Heath and recruiting Ronnie Yell. Many know the history with Heath and the Argos but Yell has flown under the radar a bit.

Coming to Toronto has been a breath of fresh air for Yell after leaving the B.C. Lions where he spent the past four seasons.

“When you come to a defence that just won a (Grey Cup) championship, you can’t come in and slack off,” Yell told Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun at the start of camp.

“There’s motivation, there’s excitement, there’s drive. I feel re-birthed, glad to be here.”

It has been a general theme during Argos camp that every player is holding each other accountable and Yell is embracing the role as a veteran to set the standard.

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Speaking to him earlier this week, it is clear that his door is always open for the younger players to pick his brain while also enjoying the new defensive scheme in Toronto. The Lions used Yell at one position last season and is enjoying the Argos moving him around at three different spots on the field because it keeps him engaged.

The team is fortunate to have a lot of depth on defence which is creating some tough competition especially with a player like Jonathan Dowling having a big performance in the final preseason game.

Yell didn’t play in any of the preseason games which was by design as Marc Trestman wanted to see what the rookies had to offer.

Coming over the East will be a different challenge as well considering many consider the West as the more dominant division. That’s how Yell saw it given how successful B.C. was against the East but sees it different now that he’s on the other side.

“Coming to a team that has won a championship where there’s structure from coaches to staff with the expectations they have, it is easy to see why they have won a championship,” Yell said on his first impressions of the Argos.

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Now he will look to be the latest piece on an Argos team that sees themselves as the favourite to go back to the Grey Cup.