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Linebacker Beverette makes most of expanded role with Alouettes

Versatile defender was primarily a special-teams player with Hamilton before signing with Montreal and becoming a key cog on defence.

Alouettes defender Tyrice Beverette scoops up ball during fumble drill at Montreal Alouettes training-camp practice in Trois-Rivières on May 25, 2022.
Alouettes defender Tyrice Beverette scoops up ball during fumble drill at Montreal Alouettes training-camp practice in Trois-Rivières on May 25, 2022. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

Tyrice Beverette received the glory after his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Edmonton, but none of it would have occurred without Adarius Pickett.

Pickett, the Alouettes’ strong-side linebacker, batted Taylor Cornelius’s attempted pass for Derel Walker into Beverette’s hands with the ball at the Montreal four-yard line and the Elks threatening to add to their 18-17 lead. Instead, the potential 14-point turnaround proved to be the difference in the Als’ 25-18 comeback victory Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.

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“I mean, a goal-line play had to be made,” Pickett said Thursday after practice. “If they score at that point, the game probably could have been over. I just knew I had to make a play, somehow, some way.

“We got a good call from (defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe). I came off the edge and made the play. Beverette made a hell of a catch and got to (the end zone). It was a hell of a job by him. He had a fantastic game and he’s a hell of a player. I’m thankful he’s my teammate. He fits in our defensive scheme well. He’s a good player. He’s a very versatile guy, like myself.”

Beverette, who also had five tackles in the game, was named one of the CFL’s top performers of the week on Tuesday. It was a rare accolade for a player not much was known about before he signed with Montreal as a free agent in February.

“I definitely had a lot more attention after that play,” Beverette said Thursday. “That play brought light to what I can bring to the table. I have to give glory to my teammates. Without them, that play doesn’t unfold.

“I’m not trying to get too big off it,” he added. “It was one play. There’s a lot left in the tank to build off.”

  1. Montreal Alouettes linebacker Tyrice Beverette tackles Ottawa Redblacks wide-receiver DeVonte Dedmon at Percival Molson Stadium in Montreal on Sept. 2, 2022.

    Alouettes linebacker Tyrice Beverette named CFL player of week

  2. Alouettes' Mike Jones (8) and Edmonton Elks Vincent Forbes-Mombleau (82) via for the ball in Edmonton on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022.

    Defence's killer instinct kicks in when it counts for Alouettes

  3. Micah Awe relishes playing in Alouettes' unique defence

The 27-year-old weak-side linebacker signed with the Als after two seasons with Hamilton, where he was primarily a special-teams player, but capable of playing numerous positions on defence. He filled in this season at safety went Marc-Antoine Dequoy was on bereavement leave.

“We knew his ability to play on (special) teams, but also thought this is a guy who can help us out on defence in whatever package we want to have him in,” general manager and interim head coach Danny Maciocia said. “We know he can play safety. We know he can play linebacker. He’s quite athletic. He can tackle in space because of his ability to play on (special) teams. We projected he’d be a valuable contributor on defence.

“He was signed for the reasons we’re in the process of witnessing.”

Beverette attended tiny Stony Brook, a Division I-AA school on Long Island, N.Y., having not received much attention coming out of high school in Lakewood, N.J. In 44 games, he had 262 tackles, 27.5 tackles for losses, 14 sacks, five interceptions and seven forced fumbles.

After an unsuccessful tryout with the NFL’s New York Jets, he signed with Cincinnati and made it to the Bengals’ final cuts in 2018 before he was released. Beverette suffered a shoulder injury his final college game, then injured the other shoulder during an exhibition game, although the Bengals reportedly were high on him.

“That’s the chance I had with the NFL,” he said. “Of course, everybody wants to play (in the NFL) with the best, but everything happens for a reason. Maybe what happened then will prepare me for what’s going to happen in the future.”

Knowing he could contribute more in Hamilton made his time there frustrating, Beverette admitted, but the Tiger-Cats also reached the Grey Cup — losing to Winnipeg — both seasons.

“I’ve always been a team player,” he said. “Whatever my role was, that’s what I decided to buy into.”

Meanwhile, injured tailback William Stanback was activated on Thursday. Provided he has three solid practice days, he’s expected to dress Monday against Ottawa.

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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