Hogan: Argos Welcome Fresh Faces

Things were going pretty well for Cam Porter. After leading Cincinnati’s La Salle High School to a pair of Ohio Division 2 State Championships, Porter had established himself as a talented running back at Northwestern, dreaming of playing in the NFL.

Then, suddenly, it looked like the dream may have ended. In the second game of his final season Porter tore his ACL. His season was over; his pro dreams were put on hold, if not gone forever.

He worked hard to get his body right again. The first time he had an opportunity to test it publicly was at Northwestern’s NFL Pro Day, where the most important instruments on the day were a stopwatch and measuring tape.

Porter impressed everyone on the bench with 25 reps, but his undoing was his 40 time. He was still at least two months away from full recovery and the knee wasn’t as strong as it would eventually become. The 4.79 time was not representative of his speed pre-injury and scared away NFL teams.

It was a period where he had to tackle the mental aspect of suffering the injury as much as he dealt with his physical recovery.

“At the end of the day I’m a competitor,” Porter told Argonauts.ca. “Everything my doctor said I could do, I did. I was five months out at my pro day, and it was difficult. You want to put your best foot forward but ultimately; I wasn’t able to do that. Now I’m feeling healthy as ever; I’m feeling good, I’m feeling confident in the scheme this week, and I’m ready to play.”

When another CFL team dropped Porter from its negotiation list the Argos pounced. He was signed by the Boatmen just after Labour Day and will make his pro debut against the Redblacks in Ottawa on Friday night.

What will fans see?

“I’m the type of player who makes big plays,” said the 5’11”, 205-pound Porter. “I’m the type of back that sticks his foot in the ground and gets vertical. I’m a more physical back but I can catch the ball out of the backfield and protect my quarterback as well.”

It’s just not ball carriers who can make an impact with a late-season opportunity, which is what cornerback Nic Toomer is looking to prove.

Toomer signed with the Argos last September, then was let go during training camp after suffering an injury. He re-signed with the team a month ago and is thrilled to have another chance to make the roster.

“I wasn’t expecting to get hurt,” he told Argonauts.ca. “You never prepare for injuries, but they believed in me and brought me back. I got healthy, I got a chance to go and really rest my body and lock in mentally. I’m just really appreciative of the opportunity.”

As in the case with Porter, the toughest part of the time away from football was between the ears.

“It was very difficult,” Toomer confessed. “I was expecting to play this year. I was expecting to come back and have a strong season after being on P.R. (practice roster) last year. I was about to be done with football and then I got the call, so luckily, I was still training every day. It’s just so exciting.”

He’ll man the field corner spot, manned by Tarvarus McFadden before the veteran sustained a wrist injury while making a game-winning interception last month against Edmonton. Like McFadden, the 6’2” Toomer brings great size to the position.

While replacing one starting corner, Toomer will try to replicate the actions of the man who will start across the field from him.

Boundary corner Benjie Franklin made his CFL debut in the 2023 season finale, a game in Ottawa that was also inconsequential in the standings. Franklin stood out, making four tackles, recording an interception, and recovering and returning a fumble 34 yards.

It’s a script Toomer would love to follow over the course of the next two games.

“I’m hoping to be the best player I can going into the playoffs and do whatever we can to win the Grey Cup. I’ve never won a football championship in my life at any level. I want that championship, I know everybody in this locker room wants that championship, and I just want to be the player who helps us get there.”

Toomer was painfully close to winning a ring. His final season with Indiana was in 2024 and the Hoosiers won the national championship a year later. There’s little doubt that watching his former teammates celebrate has fueled his desire to win to an even greater level.