Calgary Stampeders Brandon Browner (R) reaches for a pass intended for BC Lions Derick Armstrong during second half CFL play in Vancouver, British Columbia August 7, 2010. Both players missed the ball on the play.ANDY CLARK/Reuters
The struggling B.C. Lions released veteran wide receiver Derick Armstrong on Tuesday, a move the team hopes will help pull it out of a five-game losing skid.
Armstrong, 31, who the Lions (1-5) signed as a free agent in the off-season, will be replaced by Darius Passmore for B.C.'s game Thursday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (4-2).
"Offensively we have to have the potential to try and get better," said Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono.
"We felt we needed to go forward and improve that position. By making a change it gives us that opportunity. We wanted more consistency out of that position and we wanted to get a little bit more speed out of that position."
Armstrong, a native of Jasper, Texas, was the Lions' second leading receiver this season behind slotback Geroy Simon with 22 catches for 316 yards and no touchdowns. He had only four catches for 48 yards in the Lions last two games, losses to Edmonton and Calgary.
Passmore, 25, joined the Lions in October of last year after attending training camp with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. He had a good training camp with the Lions this spring before pulling a hamstring.
"In the last couple of weeks he has really come on," said Buono.
"He has worked hard. He has shown excellent skills. When you look at where we are, we have to try to move forward to try and improve ourselves. I think Darius gives us that best opportunity."
A sputtering Lions offence has scored just 122 points this season, the least in the CFL. The team is last, or second last, in the league in many offensive categories.
With quarterback Casey Printers out with a knee injury, second-year pivot Travis Lulay started the last three games. Veteran Jarious Jackson, the third-string QB who underwent shoulder surgery this winter, will start against the 'Riders.
Armstrong had a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the Blue Bombers, but was hobbled by a knee injury during the 2008 campaign.
He was released by the Bombers after just one game last year after getting into a dispute with then coach Mike Kelly.
An angry Armstrong refused to play against the Edmonton Eskimos in Winnipeg's season-opening loss after being relegated to backup status behind rookie Adarius Bowman.
Buono said Armstrong's release from the Lions was strictly a football decision.
"Character was not an issue," said Buono.
Armstrong broke into the CFL in 2001 with Saskatchewan and in two years had 100 receptions for 1,540 yards and six touchdowns. He was named a West all-star in 2002.
He moved to the NFL's Houston Texans in 2003. In three years he caught 45 passes for 605 yards and two touchdowns. He returned to the CFL in 2007 with Winnipeg and had a 50-yard touchdown catch in the Bombers' 2007 Grey Cup loss to Saskatchewan.
After being cut by the Bombers last season, Armstrong had a tryout with the Toronto Argonauts but failed the physical.