Kory Sheets, the Saskatchewan Roughriders tailback who set the record for most rushing yards in Grey Cup history last month, is eyeing the NFL and will be working out for the Indianapolis Colts, sources told Sportsnet Tuesday.
Sheets, a 2013 CFL all-star in his second season in the Canadian league, is a pending free agent and would be eligible to hit the open market Feb. 15 if he is not re-signed by Saskatchewan.
Sheets had a base salary of $62,000 in the CFL last season. Roster and game bonuses bumped his cap hit to $70,000. The minimum salary in the NFL is $405,000.
Sheets had a sensational season for the Grey Cup champions, rushing for more than 100 yards in the first six games of the season. He missed three contests due to injury, but still carried the ball 287 times for 1,598 yards. He finished the year with almost 1,800 all-purpose yards.
But it was in the playoffs that Sheets was unstoppable. In the West semi-final against B.C., the 28-year-old out of Purdue had 19 touches for 131 yards. The next week, he went into McMahon Stadium and was a one-man wrecking crew, carrying the ball 28 times for 177 yards and a touchdown, wearing out Calgary’s defence.
In the Grey Cup, Sheets earned MVP honours with his 20 rushes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. The signature play of the championship game was his, when in the fourth quarter, on 2nd and 19, he converted a first down to eclipse Johnny Bright’s 57-year Grey Cup rushing record and clinch the game for the Roughriders.
The Colts have long held a connection to the CFL and the Roughriders, in particular. The late Cal Murphy was a scout for former general manager Bill Polian and recruited Kenton Keith and John Chick to Indianapolis. Present Colts GM Ryan Grigson made one-time Saskatchewan linebacker Jerrell Freeman his first signing when taking his new post two years ago.
