Chad Owens spent the last six seasons with the Toronto Argonauts and naturally became one of the team's leaders.

When he shows up for Hamilton Tiger-Cats training camp this weekend, when all CFL camps will get underway, the Flyin' Hawaiian will assume a background role as he gets adjusted to playing for his former arch rival.

“I'm excited to come in and see what that locker-room is about and not really try to come in and voice my (opinion),” Owens said. “I'm going to be a spectator. I'm going to sit back, and I'm going to observe and just let my actions do their thing and do what I do.

“I'm going to try to earn the respect of my new teammates just by doing what I do, man, and that's putting in work. I just work. I go to work every day. I show up. I love what I do, and I do it at a high level.”

Owens had a career worst 570 receiving yards last season in 13 games, but in 2014 he hauled in 989 yards worth of passes in just 11 contests. The Argos introduced a boatload of talented but immature young receivers last off-season, and they gobbled up most of the targets and yards. Toronto felt it didn't need Owens anymore, because it didn't even offer a contract to him when he became a free agent in February.

The Ticats scooped him up at a relatively discounted rate, and it allowed Owens to keep his family in southern Ontario.

“I'm doing what I love still, and my kids still get to watch me play ball,” Owens said, “so I'm excited.”

The 34-year-old may not be as fast as he once was, but his leaping, one handed touchdown catch against the RedBlacks late last season proved he still has a little bit of game left in him.

As for where the CFL's 2012 most outstanding player will fit into the Ticats receiving corps, that remains to be seen. The Tabbies lost two starting pass catchers during the winter in Bakari Grant, who signed with Calgary as a free agent, and Terrell Sinkfield, who joined the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.

Owens, who played with Ticats starting quarterback Zach Collaros in Toronto, said he had a “great meeting” with Tommy Condell in early April, but Condell resigned as offensive co-ordinator about a week later. As of Monday, the Ticats had signed only two new receivers since the start of last season, and Owens is one of them.

“I just see myself as an added piece, an added feature,” Owens said. “I guess you could say a boost to an already strong group. They lost a couple of guys, a couple key contributors in Bakari and Sink.

“Whether I fill one of those roles or somehow work into the mix ... I'm just gonna go in and do what I do and however it unfolds, it unfolds. I'm excited.”

THE INSIDERS SAY

With rookie camps set to open in several cities this week, CFL coaches and managers give their anonymous thoughts on the draft:

Since last year's top pick was paid significantly more than past years, it's likely most of the (players in the) first round holds out. One hundred percent the top four aren't signed in time ... A lot of those teams picking in the top five are going to look back (upset) that they passed on drafting Alex Singleton. I wish he had still been there when we picked. We thought he was the best player in the draft ... Every year there are some players that go late; players who probably should have gone earlier. Doug Corby to Edmonton is small but fast, and Rupert Butcher by the Bombers might have a chance, too ... Hamilton moved around and seemed to get guys they wanted at the spots in the draft they had them rated. I thought the Stamps and Argos did the same with some good mid-round pickups. I like what Saskatchewan was able to acquire give the choices they had ... I hate to admit it, but we liked (Ticats first round pick Brandon) Revenberg a lot, too ... Our GM swore when B.C. took (Southern Illinois safety) Anthony Thompson. He's going to be a good one ... (Anthony) Thompson and (Wayne) Moore could have been available much later than when they were taken ... Steal of the draft? I have to say those guys in Hamilton getting Terrell Davis in round three or Saskatchewan getting Quinn Van Gylswyk at the end of that same round ... If that corner from Michigan State (Arjen Colquhoun) gets cut by Dallas, Ed Hervey got Jason (Maas) a top five talent at the end of the second round. Ottawa passed on him to take the long kid from Concordia (Mikael Charland), and that made no (bleeping) sense to us. As coaches, sometimes we can only be as good as the decisions other people make ... Three years from now, after he gets stronger, coaches might be saying Michael Couture was the best lineman in our draft. Sometimes those GM and personnel types aren't always right ... Dumbest move in the draft? I should probably just coach and let them do their thing, but we couldn't believe Montreal took Wayne Moore that high. And then in the next round they did it again – reached – on an offensive lineman (Sean Jamieson). We had both of those guys going in round four or five.

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