Former NFL defensive lineman Aaron Patrick is not wasting any time learning the ins and outs of the CFL game.
"It's been great so far. It's a huge learning experience," Patrick told voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Dave Thomas.
"I've always said that I try to be like a sponge, so being able to talk to a lot of the guys, seeing what they've learned and what were the most helpful tips for them during their transition from American football to Canadian football. I love new learning experiences in most aspects of life, so this is another one and it's been great."
The six-foot-four, 245-pound defender previously played in the NFL, initially he was on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice roster from 2020 to 2021. After that, he played for the Denver Broncos the following season. Overall, Patrick earned over one million USD while playing down south.
Patrick suited up in 17 NFL games, starting one in the Mile High City. He made 11 total tackles and recorded four QB pressures. His best advice for learning the CFL game is not rushing.
"I would say, as far as my position goes, probably not being on the line of scrimmage. In American football, you want to get as close to the ball as you can, and in football here, sometimes being that close to the ball can result in a penalty. Those two things are pretty different, but getting over that and learning how to make things slow down for you, it all can help you in the transition from American football to Canadian," Patrick detailed.
"In American football, as soon as the ball snaps, you're instantly hands-on with another guy and decide what move you will use. However, here, with the distance between the two of you, you have to close the distance before you even think about what move you want to work. It adds an extra element of the pass rush, but an extra element means more time to get better and more time to work on your craft."
The 28-year-old Patrick has noticed how different it is for receivers in the Canadian game versus the American version.
"Prior to arriving, I will say the most interesting thing to me was the receivers already in motion going pre-snap. The fact that they get a running start, I guess for me being from America, I compare it to American football and I think about some of the athletes over there," Patrick said.
"I think about Tyreek Hill or somebody who had a running start before they run their route, how dangerous it would be. That was one of the things that I already knew coming over here. Getting to see that in motion, getting to see how it can affect the defence and getting to see how it can help the offence has been very interesting."
The Dayton, Ohio native provided advice to any young players who dream about making a pro football team in the future.
"I always say that, whenever it comes to things like that, you should find your niche. I think whenever it comes to football, there are a lot of guys on the roster, a lot of guys that are capable of doing a lot of things," Patrick explained.
"If you can find what you're good at and what you think you can do better than other people on the team to help the team, then you find that and you thrive in it. You make sure that it's something that will be working towards positive results for the entire football team."
Be sure to keep an eye on Sportscage.com and listen to 620 CKRM every afternoon for regular updates from Roughriders training camp.