Now more than a week into training camp, the Ottawa Redblacks are looking at two Canadian Football League preseason games that could decide who stays and who goes.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are in Ottawa for a game Thursday night, and then the Redblacks will travel to Montreal to face the Alouettes on June 15.

“I’m not totally committing to this, but, if people are healthy, they’re dressing and they’re going to play,” Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell said after Monday’s practice. “We’ve had a bunched-up schedule in the pre-season in the past, but the spacing is a week apart (this year), so we’ll probably play everybody in both games.”

Campbell and the coaching staff had a chance to evaluate film after Saturday’s mock game.

“It’s kind of what I thought,” Campbell said. “We have guys who are enthusiastic and working hard. There are things we need to clean up. That’s part of training camp. Part of the trick to becoming a good team is you get better at things each day and check things off the list as you go.

“We want to reduce the penalties as much as possible. We’re trying to make sure guys know the scheme and know what we’re doing so we can play fast.”

Lineman Ceresna back for another shot

A year ago, fresh off from receiving a look from the National Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs, was hoping to earn a spot on the Redblacks roster.

Now, in 2017, it’s much the same for the big defensive lineman.

The 22-year-old Ceresna was released by the Redblacks last year after breaking a hand, a “freak accident” where he got tripped up.

After he left Ottawa and his hand healed, he received a call from the NFL’s New York Jets and agreed to sign. Near the end of the pre-season, he hurt an ankle in a pileup and was released.

He kept training and worked in a physical therapy clinic, waiting for another professional opportunity.

Ceresna participated in an NFL veterans combine in March, but that didn’t generate any solid offers, so he agreed to return to Ottawa.

“I’m getting good feedback so far,” he said Monday. “They like the way I’m playing. I’m just trying to make plays and keep doing everything I can to make this the best team possible.”

At 6-6 and 294 pounds, Ceresna was a beast in college football for State University of New York at Cortland. He recorded 142 tackles, 42 quarterback hurries and 14.5 sacks.

tbaines@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/TimCBaines