It's been a one-sided love affair, if you must know the truth. But after watching him from afar for years, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Bryan Randall are finally closer to doing the contract dance.
Bomber GM Brendan Taman has had a couple of informal conversations with Randall -- the former Virginia Tech Hokies star quarterback who has spent the last few years bouncing around the NFL -- who has been on the team's negotiation list since May of 2004.
During his tenure at Virginia Tech Bryan Randall (3) impressed with his fast feet. The Bombers think he could be a drop-back guy as well in the CFL.
And the next step? Actually getting his name on a contract to bolster a QB depth chart that features incumbent Kevin Glenn and Grey Cup starter Ryan Dinwiddie.
"I had a good chat with him, we talked about for an hour," said Taman Monday. "I guess you could say we're in the process of recruiting him.
"He has a chance or two right now to go to the Arena League but my sense is he didn't want to pursue that because they're already in-season. He could also probably go to an NFL camp again and just be an arm, but he doesn't want to do that either. But he said he was going to check into both of those scenarios while checking out us as well. He'll figure out what he wants to do in the next little while."
In the meantime the Bombers have sent Randall game footage to allow him to get a feel for the offence as well as some info on Winnipeg and a copy of their media guide for a slice of their history. And if they are getting close to a deal, Taman may get a current Bomber to call Randall -- who had hoped to play in the All-American Football League before it folded -- to help recruit him.
"We've followed him back to his days at Virginia Tech," Taman said. "He's been on our radar for awhile and, until now, haven't really had a chance to try to get our hooks into him.
"I was joking with him, I said, 'I saw you last year in Pittsburgh's camp and I saw you only take about five snaps.' We like him because he makes things happen with his feet, no question, but he could be a drop-back guy, too, which makes him intriguing."
CUTS LOOMING? The other shoe may soon be dropping for a handful of Bombers who may be victimized by the salary management system. The football brain trust has some meaty decisions to make in the next couple of weeks involving players -- which we have already hinted at -- including Juran Bolden, Keith Stokes, Andrew Greene and Gilles Lezi.
"I'd like to have our roster 'cleaned-up' by mid-month," said Taman. "We need to have the gray-area guys -- either salary-wise or football-wise -- moved or deleted. My first goal would be to try and trade them but if that doesn't work we'll go to Plan B. It's not fair to anybody to keep that hanging on. Plus, we need to get our salary situation figured out."
Asked specifically about Bolden, who would make $150,000 this year, Taman said: "His future here is clouded because we've got to make these numbers work."
WHAT'S THIS? The CFL's Canadian Draft goes April 30 and the Bombers, for real, still have their first-round pick, seventh overall. The club hasn't had a first-round pick since taking Daaron McField second overall in 2000 (oops).
"It doesn't look like we'll trade it," said Taman. "I've gotten a lot of suggestions not to trade it because with the seventh pick we'll get a pretty good player. I get trigger happy some years but I think we're just going to sit back and hang on to it. It'll be new for us."
ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca.
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