Bombers’ mini-camp roster revealed as training kicks off in sunny Florida

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/04/2015 (4059 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRADENTON, FL. — Winnipeg Rifles receiver Kurt Goodrich lasted all of one practice at IMG Academy on Sunday before abruptly telling Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea he was quitting the team.

“He came to me after the first practice and he just said his heart wasn’t in it anymore,” O’Shea said Sunday following the conclusion of Day 1 of the Bombers’ annual spring mini-camp.

“It happens… He just said he wasn’t going to be with us anymore,” said O’Shea. “I just patted him on the shoulder and appreciated his honesty.”

Asked if Goodrich looked outclassed Sunday morning, O’Shea said he saw quite the opposite. “He looks good. He looked like he got open.”

Goodrich was one of four Canadian receivers the Bombers brought to mini-camp and he was among 52 players on the field — as well as one current and one former star on the sidelines — as the Bombers kicked off their annual three-day mini-camp under a blazing hot Florida sun Sunday morning.

The mini-camp roster, which the team had kept a closely guarded secret until Sunday morning, includes six quarterbacks, three running backs, 15 receivers, three offensive linemen, five defensive linemen, six linebackers and 14 defensive backs.

O’Shea singled out a couple of players for praise after Sunday’s two sessions, naming linebacker TraShaun Nixon (New Mexico State) and defensive back Johnny Adams (Michigan State) as players that stood out for him.

“What really stood out for me (about Adams) was he was stealing reps from everybody he could,” said O’Shea. “He showed up at corner… and then he’s at halfback and then he’s across the field stealing reps from somebody else. And the guy had two interceptions.

“He was just out there making plays and making the most of his opportunity.”

The six quarterbacks present include the only CFL veterans at this camp with any meaningful experience — Bombers starter Drew Willy and last year’s backups, Brian Brohm, Robert Marve and Josh Portis. The Bombers are also taking a look the next couple days at QBs Corey Robinson (Troy) and Jon Wolf (Minnesota State).

The roster includes one player who also attended last year’s mini-camp, linebacker Kenny Tate. Tate impressed the Bombers enough at last year’s mini-camp to earn an invite to main camp in Winnipeg, but he was ultimately cut before the 2014 season began because it was felt he didn’t fit into former defensive co-ordinator Garry Etcheverry’s unique defence.

But with a new defensive co-ordinator in Richie Hall at the controls this year, and the Bombers in desperate need of new linebackers after the off-season departures of veterans Johnny Sears and Ian Wild, the club decided to take another look at Tate.

“It’s another opportunity and I feel great,” Tate said Sunday morning following a brisk practice session that lasted close to two hours.

The Bombers worked out Tate at defensive end last season, but they have him auditioning at weak-side linebacker the next three days — a position Tate says he feels more comfortable at.

“I’m naturally there,” he said.

Bombers GM Kyle Walters said last week finding linebackers is the club’s highest priority and Hall was asked if he likes what he’s seen so far out of the six linebackers in camp.

“It’s hard to (say) after one day and I try not to evaluate or set too strong an opinion until you see them after five practices and you have to make a decision,” said Hall. “One guy can be great today and bad this afternoonm and vice versa.”

Hall said he agreed with his GM that linebacker is the most pressing void facing the Bombers heading into 2015. “We have a secondary, we have a front and we have to look for linebackers. But it’s not like we have to find five guys, which makes it a lot easier.”

Among the handful of spectators watchings Sunday’s morning session were current Bombers receiver Clarence Denmark and former Bombers running back Willard Reaves.

Denmark lives in Jacksonville and made a three-hour drive to get here this morning even though he’s not actually taking part.

“I’m just missing it a bit. I just wanted to get around some football and I talked to the coach and asked if it’d be OK if I drove down and get a jump on some of the plays we’re putting in,” said Denmark.

Reaves is watching his son, Jordan, who at age 25 is trying to make the jump from a standout university basketball career to professional football as a receiver. While that’s a rare and complex transition, the elder Reaves said his son is capable of pulling it off.

“Absolutely he can,” said Reaves. “He’s a complete athlete. Growing up he was always one of the best at what he was doing, anything that he was doing… “If he puts his mind to it, he’s going to do great things for Winnipeg.”

The younger Reaves struggled Sunday morning during the one-on-one sessions, both with the intricate footwork involved in taking on a professional defensive back for the first time as well as simply catching the ball. But the good news for Reaves is he was hardly alone during a morning session in which there were a shocking number of dropped balls and none of the receivers particularly shone.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek