Bombers land Brock Ralph

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This article was published 17/02/2009 (6271 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

  Day 2 of Canadian Football League free agency and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have taken another hit by losing fullback Graeme Bell, re-signed a starter in linebacker Ike Charlton and landed a Canadian receiver in Brock Ralph.

The Bombers  put the finishing touches on a trade Tuesday evening that will send Canadian safety Jason Nugent to the Edmonton Eskimos for 28-year-old slotback/wide receiver Brock Ralph. The 6-3, 190-pound product of Wyoming is a six-year CFL vet with the Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats who had 13 catches for 164 yards in 10 games last season. His best campaign came in 2007 when he pulled in 50 passes for 721 yards and three touchdowns.

Bell — the Bombers top special-teams player last season — has bolted the club for the Eskimos after the move was speculated on Monday. The 28-year-old Saskatoon product is entering his fourth year in the CFL and can play fullback, tailback, slotback and even placekicks. He apparently left Winnipeg after verbally agreeing to a deal with the Bombers, but opting to move west as he has family in Alberta.

Charlton, meanwhile, is returning despite considerable interest from both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Eskimos.

“It’s a done deal and I’m really happy to be back,” Charlton told The Free Press from Cleveland. “I let Winnipeg know that they were always No. 1 on my list. They called me and said I was their No. 1 guy at the SAM (strong-side linebacker) position after watching a lot of film on a lot of guys because I can run and I can cover. I’m also a guy that will hit you if I get the opportunity.

“I wanted to come back there because, as a defence, we stunk it up last year and the fans of Winnipeg deserve better. I played five years in the NFL on three different teams and I didn’t want that any more.”