Bombers mini-camp stocked with receivers, DBs

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This article was published 23/04/2018 (2755 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With much of the roster for the 2018 season already in place, the goal for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as they approach mini-camp this week is to begin identifying the last few pieces of a group the organization feels will once again be able to compete with any team in the Canadian Football League.

The Bombers finished the 2017 season 12-6, and hosted their first playoff game at Investors Group Field. But for the second straight year they lost in the first round of the playoffs, falling to the Edmonton Eskimos 39-32 in the West Division semifinal.

With much of last year’s team back under contract, and a number of key free-agent signings filling most of the holes left over from players that have moved on, only a few spots remain up for grabs. The hope is this week will provide some clarity as to who might be capable of filling those open spots in the lineup.

“(Mini-camp) will sort out the final pieces of the puzzle,” Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said in a nation-wide conference call last week. “We feel confident heading into the season but everyone feels confident heading into a new season.”

For head coach Mike O’Shea, mini-camp, which runs Tuesday through Thursday at Investors Group Field, will provide a crash course to the dozens of players who will be experiencing their first taste of the CFL.

Of the 46 players attending camp, many are in their first or second year in the league. Most of the new faces will have never played a single down in the CFL, making it all that more important that they use the next three days to get up to speed on the rules of the Canadian game.

“Give the new guys to the CFL the simple, basic pace to the league in terms of how we run our plays, the speed in which we run them, the size of the field — let them know it’s pro football,” O’Shea said. “Get to know these guys a little better and start some evaluation so we can have a very competitive training camp and put a great team on the field come the regular season.”

For others, including a number of the Bombers’ recent free-agent signings, it’s a chance to get acclimated to their new surroundings and begin digging into the playbook.

Included in that group are receivers Adarius Bowman and Nic Demski and running back Kienan LaFrance, all of whom have previous connections to Winnipeg. Bowman played two seasons with the Bombers, in 2009 and 2010, before playing seven seasons in Edmonton. Demski and LaFrance both grew up in the city, with the two playing together at the University of Manitoba. Both spent last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Defensive backs Chandler Fenner, Anthony Gaitor, and Steven Clarke — all of whom were members of the B.C. Lions in 2017 — will also be attending mini-camp.

In fact, more than one third (17) of the participants this week will be vying for spots in the Bombers’ secondary, an area the Bombers have struggled at over the last two years despite posting a combined record of 23-13.

Last year, the Bombers gave up the most yards per game (321.6) and second most offensive passing yards (271.9). Needless to say, the road to improvement begins this week.

“That’s what we’re working on. We have some very talented players back there who are the ball-hawking type of players and with that sometimes comes a little bit of risk,” said O’Shea. “We want to make sure that we still maintain the ability to take the ball away from the opponent — because the ball really is more important in football than yards — but we still have to keep that in mind that we don’t give up the large amount of yards that we did give up if we have breakdowns in the coverage.

“It’s a bit of a balancing act and we’re going bound and determined to be more balanced in that regard.”

The other focus of mini-camp appears to be at the receiver position, with 15 participants being made up of pass catchers. While the Bombers seem relatively set at the position, three of their projected starters — Weston Dressler, Darvin Adams and Bowman — all missed notable time with injuries last year.

Besides offering depth, what makes the new group of receivers so intriguing is more than half are listed to be six-foot-two or taller.

“We signed some trees,” said Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols, one of four quarterbacks who will be at camp.

“I think we have a good mixture of guys and we do a good job of bringing talent in and creating that competition, which I think we’ve shown, over the last couple of years, what depth can do for you. At wide receiver we’ve had a couple of injuries here and there and we’ve had those guys step in and be able to make plays for us. The more competition we bring in the better it is for our football team.”

Defensive back Maurice Leggett, who is just six months removed from tearing an Achilles, will take part but will be limited to warm-up and individual drills. Other veterans that will be here this week include kicker Justin Medlock and centre Matthias Goossen, who is the only starter on the offensive line that will take part, brought into feed the ball to Nichols during offensive drills.

Backup quarterback Darian Durant, another key off-season signing for the Bombers, is taking care of a family matter and will not be in attendance.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton