Confident Lawler not afraid to reach for the stars

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This article was published 31/07/2023 (827 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kenny Lawler has never been short on confidence.

Even as a rookie in Winnipeg, in 2018, before he would become the Blue Bombers leading receiver in back-to-back seasons and well ahead of signing a deal in 2022 with the Edmonton Elks that made him the highest paid pass-catcher in the CFL, Lawler knew he had what it took to take the league by storm.

Now back in Winnipeg, in the first year of a two-year contract he signed with the Bombers in February, the 29-year-old remains high on his abilities. As for goals, well, he’s got those, too; and if the sky’s the limit, Lawler certainly isn’t afraid to reach for the stars.

“Yeah, I want 2,000 yards receiving this year,” Lawler told a group of reporters following Monday’s workout at IG Field, adding he doesn’t usually disclose such information. “I know what I’m capable of. I share that to let you know how serious I am about this game. That’s how much I believe in my teammates and myself.”

He added: “But the only goal that matters is getting to the Grey Cup.”

The pursuit of a third Grey Cup with the Bombers aside, Lawler’s hope to reach 2,000 receiving yards is a lofty goal at the best of times. It’s even loftier when you consider he missed the first six games of the season trying to get his working papers in order after pleading guilty to a 2021 impaired driving charge back in April.

Lawler seems to believe that number is still within reach. And who’s to doubt him, especially after his performance against the Edmonton Elks in Week 7, in what was his 2023 debut.

“I got a taste of my first game and I was ready to go back out there as soon as I got into the locker room after the game,” Lawler said. “Just got to stay working. W – work, and that’s what we do here.”

Against the Elks, Lawler was targeted a team-high nine times – Nic Demski had the second-most targets, with four – catching seven, for 93 yards. He marvelled the crowd on one particular play, where he had to twist his body to make the acrobatic catch, while also staying in bounds near the Bombers sideline.

What’s most impressive with Lawler’s trust in himself is that the stiffer the challenge, the more the California native wants to succeed. That should bode well for the Bombers as they get ready to welcome the West Division-leading B.C. Lions to town for a Week 9 matchup at IG Field Thursday night.

The Lions are among the most stingiest defences in the CFL, averaging a league-best 15.7 points against per game and have given up just five offensive touchdowns in seven games.

“You know me by now. I’m a competitor,” Lawler said. “Some are saying it’s the most experienced defence, the back half, in the league. Well, you know what? I’m ready for it. I want it. That’s who I want to face.”

Perhaps no one is happier to have Lawler back in the mix than quarterback Zach Collaros. The two have built strong chemistry between one another, beginning late into the 2019 season after Collaros was acquired in a deal with the Toronto Argonauts at the trade deadline.

That connection seems just as strong as ever, and it’s not only evident in games, but in practices, too.

“The thing that sticks out about him to me is his competitiveness,” Collaros said. “Every single rep, whether it’s a practice or a game, he wants to be the best and win that rep. There’s not a lot of guys that can cover the ground that he can… with the way he’s able to run routes, it’s really easy to develop a chemistry of timing with him. He’s very precise.”

Mike O’Shea is rarely one to gush over a player. The Bombers head coach, however, turned into a fan when asked what makes Lawler special, using a certain play in practice Monday to get his point across.

“Down the sideline, didn’t even look like he was running,” O’Shea started. “He flipped his hips, turned around, caught the ball nonchalantly, about two inches from the sideline, kept spinning around, kept his feet in bounds and ran by the defender.

“If you’re just watching that as a casual fan, or even a diehard CFL fan, it would just look so easy for him. And then everybody that plays the game would go, ‘Wow. That is so talented and difficult.’ And he made it look that easy.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton