A look at the Bomber depth chart

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/05/2015 (3775 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s a real gladiator feel to every training camp. Compadres in the dressing room, they are battling each other for jobs — and survival — once they step on the field.

Ed Tait provides a quick peek at the Bomber depth chart and a pertinent stat for each position group:

QUARTERBACKS

PROJECTED STARTER:

5 Drew Willy*

CHALLENGERS: 12 Brian Brohm*, 16 Robert Marve*, 6 Josh Portis*, 18 Jordan Yantz

JUICY NUMBER: 3 — Bomber QBs have led the league in passing yardage three times since the start of the millennium: Khari Jones in 2001 (4,545 yards) and 2002 (5,334 yards) and Kevin Glenn in 2007 (5,114 yards). Toronto’s Ricky Ray led the league last year with 4,595 yards; Willy was second at 3,918.

OFFENSIVE LINE

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Left tackle: 66 Stanley Bryant*

Left guard: 64 Chris Greaves

Centre: 68 Dominic Picard

Right guard: 61 Matthias Goossen

Right tackle: 51 Marc Dile*

CHALLENGERS: 57 Devin Tyler*, 58 Tommy Griffiths, 65 Quinn Everett, 53 Patrick Neufeld, 69 Sukh Chungh, 59 Jace Daniels*, 60 Corey Lewis*

JUICY NUMBER: 71 — Quarterback sacks surrendered by the Bombers last season, a new club record. Just by comparison, the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders allowed a league low 26 — the same number the Bombers surrendered in 1990, the year of their last championship.

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Running back: 34 Paris Cotton*

Fullback: 39 Michel-Pierre Pontbriand

RB challengers: 32 Cameron Marshall*, 22 Bradley Randle*, 23 Da’Rel Scott*, 35 Carlos Anderson*

FB challengers: 26 Carl Fitzgerald, 36 Tim Cronk, 38 Ettore Lattanzio, 37 Chris Normand

JUICY NUMBER: 3 — Over the last three years three different running backs have led the team in rushing: Chad Simpson in 2012, Will Ford in 2013 and Nic Grigsby in 2014. In the previous 11 seasons, just two men were the featured backs: Charles Roberts led the team in rushing from 2001-07 and Fred Reid from 2008-2011.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PROJECTED STARTERS:

87 Rory Kohlert, 4 Darvin Adams*

CHALLENGERS: 15 Toney Clemons*, 88 Jhomo Gordon*, 79 Greg Childs* are listed behind Adams on depth chart; 82 Ezra Millington, 72 Jordan Reaves are listed behind Kohlert

JUICY NUMBER: 3 — The Bombers are looking for a deep threat to stretch defences vertically but, then again, receiving totals and overall scoring was down league wide last year. Only three players finished with more than 1,000 yards receiving: Edmonton’s Adarius Bowman (1,456), the Bombers’ Clarence Denmark (1,080) and Duron Carter of Montreal (1,030). In 2008 there were 15 1K receivers in the CFL, but the number has been dropping — nine in 2009, 12 in 2010, 10 in 2011, nine in 2012 and seven in 2013 before last year’s drop.

SLOTBACK

PROJECTED STARTERS:

17 Nick Moore*, 89 Clarence Demark*, 83 Julian Feoli-Gudino

CHALLENGERS: 73 Justin Veltung*, 84 Ja-mes Logan*, 80 Lavasier Tuinei*, 86 Addison Richards, 81 Kris Bastien, 76 Mike Willie*

JUICY NUMBER: 20 — A stat we throw out every year: it’s been 20 years now, dating back to 1995, since a Bombers Canadian receiver finished with more 1,000 yards. The last to do it was Gerald Wilcox, who reached that mark in three straight seasons (1,340 in 1993, 1,624 in 1994 and 1,024 in 1995). Consider this: if you combine the receiving yardage for every Canadian who caught a pass for the Bombers last year, it still doesn’t add up to what Wilcox did in ’93 and ’94. Kohlert (594), Cory Watson (287), Julian Feoli-Gudino (210), Michel-Pierre Pontbriand (96), Carl Fitzgerald (49), Brett Carter (42), Carl Volny (16) and Teague Sherman (11) combined for 1,305 yards.

DEFENSIVE LINE

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Defensive tackle: 92 Bryant Turner, Jr.*, 44 Zach Anderson*

Defensive end: 90 Greg Peach*, 55 Jamaal Westerman

CHALLENGERS: 56 Sammy Brown*, 9 Thaddeus Gibson*, 52 Louie Richardson, 97 Ivan Brown, 93 Kashawn Fraser*, 96 Derrell Johnson*, 98 Nathaniel Collins*, 95 Jake Thomas, 94 Deantre Harlan*

JUICY NUMBER: 5.9 — The Bombers surrendered 5.9 yards per rush last year, tied with Saskatchewan for worst in the CFL. Winnipeg gave up 2,447 yards rushing in 2014, dead last in the league.

LINEBACKERS

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Middle: 10 Sam Hurl

Will (weak side): 3 Graig Newman (the Bombers plan to start one Canadian linebacker, likely either Hurl, Newman or Garrett Waggoner, but have two listed as starters on their depth chart).

Sam (strong side): 8 Chris Randle*

CHALLENGERS: 24 Demetrius Wright*, 42 Curtis Taylor*, 29 Garrett Waggoner, 48 Denicos Allen*, 40 Jesse Briggs, 45 Rodney Lamark, 47 Kahill Bass*, 33 Dan West, 43 Dominique Franks*, 50 Justin Warden

JUICY NUMBER: 0 — Returning starters at the linebacker position for the Bombers. Ian Wild has bolted for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnny Sears signed with Hamilton, Ejiro Kuale was released, Teague Sherman is back at safety, and Don Unamba has been moved to corner.

SECONDARY

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Cornerbacks: 20 Johnny Adams*, 2 Matt Bucknor

Halfbacks: 7 Demond Washington*, 25 Bruce Johnson*

Safety: 31 Maurice Leggett*

CHALLENGERS: 14 Winston Wright*, 13 Don Unamba*, 1 Troy Stoudermire*, 0 Shaq Richardson*, 41 Derek Jones, 21 Brendan Morgan, 49 Braedy Will#

JUICY NUMBER: 13 — The Bombers finished with 13 interceptions last year. In 1990, Winnipeg had 48, including 14 by Less Browne and 12 by Rod Hill.

SPECIALISTS

PROJECTED STARTERS:

Kicker/punter: 70 Lirim Hajrullahu

Long-snapper: 46 Chad Rempel

CHALLENGERS: 71 Anthony Santella*, 74 Brad Mikoluff#

JUICY NUMBER: 87 — Hajrullahu’s field-goal percentage, a club record and the highest recorded by a CFL rookie.

*Denotes import

#Denotes Winnipeg Rifles invite