Bombers QB Drew Willy returns to field for practice Tuesday

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This article was published 28/07/2015 (3755 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Injured Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy practiced at Investors Group Field, but the team is still no closer to a decision on whether or not Willy will start Thursday evening at Investors Group Field against the B.C. Lions.

Moving gingerly and never faster than half-speed, Willy split first team reps with backup Brian Brohm to start practice and then returned near the end of the 90-minute session to lead a few more reps.

Willy was the only quarterback wearing sweatpants on Tuesday — the three other QBs wore shorts — and it wasn’t clear if he was wearing a brace on his right knee, which was injured Saturday in a 32-3 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium.

Willy left practice a few minutes early for what the Bombers media relations staff said was a doctor appointment and he was not made available to the media afterward.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said this afternoon that he liked what he saw out of Willy at what will be Winnipeg’s only full practice session this week before they face the Lions, but added a final decision on whether Willy will start won’t come until Wednesday or possibly even gameday.

“He’s feeling better. He’s progressing,” said O’Shea. “But we’ll see how he feels the morning after he put some work in…

“This one of those decisions we’ll make as late as possible.”

Third string QB Robert Marve, who has dressed the last two weeks despite not taking any reps at practice due to an undisclosed injury, took reps with the second-team offence on Tuesday.

O’Shea said on Monday that Brohm will start this week if Willy cannot go, but Marve could return this week to handle the club’s short yardage packages.

Meanwhile, there was also news Tuesday on the Bombers offensive line where Patrick Neufeld unexpectedly practiced in place of veteran left guard Chris Greaves.

Greaves — the only remaining regular starter from last year’s offensive line — is uninjured and O’Shea confirmed the club is seriously considering starting Neufeld in place of Greaves this coming Thursday.

“We’ve got nice depth at guard and Paddy Neufeld has been ready. We’ve put him in and gotten him some more reps and we’ll see how that looks,” said O’Shea. “We’ll make a decision on the O-line on Wednesday.”

If Neufeld slots in for Greaves, it would be one of two changes this week on the offensive line. Devin Tyler, who started at right tackle last week but was injured, is being replaced this week by Jace Daniels, who started at right tackle the first four games of the season.

In other news out of sick bay, injured slotback Nick Moore and linebacker Tony Burnett didn’t practice on Tuesday but O’Shea said both are still possible for Thursday. Linebacker Graig Newman, who hurt his arm in Edmonton, was back practicing on Tuesday.

email: paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek