Dressler could dress for Classic

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This article was published 31/08/2016 (3327 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Wednesday, Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Weston Dressler walked through the tunnel at Investors Group Field and did something he hadn’t done in some time: he practised.

He practised running routes and catching balls, taking regular reps with the Bombers’ first-team offence for the first time in nearly five weeks. Working with the No. 1 unit is as good a sign as any a return might be imminent.

Dressler’s subsequent report on his health only added to the belief he could be back as early as this week.

“I felt good today and I don’t foresee any problems,” said Dressler, 31, who has been out with a lower-body injury he sustained at the July 28 game in Edmonton. “I’m good to go.”

Despite showing some rust, Dressler looked good at practice. He darted past his defensive teammates and when he was open managed to reel in most of the passes thrown his way. During his post-workout media scrum, it was clear something else needed some work: his poker face.

The veteran slotback took question after question about the timing of his potential return this week, which just so happens to fall against his former team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he played his entire CFL career before signing with Winnipeg as a free agent in February.

It comes on one of the most spirited weekends of the schedule, when the Bombers travel to Regina for the annual Labour Day Classic game — the final one to be played at Mosaic Stadium.

Despite all that, Dressler remained with his cards held close to his vest, not wanting to spill any more juice into what will be one of the juiciest narratives heading into Sunday’s game.

“This week is no different,” he insisted. “I want to win just like I wanted to win last week when I was watching my teammates go. I want to win, that’s all I can say.”

Of course, he would say more. He had too. After all, Dressler played eight seasons with the Riders. It was there he caught 50 touchdowns, was named a two-time all-star, won the Grey Cup in 2013, met his current girlfriend and became a big part of the local community.

Finally, he gave in.

“It’ll be all over the place,” said Dressler of the emotional toll the game will have on him. “For me, it’s just try and find a way to maintain that composure. Once the game gets going I’ll be alright but obviously there will be all different kinds of emotions going on when we come out on the field.”

With the Riders, Dressler had five seasons where he recorded at least a 1,000 receiving yards, twice coming close with 941. In 2012, his 14 touchdowns led the CFL, and his 1,206 yards — a personal best — ranked fifth among receivers.

As good as it was a place to start and develop his professional football career, it didn’t end well for Dressler in Saskatchewan.

With Chris Jones, who was hired as the team’s general manager and head coach after guiding the Eskimos to a Grey Cup, at the helm in Regina, one of his first orders of business was to purge a roster that had finished the year in last place with a 3-15 record.

It was at that point Dressler’s contract was deemed too high — he was expected to make $240,000 with the Riders in 2016 — and therefore was expendable, released midway through January.

Dressler took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with the decision, saying he wished the team had tried harder to keep him around.

He was just one of a number of players to be given their pink slips as Jones ushered in a new regime. Now, only a handful of players remain with the Riders from last season.

“It definitely makes it easier not having to play against a defence that I know all the guys,” said Dressler.

Under a similar plot line, Sunday’s game could also mark the return of receiver Ryan Smith, who returned to practice for the first time since Week 4 — two weeks before Dressler went down. Smith, 25, like Dressler, was a member of the Riders last season, but was not given a contract extension after spending just two years in green.

Unlike Dressler, Smith doesn’t have the lengthy history in Saskatchewan, but he was coming off a career-year in which he led the team in receiving yards with 991 and seven touchdowns.

“Yeah, you kind of circle this one on the calendar — against your old team — but we’ll see what happens throughout the week,” said Smith, who worked with the second team, giving his return some doubt. Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea wouldn’t confirm whether Dressler or Smith would play Sunday.

“We want these guys healthy throughout the rest of the entire season,” said O’Shea. “That’s still a long way to go so we won’t sacrifice that for everybody’s desire to have them play, especially this game, but we just got to be smart and make good decisions. But, yeah, it would be nice to see them play this game.”

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Thus, both have fallen victim to the waiting game, one that will end with a decision likely to be made by Friday, the day before the team is expected to travel. That may just be the toughest challenge yet for Dressler, who said he’s anxious to get going again, in what he expects to be a battle Sunday.

“There’s just a different energy about it. You can feel it throughout the city leading up to the game and even game day, just walking into the stadium,” he said. “It’s just a special rivalry day, it really is.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.