Deeper, better and fewer holes to fill — GM likes how Bombers look heading into training camp

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This article was published 23/05/2017 (3057 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kyle Walters is confident he has a better, deeper roster as he heads into his fourth training camp as general manager of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“I think there’s less holes, to be honest with you at this one,” Walters told reporters Tuesday morning as the CFL club prepped for the opening of its rookie camp Wednesday at 3 p.m. “As far as guys who have proven they can compete at this level, I think we’re solid across the board. I know our Canadian talent is deeper and I trust if we do run in some injuries with Canadians we’ll have guys who can step in and play.

“Some of the young guys we’ve drafted will push the back end of our roster and I think there’s more depth, top to bottom, particularly with the Canadians. And I think the overall talent of our Americans, based on what they’ve done in this league, is better as well.”

Rookie camp will run through to Friday, with workouts scheduled for the Bison East practice field. Thursday and Friday workouts are slated for 10:15 a.m. Main training camp opens May 28 at 9 a.m.

Walters is keen to see how the competition shapes up at middle linebacker, where imports Kyle Knox and Nick Temple are expected to compete with non-import Sam Hurl for the starting spot. Temple is participating at rookie camp.

“That’s one that we’ll be keeping an eye on and when there’s a job to be won, it generally creates a lot more competition,” said Walters.

Walters and the Blue Bombers are also eager to see how import defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat will perform at training camp. The former Texas Longhorn made a positive impression at the club’s mini-camp last month.

“We wanted to bring him up and work him out and make sure the guy we saw in NFL camps was still the same guy… he impressed going through the drills, physically,” said Walters. “Great attitude, good young man and he’s going to come in and take reps at the defensive end spot… He made a good, quick first impression but, as I said earlier, it’s about stringing together 17, 18 days of good, solid practices.”

Veteran Matt Nichols has been declared the No. 1 quarterback, while CFL vets Dan LeFevour and Dominique Davis will battle for the No. 2 job, Walters confirmed. Rookies Austin Apodaca and Malcolm Bell will compete for the fourth spot, which would likely be a spot on the practice roster.

Meanwhile, the recent retirement of non-import linebacker Garrett Waggoner, who was chosen in the 2015 supplemental draft and cost the club a first-round choice in 2016, was a tough blow.

“He’s a guy that graded out at the end of the year as our best special teams player,” said Walters. “That’s one that’s going to hurt us. In hindsight, it’s nice we added (former University of Manitoba defender) Thomas Miles to fill that role.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14