Bombers ready to ‘see who can swim’ in Saskatchewan

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This article was published 09/06/2017 (3040 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For two weeks, the 90 bodies that have made up Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp have been asked to take their aggression out – and base their chances of making the final roster – on competition against fellow teammates. That will change for the 65 players that are set to dress for the Bombers Saturday when they open the pre-season schedule against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.

For some, it will prove a defining moment, a chance to show the coaches they’re deserving of a longer look. For others, it will mark the end of the road, as the Bombers get ready to make some tough decisions to determine the 56-man roster by the June 17 deadline.

“(The pre-season) is about getting a lot of these young guys here some action; for some of the vets to knock off the rust,” said Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols. “Really, it’s about throwing guys in the deep end and seeing who can swim.”

It’s the first of two exhibition games for the Bombers, who welcome the Edmonton Eskimos to Investors Group Field Thursday night. But before we get too far ahead, here are five storylines to keep in mind for Saturday’s game.

BATTLE OF THE BACKUPS

Nichols said he wasn’t sure how much he’ll be asked to play against the Riders, and head coach Mike O’Shea wouldn’t confirm after Friday’s walkthrough what his plans are for his quarterbacks. Odds are Nichols will start the game, likely lasting the first quarter before handing the ball off to the next guy in line.

It’s what happens from there that will be most intriguing. O’Shea has yet to commit to a No. 2 pivot, a battle that includes one player who has donned blue and gold the past two seasons in Dominique Davis and Dan LeFevour, who the Bombers signed as a free-agent in February. Davis dressed for all 18 games in 2016, but didn’t take a single snap for the Bombers. LeFevour played for the Toronto Argonauts, completing 73 of 105 passes for 779 yards and six touchdowns, while also being intercepted six times.

Though the plan is for Nichols to start every game and take every meaningful rep this season, it’s important the Bombers find out who is first in line if Nichols gets injured. What Davis and LeFevour are able to do in pre-season when in full control of the offence is likely to determine who gets that call.

“You want to make plays but it’s about being consistent, going through your reads and making smart decisions” LeFevour said.

Austin Apodaca, who currently sits fourth on the depth chart, is also expected to earn some playing time.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A number of key players will be out of the lineup – a list that includes the likes of running back Andrew Harris, receivers Weston Dressler and Darvin Adams, defensive end Jamaal Westerman and defensive backs Chris Randle and Taylor Loffler, among others – which means many new faces will get the chance to play some meaningful snaps. There have been a number of rookies that have impressed at camp. But with the stakes now significantly higher, so, too, will the expectations from the coaching staff.

“We have to make great decisions, and very tough decisions for our football club in the next week or so,” said O’Shea. “We got to make sure that we’re getting a good enough look at everybody so we can make the right decisions.”

So, how, when a roster is as bloated as it will be on Saturday, what can a player do to separate himself from the pack?

“Make plays; (show) effort that stands out on film,” the Bombers coach said. “You show awesome effort and you show the ability to make plays you’re going to get noticed.”

The total number of players expected to be released by the end of the weekend remains unclear, as it is no longer a league rule that team’s trim their roster down to 65 players after the first pre-season game. But some cuts will surely be made, with those who able to show they can compete – and make plays – likely to stick around.

GOTTA HAVE FAITH

When the Bombers drafted defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie with the first overall pick in May’s draft, what they liked most about him most, besides his sheer strength and football IQ, was that he’d be able to come in and contribute right away. It’s for that very reason general manager Kyle Walter inked the 24-year-old, University of Iowa product to a three year deal that will reportedly play him $88,000 this year – a $10,000 raise over what last year’s first overall pick earned.

Ekakitie struggled early in camp to adjust to the CFL game and admitted the jump from college to the pros had tested his endurance level like never before. But after weeks of being on the field every day and his nose in the playbook each night, the Bombers rookie is at a comfort level where he believes he’ll be able to perform.

“Right now you obviously got nerves but coach keeps saying, ‘don’t play the game before you actually get there,’” Ekakitie said. “There’s still a few things here and there I’m a little bit iffy about…but I’m ready to go out there and put my best effort forward.”

With Jake Thomas not in the lineup, Ekakitie should get a number of reps on the interior of the defensive line, swapping in and out with Rupert Butcher, a 6-4, 333-pound beast of a man the Bombers selected in the sixth round of the 2016 Draft.

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH WHO?

It’s the only glaring hole in the Bombers positional chart. When the Bombers let 2015 and 2016 tackles leader Khalil Bass test free agency, it looked as if Kyle Knox would be the man to take over at middle linebacker.

But much has changed since then, with Sam Hurl, a non-import who started all 18 games at MLB in 2015, taking a majority of the first-team reps so far in camp. Whether that’s a sign the Bombers may actually be looking to start a Canadian up the middle – they already have seven Canadians, the minimum amount of non-import starters for every team, accounted for in other areas – or if it’s simply a message to Knox that he won’t just be handed a starter’s role, remains to be seen.

The Bombers openly passed on signing Bear Woods, the East Division’s most outstanding defensive player in 2016, after he was released from Montreal (he has since signed with Toronto) because they believe in what they have. Now, it’s determining whom they plan to give it to. How well Knox is able to grasp the defence against the Riders, should provide some clarity.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

It’s next to impossible to determine in camp how strong a player is at returning punts and kick-offs. Because special teams drills require few – if any – physical contact, evaluating the ability to think quickly and find holes in coverage is limited to what coaches have watched on the game film from previous years.

That’s why when the few players that are competing for the role of returner get a chance to do so in the preseason, it’s important they make good on their opportunities. Three players suiting up Saturday have worked as returners in camp – including receiver T.J. Lowder; defensive back Matt Smalley; and running back Kendall Roberson – and all four should get a chance to return, meaning there won’t be a lot of chances to impress.

O’Shea said he is hopeful Kevin Fogg, who has been sideline throughout camp following off-season, lower-body surgery, will return to the lineup for next week’s match against the Edmonton Eskimos. Fogg earned the job returning punts for most of last season and will likely return to that spot once he is back healthy. Who will compliment him in the return game is murky, but should become clearer after Saturday.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton