Blue not seeking QB help – for now

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This article was published 08/06/2018 (2703 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are not currently exploring outside options at quarterback to replace starter Matt Nichols, who will miss the next four to six weeks with a right knee injury he suffered earlier this week.

When the Bombers announced Thursday that Nichols would be sidelined for at least the next month, the overriding thought, at least initially, was that they would immediately start looking for his replacement elsewhere – whether through trade or free agency.

That, of course, wasn’t a crazy assumption; of the four other quarterbacks the Bombers have on the roster right now, only Alex Ross has attempted a pass – 12 passes and five completions, to be exact, with zero touchdowns and two interceptions – in a CFL regular season game. Instead, Winnipeg has decided, at least for now, to stand pat with who they have, with Ross and Chris Streveler, a 23-year-old straight out of the University of South Dakota, as the early front-runners to win the short-term No. 1 job (Bryan Bennett and Zack Mahoney are the two other quarterbacks in camp).

The question now is just how long the Bombers will stay this course? And what will need to happen for that to change?

One thing is for sure: the Bombers will not use the result of Friday’s preseason finale against the B.C. Lions to determine whether or not they need a new option at quarterback. After all, Winnipeg is dressing just four projected starters in the game, with only second-year receiver Drew Wolitarsky suiting up on offence. It would be difficult to determine just how valuable a quarterback is when they’re playing behind an entirely green offensive line and none of the team’s prime targets, including running back Andrew Harris and receivers Darvin Adams, Adarius Bowman and Weston Dressler.

Given the drop in talent on the roster Friday, a strong performance could go a long way in determining the depth chart. Also, if another injury – or two, knowing the Bombers’ luck – was to occur, that might just be enough to force Winnipeg’s hand to look elsewhere.

That said, just because the Bombers aren’t willing to seriously explore outside options at this point doesn’t mean they aren’t in conversations with other teams. The moment Nichols went down, the phone started to ring. All of a sudden multiple teams were looking to see what the Bombers might be willing to give up for a QB.

If you’re wondering why then, if teams are calling – and the Bombers are listening – why a deal might not already be in the works?

First off, the price teams are asking for is likely too high. The Bombers aren’t exactly in a position of power when it comes to negotiating a trade. What teams will want in return is either a marquee player on the roster, one that has likely already been paid much of their current contract up front through a signing bonus, or one — or, more likely — both of Winnipeg’s first-round picks in 2019 (Winnipeg traded their 2018 first-round selection to B.C. for theirs next year).

Secondly, no team is going to be willing to give up their primary backup quarterback. Why would anyone, after seeing what is happening with the Bombers, risk putting themselves in a similar situation? That means acquiring players like James Franklin (Toronto), Kevin Glenn (Edmonton), and Travis Lulay (B.C.) are all likely non-starters (forgive the pun).

When I spoke with a number of people around the league, many speculated that Saskatchewan’s Brandon Bridge might be a possibility for the right price. The reasoning behind that suggestion was because Chris Jones, the team’s general manager and head coach, among other titles, possess an “all-in-every-year attitude” and if he could get a good player now he might be willing to roll the dice on the health of starter Zach Collaros. Others, however, have shot down this as a potential deal.

As for some additional names, those deeper on team’s depth charts – inclduing Vernon Adams (Hamilton) and McLeod Bethel-Thompson (Toronto) – just aren’t worth the high asking price. This, to me, makes sense to pass on because although both come with more experience than much of the Bombers current crop of pivots, neither has proven to be a reliable starter in the CFL. You just don’t know what you’re getting. Perhaps these would be more reasonable options if Nichols was out longer.

Then there is the chatter of a potential reconciliation between the Bombers and Darian Durant. That might be the most entertaining suggestion and certainly the most unlikely.

When Durant surprised the Bombers with his decision to retire one week before training camp, taking with him a $70,000 signing bonus he would later say he deserved, it’s clear he left on bad terms. Durant didn’t help his cause when he used what had been a mostly dormant Twitter account to take shots at Bombers fans, including referencing the team’s long Grey Cup drought in his series of insults.

Let’s just imagine for a second that the impossible is possible and Durant, who, based on reports, actually had the audacity to suggest he’d be willing to give the Bombers job another go, is somehow able to convince Winnipeg general manager Kyle Walters that he should take another chance on him. If that were to happen, what makes you think Durant would make the Bombers competitive?

Durant has had an incredible CFL career, and will no doubt see his face bronzed one day in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. But at 35 years old, coming off what can only be described as a dismal year with the Montreal Alouettes, and after having admitted he has nothing left to give to the game, what exactly does he bring beyond experience? Also, if you’re not motivated enough to play football for money, I have a hard time thinking Durant has continued to put in long days at the gym for free.

The other part is whether Durant would be welcomed back by the coaching staff and players.

Something tells me Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea would rather go 0-18 than have someone in his locker room – one he’s worked four years to fill with players of high character – who quit on the team. Speaking of team, there are a number of players on the Bombers who took Durant’s actions following his retirement personal, and if you can’t fully get behind your quarterback – which many, I’d argue, wouldn’t – then there’s really no point spending any more time on the subject.

Given Nichols relatively quick timeframe for a return, the likely bet is that the Bombers try to ride the wave with either Streveler or Ross until their starter returns. That does create a little bit of a gamble given the West Division is surely to be a dogfight again this year and starting the year slow – say 1-4 – would take a lot of good fortune to turn things around.

But Winnipeg is confident with the rest of their roster, including a defence that looks much improved on paper than in previous years. When I approached veteran cornerback Chris Randle after last week’s 33-13 preseason opener win over the Edmonton Eskimos, a victory that included a stellar performance from the defence, albeit against a watered-down opponent, he had this to say.

“As a defence we want to be there no matter the situation,” Randle told me. “We want to be the staple of our team, that’s our goal, that’s our mindset. Regardless if the offence is doing well or not, we want to be able to be in a position to win the game because of our execution.”

When I approached him again following Thursday’s walkthrough, I wondered how the news of Nichols’ injury might have affected those words.

“I see it as forcing the issue. It’s like: ‘All right, this is what you wanted, right? This is what you said you wanted to do. Now go out there and prove it,’” Randle said. “It’s the opportunity to go out there and showcase what you put into here, what you talked about, what we practiced, what we are trying to execute and get accomplish around here. Everyone is excited – I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about it.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton