Winnipeg officially set to host NFL pre-season tilt

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This article was published 04/06/2019 (2288 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg’s worst-kept sporting secret is about to go public, with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers now prepared to announce the NFL is coming to town this summer.

The Bombers, as stated in a press release issued Tuesday, are readying for “a major sporting event announcement” today. According to sources, it’s to confirm the NFL pre-season game between the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers, set for the third week of August.

The Free Press was the first to report an NFL game coming to the city, with the most recent report coming last month, saying a deal to host a game had been made, with only some minor logistical issues preventing a formal announcement.

Tuesday’s release didn’t include much as far as details, but Free Press sources confirmed the game is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22. There is currently a Valour FC soccer game scheduled for that evening at IG Field, but work has been done to move it.

Ticket prices haven’t been confirmed, though sources say the NFL dictates the price of admission. Bombers season-ticket holders and corporate sponsors will get first dibs.

The game is in the third week of the NFL pre-season schedule, which is known to showcase star players, with some playing for a majority of the game. That would mean fans in Winnipeg will probably get to see the likes of quarterback Derek Carr and receiver Antonio Brown for the Raiders and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Davante Adams, to name a few.

On the move

Second-year man Cody Speller was working as the right guard with Winnipeg’s first unit o-line Tuesday, with Jermarcus Hardrick at right tackle, Michael Couture at centre, Stanley Bryant at left tackle and rookie Geoff Gray moving from the right side to occupy veteran Patrick Neufeld’s spot at left guard.

Neufeld has yet to practise in training camp due to an unspecified ailment.

Speller, 25, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He said the change was no big deal.

“I’m just comfy playing football,” Speller said. “Nothing crazy. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll jump in and do it.”

That o-line alignment is likely to get an extended test during Thursday’s pre-season finale in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“I had a lot of experience last year, got to play with a lot of guys. It’s kinda easy jumping in and playing beside (Hardrick),” Speller said. “He’s a smart, very intelligent football player, so being able to play beside him, you’re able to see a lot of things.”

Noteworthy

The Bombers released Canadian defensive back Abu Conteh Tuesday. The 23-year-old from Grambling made five special-teams tackles in 12 games last season. Conteh was chosen in the third round, 23rd overall, of the 2017 draft. … Receivers Corey Washington, Charles Nelson, Chris Matthews and Nic Demski, Neufeld, fullback Mike Miller, linebackers Thomas Miles and Manuel Hernandez-Reyes and defensive backs Winston Rose, Joe Este, Chris Humes and Marcus Rios were spectators at Tuesday’s practice… Head coach Mike O’Shea confirmed that running back Andrew Harris and quarterback Matt Nichols will play Thursday.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jkhamilton

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

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.

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