On the Brink of a crowd

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This article was published 12/05/2010 (5985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have brought their numbers at the quarterback position to the Brink.

But Alex Brink, the fifth man added to the depth chart, couldn’t be more excited or less worried.

The Bombers announced the signing of Brink, the highly touted passer out of Washington State who spend parts of the past two seasons with the NFL’s Houston Texans, on Tuesday after the team had obtained his rights in a trade with Hamilton Tiger-Cats last week.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Brink joins Buck Pierce, Steven Jyles, Ricky Santos and Adam DiMichele on the Bombers’ roster at the quarterback position.

"I feel I have a chance to compete and everybody who plays that position understands that competition is a part of the game," Brink said in a telephone interview from his home in Eugene, Ore.

Brink will also be excited to have a shot at playing again in a game as it’s been a while for him. He last played in a pre-season game with Houston before the NFL team released him in September 2009.

Since then he’s been maintaining his fitness on his own and working in the warehouse of the family shoe company.

Last month, he participated in the New York Jets rookie mini camp along with 20 other players but was not retained and found out at its conclusion that the Bombers had obtained his CFL playing rights.

"I feel the Canadian game fits my style and once I learn some of the nuances of the game and hopefully see the field, it will provide me with a great opportunity to get some playing time and that’s the most important thing," said Brink, one of just six players in Pac-10 conference history to pass for 10,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in a college career. He is one of Washington’s all-time greats holding career records in passing yards, touchdowns, attempts, completions and total offence when he completed his career.

"I like to move around, make plays with my feet and I know with a bigger field and more guys, there’s some opportunities for that," he said. "I’m a strong passer, that’s something we did a lot in college, so throwing the football is something that I definitely feel is my strong suit."

Ross Hodgkinson, Bombers assistant general manager, said the door is open for Brink to earn a job with the Bombers.

"Given his college success and the fact he garnered some interest in the NFL that we believe he has some demonstrated ability. Whether he becomes a development guy or has immediate success remains to be seen," Hodgkinson said, noting where his name falls on the depth chart list is not a firm indication of his position on the team.

"Everyone puts too much emphasis in a depth chart. Veteran or the fact that they’ve been here is part of the ranking but Paul (head coach LaPolice) has been very adamant in his discussions with all the quarterbacks that we see no real need or benefit in terms of declaring one, two, three, four or five particularly at this point in time."

Hodgkinson noted the Bombers quarterback depth chart continues to include Stefan Lefors who had not yet declared his intention to retire or play this season.

Brink said he’ll be in Winnipeg by May 24 to start preparing for training camp which opens on June 2 for rookies and pivots.

In other Bombers news, the team added non-import receiver Chris Ioannides of the 2009 Vanier Cup champion Queens Gaels and import linebacker Courtney Smith from the B.C. Lions to the roster while releasing non-import receiver Josh Svec and non-import offensive lineman Mike Morris.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca