WR Davis joins the practice squad

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/06/2010 (5641 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Practice makes perfect. At least that’s what Chris Davis is hoping.

The wide receiver was one of six players who agreed to make up the Winnipeg Blue Bombers practice roster Saturday after the club set its 46-man active roster Thursday.

Floating around in a holding pattern on the sidelines is nothing new for Davis. He has some CFL experience with stops in Hamilton and Montreal, so he knows what to expect.

"I’ve been through this situation before and I pretty much know how to get through it," the import receiver said after the Bombers worked out at Canad Inns Stadium. "It was the numbers thing that played out, unfortunately, but I’m glad that I’m still here to have to the opportunity to be a part of the team and continue to show my talent and my skills."

Joining Davis on the practice roster are fellow imports WR Jamayel Smith, LB Merrill Johnson, LB Bernard Hicks, and non-import DB Jerry-Ralph Jules and OL Chris Kowalczuk.

The Bombers obviously like Davis and Smith, and their spots on the P.R. are probably more an extended evaluation than anything else. Davis, 26, performed well within the offence during workouts, but he was more a victim of having too many sound imports at that position.

The Atlanta native seems to understand this, which is why he wasn’t too disappointed with how the roster turned out last week.

Not making the team now doesn’t mean you won’t make the team down the line.

"I just have to keep myself tuned in, because in the league, you never know what could happen," he said. "I just got to be ready."

CFL teams can add up to seven names to their taxi squads, but the Bombers only sit at six. Head coach Paul LaPolice indicated the final spot will be used at some point, as the various minor injuries the club is dealing with could spill another name on the list.

"We want to keep that spot open to put a seventh guy on in the next couple days," he said. "They have to have an understanding that we kept them here because we think (they) can compete. There was good depth here, so to be here on the practice squad is a good thing.

"It’s hard. You’ve invested a lot of time in these players. You want to keep an eye on people, but you also want to make sure that if you have a question mark in certain spots that you have people available who can step in and fill those roles."

Wide receiver David Ball, DB Brandon Stewart, S Brady Browne, and FB Daryl Stephenson all sat out Saturday with various ailments. LaPolice expects to have some of those players back in pads for practice this week.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

Numbers game

The 46-man active roster, the seven Canadian starter ratio, and keeping tabs on the practice roster are just the tip of the number crunching iceburg in Bomberland these days. Now that the roster is set and players are more comfortable with their employment positions, the inevitable jersey number changes are taking place. Here’s who changed their numerical standing Saturday:

LB Courtney Smith goes from 49 to 1; DB Brandon Stewart drops down from 21 to 8; Fellow DB Alex Suber grabs 21 and ditches his 37; FB Andre Sadeghian tosses 20 for 33; LB Chris Smith feels more comfortable in 19, so good-bye 51; LB Marcellus Bowman loses the 56, switching to 38.

Please update your programs accordingly.