Receiver Childs suffers first major injury of camp

By: Paul Wiecek and Tim Campbell Posted: 3:00 AM CDT Thursday, Jun. 4, 2015

THE first major casualty of Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp this year is import receiver Greg Childs, who sustained a suspected Achilles tendon tear on Day 4 Wednesday morning and is likely done for the season.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/06/2015 (4141 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Childs was carted off the field at the University of Manitoba and head coach Mike O’Shea said after practice the prognosis is not good.

“It looks like he might have tore his Achilles tendon,” said O’Shea.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Import receiver Greg Childs sustained a suspected Achilles tendon tear at training camp Wednesday. — MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Import receiver Greg Childs sustained a suspected Achilles tendon tear at training camp Wednesday.

“That’s a tough one.”

The injury to Childs, who was a fourth-rounder of the Minnesota Vikings in 2012 but had a knee injury derail his NFL career, is the first major injury the Bombers have suffered through four days of training camp.

While a number of players have missed practices with ailments — O-lineman Stanley Bryant and safety Maurice Leggett both sat out again Wednesday and rookie wide receiver Addison Richards has yet to suit out for main camp — O’Shea said everyone but Childs is listed as day-to-day with minor injuries.

O’Shea said Bryant and Richards both have lower-body injuries, while Leggett has an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, DL Zach Anderson, who is returning from a major knee injury last season, practised for the first session Wednesday after missing all of Tuesday.

Anderson sat out the second session Wednesday, but O’Shea said there’s nothing particularly wrong with him and the club is just being cautious with Anderson and trying to bring him along slowly.

“He’s strong and powerful and ready to go,” O’Shea said of Anderson. “(Trainer) Al (Couture) and I are just making sure we’re cautious with him. Zach would be that guy that would never, if you asked him to take a play off or if he had to make the decision on his own whether he’d go in or not, he’d be in the whole time.

“So you have to bridle him and pull him off the field.” EYE-CATCHING: O’Shea was asked to identify the players who have impressed him through four days of training camp.

“Nick Moore, Denny (Clarence Denmark), Drew Willy,” O’Shea began with a laugh, referencing some of his most prominent veterans.

“Yeah, there’s some guys standing out,” O’Shea continued. “(DB) Shaquille Richardson — he’s playing well in his spot… (DE) Derrell Johnson in the one-on-ones, he’s got a tremendous amount of power. Obviously, (OL) Sukh Chung, we’ve moved (him) over into a different spot and he’s seemed to pick it up very well…

“(WR) Darvin Adams — we moved him around today and he still seems to win very well at the top of routes. (WR) Jhomo Gordon is a burner. He really is.”

Gordon got into a brief scrap on Wednesday with DB Johnny Adams, who through four days of camp has staked a solid claim to take over the cornerback position vacated by Chris Randle, who has moved to linebacker.

Gordon and Adams both had handfuls of facemask before coaches and teammates separated the two.

Adams says he’s felt very comfortable in offensive co-ordinator Marcel Bellefeuille’s offence. “I love it. I love the vibe off the coaches, the players, the surroundings — it’s all been great. I really like the environment.” CAMP IS NO PICNIC: The Bombers’ defensive scheme will be more conventional this season under new co-ordinator Richie Hall, but it’s been no picnic so far, in case you were wondering.

“You know what, over the last couple of days, they’ve thrown a bunch at us in the meeting room and on the field,” said Bombers defensive back Matt Bucknor. “A lot of us are still learning some of the systems and that’s why we practise. Thank goodness we have training camp. We get out there and learn plays and that way once it’s game time, we’ll be playing a bit faster.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca