Receiver Richards a happy camper

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/06/2015 (4081 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AFTER being teased with some light work the day before, Addison Richards got his first full taste of Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp Sunday morning. And he was giddy to be back on the field.

Not since May 30 in rookie camp had the Bombers’ 2015 second-round draft pick seen any meaningful reps. But the receiver looked no worse for wear after missing the first two weeks of main camp with what he categorized as a lower-body ailment.

“Excited to be back out and running around,” Richards said. “You can only do so much watching from the sideline reading coverage. Once you’re out there against veteran guys on defence, it’s way better for me to get better as a player and to get better at the offence as a whole.”

Head coach Mike O’Shea lauded Richards last week for his penchant for arriving early and staying late. While his injury may have turned him into a full-time bookworm studying the playbook, in his mind it hasn’t set him back on the field.

“I don’t think so. Certainly getting the timing down with the quarterbacks, running the routes as opposed to watching the routes is something that I have to catch up a little bit,” he said. “Football is football, so it won’t take me much time to get back into the groove.”

Richards exhibited a little rust on a blown play with quarterback Robert Marve but otherwise looked sharp as he hauled in a couple of passes for big gains.

Richards said he expects to be in the lineup Friday night in Winnipeg’s second and final pre-season game at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. While it will be good for the Bombers’ brass to see him all week in practice, the game action is where it counts most.

“We need to evaluate him,” O’Shea said.

INFIRMARY INFLATION: O’Shea has bemoaned the number of injuries his club has seen over the past two weeks.

“We’re asking guys to put forth a great physical effort and it’s taking its toll,” O’Shea said. “It’s always frustrating to have a number of guys go down. It’s not easy, that’s for sure.”

More than a dozen players have picked up knocks since main camp started, with long-snapper Chad Rempel the latest absentee Sunday morning due to a visit with the doctor.

Teague Sherman soldiered on with a noticeable limp throughout practice, while Bryant Turner was on the sidelines with ice strapped to his left knee.

With cuts looming late Sunday night, O’Shea said the injuries haven’t helped in the evaluation department.

“The unfortunate reality is if guys remain injured they can’t show us what they need to show us,” he said. “As a player, you’re putting yourself at a little more risk in that regard.”

FINAL COUNTDOWN: The Bombers were required to vanquish five from their roster by 11 p.m. Sunday, shaving it to 65 players plus non-counters. The club said it would likely not be until this morning until the names of those released are made public.

LETTING ‘EM DOWN SOFTLY: O’Shea shared a bit of insight as to what goes on behind the scenes before the final decisions are made on who to cut and how he communicates the decision to a player.

“It starts with what we feel and determine their level of play is,” he said, “and it goes all the way into the larger picture of roster and that idea. Is there debate? Yeah, there’s generally debate. There’s more this year because I’d say we have a higher talent level in camp.

“It’s important they know why they aren’t going to be a part of this team going forward.”

ON SECOND THOUGHT: After having a few weeks to get accustomed to the new CFL rules, O’Shea feels more comfortable with one particular change on special teams after seeing it in action.

One of the rules states the five down linemen on the kicking team can’t cross the line of scrimmage before the ball is kicked. The goal, the league says, is to reduce illegal blocking. It’s likely to also increase the potential for more big returns.

For O’Shea and his troops, it’s just a case of being more aware.

“It’s one step they are getting caught on, so they can adjust to that pretty quickly,” he said.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.