It is about first cracks and last chances; knocking off rust and diving into a new playbook in a new league with unique rules.
And so, no one who is attending this week’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers mini-camp is taking a ho-hum approach to the five practice sessions over three days.
These are auditions for some just looking to get an invitation to next month’s rookie camp. Failing that, the nomadic quest to find a football home might come to an end for some, while doors swing open for others.
With all that as a backdrop, here is bluebombers.com’s handy-dandy guide to mini-camp, opening Wednesday at Investors Group Field:
WHO’S HERE
The roster will be tinkered with right up until the first session Wednesday, but the latest lineup features 35 players, most of them first and second-year CFLers, and quarterbacks Matt Nichols, Dominique Davis, Dan LeFevour and Myles Carr.
The latest numbers, by position: quarterbacks (4); running backs (2); fullback (1); wide receivers (10); defensive end (1); linebackers (8); defensive backs (9).
There are no offensive linemen, no kickers or specialists, and just the one defensive lineman – Jackson Jeffcoat.
Dominique Davis during the 2016 training camp.
THE GOAL
This is a tryout, first and foremost. The Bombers used their mini-camp last year to help all the new faces on offence – including running back Andrew Harris and receivers Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith among others – get a feel for working in new offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice’s attack.
Most of the key vets aren’t here, giving the newcomers – particularly at receiver, defensive back and linebacker – a glorious opportunity to shine before the rest of the bodies arrive in late May.
It’s worth noting that all CFL rosters must be at 75 players by May 1st. The Bombers are at 85 right now.
THE STORYLINES
The QBS
It’s always about the quarterbacks, right? We set up what the Bombers QB depth chart looks like heading into the camp here and the key question right now is whether Davis or LeFevour ends up being No. 2 to Nichols when the season starts. The coaching staff loved the progress Davis made last year, even if he didn’t throw a single pass in a game. LeFevour is more battle-tested, but needs the next few days to get comfy with LaPolice’s offence.
Manning the middle
Khalil Bass led the Bombers in tackles in both 2015 and 2016, but the club opted to let him move on in free agency – he signed with the Ottawa REDBLACKS – believing he is more suited to playing the weak-side spot, Ian Wild’s position, than the middle.
Part of that decision is also based on the small sample size work the coaches have seen from Kyle Knox and Nick Temple. Knox is the early leader to replace Bass – he dressed for 11 games last year as a designated import – while Temple suited up for one and spent most of the year on the practice roster.
The Learning Curve
The field is wider and longer. There is one less down and one more man. And for all the new receivers and defensive backs, the ‘waggle’ – receivers in motion before the snap – isn’t just something you pick up naturally and instantly.
“I can’t wait to tell the first receiver who lines up at the (slotback position) to back up 10 yards and start running,” said Nichols with a grin this week. “That’s something that’s always fun in these types of camps.”
It’s still football, yes. But the adjustments to the many nuances of the Canadian game take some time for every player.
“It will a challenge for every rookie,” said Dominique Davis. “It was a challenge for me because of the rule changes, the size of the field and the throws, the waggles and all that good stuff. Once they get a rhythm to that, they’ll be fine.
“When I first got up here I was like, ‘What am I doing up here?’ But once I got used to everything, it’s a fun league. It’s a quarterback’s league… you throw the ball 70 per cent of the time. You can’t ask for anything better.”
Matt Nichols with offensive coordinator, Paul LaPolice.
Exit Smith, Enter Stafford
The Bombers had big plans for veteran receiver Kenny Stafford when they signed him in January, and his signing looks even bigger after the sudden retirement of Ryan Smith at the end of March.
Stafford had 732 yards receiving and nine TDs on just 47 catches two years ago in Edmonton – the Eskimos Grey Cup year – and spent that year working with Nichols.
He is attending mini-camp for the chance to get acquainted with his fifth offence in as many years.
“He’s a guy who has been in the league so his learning curve isn’t going to be as big as some of these new guys coming in,” Nichols said. “It just shows how good he wants to be. He wants to be here. He wants to put in the time to learn this offence so that when training camp comes around he’s not playing catch up.
“He’s a guy I’ve played with before and I think that we had a great relationship. He’s a big-play threat, big body, a guy that can go up and make plays. I can’t say enough good things about him. He’s one of the hardest workers around and he’s going to keep other receivers after practice to make sure everyone is getting all the extra catches they need.”
FIVE TO WATCH
- #6 Dominique Davis, QB: Needs every rep possible to establish himself as the No. 2 man to Matt Nichols. Will be looking over his shoulder at Dan LeFevour.
- #50 Kyle Knox, LB: The Bombers need a replacement for Khalil Bass and the team’s brass has been high on Knox since his arrival last year.
- #82 Kieren Duncan, WR/KR: Quincy McDuffie signed with the Dallas Cowboys this winter, leaving a void in the kick-return game. Kevin Fogg capably handled the punt-return chores last year, but Duncan is lickedy-split fast and, while this camp might not be the best opportunity to showcase those skills, don’t underestimate the importance of the specialists. McDuffie had 65 touches last year as a returner (42 kickoff, 22 punts and one missed field goal).
- #94 Jackson Jeffcoat, DE: The lone lineman in camp is the son of former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jim Jeffcoat and was a consensus All-American as a senior at Texas.
- #19 Chris Greenwood, DB: The credentials of all the new DBs are solid, but Greenwood was a fifth-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in 2012 and appeared in three games in 2013 before spending 2014-15 on the practice rosters of the Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots.
THE SCHEDULE
(All practices will be held at Investors Group Field)
Wednesday, April 26
Practice #1 – 11 a.m.
Practice #2 – 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 27
Practice #1 – 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Practice #2 – 2:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m.
Friday, April 28
Practice #1 – 10:45 a.m.-12:05 p.m.
THE ROSTER
The club will be tinkering with the mini-camp roster right up to the first session on Wednesday. Check out bluebombers.com or our Twitter feed for the updates.
