They are – to borrow a phrase from ‘The Boss’, Bruce Springsteen – the hungry and the hunted.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2017 training camp opens Sunday morning at Investors Group Field with 80-plus players chasing starting gigs and spots on the roster of a club that made the playoffs last season and desperately wants to take that proverbial next step.

A good chunk of the squad that fell to the B.C. Lions 32-31 in the West Semifinal returns, and that game served as fuel for every lift, every sprint, every rep in the offseason.

“It’s something I thought about, especially since I went back and watched every game from the entire season,” said Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols at the conclusion of rookie camp on Friday. “That was one that, as I was watching it, left a bad taste in your mouth. It felt like we were right there.”

“But in this day and age with guys moving all over the place in this sport, luckily we have a lot of our starters back. To be able to keep a team together like that means everyone is going to be hungry. Everyone knows we took a huge step from the year before last season. But we’ve got more steps to take.”

QB Matt Nichols (15) at Bombers Rookie Camp May 25, 2017.

“You go through growing pains and I really think this team is ready to make a run at a championship. These things sometimes take time, as much as you want to win every year. You have to have a mindset that you’re going to win big games and make big plays when you need to. We made a lot of big plays, but in our last game, didn’t make the two or three big ones we needed to make. That’s the difference between going to a Western Final and having a chance at a Grey Cup and going home in the first round.”

The official first step in taking that next step begins Sunday. And with that as the backdrop, here is our guide to Bombers main camp…

WELCOME BACK

The Bombers have 19 players who started in the West Semifinal back for camp, among them:

Offence: QB Matt Nichols, RB Andrew Harris, WRs Darvin Adams and Julian Feoli-Gudino, SBs Weston Dressler and Clarence Denmark, LT Stanley Bryant, LG Travis Bond, C Matthias Goossen, RG Sukh Chungh, RT Jermarcus Hardrick.

Defence: DE Jamaal Westerman, LBs Ian Wild and Maurice Leggett, CBs Terrence Frederick and Chris Randle, HBs Bruce Johnson and T.J. Heath, and safety Taylor Loffler.

Also returning is all-star kicker Justin Medlock.

EXITED, STAGE LEFT

Players who dressed for last year’s playoff game, but have since departed:

Offence: WR Rory Kohlert (Calgary), SB Ryan Smith (retired), QB Kevin Glenn (Saskatchewan), SB/KR Quincy McDuffie (Dallas), FB James Tuck (Toronto).

Defence: LB Khalil Bass (Ottawa), DT Euclid Cummings (Edmonton), DT Keith Shologan (Montreal), DE Justin Cole (free agent), LB Garrett Waggoner (retired), LB Tony Burnett (B.C.).

5 KEY ADDITIONS

SB Kenny Stafford, # 5: Veteran pass catcher was signed in January; his addition became even more important with Ryan Smith’s surprise retirement in the spring.

QB Dan LeFevour, #13: The Bombers believe Dom Davis is ready to become the No. 2 pivot behind Matt Nichols, but LeFevour will also push and provides more experience at the most important spot on the depth chart.

DE Tristan Okpalaugo, #54: A beast of a pass rusher who gives the club a consistent presence opposite Jamaal Westerman.

DT Drake Nevis, #92: Nasty presence along the defensive front who comes over from Hamilton.

FB Mike Miller, #24: The importance of his signing won’t really be felt until July when the ball is put on the tee for real and he is running down the field on kick-cover units.

Faith Ekakitie (56) at Bombers Rookie Camp May 25, 2017.

5 NEW FACES TO WATCH

DT Faith Ekakitie, #56: Lots of eyeballs on the first-overall draft pick. He’ll be given time to grow into the gig, particularly in a new scheme and while being reacquainted with the Canadian game after playing a chunk of his high school ball and college ball in the U.S.

LB/DB Roc Carmichael, #47: Has already flashed superb cover skills in mini and rookie camps. Has 19 NFL games to his credit with Philly and Houston.

SB/KR T.J. Thorpe, #14: There’s an opening in the receiving corps and Thorpe’s size and return skills make him a guy to study in camp.

DB Chris Greenwood, #19: Joined the practice roster last July and has been steady through mini and rookie camp.

LB Kyrie Wilson, #21: Moves well and will be getting a look at weak-side linebacker spot held by Ian Wild.

5 KEY CAMP BATTLES

Middle linebacker

The incumbent: left vacant by the exit of Khalil Bass.

The challengers: #50 Kyle Knox, #40 Nick Temple, #45 George Stone, #10 Sam Hurl, #52 Thomas Miles

Inside track: Knox dressed for 11 games last year, primarily as a special teams guy, but this one is wide open. Hurl and Miles are the Canadians.

No. 2 QB

The incumbent: left vacant by the departure of Kevin Glenn.

The challengers: #6 Dom Davis, #13 Dan LeFevour

Inside track: Davis was unofficially the No. 2 at the end of last year, even with Glenn having arrived from Montreal in a September trade. But he also didn’t throw a single pass last season. LeFevour has more starts and more experience and offers a different look as a 6-3, 230-pounder who can bowl people over in the open field.

WR Kieren Duncan (82) at Bombers Rookie Camp May 26, 2017.

Kick returner

The incumbent: Kevin Fogg handled punt returns a year ago, but kickoff-return specialist Quincy McDuffie signed with Dallas.

The challengers: #82 Kieren Duncan, #14 T.J. Thorpe.

Inside track: Other candidates may emerge, but these two are the front runners. The key might be which of the pair can find a spot in the receiving corps.

‘Z’ Receiver

The incumbent: Julian Feoli-Gudino started the West Semifinal, but the job has been predominantly held by Rory Kohlert the last few seasons.

The challengers: #86 Addison Richards, #2 Matt Coates. Also in camp at this spot are two Winnipeg Rifles in Xander Tachinski and Brendan Naujoks.

The inside track: Feoli-Gudino’s experience would seem to give him the edge. The club has had high hopes for Richards since drafting him, but he’s battled injuries every year. Coates, who comes west from Hamilton, is an intriguing name to watch in this battle.

Field-side defensive halfback

The incumbent: Bruce Johnson has appeared in 47 games as a Bomber, making him the longest-serving member of the team’s secondary.

The challengers: #3 Kevin Fogg, #27 Robert Porter, #30 Sam Brown, #29 Darnell Walker Jr.

The inside track: Johnson has been around long enough in this game to know he shouldn’t get too comfy, knowing that no spot on any CFL roster undergoes more changes than the secondary. Fogg is coming off an injury and did start 16 games. But T.J. Heath is now locked in at the other halfback spot after arriving from Toronto. Brown and Walker Jr. are listed on the depth chart behind Heath, but could get flipped over to the other side.

FIRST CUTS

The Bombers released three players on Saturday: Quarterback Malcolm Bell, running back Lache Seastrunk and receiver Tylor Henry, the team’s 8^th-round draft pick earlier this month.

FYI

CFL teams have invited Canadian university quarterbacks to join them in training camp as part of a development program.

Vincent Massey Trojans QB Andreas Dueck, headed to McMaster University in the fall, will sit in with the Bombers.

Other QBs joining CFL teams: Hugo Richard (Laval; Alouettes); Nate Hobbs (Queen’s; REDBLACKS); Kyle Siemens (Saskatchewan; Argonauts); Michael Knevel (Laurier; Tiger-Cats); Chris Merchant (Western; Stampeders); Brent Hunchak (York; Eskimos); Frederic Paquette-Perreault (McGill; Lions).

Dueck was the Winnipeg High School Football League’s Offensive Player of the Year and a member of Team Canada.

CAMP SCHEDULE

Sunday, May 28 – 2017 Training Camp Opening
Practice: 9 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.

Monday, May 29
Practice: 9:30 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Tuesday, May 30
Practice: 8:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Wednesday, May 31
Practice: 8:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

Thursday, June 1
Practice: 10:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.