It starts from the moment they run out of the tunnel at Investors Group Field for the start of Winnipeg Blue Bombers mini-camp this week.
That’s just how football works: the instant cleats hit turf, every step a player takes – whether he is a long-standing veteran or a fresh-faced rookie – is under the microscope. The auditions may be short or could be the start of a decade-long career in the game. But make no mistake, there will be nothing casual about these proceedings which serve as a lead-in to main training camp.
Mini-camp is about opportunity, and as the old saying goes, ‘you only get one chance to make a good first impression.’
With all that as a backdrop, here is bluebombers.com’s guide to mini-camp, opening Tuesday at Investors Group Field:
WHO’S HERE
The roster could be tinkered with right up until the first session, but the latest lineup features 46 players, most of them first and second-year CFL’ers, and also including quarterbacks Matt Nichols, Philip Nelson, Alex Ross and Tyler Stewart. Veteran pivot Darian Durant, FYI, will not be attending after being excused to attend to a personal matter.
The latest numbers, by position: quarterbacks (4); running backs (3); receivers (15); offensive linemen (1); linebackers (5); defensive backs (17) and kickers (1). FYI, the Bombers list their strong side linebacker candidates as ‘dime’ backs, or defensive backs.
There are no defensive linemen attending and the lone offensive lineman – centre Matthias Goossen – will be on the field to work on snapping to the quarterbacks.
THE GOAL
This is a tryout, pure and simple, and these practices can be an important springboard to main training camp later next month – especially for those who soak up information effectively and put it into practice ASAP.
Here’s Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea when asked what the goal of mini-camp is:
“Give the guys that are new to the CFL the simple basic pace of the league in terms of how we run our plays, the speed in which we run them, the size of the field… let them know it’s pro football. We want to get to know these guys a little better and start some evaluation so that we can have a very competitive training camp and put a great team on the field come the regular season. There are a lot of things to accomplish, but those are some of the basics.”
Worth noting, just to hammer home the importance of the opportunity here: all CFL rosters must be at 75 players by April 30th. The Bombers are at 89 right now.
“The roster is pretty much set, it’s just a matter of tweaking the last few pieces and getting a look at some of the guys we’ve been scouting for the last couple of years,” said Bombers GM Kyle Walters. “We’ll get them up to Winnipeg in person and make our decisions when our roster has to get down to 75.”
MINI-CAMP STORYLINES
Wanted: Middle Linebacker
It was on the eve of mini-camp a year ago when the buzz started growing about Kyle Knox and his chances to replace Khalil Bass as the Bombers’ middle linebacker for 2017. But while Knox, now with the Montreal Alouettes, was solid on special teams, he never latched onto the job in camp and was beaten out by Canadian vet Sam Hurl because of his better understanding of the defence. Hurl is back with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, meaning the middle linebacker gig is wide open again.
The Bombers pursued free agent Henoc Muamba again, hoping to entice him back to where his pro career began, but he is in Montreal now and that leaves the job open to a cast of American candidates that could include Jovan Santos-Knox or Ian Wild, if they switch from weak-side linebacker to the middle, as well as Jevaris Jones and Kyrie Wilson, who were primarily practice roster players last year, or a newcomer like Quentin Gause, signed earlier this month.
Jones, Wilson and Gause will all be here at mini-camp with an early shot at making a favourable first impression.
Jovan Santos-Knox (45) of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the game against the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC., on Friday, July 21, 2017. (Photo: Johany Jutras)
The QBS
There isn’t much of a storyline at the top of the Bombers QB depth chart, what with Matt Nichols and veteran Darian Durant – signed in January – owning the starter and No. 2 spots. But the No. 3 job is open for takers with the offseason release of Dominique Davis (now with the Ottawa REDBLACKS) and the retirement of Dan LeFevour, and the club would like to find a prospect to groom behind their two vets, now 31 and 35 years old, respectively.
Alex Ross, who spent last year with the B.C. Lions, has a bit more pro experience, but the team is also intrigued by Philip Nelson and Tyler Stewart.
Loading up
The Bombers have stockpiled an assortment of receiver and defensive prospects, a trend we outlined here, and that crew has since been added to further with the additions of more at the position after the story was posted.
The club wants to unearth more receiving prospects to add to its offensive arsenal, and the wounds from all those ‘explosion’ plays surrendered by the defence last year mean the secondary will be studied closely through main training camp. Those two positions also dominate the talent that will be on display this week.
New/old faces
Among the CFL vets who are attending (but will likely be limited in reps) are receivers Adarius Bowman, Nic Demski, running back Kienan LaFrance, linebacker Chandler Fenner, and defensive backs Anthony Gaitor and Steven Clarke – new to the team and the systems they will be working in under offensive coordinator Paul LaPolice and defensive coordinator Richie Hall. A jump start helps for those guys, too.
B.C. Lions’ Chandler Fenner, right, breaks up a pass intended for Edmonton Eskimos’ Brandon Zylstra during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday, June 24, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
5 TO WATCH
(Not all numbers have been assigned for camp)
#13 Philip Nelson, quarterback: Played for Minnesota, Rutgers and East Carolina during his college days and threw for 2,621 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions at ECU in 2016. Then had NFL looks from Cincinnati and Cleveland.
#44 Cody Prewitt, linebacker: His college credentials from his days as a hard-hitting safety at Ole Miss – where he was nicknamed ‘Landshark’ – sparkle: He was a First Team Associated Press All-American in 2013, a Second Team AP All-American in 2014 and All-SEC in both those same seasons. He signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2015, but was released. He’ll get his first reps at weak-side linebacker.
Prewitt’s Ole Miss highlights.
#42 Quentin Gause, linebacker: Gause made 24 starts at strong-side linebacker at Rutgers. He went undrafted in 2016, but has had looks from Philadelphia, New England and Denver, playing three games with the Broncos in ’16.
#6 Corey Washington, wide receiver: A big target at 6-4, 215, Washington has flashed enough athleticism to get looks from eight different NFL teams since 2014: Arizona and the NY Giants in 2014, Washington and Detroit in 2015, Atlanta and Buffalo in 2016 and Kansas City and Dallas last year.
Washington’s highlights from his preseason with the NY Giants.
#80 Drew Wolitarsky, receiver: The Bombers forfeited a third-round draft pick this year to grab Wolitarsky in a supplemental draft late last June. Wolitarsky grew up in California and qualified as Canadian because his mother is from Montreal. He ranks as one of the best receivers in the history of the University of Minnesota, but spent most of last season – after missing training camp – learning to make the adjustments to the Canadian game. He did suit up for five games last season, but offered only glimpses at his skill set.
Wolitarsky’s 2016 Minnesota highlights.
THE SCHEDULE
(All practices will be held at Investors Group Field and are open to the public)
Tuesday, April 24
10:45 a.m.
2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, April 25
10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
2:45-4:15 p.m.
Thursday, April 26
8:30-9:45 a.m.
THE ROSTER
The club could be tinkering with the mini-camp roster right up to the first session on Tuesday. Check out bluebombers.com or the club’s twitter feed @Wpg_BlueBombers for updates.
