Winnipeg Blue Bombers DE Jackson Jeffcoat celebrates his fumble recovery during second quarter CFL action between the Bombers and the Ottawa Redblacks in Winnipeg on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (CFL PHOTO - Jason Halstead)
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers open rookie camp on May 16th. This is the fourth in our annual positional-preview series leading up to the first day players hit the field…
DEFENSIVE LINE
One of the true constants in football is change. Coaches change, players change, managements change.
And as we turn our attention to the defensive line in our Winnipeg Blue Bombers positional preview series, the theme here is also about change.
Three names instantly come to mind for yours truly as we begin: two familiar faces who have departed this winter in Jamaal Westerman and Jake Thomas; and a man who spent a whopping 15 seasons patrolling the trenches for the franchise in Stan Mikawos.
The exits of Westerman, who signed with the Montreal Alouettes, and Thomas, still a pending free agent, mean two familiar faces will be absent from the defensive-line crew when training camp opens on May 20th.
They were among the longest-serving Bombers as 2017 ended, with Westerman having suited up for 47 games in his three years with the club and Thomas for 101 over six years.
Just to put that into perspective, the six defensive linemen who return to the team this year have a combined 105 games played with the team, led by third-year man Trent Corney, at 34.
All of this indirectly provides a greater appreciation for the career of Mikawos, who was drafted as a Bomber and retired as a Bomber, playing 220 games along the way – fourth-most in franchise history behind only Bob Cameron (394), Troy Westwood (293) and Chris Walby (249).
We bring this up today not only as part of a little trek down Nostalgia Boulevard, but because it hammers home how this current era of one-year contracts in the Canadian Football League leads to a flood of talent heading to free agency every offseason, and as a result, players often changing addresses.
The departures of Westerman and Thomas are about more than just two popular and long-serving men leaving the Bombers trenches. The club has altered its ratio plans after their departures, with the plan now to go with four imports along the defensive front and start only one Canadian – safety Taylor Loffler – on that side of the ball.
This also isn’t a lament solely about the change, for those who remain and are tasked with manning the defensive front offer a unique blend of experience and upside.
The Bombers got some spectacular work from two CFL rookies in 2017 in Jackson Jeffcoat and Cory Johnson. Jeffcoat tied for the team lead with Westerman with seven sacks and was fifth in the CFL in quarterback pressures with 23, while Johnson was morphing into a force in the final third of the season, as he registered nine tackles, three sacks and eight pressures in the final six games. That duo is complemented by two vets in Drake Nevis and Tristan Okpalaugo, whose occasional dominance last year will have the coaching staff pushing for more.
The Bombers added to this bunch with an understated move in free agency by bringing aboard former B.C. Lion defensive end Craig Roh. A star during his college days at Michigan, Roh had 20 sacks in 45 games over three years with the Leos, last year leading the team in sacks (7) and pressures (15). His arrival means the D-line’s rotation of personnel, which did include Corney and fellow Canadian Faith Ekakitie, will continue in 2018.
It’s worth noting that changes affect how this crew will be coached, too, with Glenn Young now handling both the linebackers and defensive line under his new title as defensive front coach.
What the Bombers hope is that the changes up front will mean less explosion plays and improvements versus the run (ranked 7th) and pass (9th). Even with the team saying farewell to Westerman and Thomas, this unit looks to be one of strength.
TRAINING CAMP 2018 PREVIEW | A LOOK AT THE DEFENSIVE LINE
The Returnees: Jackson Jeffcoat, Drake Nevis, Cory Johnson, Tristan Okpalaugo, Faith Ekakitie*, Trent Corney*, Ian Marouf* (practice roster), Sam Montgomery (practice roster)
Free agent additions: Craig Roh (B.C.)
CFL newcomers: Chris Casher, Larry Webster, Daniel Awoleke, Brandin Bryant
Departed: Jamaal Westerman*, Jake Thomas*
*Indicates Canadian
IMPACT NEWCOMER
Craig Roh
He’s been a consistent performer in his three years in this league with sack totals of six, seven and seven. The management change in B.C. meant he wasn’t offered a contract by the Lions, but he was only on the open market in free agency for three days before the Bombers scooped him up and added him to the roster. His scouting profile highlights his ‘high motor’ and that’s a characteristic the Bombers and their fans will love.
X FACTOR
Faith Ekakite
The first-overall pick in the 2017 CFL Draft had an eye-opening debut to professional football. The Iowa product has spent much of the offseason in the gym to improve his speed and strength after bulking up for an NFL pro day and not being in the right shape for the three-down game. He was drafted as a bit of a project and how he develops in his second year as a pro could impact the Bombers plans to go back to starting a Canadian along the D-line down the road.
STANDOUT NUMBER: 160
The Bombers defence ranked third in the CFL last year in the combined total of quarterback sacks (44) and pressures (116), behind only Calgary (175 total) and Edmonton (160).
