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October 15, 2018

Gray Happy to be Back Home

Geoff Gray will begin his pursuit towards a Masters in Mechanical Engineering in just over three months, and so one of the first conclusions to be drawn about the newest member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers would be this:

This is a very, very smart dude.

Yet aside from that, here’s why many believe the club’s 2017 draft pick might be a good fit for reasons other than his clearly having career options after his playing days:

First, at 6-6 and 310 pounds, Gray possesses a coveted skillset that drew enough interest from his work at the University of Manitoba to earn him stints with the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and a look-see from the Seattle Seahawks.

And second, he’s got a quirky sense of humour and an ability to laugh at himself that should make him a good fit in the Bombers offensive line group.

Some examples of that humour, from his 17-minute session with the media Monday afternoon:

  • When asked if he had put on weight for the NFL and had to drop any to return to the three-down game, Gray – decked out in a brand new white Bombers golf shirt – said: “I tried to slim down a little bit for this, to look good in the white… it’s not always the most flattering for big guys.”
  • On how quickly he would like to get into a game: “Everyone plays football because they want to play football. No one wants to play football because they want to look good sitting there on the sideline. Then I would just go to the Halloween store, get a football costume and do a little photo shoot.”
  • His take on working with former Bombers O-line coach Bob Wylie, who now holds the same gig with the Browns: “Coach Wylie was here for a couple of years while I was playing with the Bisons. I never talked to him much, I just met him in passing a couple of times. But when I was in Cleveland we talked about the Bombers. The first thing he said about Winnipeg was ‘529 Wellington’. He was a big fan of steakhouses.”
  • And here he is when asked about some of the memorable moments during his stretch in the NFL: “Playing Lambeau Field… how many people get to do that, and with Aaron Rodgers? But at the same time, they’re just people. You have some weird stories about them you can’t really tell. There’s that side of it and then there’s the relatable. I went to Heinz Field (in Pittsburgh) and turns it there’s only three toilets in the locker room. You know what? That’s a problem when an NFL team gets in there.”

 

Geoff Gray (centre) returned to Bisons Spring Camp (2017) after signing with the Green Bay Packers.

The Bombers held two first-round picks in 2017 – their own, which they used to select Gray eighth overall – and the first-overall selection, via Toronto, from the Drew Willy trade, with which they selected defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie.

Ekakitie was released during training camp after a so-so first year with the Bombers, but there’s a foundation with Gray that should put him in the O-line picture very soon, although not likely this season. A power-lifter who trains because he loves it, not because he has to, Gray combines strength with his size and his agility – this is a guy who wrapped up his pro day at Manitoba, you may recall, by hoping on a unicycle as the jaws dropped among the NFL scouts who had gathered to watch.

What the Bombers are getting now is a player who had his skills honed by NFL coaches, a guy who is thrilled to be putting down roots after bouncing around down south, and someone who is intelligent enough to understand how the pecking order in a professional locker room works.

“Winnipeg is a place where I grew up,” said Gray. “I just want to get to a football situation where I feel a bit more stable and comfortable and is something I can move forward with. I definitely appreciate my time in the NFL, but this is really long-term a place where I’d like to be. For me, personally, I’d like to be settled. I don’t like moving around a whole bunch, logistically it’s a pain. I don’t think I really thought about (moving around in the NFL) in the context of football. It was more, ‘How am I going to get my things? How am I going to get there? Do I have time to drive or do I have to fly? Do I want to drive 15 hours from Green Bay to New Jersey? Don’t recommend it. I like to be settled.

“My experience in the NFL hasn’t put any doubt in my ability to play football. I still feel I have the physical ability, it’s just developing as a professional player in terms of my techniques as an offensive lineman. It’s not like I’m sitting here regretting anything I’ve done previously,” he added. “It was what it was. I’ve done it. I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I’m happy to be moving forward with the Bombers. I don’t really think twice about it.”

Gray, who is signed through 2020, is projected as a guard or a tackle. He joins a Bombers depth chart that currently features Canadian starters Matthias Goossen, Sukh Chungh and Patrick Neufeld, backed up by sixth-man Michael Couture and Qadr Spooner and Cody Speller on the practice roster, along with all-star import tackles Stanley Bryant and Jermarcus Hardrick, with Manase Foketi (currently injured) in reserve.

Gray just wants to get on the field now, but knows he must earn his place.

“I’m just a reasonable person, I think – that’s kind of a bold statement – I want to play, but I’m not going to have a fit if I’m not playing the first game,” he said. “I understand I’m coming back and how far they are into the season. I just want to play well and if I’m playing well, then I’m going to play.”