Just three more sleeps until the Bombers meet the Edmonton Eskimos in Friday’s preseason game at IG Field. In the meantime the club continues the grind of training camp. Here are our daily collection of notes and quotes from Monday’s session…

PATIENT MAN:

Kyrie Wilson has been here before, on the cusp of a starting job, only to have the opportunity vanish. A year ago Wilson was pegged as the leading candidate for the middle linebacker job, only to see the club sign Adam Bighill just a few days before camp.

And now with Jovan Santos-Knox having signed in Edmonton as a free agent this winter, Wilson is seen as the front-runner for the weak-side linebacker spot. But the 26-year-old Californian knows better now than to take anything for granted.

“Camp’s being going good, just going to work every day, asking the right questions, staying in the book and every day taking it one day at a time and just keep grinding, keep pushing no matter what,” said Wilson after practice on Tuesday.

Wilson started in both playoff games last November after Santos-Knox was injured, and played well. But after two years of primarily working on the practice roster, he was asked  how he has stayed patient throughout

“To tell you the truth, it’s just my faith with God and knowing that everything is going to work out for the best.,” said Wilson. “I just kept praying, just kept believing and just kept grinding because sooner or later it’s all going to pay off… The door is open, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’ll just get ready for when my time will come.”

Here’s Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea on Wilson:

“You see it in practice. He gets shot out of a cannon pretty well on every play. It’s unbelievable. And then when he got to play at the end of last year he had some very physical plays, too, besides the speed plays. So, he’s going to fit in fine.

“You can’t really replace experience, but Adam does such a great job in communicating and that’s where Kyrie or whoever is playing beside Adam will easily pick that up. He’s going to be communicating the entire play.”

WHO’S UP FIRST?

Coach O’Shea isn’t one to tip his hand, but the Bombers boss was asked who might start at quarterback in Friday’s home preseason game against the Edmonton Eskimos.

“I’m pretty sure it will be Matt (Nichols),” he said, “But I’ve got to sit down with Matt and ask him what he thinks he needs and how that marries with what we think he needs.”

The Bombers have four quarterbacks in camp in Nichols, Chris Streveler, Bryan Bennett and Sean McGuire. With Nichols and Streveler locked in at 1-2, the main drama unfolding at that spot on the depth chart will be whether McGuire can unseat Bennett.

O’Shea offered this Wednesday when asked what he is looking for from the third-string pivot:

“All three quarterbacks have to be able to step in and win us a game. You’re looking for a guy who on limited reps can come in and execute, because that’s the unfortunate fact – we’re just not going to give them the reps that they may need to feel that they’re going to be successful.

“You need a guy with the mindset that says, ‘I can take the reps on the back end without the ball in my hand, I can take the reps in meetings, I can take the reps with the playbook, see it on film and when I get in I’m going to execute.”

WELCOME ABOARD:

The Bombers added one and dropped one on Wednesday. Coming aboard is long-snapper Zach Greenberg, a Winnipeg product who attended Grant Park High School before heading to Minnesota-Crookston. Released was defensive back Rannell Hall.

GRAY AREA:

Manitoba Bisons product Geoff Gray continues to get work at the right guard spot with the Bombers No. 1 offence, even as the club moves pieces around and airlifts in new import OL.

“He’s big, athletic… I think you could line him up at a bunch of different spots,” said O’Shea of Gray. “He doesn’t look like a typicall offensive lineman. We were talking the other day, he looks like a giant linebacker. That’s how fit he is. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s athletic. It’s just a matter of him getting the reps. And us having a different centre, too, is interesting because that all plays into it.

“He’s not going in with a vet on either side that has that comfort level. Right now with Jermarcus (Hardrick) not practising there’s a lot of communication that has to be done. He’s awesome. He’s pretty impressive.”

NEXT: The time is subject to change, but Bombers are scheduled to be on the field Wednesday from 1:20-2:45 p.m. at IG Field. Practice is open to the public.