They were the offensive line equivalent of a ‘super-group’, with Stanley, Geoff, Chris, Paddy and Yoshi becoming a Winnipeg Blue Bombers hoggie version of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
(Younger fans lost on the reference, Google: ‘Beatles’).
Yes, one true constant over the last few years of dominance for the Blue Bombers has been the work of the men up front in helping lead the squad to four consecutive Grey Cup appearances and two championships.
The most recent incarnation of the offensive line featured the likes of Stanley Bryant, Geoff Gray, Chris Kolankowski, Paddy Neufeld and Jermarcus Hardrick and they were regularly scribbled into the starting jobs on the depth chart in irreversible ink.
They did their thing once again in 2023 as Brady Oliveira led the Canadian Football League in rushing, as Zach Collaros topped the loop in touchdown passes and Buck Pierce’s offence rolled over defences to lead the league in scoring.
That’s about to change in 2024, however, with the super-group seeing the departure of Hardrick to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in free agency – he became the league’s highest-paid American O-lineman in the process – while Gray was another caught in the salary-cap squeeze and remains unsigned by any CFL team.
Granted there are still dominant pieces in place, with future hall of famer Bryant at left tackle and still as good as any in the league at age 37, with the scrappy and cerebral Kolankowski having secured the centre position after the departure of Michael Couture and with Neufeld being named a CFL All-Star for three straight seasons.
The departures of Hardrick and Gray, meanwhile, opens two starting jobs along the front at right tackle and at guard. The Blue Bombers believe they have answers in house along the interior and have brought aboard enough newcomers to unearth at least one to replace Hardrick on the flank.
Liam Dobson, the club’s first pick, 3rd overall, in the 2021 CFL Draft and Tui Eli, a 2019 selection, will battle for the left guard spot and offer depth behind Kolankowski and Neufeld. Expect the Blue Bombers to also target the position in next week’s draft, as they have three picks in the Top 20 in what is said to be a talented pool of O-linemen.
Replacing tackles isn’t as cut and dried, as it’s a position in such high demand across pro football. The Blue Bombers have brought back two players offensive line coach Marty Costello knows well in Eric Lofton, who spent 2022 in Winnipeg and started 14 games at right tackle for Saskatchewan last year, and Chris Ivy, who spent last summer on the practice squad.
Four other American tackles have been signed and any one of them could emerge as Hardrick’s replacement after training camp. A brief look at that quartet:
- Micah Vanterpool (6-6, 315) – Played tackle and guard at Hawaii before pro stints with the New Jersey Generals and New England Patriots last season.
- Kendall Randolph (6-4, 300) – Suited up for three preseason games last summer as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. Converted from tight end during his days with Alabama, he started six games at end and backed up the left tackle spot on the Crimson Tide’s 2020 national championship squad.
- Khalil Keith (6-5, 314) – Appeared in two games last year with the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL and during his college days at Baylor made 20 starts at left guard and right tackle.
- Larnel Coleman (6-6, 310) – A seventh-round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2021, Coleman also has spent time with the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Roughnecks and Birmingham Stallions.
So, to sum up, the potential pieces seem to be in place to fill the voids left by Hardrick and Gray. The question going forward as the Blue Bombers chase another championship is simple: can this new-ish O-line group continue to crank out one hit after another, just like its predecessor.
POSITIONAL PREVIEW ‘24
The Offensive Line
The Returnees:
Starters: Left tackle Stanley Bryant, centre Chris Kolankowski*, right guard Pat Neufeld*
Returning vets: guard Liam Dobson*, guard/centre Tui Eli*
Newcomers: Tackles: Larnel Coleman, Chris Ivy, Khalil Keith, Eric Lofton (spent 2022 with Winnipeg), Kendall Randolph, Micah Vanterpool
2024 CFL Draft picks: Gabe Wallace* (Rd 2, 17th overall); Ethan Kalra (Rd 5, 40th overall); Michael Vlahogiannis (Rd 7, 64th overall)
Departed: Jermarcus Hardrick (Saskatchewan), Geoff Gray* (unsigned free agent), Drew Richmond (retired), Tomoya Machino
*Indicates Canadian
Keep an eye on:
OT, #62 Larnell Coleman
Coleman certainly has the credentials, as former draft pick of the Dolphins and a prospect who played both tackle positions during his college days at Massachusetts. There’s also this interesting stat: his reach was measured at 84 7/8 inches, second longest in the 2021 NFL Draft class.
Did you know?
Well stocked with Canadian offensive linemen and with the classes not being particularly strong, the Blue Bombers have not selected at that position in each of the last two CFL Drafts and in three of the last four drafts.
The last time the Blue Bombers did not pick an OL in successive drafts came in 2001-02.
Notable Number:
The Blue Bombers surrendered 33 sacks last year, second best only to Toronto, which gave up 19. Ottawa was last in this category a year ago, giving up 71 sacks
