The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had just finished their final full practice of training camp late Wednesday morning and as veteran linebacker Tony Jones left the field a size-large grin dominated his face.

“I’ll tell you what,” he began in a chat with bluebombers.com, “I know we’ve got one more preseason game to play but we really feel like if we go out there and play Winnipeg brand football on both sides of the ball and on special teams we will be a very, very hard team to beat. I’m sure everyone feels this way on both sides of the ball.

“I feel this group can do a lot of special things this year with what JY (Jordan Younger) does and what he has as the defensive coordinator, he really knows how to use his pieces. Same thing on the offensive side of the ball — we’ve got a lot of elite receivers and the best quarterback in the league. We’ve still got lots of work to do but a lot of new guys, rookies, are getting some detailed looks this week.

“I’m excited to see the young guys go out there and play their game and dominant. I was once in their shoes. This is the last chance, maybe, to put everything on tape.”

Tony Jones

And that just about perfectly sums up where the Blue Bombers are heading into their final preseason game against the B.C. Lions Friday night.

Yes, there is a palpable upbeat vibe in Bomberland after an offseason that saw the club add receivers Tim White and Tommy Nield, offensive tackle Jarell Broxton, defensive lineman Jake Ceresna and cornerback Jonathan Moxey in free agency and then augment that with some of the young guys Jones is referring to who have popped off the page in camp. There are many among that group, including receiver Dorian Smith, defensive linemen Kydran Jenkins and De’Shaan Dixon and defensive backs Major Williams, Ridge Texada and Warren Burrell.

But there’s still some roster shaping to get done after this final dress rehearsal, with all teams needing to make their final cuts by midnight on Saturday and then fill out their practice rosters not long after.

“I’m glad training camp is over because it’s a pain in the ass,” said Blue Bombers veteran defensive back Redha Kramdi. “It’s hard, it’s demanding and you need to push yourself and your limits. We did that.

“It’s a grind. You’ve got to go through it. You have to surpass yourself. After six-seven days straight you are tired, regardless of what you did in the offseason. Everyone at one point — Day 4, Day 7, Day 10 — has to work to surpass that pain.

“We’ve got this final preseason game, but I like to think this locker room is filled with good people, not only good players. So, when players from other teams come here to the Bombers I think they realize it’s just a big family. We work hard together; we make it hard in practice so that it’s easier on game days.

“The vibe is amazing,” Kramdi added. “The competition is at an all-time high. We get Tim (White) in here… he’s been amazing. (Jake) Ceresna on the defensive line… amazing. We’ve had a lot of fun already competing and we’re just getting started.”

Kickoff: Friday, 7:30 p.m. CDT; Princess Auto Stadium, Winnipeg
TV/Streaming: CFL+
Radio: 680 CJOB (pre-game: 5:30 p.m/. CDT); Play-by-play: Derek Taylor/analyst: Doug Brown
Weather forecast: Wind becoming south 30 km/h in the afternoon. High: 34. Low: 20
Preseason records: Wpg: 0-1; B.C.: 0-1
FYI: Tailgate area opens at 5:30 p.m.

PIECING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER

All teams must make their cuts by Saturday night, and the Blue Bombers will have some tough calls after one of the more competitive training camps in years.

Here’s head coach Mike O’Shea on the work in progress that is the 2026 Blue Bombers and then the stress of training camp and on the decision-making process, which is an ongoing process through camp but will really intensify after Friday’s final preseason game:

“I like our guys. I think you’d be hard pressed to find me say anything different from back in the years,” he said. “You spend a great amount of time together — an intense amount of time — in a short number of days and you’re trying to figure out as much as you can about everybody. Hopefully, you don’t fall short on some guys.

“They work so hard, and it’s a stressful situation, not only physically but mentally. And then you add in the idea of trying to make a team and learning a new game or learning a new playbook… it can be stressful for guys. So, just being around them as they’re going through all that is pretty cool. You get to appreciate the fact that they are grinding through it and trying to reach their dream.

“It’s neat to be around, but you realize they are, for a variety of reasons mentally and physically, under a lot of stress.”

STILL TBD

Let’s go out on a limb here and state that Zach Collaros has made the team. Same for Brady Oliveira, Stanley Bryant, Willie Jefferson, Deatrick Nichols, Evan Holm, Redha Kramdi, Tony Jones…. you get the picture.

But Friday’s final dress rehearsal will also be the last time on stage for players in Blue Bombers colours. One more chance to grab a starting job; one last shot at earning a roster spot.

“There’s lot of races still,” said O’Shea. “You’re trying to put together an entire group of men that will become a team — the right team — that later on in the season will develop into that right team. So, there is a bit of projection in that and how everybody is going to fit.

“There’s lot of stuff, lots of points to keep your eye on and check out for this next contest for sure.”

Major Williams (41) opposite Pokey Wilson (80)

Among those starting jobs still TBD are the cornerback spot opposite Jonathan Moxey, the defensive end gig on the other side of Willie Jefferson, what happens on the interior of the offensive line between tackles Bryant and Jarell Broxton, and how the club handles the receiving corps after Nic Demski, Pokey Wilson, Tim White and Tommy Nield.

And as O’Shea said this week, if coaches and management are uncertain about a spot, it’s better to build the workload around that in the final preseason game to get more concrete answers.

“If we’re not sure, we better be putting the reps together that are going to give us the answers we need,” he said. “In my first year I probably didn’t understand this, but if you don’t think a guy is quite good enough in one spot, you’d better put him in another spot or else you’re just giving him his papers. We’re way better at that as a staff now in moving guys around and trying to figure out what they can do.

“We’ve talked about that lots before — what guys can do compared to what they can’t do. So, you figure out what they can do and then how does that fit.”

QB WATCH… EDITION 383

Zach Collaros isn’t dressing for Friday’s game — along with a ton of other regulars — so that leaves Taylor Elgersma and Bryce Perkins left to divvy up the snaps against the Lions.

Elgersma talked about so much heading into last week’s game against Saskatchewan — including by yours truly — it would have been impossible to meet the hype. He admittedly pressed to find the perfect play against the Roughriders, and we’ll see how much of a quick study he is against B.C.

Perkins entered the game in the fourth quarter and while his numbers didn’t pop off the page, he did showcase his veteran poise as a 29-year-old pro with an NFL stint and a UFL MVP award to his name.

Who ends up second and who is third might not be determined as quickly as Friday night and who handles the short-yardage package might get more work in the short-term beginning next week with Zach Collaros clearly QB1.

THE LINEUP: The Blue Bombers depth chart for tomorrow is minus a ton of regulars. Not dressing are Zach Collaros, Stanley Bryant, Tui Eli, Pat Neufeld and Jarell Broxton along the O-line and receivers Nic Demski, Tim White, Pokey Wilson and Tommy Nield.

And on defence the club will be without Willie Jefferson, Cam Lawson, Jake Ceresna along the D-line, linebackers Jones and Kyrie Wilson, and defensive backs Kramdi, Evan Holm, Deatrick Nichols and Jonathan Moxey.

FULL DEPTH CHART