Blue Bombers roster - 2018-2019

[Blue In BC]

Foketi and Derek Jones transferred to Injured Veteran as per CFL.CA I think this is more of a move to free up additional roster spots for a couple of rookies?

OTOH, Jones missed most of last year and might not be ready for early TC. Hopefully he'll be good to go shortly since he's the projected starter at safety.


Don't remember any injury to Foketi last year though?

[gobombersgo]

Transactions May 15th:

2019-05-15   WPG   JONES, Derek   DB   N   Simon Fraser   Transfer To   Injured Veteran
2019-05-15   WPG   FOKETI, Manase   OL   N   West Texas A&M   Transfer To   Injured Veteran
2019-05-15   WPG   PETERS, Otha   LB   I   Louisiana At Lafayette   Delete From Active   Free Agent
2019-05-15   WPG   HUBERT, Chris   WR   I   Fayetteville State   Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   MCGUIRE, Sean      N      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   BAKER JR, Delroy      N      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   RICHARDS, Malik      N      Add From Draft   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   DESJARLAIS, Drew      N      Add From Draft   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   HERNANDEZ REYES, Manuel Eduardo   LB   I      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   SCHIAFFINO PEREZ, Sergio   DB   I      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPG   AMAVIZCA ORTIZ, Gabriel   K   I      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-15   WPGHANSEN, Thiadric   LB   I      Add To   Active Roster

Darrin Bauming, TSN.   @DarrinBauming
Rookie linebacker Otha Peters Jr failed his physical and has been released. The #Bombers will likely fill that roster spot with a new offensive lineman.

[gobombersgo]

Transactions May 16th:

2019-05-16   WPG   WILSON, Troy      N      Add To   Territorial Exemption
2019-05-16   WPG   URCIUOLI, Brandon      N      Add To   Territorial Exemption
2019-05-16   WPG   SNEESBY, Cole      N      Add To   Territorial Exemption

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Foketi and Derek Jones transferred to Injured Veteran as per CFL.CA I think this is more of a move to free up additional roster spots for a couple of rookies?

OTOH, Jones missed most of last year and might not be ready for early TC. Hopefully he'll be good to go shortly since he's the projected starter at safety.


Don't remember any injury to Foketi last year though?

Foketi got his chance after Hardrick got injured last year. In his second game (the LDC) he got hurt and missed the rest of the year. Can't really remember the injury though. But yes, he was on the shelf for the back half of the year.

[Blue In BC]

Foketi got his chance after Hardrick got injured last year. In his second game (the LDC) he got hurt and missed the rest of the year. Can't really remember the injury though. But yes, he was on the shelf for the back half of the year.

Ah. Well then the hope is that this won't carry over into main TC and the team is just allowing some extra time.

OTOH I was surprised earlier about the number of extra import OL coming to rookie camp and probably main TC. Might be covering their bases in case he won't be ready immediately.

Mind you there were suggestions that the team might need to start 3 import OL and he'd be ready to step in as that option. I took that inferred comment to mean at the beginning of the season.

[gobombersgo]

Transactions May 17th:

2019-05-17   WPG   KONGBO, Jonathan      N      Add From Draft   Active Roster
2019-05-17   WPG   KONGBO, Jonathan      N      Add From Draft   Draft
2019-05-17   WPG   SCHROT, Dylan      N      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-17   WPG   RICHARDS, Malik      N      Delete From Active   Free Agent


BOMBERS SIGN 5TH OVERALL SELECTION JONATHAN KONGBO

WINNIPEG, MB., May 17, 2019 -  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has signed their 5th overall selection from last month's CFL Draft, Tennessee defensive end Jonathan Kongbo.

Kongbo (6-5, 255, Tennessee, March 19, 1996 in Surrey, BC) played 30 games, starting 17, over three seasons with the Volunteers as a linebacker and defensive lineman. He totalled 51 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions (including a 50-yarder returned for a touchdown), and two knockdowns. He won the 2018 John Stucky award as Tennessee's best performer in the weight room.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2019/05/17/bombers-sign-5th-overall-selection-jonathan-kongbo/

ONE IN, ANOTHER OUT:

The Bombers lost WR Malik Richards, their fifth-round draft pick, to a leg injury on Thursday and it was serious enough to force the club to make another move. Richards was replaced on the roster by Dylan Schrot of the Manitoba Bisons. Schrot was a Canada West All-Star and a U Sports Second-team All-Canadian. In his two seasons with the Bisons he had 66 catches for 1,026 yards and six TDs.

"Dylan Schrot is a helluva good receiver. He had close to 850 yards if not a bit more last year, scored a pile of touchdowns. He's really good," said  O'Shea. "It's interesting because Matt and Strev have both thrown to him before as a guy that hung around and caught some balls for them to get some extra work. Those guys were right here available for our guys, so they already have a relationship with him. He's a hard worker and he deserves to be in a camp."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2019/05/17/rookie-camp-day-3-recap-3/

[Blue In BC]

Schrot seems like a pretty good prospect. I wonder why he didn't get drafted? Were there just that many other receivers that had higher rankings?

[gobombersgo]

WELCOME BACK
Starters from the 2018 West Final returning to camp:

Offence ( 8 ): QB Matt Nichols, RB Andrew Harris, WR Darvin Adams, SB Nic Demski, WR Drew Wolitarsky, LT Stanley Bryant, LG Patrick Neufeld, RT Jermarcus Hardrick

Defence (9): DE Jackson Jeffcoat, DT Drake Nevis, DT Brandin Bryant. LB Adam Bighill, LB Anthony Gaitor, LB Kyrie Wilson, DB Brandon Alexander, DB Marcus Sayles, DE Craig Roh

Specialists: K Justin Medlock, LS Chad Rempel

Other returnees: QB Chris Streveler, QB Bryan Bennett, FB Mike Miller, FB John Rush, SB Daniel Petermann, WR/KR Charles Nelson, WR Rashaun Simonise, OL Michael Couture, DT Jake Thomas, LB Chandler Fenner, LB Thomas Miles, LB Shayne Gauthier, LB Jesse Briggs, LB Kyrie Wilson, DB Abu Conteh, S Jeff Hecht.

Injured list at seasons end and returning: SB Kenbrell Thompkins, WR Corey Washington, CB Chris Humes, OL Cody Speller, OL Geoff Gray, S Derek Jones, OL Manase Foketi

Practice roster at season's end and returning: RB Johnny Augustine, DB Tyneil Cooper, DB Jacob Firlotte, DE Patrick Choudja


EXITED,STAGE LEFT

Players who dressed for last year's playoff games, but have since departed:

Offence: C Matthias Goossen (retired), RG Sukh Chungh (B.C.), SB Weston Dressler (unsigned), RB Kienan LaFrance (Saskatchewan), WR Ryan Lankford (Ottawa).

Defence: CB Chris Randle (Ottawa), CB Kevin Fogg (Toronto), S Taylor Loffler (Montreal), DB Brendan Morgan (unsigned), LB Ian Wild (Toronto), LB Frederic Plesius (unsigned), DE Tristan Okpalaugo (unsigned).

Injured at season's end and now departed: LB Jovan Santos-Knox (Edmonton), LB Maurice Leggett (unsigned), LB Frank Renaud (unsigned), DE Trent Corney (retired)

Practice roster at season's end and now departed: RB Timothy Flanders (unsigned), DE Gerald Rivers (unsigned), OL Qadr Spooner (Edmonton).


3 KEY VETERAN ADDITIONS

#5 Willie Jefferson, DE: The most disruptive defensive force in the entire league joins a Bombers defence that features the league's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in Adam Bighill.

#80 Chris Matthews, WR: A big target for Matt Nichols at 6-5, 230 and is another weapon for the CFL's highest-scoring offence.

#30 Winston Rose, CB: Joins his fourth CFL team after a stint on Toronto's practice roster in 2017, four games with Ottawa in 2017 and then 19 games with B.C. last season, including playoffs, with 18 starts.


KEY CAMP BATTLES

Field corner/boundary corner

The incumbent: left vacant by the exits of Chris Randle (Ottawa) and Kevin Fogg (Toronto).
The challengers: Chris Humes and Winston Rose are the leading candidates to replace, but there is a long list of others who first shone at the free-agent camp in Florida and then in rookie camp, including Joe Este, Christian Boutte, Mike Jones, Marcus Rios, Elijah Battle and Amari Coleman, along with Tyneil Cooper, who dressed for five games last year, making three starts.

Centre

The incumbent: left vacant with the retirement of Matthias Goossen.
The challengers: Michael Couture, Cody Speller, Tui Eli, Matthew Ouellet De Carlo. Couture and Speller are the front runners, having been groomed for the position over the last few years. Eli is a 2019 draft pick who, if he can regain his form from his days at Hawaii, may also eventually become a contender.

Right guard

The incumbent: vacant with the departure of Sukh Chungh (B.C.)
The challengers: Geoff Gray, Drew Desjarlais, Manase Foketi, Ben Koczwara, Matthew Ouellet De Carlo. The Bombers could opt to use three imports up front, with Foketi the leading candidate there, but the collection of Canadians - including Gray, a 2016 first-round pick, and Desjarlais, a 2019 first rounder - gives the club some intriguing options to keep it a homegrown spot.

Safety

The incumbent: vacant after Taylor Loffler left in free agency for Montreal.
The challengers: Derek Jones, Jeff Hecht, Dexter Janke, Abu Conteh, Nick Hallett, Kerfalla Exume, Payton Hall. Most figure this is Jones' job to lose, as the coaches have long raved about his athletic tool box. The veteran Hecht is an interesting option, as he consistently makes plays wherever he lines up on defence.

Weak-side linebacker

The incumbent: this is the old spot of Jovan Santos-Knox, who signed with Edmonton as a free agent this winter.
The challengers: Kyrie Wilson, Nick Temple, Jesse Briggs, Jacob Firlotte. Essentially a two-man race between Wilson and Temple. Wilson has the inside track, having filled in for Santos-Knox when the latter was injured during last year's playoff run.

Kick returner/Punt returner

The incumbents: both Kevin Fogg (Toronto) and Ryan Lankford (Ottawa) left in free agency.
The challengers: Lucky Whitehead, Charles Nelson, Nic Demski, Tyneil Cooper, Tim Wilson. Nelson flashed some skill last year and Demski was second to Fogg in punt-return yardage last year. Whitehead has already made a solid impression through the Florida camp and three days of rookie camp.


https://www.bluebombers.com/2019/05/17/training-camp-preview-2/

[gobombersgo]

Transactions May 18th:

2019-05-18   WPG   SANTIAGO, John      N      Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-18   WPG   MATTHEWS, Chris   WR   I   Kentucky   Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-18   WPG   SUTTON, Frank   OL   I   Louisiana At Monroe (NE)   Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-18   WPG   RICHARDSON, Steven   DL   I   Minnesota   Add To   Active Roster
2019-05-18   WPG   ROLLAND-JONES, Ja'Von   DL   I   Arkansas State   Delete From Active   Free Agent
2019-05-18   WPG   ANDERSON, Kevin   QB   I   Fordham   Delete From Active   Free Agent

* Chris Matthews' signing is official

[gobombersgo]

Darrin Bauming, TSN.  @DarrinBauming
Good on the #Bombers for sending out a handy position chart at the onset of main camp.

Jeff Hamilton   @jeffkhamilton
#Bombers reciever Kenbrell Thompkins has been suspended by the team after multiple attempts to contact him went unanswered this offseason.
#wfp

[Blue In BC]

I wasn't sure Thompkins would be able to retain his roster position in 2019. Not because he was a bad player but because of the amount of new competition coming to TC.

Not reporting I didn't expect though.

If I counted correctly we have 92 players in TC. Obviously many non counters but that's a lot of bodies to look at.

[KINGCHARLES]

I heard early reports that Winston Rose is compared as a young Chris Randle.....

I hope this Kongbo isnt another Corney/Waggoner, you know a guy with huge potetnial but never reaches it.

Drew Desjarlais is sounding like another Chung....where does he fit in? Can he make the roster as a 6th OL. Im projecting Bryant, Neufeld, Couture, Gray, Hardrick as our starting 5.

Simonse wants to prove he can be a star. I saw videos of him doing 40 yard dash sprints in as low as 4.47? for a 6'5 Canadian whos had a taste of NFL pre-season he has lots to prove.

went to rookie camp a few days ago and mostly watched offensive players.... WR Matt Hazel looked good. Nelson and Whitehead are interesting guys battling for 1 spot. Brady O looked good.
When watching one on ones most of the DB's looked like they should get cut.

[Blue In BC]

I heard early reports that Winston Rose is compared as a young Chris Randle.....

I hope this Kongbo isnt another Corney/Waggoner, you know a guy with huge potetnial but never reaches it.

Drew Desjarlais is sounding like another Chung....where does he fit in? Can he make the roster as a 6th OL. Im projecting Bryant, Neufeld, Couture, Gray, Hardrick as our starting 5.

Simonse wants to prove he can be a star. I saw videos of him doing 40 yard dash sprints in as low as 4.47? for a 6'5 Canadian whos had a taste of NFL pre-season he has lots to prove.

went to rookie camp a few days ago and mostly watched offensive players.... WR Matt Hazel looked good. Nelson and Whitehead are interesting guys battling for 1 spot. Brady O looked good.
When watching one on ones most of the DB's looked like they should get cut.

Keep the reports coming if you go to more practices. It's very interesting to hear any updates.

The enthusiasm is high about many imports and Canadians at their 1st TC. There may be some gems being found.

[Blue In BC]

I'm not proposing that Medlock is or should be on any sort of bubble this TC.

However if Ortiz shows well this could be an interesting question.

Medlock has a high salary while Ortiz is exempt from the SMS cap. Eliminating Medlock would potentially free up another DI spot since Ortiz is in his own classification.

With what we've been seeing with the lower than expected increase to the SMS, there may be some tough roster decisions to be made. Winnipeg may be in less hurt than some teams but might still have decisions to be made.

I don't know Medlocks salary but it has to be $100K+ and Ortiz will be zero against the cap.

OTOH Ortiz might start the season as the global player on the roster if he shows something. Perhaps he's a stronger punter or can kickoff deeper and / or better directional.

Again, it's not that Medlock can't do all of these things well but it will be something to watch.

SMS, age and roster flexibility come into play in every decision.

[theaardvark]

I'm not proposing that Medlock is or should be on any sort of bubble this TC.

However if Ortiz shows well this could be an interesting question.

Medlock has a high salary while Ortiz is exempt from the SMS cap. Eliminating Medlock would potentially free up another DI spot since Ortiz is in his own classification.

With what we've been seeing with the lower than expected increase to the SMS, there may be some tough roster decisions to be made. Winnipeg may be in less hurt than some teams but might still have decisions to be made.

I don't know Medlocks salary but it has to be $100K+ and Ortiz will be zero against the cap.

OTOH Ortiz might start the season as the global player on the roster if he shows something. Perhaps he's a stronger punter or can kickoff deeper and / or better directional.

Again, it's not that Medlock can't do all of these things well but it will be something to watch.

SMS, age and roster flexibility come into play in every decision.

Medlock is in no danger of losing his job.  None.  Zero.  But getting a player in the global spot that can take some of the punting duties off his plate... that's be great.