Rookie Camp Notes and Discussion

[ModAdmin]

With Rookie Camp beginning on May 8th, we encourage fans to visit the practices and share their views and comments here.

To start us off, here is Ed Tait giving some insight from Kyle Walters on what the Bombers are looking for...

"I do anticipate a real competitive training camp at every position across the board with these Canadians fighting."

They found future potential starters, filled positional depth needs and took a flier on a man mountain heading first to the National Football League.

And by the time Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters & Co. pushed away from their Canadian Football League Draft table late Tuesday night, they were more than satisfied with the day's work – and the hours upon hours in the days, weeks and months leading up to adding 10 more homegrown prospects and two Global players.

Bottom line: when rookie camp opens May 8th – with the veterans on the field on May 12th – the fight for work on a squad that has won more games than any other team in the league over the last four seasons is going to provide for some compelling drama every single day.

"As I'm looking at this, it looks much better today than it did yesterday (before the draft) from all the guys we added and the depth," said Walters in an address to the media Wednesday. "I do anticipate a real competitive training camp at every position across the board with these Canadians fighting...."

Kyle Walters' interview can be seen here!

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/05/02/i-do-anticipate-a-real-competitive-training-camp-at-every-position-across-the-board-with-these-canadians-fighting/

Rookie Training Camp Schedule is here!

[Blue In BC]

I'm not sure how many non counters we had in the group of 100 players, pre-draft. We'll see if a few choose to not report and ( fall to the retired list ). Just a general count statement that we'll have about 10 - 15 of that group released by May 11 when roster is reduced to 85 non counters.

Then another 10 released on May 14 th as TC opens. That's a fair number of bodies that won't have more than a cup of coffee before leaving.

We'll we see any last minute additions from mini camps?

EDIT: Anthony Blue released today.

[ModAdmin]

Rookie Training Camp is officially open with all practices held at Princess Auto Stadium.

If you plan to attend practices, please post your news and views here.

[theaardvark]

See a new kid, 85, added in... anyone got eyes on him yet?

[LXTSN]

Training Camp Roster
Nice to see Evan Holm on the roster! I was a little nervous that he wouldn't be back!

[Blue In BC]

Anyone actually attend practice today?

[Blue In BC]

What's this about?

2024-05-08   WPG   OLIVEIRA, Brady   RB   N   North Dakota   TRF TO INJURED VETERAN   Injured Veteran
2024-05-08   WPG   DEMSKI, Nic   WR   N   Manitoba   TRF TO INJURED VETERAN   Injured Veteran

[ModAdmin]

Quick Hits | Rookie Camp – Day 1

Notes and quotes from Day 1 of Blue Bombers rookie camp...

MILT, MILT AND MORE MILT: AK Gassama strode into the Blue Bombers locker room Wednesday morning and there camped out beside him was a 54-year-old legend and the Canadian Football League's all-time touchdown leader, Milt Stegall. Both of them, interestinly enough, were readying for the first day of rookie camp.

"It was crazy," said the Blue Bombers sixth-round draft pick, a Winnipegger and All-Canadian at the University of Manitoba. "I walked in and he was right beside me in the locker room. I told him, 'I was like eight years old when I was watching you. This is crazy.' He asked me how I was feeling and I said, 'I'm a bit nervous.' He told me it was Ok to be nervous because it means you care.

"It was pretty awesome to see his commitment to what he said and his words. To come out here and do another training camp... I hope that one day I get the opportunity to do that because that's pretty cool."

A full story on Stegall's day will be posted separately later, but his presence created a buzz at Princess Auto Stadium, both on and off the field.

"He looked good out here, didn't he?," said quarterback Zach Collaros with a grin. "The most impressive thing to me was he learned all the plays in about one meeting's time. But the shuttles (running lines while being timed)... I think he was Top 5 as a 54-year-old, that's just wild. Unbelievable shape and his willingness to do it was impressive, too. It was cool to watch him out there running around.

"His footwork is still there. I'm sure he's not as fast as he once was although, again, he was pretty impressive in those 300-yard shuttles. Obviously he's a very coordinated individual, he's fast, he can think the game. We were talking a little bit about him and Khari (Jones, Stegall's long-time Blue Bomber teammate and quarterback) and how they use to see it whether it was a run or a pass play and taking advantage of some of the things that defences would do to them and how it would create a lot of explosives for them. It was really cool to be out there with him."

Stegall sat in on the meetings before practice and did spend time talking to new receivers during the session, along with vets like Collaros, Kenny Lawler and Willie Jefferson. It was a one-time deal, with Stegall leaving after the practice, but it did make for an interesting Day 1 show.

"He introduced himself (to the team) and I don't know if some guys understood the length of time between his last training camp to now — I'm sure some guys didn't process that," said head coach Mike O'Shea. "On a personal level, I mean, I played against Milt and I'm sure he got the better of us most times. When it's all said and done, watching him out there is pretty inspirational. We're basically the same age. I couldn't do that before and I certainly can't do that now. Pretty cool.

"Throughout his career and throughout his life it just seems like he's done it right and made good decisions. He had great priority. Again, you don't get that kind of production and longevity without really prioritizing what's important and sticking to it and being that dedicated and relentless in your pursuit of excellence — all those things are important. I don't know if guys can get that from him in one brief chat. maybe some guys Googled him up to see what he's all about."

WEIGHING IN: O'Shea was asked after practice Wednesday about the nine-game suspension levied against Toronto Argonauts QB Chad Kelly. He said he would not comment on the length of suspension because 'that's not in my wheelhouse.'

"But I do feel very strongly that the women that work in our league deserve a safe workplace and deserve to be respected — everybody deserves to be respected and have a safe workplace," he said. "The women in our league, and there's a lot of them, really deserve to feel safe coming to work every day. That kind of question should be posed to the women in our organization to see if they do feel safe and respected in this workplace — I believe they do, but far be it for me to answer that. They certainly deserve our support and I know organizationally we make good decisions."

TAKE A BOW: There were rave reviews for the new turf at Princess Auto Stadium. The infill still needs to settle, but initially the Blue Bombers were scheduled to practice on the field beside the Winnipeg Soccer Federation South and so being able to step outside of their locker room onto their home turf got two huge thumbs up from everyone.

"Its soft, which is good for me," said Collaros. "I don't about for the receivers and defensive backs — they're going to have to get used to getting in and out of cuts — but it's a beautiful field."

"I'm sure it will get talked about inside these walls for a little bit and I'm sure everybody will be thanking Wade (Miller, President & CEO) and the staff, Lynda (McCausland, Field Operations Manager) and her staff... they worked tirelessly to get it ready. They worked through the night and had everybody out there painting last night just to get it done so we could get out there today. It makes a huge difference."

QUOTABLE: "It's super surreal. I was talking to my dad the other day... I remember doing youth programs and I played for the Fort Garry Lions and my dad won a pair of Bombers tickets. That was the hugest thing. I remember going and sitting in the stands, Michael Bishop was playing quarterback, and just seeing the blue and gold. And that was at Polo Park. It's pretty surreal to get the full-circle moment. And then I played college ball and on this field the past couple of years and (the Blue Bombers) are right there, so to get this opportunity is absolutely amazing." — Gassama.

YI: The Bombers announced the signing of eight more players prior to practice, including 2024 CFL Global Draft picks Fabian Weits and Lucky Ogbevoen, linebackers Tre Thomas, John Petrishen Dylan Moses, defensive backs Bill Hacket and CJ Siegel and offensive lineman Chidi Okeke... O'Shea on Kevens Clercius — the club's first pick, 13th overall — in last week's CFL Draft: "Big, tough, willing. He's a good fit in that regared in terms of some of those attributes. I don't know if you're not going to find too many guys that don't fit that mold. Our scouting department does a fantastic job — Ted, Danny, Cyrill do a fantastic job of bringing guys in that fit. They don't spend a lot of time on guys that aren't going to be able to answer those quesions about in a positive way."... RB Michael Chris-Ike, drafted 14th overall last week, attended New York Jets rookie camp last week and is off to the New Orleans Saints rookie camp this weekend... Nine different players took turns returning punts on Wednesday in the fight to replace Janarion Grant — running backs Chris Smith and Ronnie Brown and receivers Kody Case, K.J. Hill, Ronnie Blackmon, Peter Afful, Aron Cruickshank and Myron Mitchell and

NEXT: Day 2 of rookie camp goes Thursday from 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at Princess Auto Stadium.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

What's this about?

2024-05-08   WPG   OLIVEIRA, Brady   RB   N   North Dakota   TRF TO INJURED VETERAN   Injured Veteran
2024-05-08   WPG   DEMSKI, Nic   WR   N   Manitoba   TRF TO INJURED VETERAN   Injured Veteran

...One would assume simple roster shuffling to fit everyone in?

How would anyone here know any different at this point?

[TecnoGenius]

...One would assume simple roster shuffling to fit everyone in?

Ya, or could be "these vets don't need to practice" type of thing we do all the time.  I wouldn't get too excited about it.  If they got achilles or something I'm sure it'd be front-page news.

[LXTSN]

Man I'm really itching to read some reports on some of the rookies!  Did anyone make it out to rookie camp?

[Blue In BC]

...One would assume simple roster shuffling to fit everyone in?

How would anyone here know any different at this point?

It's rookie camp. They don't need to be there in any case. Number of players on the roster doesn't matter until cut down at the beginning of main camp ( down to 85 ).

By my count we have 105 players on the roster excluding the 2024 draftees. Of that 8 on the posted roster are non counters. Note that all the 2024 drafted players aren't listed on the posted roster yet. The 2 global players are shown.

That leaves 97 counters of which 12 will be in excess on May 11.

[gobombersgo]

Non counters also include Nationals that went back to school last year and undrafted Nationals.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It's rookie camp. They don't need to be there in any case. Number of players on the roster doesn't matter until cut down at the beginning of main camp ( down to 85 ).

By my count we have 105 players on the roster excluding the 2024 draftees. Of that 8 on the posted roster are non counters. Note that all the 2024 drafted players aren't listed on the posted roster yet. The 2 global players are shown.

That leaves 97 counters of which 12 will be in excess on May 11.

...Mini camp is over Friday. You plan your main camp strategy before Saturday at 11:59 pm.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Training Camp Roster
Nice to see Evan Holm on the roster! I was a little nervous that he wouldn't be back!

Thats a huge relief....I was sure he was gone after his outstanding first season with the Blue and Gold!