Blue Bombers add two receivers to roster

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers add two receivers to roster

WINNIPEG, MB., March 10, 2024 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has signed American receivers Josh Johnson and Jaylen Hall.

Johnson (5-11, 181; Tulsa, born: August 10, 1999, in Little Rock, AR) most recently spent time with Birmingham of the USFL, making two catches for 13 yards in four games, while adding three catches for 61 yards and one touchdown in the playoffs, helping the Stallions win their second USFL Championship. In 2022, Johnson spent most of the season on the Detroit Lions' practice squad.

Johnson split his collegiate career between Iowa State and Tulsa, transferring to Tulsa for the 2019 season. He made 165 catches for 2,108 yards, 13 touchdowns 34 games for the Golden Hurricanes

Hall (6-3, 180; Western Kentucky; born: March 31, 1999, in Macomb, MI) transferred to Western Kentucky for the 2022 season, appearing in 14 games and recording 68 receptions for 869 yards and six touchdowns. Hall previously played at Western Michigan from 2018-2021, totalling 85 catches for 1,532 yards and 14 touchdowns in 43 career games for the Broncos.

[theaardvark]

More TC competition, looking for the next Schoen...  no mention of returner duties... did either do that in college?

[VictorRomano]

I tried to look up highlight reels for these guys.  Johnson had the nickname "sweet feet" in college, and seems to have good speed, good route-running and 1-on-1 skills based on the video I found.  Also makes some good catches in traffic showing his hands and concentration:

https://youtu.be/lJbcNbuyP1Q?si=uO6z2QTQIAnlBOat

Hall seems to be a deep-ball-down-the-sidelines/jump ball in the back corner of the endzone guy from his highlight reel:
https://youtu.be/UCU93zJ_bhs?si=OE2KPrPBtm8mkCYk

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I tried to look up highlight reels for these guys.  Johnson had the nickname "sweet feet" in college, and seems to have good speed, good route-running and 1-on-1 skills based on the video I found.  Also makes some good catches in traffic showing his hands and concentration:

https://youtu.be/lJbcNbuyP1Q?si=uO6z2QTQIAnlBOat

Hall seems to be a deep-ball-down-the-sidelines/jump ball in the back corner of the endzone guy from his highlight reel:
https://youtu.be/UCU93zJ_bhs?si=OE2KPrPBtm8mkCYk

Good luck to these two, so far they've signed 15 Import WR's to compete for one receiver spot, I don't see how that is monetarily efficient from a scouting perspective or in the cost of bringing them all to TC just to be cut. Receivers are now officially listed in the "dime a dozen category" along with RB's and DB's, strange how it has not worked itself through the salary structure, when compared to the top limits placed on DB and RB wages.

Not going to be easy to replace Bailey in the role that he played, and I don't suppose they are expecting to.  Not often you find a hard working muscular receiver willing to enthusiastically take and give punishment the way Bailey did, he elevated the role of blocking receiver into beast mode and took it well beyond the level Darvin Adams ever could.

[Pete]

Good luck to these two, so far they've signed 15 Import WR's to compete for one receiver spot, I don't see how that is monetarily efficient from a scouting perspective or in the cost of bringing them all to TC just to be cut. Receivers are now officially listed in the "dime a dozen category" along with RB's and DB's, strange how it has not worked itself through the salary structure, when compared to the top limits placed on DB and RB wages.

Not going to be easy to replace Bailey in the role that he played, and I don't suppose they are expecting to.  Not often you find a hard working muscular receiver willing to enthusiastically take and give punishment the way Bailey did, he elevated the role of blocking receiver into beast mode and took it well beyond the level Darvin Adams ever could.

Johnson has the tools but so do half the receivers, I agree it seems like a shotgun approach to both the wr and db positions, yet Ol seems light.
I've never gotten why we bring in so many especially with the relatively short period of time to assess them in preseason and only 2 games. I wonder if more than a few don't make it even to main training camp.
(from a monetary standpoint the cfl puts a tight cap on operations yet most teams can bring in 90+ players to camp)

[theaardvark]

Johnson has the tools but so do half the receivers, I agree it seems like a shotgun approach to both the wr and db positions, yet Ol seems light.
I've never gotten why we bring in so many especially with the relatively short period of time to assess them in preseason and only 2 games. I wonder if more than a few don't make it even to main training camp.
(from a monetary standpoint the cfl puts a tight cap on operations yet most teams can bring in 90+ players to camp)

OL is covered, all positions +1 are under contract.  Depth comes during/after the Draft.

66   Bryant, Stanley   OL   A   6'5   319   37   East Carolina
64   Dobson, Liam   OL   N   6'2   315   26   Texas State
65   Eli, Asotui   OL   N   6'4      28   Hawai'i
57   Ivy, Chris   OL   A   6'2   286   26   University of Tulsa
67   Kolankowski, Chris   OL   N   6'1   309   32   York
   Lofton, Eric   OL   A   6'4   293   31   Temple
53   Neufeld, Patrick   OL   N   6'6   311   35   Saskatchewan
   Randolph, Kendall   OL   A   6'4   300   25   Alabama
        Vanterpool, Micah   OL   A   6'6   315   0   Hawaii

Bryant, Dobson/Eli, Kolankowski, Neufeld, Lofton.  Sixth Dobson/Eli.  Competing for RT with Lofton, Randolph /Vanterpool.

Oline looks fine, especially adding in draft picks.

[Pete]

like i said we only have three competing for rt vs 16 competing for 1 wr position (2 of the rt's which we have already released in prior seasons) And they just signed another wr Isiah Coulter

[Blue In BC]

Good luck to these two, so far they've signed 15 Import WR's to compete for one receiver spot, I don't see how that is monetarily efficient from a scouting perspective or in the cost of bringing them all to TC just to be cut. Receivers are now officially listed in the "dime a dozen category" along with RB's and DB's, strange how it has not worked itself through the salary structure, when compared to the top limits placed on DB and RB wages.

Not going to be easy to replace Bailey in the role that he played, and I don't suppose they are expecting to.  Not often you find a hard working muscular receiver willing to enthusiastically take and give punishment the way Bailey did, he elevated the role of blocking receiver into beast mode and took it well beyond the level Darvin Adams ever could.

You have to have a bunch of receivers and DB's in order to run drills for several QB's. How many roster spots you need to fill is irrelevant to some degree.

Some will be released before TC and others will be signed.  Some will get injured in TC and others will fill out the PR.

This is nothing new for any football league setting up to run a TC.

[GOLDMEMBER]

With Sheed gone and Grant may be gone we have roster spots to fill so bring em on.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

like i said we only have three competing for rt vs 16 competing for 1 wr position (2 of the rt's which we have already released in prior seasons) And they just signed another wr Isiah Coulter

Similar situation finding Jeffcoat's replacement, 5 DE's competing for one job.  3 of which were around last season and didn't blow any doors off, they might turn out to be good rotational pieces but not the main man.  What Jeffcoat brought is going to be difficult to replace.

Fayad, Ali
Garbutt, TyJuan
Givhan, Nate
Haba, Celestin
Lewis, Jordan

[Pigskin]

Cruickshank is very quick and has return punts and kickoffs. Will be interesting to see this kid in TC.

[Blueforlife]

Nice to have so many faces in camp.  Helps with practice as mentioned and also great when guys get hurt or for call backs for PR mid season as needed.