Blue Bombers re-sign LS Mike Benson

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.bluebombers.com/2022/12/15/blue-bombers-extend-contract-of-long-snapper-mike-benson/


Blue Bombers extend contract of long snapper Mike Benson

WINNIPEG, MB., December 15, 2022 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has signed Canadian long-snapper Mike Benson to a two-year contract extension. He was scheduled to become a free agent in February.

Benson (5-11, 220; Acadia University; born: May 13, 1987, in Winnipeg, MB) returns to his hometown Blue Bombers in 2023 for a third season and 10th in the Canadian Football League.

Benson was the club's long-snapper for all 18 regular season games in 2022 as well as the Western Final and 109th Grey Cup.

Benson first joined the Blue Bombers as a free agent in February of 2021 following a career that began in Edmonton in 2013 and then took him to the B.C. Lions, where he played from 2014-18, followed by a stop in Ottawa in 2019. He had signed with Montreal in 2020 but the cancellation of the CFL season that year made him a free agent again the following February.

A product of St. Paul's High School and the Winnipeg Rifles program before he attended Acadia, Benson has now appeared in 121 regular season CFL games, the last 32 with the Blue Bombers. 

[theaardvark]

Another "Will he retire" question answered...

Will there be competition in camp for him?  I would think so.  I'd definitely use a 5th or 6th rounder for a LS... or higher if there is someone that stands out...

[pjrocksmb]

Good signing and lets hope he can train a new guy this year, good idea on drafting someone

[Blue In BC]

He's very good at his position and I don't think he's an expensive contract player. That said I did think that would be a position we might look to go younger. Perhaps a late draft choice that becomes the succession plan on the PR.

In any case it's good to re-sign our Canadian players.

[theaardvark]

He's very good at his position and I don't think he's an expensive contract player. That said I did think that would be a position we might look to go younger. Perhaps a late draft choice that becomes the succession plan on the PR.

In any case it's good to re-sign our Canadian players.

Yes on all facets, the kicking game starts with the LS.  Having the best LS you can makes the rest easier... Benson has done a good job, but can we do better?  No harm in competition.

[Pigskin]

Mike is 35 but is excellent at his position. He is also another another Bomber that hasn't missed a game since joining the team in 2021. Nice to have him on the team for another season.

[TecnoGenius]

Benson has been good in that you don't really notice him.  Not really any mistakes.  However, his FG snaps are sometimes a touch off requiring the holder to adjust (even happened in the GC).

I think Rempel was better, and I found it odd we traded a perfectly-serviceable Rempel for a guy who was just a couple of years younger.  It was like "why?".

So this is like "meh ok".  But the last thing you want is to get some young whippersnapper who starts botching punt snaps with overthrows, etc.  So in that sense, it's a good re-signing.

We always seem to do well at the LS position.  Knock wood.  That other guy we had for a little while seems to be doing well in whatever team he ended up with (don't remember).  And it seems Rempel is now retired(?).

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Benson has been good in that you don't really notice him.  Not really any mistakes.  However, his FG snaps are sometimes a touch off requiring the holder to adjust (even happened in the GC).

I think Rempel was better, and I found it odd we traded a perfectly-serviceable Rempel for a guy who was just a couple of years younger.  It was like "why?".

So this is like "meh ok".  But the last thing you want is to get some young whippersnapper who starts botching punt snaps with overthrows, etc.  So in that sense, it's a good re-signing.

We always seem to do well at the LS position.  Knock wood.  That other guy we had for a little while seems to be doing well in whatever team he ended up with (don't remember).  And it seems Rempel is now retired(?).

Chad Rempel is still snapping for the Elks, at 41 he's now the oldest player in the CFL, he started his career with the Bombers in 2005, in contrast Jake started his in 2012.

[Blue In BC]

Chad Rempel is still snapping for the Elks, at 41 he's now the oldest player in the CFL, he started his career with the Bombers in 2005, in contrast Jake started his in 2012.

No he's not. There was no 2020 season and he last played 8 games for Edmonton in 2021.