Main Training Camp Comments and Discussion

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Yeah I think I knew that. Essentially I was just thinking we already had 6 rookie import receivers before releasing Turner.  Harrison is a known player.  Agudosi and McCrae are still here from 2022.  Even making the PR won't be easy for too many receivers.

Burtenshaw's injury is unfortunate. I know they've had Damian Jackson playing FB and LS but he's an import which won't make putting him on the AR roster all that easy. Didn't notice whether he got any snaps on defence during the game and / or in TC.

Mike Miller gets some reps at FB but we need a younger player to take the actual role as a FB.  Burtenshaw had a decent chance of making the AR almost in default.

Is there a Plan C?

Damian Jackson got some reps. on the D-line, it will be difficult to find a spot to keep him, but he has the tools and with a year of schooling on the PR, he might become a Hansen clone.

[Blue In BC]

Damian Jackson got some reps. on the D-line, it will be difficult to find a spot to keep him, but he has the tools and with a year of schooling on the PR, he might become a Hansen clone.

Except he'd have to fill a DI spot not a global spot. I'd say it's easier to make a fit for a global than an import.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Except he'd have to fill a DI spot not a global spot. I'd say it's easier to make a fit for a global than an import.

His designation doesn't matter if he spends the year on the PR.  Question is if he is worth the investment, and whether he will be content with that arrangement.  Being a significantly older guy, he may have other plans.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Except he'd have to fill a DI spot not a global spot. I'd say it's easier to make a fit for a global than an import.

Of course it's easy to roster a Global. Or a Canadian. The problem is there are no great Global or Canadian pass rushers out there. Certainly not on our roster. Hansen has 4 sacks in 42 games. Or 3 sacks in 24 games including zero in 10 games last year. The Americans shoulder much of the load as always. Obviously it would be great to have a sensational global DE. Quite literally, none exist.

[DM83]

I like  guys who sacrifice their own body making a "play making" block to spring our QB.  That's what football is all about.  Doing your assignment, the block, actually he saw the LBs were sealed and he went down field, which is above the call of duty.  That was a great play  Therefore I hope he makes the team, somehow.

[Pigskin]

Delince has a 4.32/40. That is very quick. 5'9"/160 is a little on the lean side.

[Blue In BC]

I like  guys who sacrifice their own body making a "play making" block to spring our QB.  That's what football is all about.  Doing your assignment, the block, actually he saw the LBs were sealed and he went down field, which is above the call of duty.  That was a great play  Therefore I hope he makes the team, somehow.

I think the coaches like him and think he's kept around on the PR. The catch 22 is that he's an older player and PR money may not work for him. If he is married and / or kids, then he needs to be earning a solid living.

If it wasn't for ratio limitations he'd probably make the roster.

I listened to O'Shea's daily report but there was nothing about walking wounded. We had one report that Jefferson participated in practice today, but an update on the others would be helpful.

BTW, was exactly is Hansen's injury?

[theaardvark]

Delince has a 4.32/40. That is very quick. 5'9"/160 is a little on the lean side.

A bit hefty compared to Speedy B...

That's fast, is he quick?  Will be interesting to see him on a live punt/kick return...

[Blue In BC]

Here's a TC update on the walking wounded. I'd take that to suggest that Oliveria is back at practice. However reason for concern increases with Bighill, Darby, Lawrence, Rose and O'Leary-Orange not practising. Now even Sterling didn't practice?? Tomorrow is the last practice before the walk through this week.

On the positive side, there are still 10 days before our 1st regular season game.

FYI: Returning to practice on Tuesday was DE Jackson Jeffcoat. Not practising were: LB Adam Bighill, CBs Desmond Lawrence and Winston Rose, OL Tui Eli, FB Konner Burtenshaw, LB Jesse Briggs, DB Alden Darby, Jr., WR Brendan O?Leary-Orange, DE Aaron Sterling and RB/WR Greg McCrae? QB Tyler Pigrome had the ball sail over his head on a botched snap on his first snap in Edmonton and then converted a second-and-27 with a 34-yard strike to Jeremy Murphy.

[ModAdmin]

Ed Tait
@EdTaitWFC
41m
RB Brady Oliveira also back working with the @bluebombers
this morning.

[Pigskin]

Glad to hear BO20 is back. Had a slow start last season. Like to see BO20 start the season off with a big season opener.

[Blue In BC]

Ed Tait
@EdTaitWFC
41m
RB Brady Oliveira also back working with the @bluebombers
this morning.

Darby, O'Leary-Orange and Sterling all played on the weekend. Didn't notice any injuries at the time. Did they get some minor nicks or are they just giving maximum reps to those going to play this week? Our expectation is that all 3 of that group have already made the team.

The real question is what is the deal with Bighill, Lawrence and Rose?  There have been comments from posters ( including me ) thinking Lawrence and Rose might be beat out as starters in the secondary. While that may have validity, that doesn't mean one or both of them might not be a DI or on 1 game IR even if they aren't starting.

The best I can comment about Bighill is that he doesn't need to practice and they are just giving rookies a chance to play and win either a DI pr PR spot. That and just workload management for an older player that has a very physical role on defence. IE: we don't need to beat him up with daily practice reps. In effect he's probably helping to coach some of the rookies.

Briggs and McCrae fall into somewhat of a 3rd group. I won't be surprised if both make the roster in some capacity although McCrae would end up on the PR at best. OTOH, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if neither makes the team in 2023. Not to say either are bad players but succession and continuing roles for either are not guaranteed.

Our secondary is going to be very good regardless of who starts etc.

The only immediate question is about Bighill. As I mentioned before, he hasn't been placed on 1 or 6 game IR, so that's an optimistic view all is ok.

[ModAdmin]

Quick Hits | Training Camp - Day 17

Notes and quotes from Day 17 of Blue Bombers training camp...

JUST RIGHT: Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea indicated after practice Tuesday that QB Zach Collaros will not play in the preseason finale this Friday at home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. That should leave the work to be shared among Dru Brown, Tyler Pigrome and Josh Jones.

Collaros played all of the first quarter and the first series of the second in last Saturday's 25-23 win over the Edmonton Elks, leading two scoring drives and completing 5-of-8 passes for 93 yards, including a 67-yard TD strike to Kenny Lawler. His offensive snaps totalled 13.

"I think throughout my career it's kind of been a mixed bag," said Collaros after practice Tuesday. "There's been some years I haven't played at all; there's been some years I played one, some years I've played both. So, if I'm going to be out there... we had two or three two-and-outs. I asked to be out there for another drive in the second quarter and Osh (head coach Mike O'Shea) and Buck (Pierce, offensive coordinator) allowed it. It's good. It's good to get out there and throw the ball around."

The Blue Bombers brought a lot of veterans to Edmonton and have this week as their final preparation before June 9th and the season opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at IG Field.

"It's the same thing we talk about every year with Zach: we think we have a plan," said O'Shea. "Then we work the plan with him, ask him what he thinks he needs. Couple that with what Buck thinks and what I think and come up with an answer. And that's the answer."

Collaros said the work he got against Edmonton and the pace with which the club practises will be enough to have him ready for the Ticats in Week 1.

"Again, once we start game-planning and getting into that week, you feel good from a preparation standpoint and things like that," he said. "We've had a lot of reps in practice so far. Obviously getting into a game you can't really replace those live reps. But we practise at a pretty high level out here - you guys know that - so we'll be ready when the time comes."

REKINDLING THE OLD MAGIC: Kenny Lawler was the Blue Bombers leading receiver in both 2019 and 2021, before departing in free agency to Edmonton last season. And now that he's back, he adds another threat to an already stellar receiving corps.

"He's just a great receiver, not only his physical gifts just from being fast and being able to catch the football and high point it, but he has great body language, and he understands what we're asking him to do on each and every route," said Collaros of Lawler. "He's a great communicator with how he wants to run that route depending on the leverage of the defender, the depth of the defender and all those things.

"He's just a great teammate. Again, in our system, too, you've got to get in there and fight and block and he's never been afraid to do that."

FYI: Returning to practice on Tuesday was DE Jackson Jeffcoat. Not practising were: LB Adam Bighill, CBs Desmond Lawrence and Winston Rose, OL Tui Eli, FB Konner Burtenshaw, LB Jesse Briggs, DB Alden Darby, Jr., WR Brendan O'Leary-Orange, DE Aaron Sterling and RB/WR Greg McCrae... QB Tyler Pigrome had the ball sail over his head on a botched snap on his first snap in Edmonton and then converted a second-and-27 with a 34-yard strike to Jeremy Murphy.

"It's always tough when something doesn't go your way on the first snap you're out there,? said Collaros. "But I thought (Pigrome) was very composed and poised and I think guys in the huddle felt that as well. To go out there and move the chains on second-and-27 isn't something that you see very often. He did a good job there; Murph did a great job... I think the play call was a little screwed up, so there was a little bit of freelancing there, but he was able to move the chains and stay on the field. That's the name of the game - being able to call more plays and we were able to get a nice run play there; Damian came around and did a great job selling the block on the end and getting up the field and blocking for Pig and he did the rest. He's a great athlete. He's just a good guy, nice guy. Everybody's a little different on the field, but like I said, it's always important for the quarterback to have a sense of composure about themselves. The guys in the huddle feed off that and he did that really well."

O'Shea on what he's seen from Murphy: "Yeah, he's smart. He picks it up very quickly. Very smart. He's made some good tough catches, too. He'll continue to grow and he picks up a lot of stuff very quickly. Woli (Drew Wolitarsky) is one of those guys that if you?re around Woli or playing behind him, you can't help but just be really taken by how smart he is, how he's always doing the right thing and how he's always working so well for the quarterback. There's so much trust between quarterbacks and Woli, not just Zach, but anybody, Woli would immediately be the guy. So, being around Woli like that would be a great opportunity for a young guy."

COMINGS/GOINGS: The Blue Bombers added three players today in new DE Celestin Haba while bringing back WR Tavaris Harrison and DB Karon Delince, while moving OL Tui Eli to the one-game injured list and FB Konner Burtenshaw to the six-game injured list.....

https://www.bluebombers.com/2023/05/30/quick-hits-training-camp-day-17/

[Pigskin]

 BO20 was back on the field today, but wasn't doing that much. A light work out at best?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

BO20 was back on the field today, but wasn't doing that much. A light work out at best?

It's a long season at a physically demanding position and he has already made the team.