Main Training Camp News and Observations

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Some footage of OL/DL in one on one action.

https://twitter.com/Wpg_BlueBombers/status/1789845433558208654

As far as I can figure in order of matchups.

#91 Jamal Woods vs. #64 Dobson

#57 Kyle Samson vs. #58 Huge Wallace

#92 Rivers??? vs. #58 Ivy

#5 Willie vs. #60 Keith Khalil

#96 Schmeck with the spin move vs. #67 Kola

#57 Jamal Woods vs. #57 Vlahogiannis

#90 Fox destroying #67 Kola

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

BLUE BOMBERS TRANSACTIONS MAY 15

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions:

Released from roster:
Canadian Linebacker Jared Beeksma
American receiver Ravi Alston
American running back Ronnie Brown
American defensive lineman John Waggoner
American defensive back Raleigh Texada
American defensive back CJ Siegel

Easy come, easy go, hardly got to know ya.

[theaardvark]

Some of these may end up on the PR, although most PR spots come from the final cuts, I think some of our final cuts might find interest from other teams.

Beeksma and Alston being early cuts after PR/AR time last year says to me that they got outplayed by rookies pretty solidly.  Not great for them, but give fans high hopes that we are improving.

[Blue In BC]

There are only 5 players from last year's PR still on the roster: Haba, Garbutt, Fox, McGhee and Schmekel. Those imports are probably still the leading candidates to make the AR.

That said, the real battles start today with the reduced roster. Nobody can afford any injury to allow others to get more reps and move ahead in the depth chart.

I only see Rivers as the only import DE rookie. D'Abreau, Ellis and Woods as imports at DT. A few Canadian rookie in the battles as well.

What we do with our DI's may allow room for an extra DL and a couple of players will be PR's.

Hard to tell if a 2023 PR guy that doesn't make the AR, is willing to go back to PR.

So lots of things in play here.

OTOH, McGhee may be the leading candidate at the moment but there are 10 rookie imports looking to win that spot. Also a few extra Canadians and Ford might win the starting role. There may or may not be room for a DB as a DI.

[gobombersgo]

Some of these may end up on the PR, although most PR spots come from the final cuts, I think some of our final cuts might find interest from other teams.

Beeksma and Alston being early cuts after PR/AR time last year says to me that they got outplayed by rookies pretty solidly.  Not great for them, but give fans high hopes that we are improving.

It's too early into camp.

There is zero chance any of these guys end up on the practice roster.

[theaardvark]

There are only 5 players from last year's PR still on the roster: Haba, Garbutt, Fox, McGhee and Schmekel. Those imports are probably still the leading candidates to make the AR.

That said, the real battles start today with the reduced roster. Nobody can afford any injury to allow others to get more reps and move ahead in the depth chart.

I only see Rivers as the only import DE rookie. D'Abreau, Ellis and Woods as imports at DT. A few Canadian rookie in the battles as well.

What we do with our DI's may allow room for an extra DL and a couple of players will be PR's.

Hard to tell if a 2023 PR guy that doesn't make the AR, is willing to go back to PR.

So lots of things in play here.

OTOH, McGhee may be the leading candidate at the moment but there are 10 rookie imports looking to win that spot. Also a few extra Canadians and Ford might win the starting role. There may or may not be room for a DB as a DI.

You have to wonder... on Survivor, they seem to focus on players that are about to be voted out a lot of the time.  They've done pieces on Haba and McGhee, and have talked about Schmekel as part of a all Nat DT rotation.  For these former PR members, the AR looks like a possibility.

Anyone putting together a "way too early" depth chart?

[Pigskin]

Another cool day at Bomber practice. Seems to be lots of construction going on at the Stadium. The new turf looks very nice, the old tuff is in the parking lot cut into 4' x 4' piece. Working on getting a couple of pieces.

DL: Fox is a big man with a nasty side to him. Really like his motor. I think he will replace Walker nicely. Thomas, Schmekel, Lawson, Samson. Thomas is the smallest of these four, and the oldest at 33. So far, Samson has looked very good. 

RB: Chris-Ike definitely has some speed. Seems also to have good hands.

DB: McDougall, tall kid that gets to the ball quickly. Noah might be looking over his shoulder.

QB: Strev17 showing his speed on one running play. I think Haba was a little surprised. Strev17 might be a little quicker this season. Bison QB Tachinski has all the tools. 6'4" 225, he can run and throws a very nice ball.

Little surprised that Alston was cut so soon. He has worked mostly with the #1 offence most of camp.

WR: Case continues to impressive. The kid catches everything, and is pretty quick. Reminds me of Weston Dressler, just a little bigger. 

LB: AB4s lower body looks a lot heavier.

[gobombersgo]

The Bombers never explained earlier today why they only announced 6 cuts when 10 players had to be removed from the roster.

Now we know the other 4 moves that were made.

The CFL transactions page has Parker, Bighill and Noah Hallett moved to the 6 game injured list and Neufeld was moved to the retired list.

Hopefully Neufeld isnt actually retiring.

[Pigskin]

Didn't Neufled come late to camp last season?

[Blue In BC]

The Bombers never explained earlier today why they only announced 6 cuts when 10 players had to be removed from the roster.

Now we know the other 4 moves that were made.

The CFL transactions page has Parker, Bighill and Noah Hallett moved to the 6 game injured list and Neufeld was moved to the retired list.

Hopefully Neufeld isnt actually retiring.

Well that's not good. 2 key starters gone to 6 game IR. In theory they could come off early or be gone for the year.

Now we need 3 new starters on the OL although Eli and Dobson probably fill 2 of those.

Noah Hallett must be snake bit and I'd think will never suit up again. I suppose that clears room for someone like Kelly or MacDougall?

On defence there will be 2 new starters on the DL, both CB's and our MLB.

Gives us some SMS relief I suppose but no where to spend it at the moment?

Anyone have details on what and when something happened to these players?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Well that's not good. 2 key starters gone to 6 game IR. In theory they could come off early or be gone for the year.

Now we need 3 new starters on the OL although Eli and Dobson probably fill 2 of those.

Noah Hallett must be snake bit and I'd think will never suit up again. I suppose that clears room for someone like Kelly or MacDougall?

On defence there will be 2 new starters on the DL, both CB's and our MLB.

Gives us some SMS relief I suppose but no where to spend it at the moment?

Anyone have details on what and when something happened to these players?

Likely just more maneuvering of the roster to delay making cuts, I wouldn't make anything out of it. Strange they put Neufeld on the retirement list and not the suspended list.  Guaranteed, none of this will ever be explained.

[Blue In BC]

Likely just more maneuvering of the roster to delay making cuts, I wouldn't make anything out of it. Strange they put Neufeld on the retirement list and not the suspended list.  Guaranteed, none of this will ever be explained.

I've noticed other teams placing players on the 1 game IR. That keeps them on the roster and they get paid.

Putting someone on the 6 game is more of an issue since we can only take 1 off each 1/2 of the season IIRC.

Neufeld on retired or suspended means no pay check. I don't know if he showed up for TC and decided he's done.

However they could have put him on the 1 game IR to continue being paid. That's if he showed up and plans to play in 2024.

At this point I'd think he didn't show up but that's only a guess.  I'd like to think the team knew what his plans were and this didn't just come up?

We need someone that was at practice that could fill us in. Like stretchered off the field for example.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I wouldn't worry at all about players going on the 6-game at this point. You can take an unlimited number of players off at any time and you just have to take the SMS hit, which is zero until after week one.

All of those guys could be in the lineup in the season opener and unless we hear of actual major injuries I would assume they'll all play.

We would have had reports already if all of those guys were seriously injured today. Consider the context. 6 cuts and 4 roster moves at the exact moment we needed to trim 10.  We can follow the logic, no?

[Blue In BC]

I wouldn't worry at all about players going on the 6-game at this point. You can take an unlimited number of players off at any time and you just have to take the SMS hit, which is zero until after week one.

All of those guys could be in the lineup in the season opener and unless we hear of actual major injuries I would assume they'll all play.

We would have had reports already if all of those guys were seriously injured today. Consider the context. 6 cuts and 4 roster moves at the exact moment we needed to trim 10.  We can follow the logic, no?

You make a good argument, so I hope that is the case. Bighill and Parker don't need to practice. Not sure about the deal with Hallett.  We have some other Canadian DB's fighting for spots and he wasn't exactly a lock for a spot on the AR.

I might be wrong about teams placing others on 1 game IR. Perhaps this is something new in the use of 6 game IR in TC.  We did move Demski and Oliveria to " injured veteran " earlier, so th3se definitions are a little confusing in TC.

Neufeld is another story and it's not clear whether he showed up for TC. If not they probably can't put him on the IR, so it's retire / suspension and no pay check. The pay check is only the TC daily stipend and not game checks.

It is hard to believe that Bighill could have sustained a serious injury and no info.

[Jesse]

I wouldn't worry at all about players going on the 6-game at this point. You can take an unlimited number of players off at any time and you just have to take the SMS hit, which is zero until after week one.

All of those guys could be in the lineup in the season opener and unless we hear of actual major injuries I would assume they'll all play.

We would have had reports already if all of those guys were seriously injured today. Consider the context. 6 cuts and 4 roster moves at the exact moment we needed to trim 10.  We can follow the logic, no?

The guys who were 6-gamed are ineligible to return for week 1 (according to Derek Taylor). So these are real injuries.

Neufeld was confirmed as just a roster move.