2026 Main Training Camp - News & Views

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It's just training camp. Kramdi was also tried at safety last year and it was largely not great. Wouldn't read too much into it other than it's good to get your Canadians experience at other positions for in game injuries and such. We already know he can play sam.

[Blue In BC]

It's just training camp. Kramdi was also tried at safety last year and it was largely not great. Wouldn't read too much into it other than it's good to get your Canadians experience at other positions for in game injuries and such. We already know he can play sam.

Again, it's the timing of when he gets reps against the fact Allen has limited experience starting in only 10 games.

[Blue In BC]

Day 2. Who stands out early today? Put another way, which new players are seeing the most reps at CB, LG and DE. Those are the real battles with lots of players fighting to win a role.

Anything new on Santos-Knox?

[Jesse]

Derek Taylor🏈
@DTonOB

Early day 2 of Bombers camp: I don't see Jovan Santos-Knox. He went down during some running yesterday and had to be helped off the field   

1st team defense continuing with Redha Kramdi at safety and Michael Griffin at Dime. A change from last season when Kramdi was the Dime and Griffin as the 7th DB.

DB Robert Javier is not participating this morning. On the side in uniform but no helmet.

Great catch in 12 on 12 by Ontaria Wilson. Underthrown and the DB couldn't judge it properly because of the throw...Wilson leapt over the DB and high-pointed it.

Bombers continue with Jonathan Moxey and Alijah McGhee as the corners with the first team.

Coach O'Shea just collected the full team together...sounded like to express some  dissatisfaction with pre-snap penalties in the 12-on-12 period.

Gavin Cobb is with the 1st group of receivers.

Terry Wilson intercepted by Jaylen Smith and retuned for a score. Nice hands from Smith.

Good to see Ethan Ball with the 2nd group of DBs through 2 days. The 2nd-year man appears to be the dime with Cam Allen at safety.

Punt team work...there's a big hole to fill with the team not bringing Shayne Gauthier back. Matthew Peterson is in that role today.

Collaros to Pokey Wilson for the 50-yard TD against the 1st team D.

[Blue In BC]

McGhee was in Ottawa for 3 years but only played 19 games. That gives him an early edge with familiarity with the CFL.

Lamont also with Ottawa for 3 years but played in 40 games. IIRC he was more of an inside DB?

Javier was listed as one of the newbies to watch in the early prognosis. Hopefully he's ok for tomorrow to compete.

Santos-Knox: that's not good. OTOH if it's not serious he can catch up quickly enough with his vast experience.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Zach to Demski, looking good!

[theaardvark]

Dline waxing the Oline in 300's should be a given (had to look up what 300's were, they are a 12x25yard shuttle drill).

Want to know how DD73 fared in those...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Zach going deep to Pokey.

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers Training Camp | Day 2

Ed Tait
@EdTaitWFC

They called him 'Touchdown Tommy' at his last stop as a member of the arch-rival Saskatchewan Roughriders and, let's face it, as receiver handles go that easily ranks in anyone's Top 3.

And then follow that up with this quick and succinct scouting report on Tommy Nield from Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea after two days of training camp:

"It seems like all that kid has done is win. He's a good football player. Smart, right coming out from university. Highly intelligent. Skilled, athletic, big receiver."

The Blue Bombers made some mammoth signings in Canadian Football League free agency this winter with the addition of offensive tackle Jarell Broxton and defensive lineman Jake Ceresna to bolster both sides of the line of scrimmage, prolific receiver Tim White, along with veteran cornerback Jonathan Moxey in addressing a positional need.

The addition of Nield didn't quite receive the same fanfare league wide, but is critical for an offence needing more punch, giving the team more flexibility with the ratio and just adding another target that truly seems like he has more to give.

Nield, a product of McMaster University, already had a juicy CFL resumé before even arriving in Winnipeg. The 6-2, 212-pounder posted career best numbers in 13 games with the Roughriders last year with 42 catches for 535 yards and five touchdowns before scoring the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the Western Final and then adding three catches for 46 yards in Saskatchewan's Grey Cup win over Montreal.

There's also this: he already has three Grey Cup rings with wins in 2022 and 2024 as a member of the Toronto Argonauts and last November with the Riders.

Oh, and he just turned 27 last month.

Asked whether he has been flashing his Grey Cup jewelry — remember, the wins in '22 and '24 came against many of the men he now shares a locker room with — Nield grinned and then deftly handled as if he had just pulled in a second-down conversion catch at the sidelines inside the final minute.

"I mean, I'm not bringing it up," he said. "If I get asked about it I'll talk about it. I'm trying to put those seasons behind me and just focus on this season upcoming."

Good answer.

Nield's addition — coupled with veteran Nic Demski, returning veterans Kevens Clercius, Joey Corcoran and Gavin Cobb, 2026 CFL Canadian Draft pick Josh Jack and former Sherbrooke star Thomas Desrosiers — would allow the Blue Bombers to start three Canadians in the receiving corps.

"I'll do whatever is asked of me," he said. "As long as I get to be out there on the field and am given an opportunity, I'm just grateful for that itself and the opportunities I'm given will come.

"... I just want to bring consistency, be a reliable receiver, build that connection with Zach (Collaros) and trust with him and the other teammates I'm out there with and just bring good energy out here every day. Consistency is the biggest thing."

Nield has set up shop in the Blue Bombers locker room right beside Demski and is already playing the sponge in soaking up as much as he can from his new teammate.

"He's been a great communicator, great teammate so far," said Nield. "I'm getting to know him a little bit better. He's been doing it for a long time at a high level so that's someone when I come into the league I'm looking at and seeing him catch those corner balls and keeping his head down and running fast to the corners... that's stuff that I'm going to take and add to my game."

Finally, near the end of his chat with the media Nield was asked if — given he has been on three championship teams already in his five CFL seasons — there are any common themes between those teams... and if he can see signs already of it still existing here with the Blue Bombers.

"One thing is that trust among your teammates and that camaraderie with your teammates," he said. "It's those off-the-field relationships that you can trust the guy next to you, and it doesn't matter who's out there — they'll have your back and I'll have their backs."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/11/blue-bombers-training-camp-day-2/

[Tecno]

300's is a shuttle drill, running back and forth. Santos-Knox just stopped running and laid down on his back. Wasn't sure if he was even hurt but within moments 3 coaches and the trainer were looking at him. He was helped off by 2 Bombers, little to no weight on the leg.

That would hint achilles.

JSK is in no way safe from cutting unless we paid him a big signing bonus.  Which I don't think we did.

JSK was the insurance policy.  An insurance policy that is damaged and can't pay off is worthless.

We can always bring him back after he heals.  Or 6G stash him.  Doesn't help us if Kyrie or Jones gets injured in early weeks.  Might we shop for another backup??

[Tecno]

Super early, but the Bombers have had both Jarrell Broxton and Kendall Randolph at RT with the top group.

I think we're trying to determine if Randolph is a PR spare or a cut.  He has to beat out any IMP rookies we have in camp.

Unexpected wrinkle (at least in my mind): they have Redha Kramdi at safety and Michael Griffin at dime. Cam Allen is with the 2s.

Rewatching the early '25 games it's clear that Griffin has a better nose in a lot of ways, and he can bring more wood than Kramdi.  Kramdi got pasted sometimes in big run explosions.  Griffin did better.

Since Allen didn't really wow anyone (except a few plays), the question of how best to deploy Kramdi is a valid one.  The question isn't how good is Kramdi, it's how good is Allen at FS vs Griffin at SAM.

I think we're going to put a premium on run stop this season.  I wouldn't be surprised if that means more beef & violence at every LB spot.

[Jesse]

I think last year we were using Griffin as the extra DB/LB until he got hurt and then Woodbey came in for the rest of the year. Might be trying to figure out how to get both of them on the field.

[Blue In BC]

That would hint achilles.

JSK is in no way safe from cutting unless we paid him a big signing bonus.  Which I don't think we did.

JSK was the insurance policy.  An insurance policy that is damaged and can't pay off is worthless.

We can always bring him back after he heals.  Or 6G stash him.  Doesn't help us if Kyrie or Jones gets injured in early weeks.  Might we shop for another backup??

I heard a rumour about an achilles as well. Nothing solid but if he can't continue to practice soon, then that's the worry. The longer we don't get an update will suggest a serious problem.

I hope that's not the case but if it is then he's finished for the season and beyond.