2026 Main Training Camp - News & Views

[Sir Blue and Gold]

I'm more than surprised they must really like Jonah Pace as he's the only import dt left in training camp. I hope to heck this doesn't mean we have Kornelson as our backup dt option, shades of Thomas.
I was really hoping for a Jefferson/Ceresna/Lawton/Dixon line with Bailey, Gatkouth and a import dt to give us a potentially dominant line. But I guess we have to use all our di's on linebackers (OSheas trademark)

Can't run a four man front if we only have three defensive lineman on the roster -JY, probably

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

But the depth is mostly NAT!  And never-starting NATs at that!

And our IMP "backups" are all WILL-ish. What on earth is the plan if Jones gets hurt? There's no one!  Throw Shay into the fire, I guess?

This was why JSK was brought in.  That's why I think we're on the market right now... watching & waiting for vet TC cuts.

They don't need to go Natl. unless they want to, but have no problem if they choose to throw Shay into the fire, I'm anxious to see him play.  Kyrie was switching to MLB a lot last season and got burned badly in the ESF by RB Stevie Scott.  Woodbey, Griffin and even Ayers can all fill in at MLB as it's now almost interchangeable with WIL.  Biggie made the position more complicated than it needed to be dropping into the secondary in pass protection, Tony Jones keeps it basic, he flows to the ball and pursues.

[Jesse]

Can't run a four man front if we only have three defensive lineman on the roster -JY, probably

The obvious preference is to not use 4 DL sets most of the time.

Dixon seems like he's winning the race for the extra American. Korny is the obvious candidate for a back-up to Lawson, but if Guar is ready for passing down snaps, he can certainly come on with Ceresna moving inside.

Lots of options being looked at in camp. Ayers took MLB snaps today with first team. Wallace working at LT with second team. Obviously lots of talk of Kramdi/Griffin being back in the safety positions while Allen works with second team.

Hard to say how any of this will look once the season starts.

[Blue In BC]

The obvious preference is to not use 4 DL sets most of the time.

Dixon seems like he's winning the race for the extra American. Korny is the obvious candidate for a back-up to Lawson, but if Guar is ready for passing down snaps, he can certainly come on with Ceresna moving inside.

Lots of options being looked at in camp. Ayers took MLB snaps today with first team. Wallace working at LT with second team. Obviously lots of talk of Kramdi/Griffin being back in the safety positions while Allen works with second team.

Hard to say how any of this will look once the season starts.

I think if Gatkouth shows anything he'll be on the AR to start the season. He can still be part of the rotation along with Munier-Bailey.

[Blueforlife]

I'm more than surprised they must really like Jonah Pace as he's the only import dt left in training camp. I hope to heck this doesn't mean we have Kornelson as our backup dt option, shades of Thomas.
I was really hoping for a Jefferson/Ceresna/Lawton/Dixon line with Bailey, Gatkouth and a import dt to give us a potentially dominant line. But I guess we have to use all our di's on linebackers (OSheas trademark)

Yup lb heavy will work as we are so deep
Thanks for the update
If Kornelson is like Jake we are in good shape!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

The obvious preference is to not use 4 DL sets most of the time.

Dixon seems like he's winning the race for the extra American. Korny is the obvious candidate for a back-up to Lawson, but if Guar is ready for passing down snaps, he can certainly come on with Ceresna moving inside.

DT is a constant rotation of 3, the plan looked to be Ceresna + 2 Natl's.  With Schmeck out Kornelson might have a hard time filling that role and using 2 import DT's could cause problems with the ratio on D.  Dixon can help out inside but he's undersized at 262 lbs.

[blue_gold_84]

[blue_gold_84]

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers Training Camp | Day 11

Ed Tait
@EdTaitWFC

No one will admit it as such unless they've been forced to guzzle a gallon of truth serum — the party line across the Canadian Football League is always every rep in every training camp session matters, after all — so we'll raise our hand and make a counter-observation.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have now unofficially hit the 'dog days' of camp where every drill and practice can blur into the next and the anticipation for the first preseason game — coming this Saturday in Saskatoon against the Saskatchewan Roughriders — is absolutely, positively bubbling over.

"We're all itching to play," said Blue Bombers quarterback Taylor Elgersma to a swarm of media following Wednesday's practice session. "We've been hitting each other for long enough now and it's time, since we're all wearing the same colour, to go hit someone else.

"... We're all ready to go put some points on the board on someone else."

The Blue Bombers have been at it every day since May 10th — the rookies practised three days before that with a one-day off the field in between — and that grind, coupled with Mother Nature being particularly nasty, has many in Bomberland in a cranky mood.

Take that vibe and couple it with what's at stake on Saturday with so many fighting either for starting jobs or roster spots, and there is a healthy tension growing.

As per usual, most eyes will be on the play of the quarterbacks on Saturday and, specifically, who shines behind QB1 Zach Collaros. Elgersma, the big Canadian, has had a solid camp and both veteran Terry Wilson and Bryce Perkins have had their moments, too. Payton Thorne, the other QB in camp beside CFL QB Internship Program invitee Cole Anseeuw of the University of Manitoba, did not practice on Wednesday.

Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said the rotation of the QBs for Saturday will be determined in a meeting with offensive coordinator Tommy Condell Wednesday night and will also include a conversation with Collaros about how much time he'll need in the preseason to be ready for the opener.

Winnipeg's second preseason game comes a week from Friday — May 29th — vs. the B.C. Lions at Princess Auto Stadium with the curtain raiser on the regular season going Friday, June 5th in Calgary against the Stampeders.

Collaros could easily make the case for a ton of work in the preseason, seeing as he is operating a new-ish offence with Condell now calling the shot as the club's third different offensive coordinator in as many years and with at least two changes to the receiving corps.

He played in both preseason games a year ago, although he attempted only two passes in the second contest.

"I just like really embracing the system, the offence, the details, getting repetitions with all the guys — I'm a big rep guy and if I could take every rep, I would," said Collaros. "So, it's about feeling comfortable with the concepts. A lot of the concepts are similar to things that everybody has done in the past in this league. But it's coached differently with different expectations and all those things.

"Obviously, you want everybody to stay healthy and just keep that upward trajectory as we get to the regular season."

Again, fans always fixate on the quarterbacks — practice, preseason, regular season or playoffs — but O'Shea said what they're looking for from their group of pivots on Saturday essentially applies in general terms to the entire roster.

"It's the same thing we've been talking about learning about everybody: when there's an opponent there that's actually going to hit you – because we can't practice like that and we won't – what are their reactions? Do they rise or do they not?" he said.

"Even in practice when you're running a skelly practice and you're throwing, the DBs aren't necessarily breaking up through receivers so the timing always good for the most part. So, now the receivers will be getting hit and the timing has to be better."

Elgersma, meanwhile, will be in game action for the first time since last year's preseason with the Green Bay Packers. The 2024 Hec Crighton Trophy winner as the top player in Canadian college football had an impressive camp with the Pack, completing 16-of-23 passes for 166 yards and a TD but — strangely to many observers — did not earn a shot with the club.

He's been impressive since his arrival in Winnipeg, both on the field and in his confidence with the cameras and notepads in his face in dealings with the media.

"It was obviously very exciting being able to get out there and being at Lambeau (Field) for the first time and running out of that tunnel for the first time was definitely a cool experience," said Elgersma of his preseason in Green Bay. "But I'm excited to get playing here and I'm excited to, when we're at home, I think it will be a similar experience running out there."

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[kkc60]

I'm more than surprised they must really like Jonah Pace as he's the only import dt left in training camp. I hope to heck this doesn't mean we have Kornelson as our backup dt option, shades of Thomas.
I was really hoping for a Jefferson/Ceresna/Lawton/Dixon line with Bailey, Gatkouth and a import dt to give us a potentially dominant line. But I guess we have to use all our di's on linebackers (OSheas trademark)

i think today's cuts are injury related. neither guy seemed to practice for awhile