OT: Winnipeg Blue Bombers 2024 Season Thread - Pre-Season home game Fri May 31 vs who cares 730pm (Watch on CFL+)

snowkiddin

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Yup it's the same old same old. Every team plays their starters in their home pre-season game and almost always wins. And it's the same story always.

As I keep telling my fiancee, this game is NOT about score. It's about seeing how some of the guys compete to real live snaps. There's a TON of roster battles this year, this most position battles we've had since at least 2019. Can't wait to see if anyone stands out here.

Cruickshanks as the KR/PR is another one to watch. This guy went to the same school as Janarion Grant, hopefully he can replicate some of Grant's success. Still not sure why he's not back (Grant that is). He never signed elsewhere, I guess he's just retiring? Too bad cause he was on the verge of breaking some CFL records.
IIRC we went back up heavy at home too last year and lost. It’ll be good to see our rookies against the Sask #1s, though. Looking forward to seeing Barriere play, and who stands out at receiver and DL.
 

WolfHouse

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Barrier will be cut - that was ugly. Streve a bit rusty but looked decent.

Garbutt, Ford and Case were good... thought Lofton was decent on the right side. Not sold on Wallace.
 

bustamente

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Barriere is REALLY struggling out there. Too bad he was considered the front runner for QB3 coming into camp it seemed, but it seems like he's barely hanging on the roster as QB4 right now.
Just don't see it with this guy, it happens. On the other hand their were a few positives. Moses, Garbutt
 

Holden Caulfield

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I liked Rivers at DE more than Garbutt myself. Rivers has got some wheels on him. Seems to have better tools.

Rosery was a nice surprise in that first half, might be a guy who can find a role.
 
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bustamente

Kinda Optimistic
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2 preseason games to stick around you have to stand out and be noticed, some have and may be valuable contributors this year , some are playing their first and last game as a Bombers hopeful
 

WolfHouse

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So....Tyrell Pigrome is a FA...
No kidding... that was ugly.

Wilson is okay but he seems like a QB that needs to freelance to succeed and that won't last. Barriere is gone.

Chauncey Rivers was noticeable in that 2nd half for me - you're right. Other than that, no one stood out - except our bad ST and our soft D... Sask backups looked good against us.
 

snowkiddin

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Wilson will get another look at QB but he wasn’t great. Barriere probably played himself into a cut. Not sure he’ll be able to salvage anything if he makes it into the next game. I said before he had tantalizing stats, but most training camp QBs do. He’s already 26 and that was an ugly, ugly performance. Concerning if those two were the best the scouting staff was able to unearth.

Hoping special teams won’t be an issue again this year but kick coverage was poor and none of our returners showed much of anything.

Liked our run defence for the most part. Streveler looked good once he shook off the rust. Castillo good as well. Lots of cuts and decisions to make over the next couple weeks, should be interesting.

Sask commentary team on CFL+ was absolutely unbearable.

And as I suspected, there’s a batch of Riders fans on Reddit thumping their chests about how much better the Riders look than they did last year. :laugh:
 
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Holden Caulfield

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Yeah that wasn't pretty. Things I noticed...

QB - Streveler showed his experience. If Zack goes down, that's the kind of offense I expect, short routes, motion, various options/RPOs. Well be fine short term with Streveler if needed.
The others were not good. Barriere, well we've all talked about that. As for Wilson, he earned a second look here, but not much more. IMO the Bombers should be releasing Barriere today and air lifting in Pigrome. He knows the team, he should be able to get back up to speed in 10 days here to push Wilson in pre-season game 2.

RB - Jonathan Rosery showed me a little pop. Very versatile. He screams backup Canadian. Basically a very poor man's Demski, RB/SB hybrid.
Also liked what limited work I saw from Chris-Ike. The size to play FB, with the running hands of an RB. Assuming he can get after it on ST hell carve himself out a very nice role.

WR - Hard to stand out here. I think Myron Mitchell is the odds on favourite to get WR5 spot right now. Looked the most trusted.
Among the backups it was clearly two guys late that stood out to me. Former Houston Texan Isaiah Coulter and 2nd round pick Canadian Kevens Clercius looked the most comfortable and prepared, IMO.

OL - Meh I had trouble getting much of a read here. I'm still very concerned about the current plan of playing Eric Lofton at RT.

DL - My hot take I'd that I think Cameron Lawson will be the best Canadian DT in the CFL this year. He just keeps getting better and he was noticeably disruptive early, IMO.
Tanner Schmekel at DT was a guy I wasn't expecting to notice, but I did. He seems to have some nasty playing on the inside there, was seeking out contact. Between Lawson, cagey vet Jake Thomas, and Schmekel the canadian interior linemen on defense looks like a huge strength for Bombers.
Among the contenders at DE I think Chauncey Rivers did himself the most help, as foreshadowed by my earlier post at halftime. Yes he played against more backups than Garbutt did, but his speed and aggressiveness looked solid to me.

LB - Brian Cole did not look comfortable at SLB, IMO. I expected more from a guy in his 3rd TC.
None of the rest really stood out much to me honestly. With spots galore available, well see what happens here.

DB - How about that closing speed on Tyrell Ford. His wheels are going to serve him well at field corner if that's where he lands. This Bomber team is just LOADED at Canadian talent. Problem being is where is the American talent? Danny Mac we're calling you!
McGhee was just so-so on the other side. Again hard to read much this early, but nothing overly impressive there.
Only other guy I noticed alot was #33 Nico McCarthy. He made alot of tackles. No pass break ups though.

K/P - Castillo good. The Canadian punter had the better day over Sheahan, IMO. The problem being is to make the roster he has to not only beat out Sheahan. The Bombers would have to view Cdn P better than Sheahan AND they have confidence in Weitz/Ogbeveon/Karamoko are at least as good on ST as the Canadian role they'd be replacing to fill the Global role. Considering the ST struggles, I consider that unlikely.

KR/PR - idk, I didn't see much from the "frontrunner" Smith who had first opportunities yesterday. Cruickshanks had more burst and creativity. And I kinda liked the speed that Case showed late as well. Job is still wide open, IMO.

ST - Noah Hallett looks like he's gonna be a beast on the teams this year.

Anyways just random musings. Roster will get alot clearer around pre-season game in 10 days. Can't wait to get going for real here soon.
 

Holden Caulfield

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Cam Lawson the latest key Bomber defensive player transferred to the 6 game IR. Parker, Bighill, Lawson now all lost in camp. Injuries are adding up already, that's 3 projected opening day starters on D out already.

Castillo had a personal matter back home in Texas and has been moved to suspended list temporarily. And WR Oliver Martin, who IMO struggled in that first pre-season game, was released.

Bombers brought back OT Kendall Randolph (released out of rookie camp) and brought in American WR Sy Barnett and American DB Russell Dandy to fill TC roster spots.

EDIT: Lawson is out long term. O'Shea saying he might be back this season. Not good news. Huge loss.
 
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bustamente

Kinda Optimistic
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Cam Lawson the latest key Bomber defensive player transferred to the 6 game IR. Parker, Bighill, Lawson now all lost in camp. Injuries are adding up already, that's 3 projected opening day starters on D out already.

Castillo had a personal matter back home in Texas and has been moved to suspended list temporarily. And WR Oliver Martin, who IMO struggled in that first pre-season game, was released.

Bombers brought back OT Kendall Randolph (released out of rookie camp) and brought in American WR Sy Barnett and American DB Russell Dandy to fill TC roster spots.

EDIT: Lawson is out long term. O'Shea saying he might be back this season. Not good news. Huge loss.
Lawson is a huge loss not just because he is a really good player but also because of his passport.
 

WolfHouse

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Cam Lawson the latest key Bomber defensive player transferred to the 6 game IR. Parker, Bighill, Lawson now all lost in camp. Injuries are adding up already, that's 3 projected opening day starters on D out already.

Castillo had a personal matter back home in Texas and has been moved to suspended list temporarily. And WR Oliver Martin, who IMO struggled in that first pre-season game, was released.

Bombers brought back OT Kendall Randolph (released out of rookie camp) and brought in American WR Sy Barnett and American DB Russell Dandy to fill TC roster spots.

EDIT: Lawson is out long term. O'Shea saying he might be back this season. Not good news. Huge loss.
Is this new turf injuries....??
 

Holden Caulfield

He's guilty
Feb 15, 2006
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Winnipeg
Is this new turf injuries....??
No idea. Parker and Bighill was in practice day 1/2. Lawson was in the pre-season game in Regina, albeit I never saw when (Bauming confirmed that it was during game on Hustler's show).

There's always few TC losses of course, but it does feel like it alot early in the process here.
 

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