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Fun to sit and watch practice today... Been about 20 years since I was last able. With respect to the late great Randy Turner, the king of Odds and Sods writing.... here's some thoughts: -All jokes aside, Jake Thomas looks like he's lost at least 30lbs and maybe 10 years. Not sure it'll translate but he gave himself a chance. -There were a number of guys who I thought looked leaner (Adams the DL and Wallace, notably) and I wonder if there's a concerted effort by Brendan the trainer to get guys faster this year -Makonzo got hurt. Wasnt carted off, but he landed awkwardly in coverage and came up favouring his wrist. Didn't look good. -Mitchell looks very smooth and runs good routes. -If Vaughters can stay healthy, he is just an absolute load. He and Willie would be very hard to handle. That said, they were doing a drill to see who could get off the line fastest without being offsides and Jake beat Vaughters and was giving him a hard time. We'll call that a one off. -Both Zach and Strev looked good, tho Strev had a couple brain cramps. One under thrown ball that he was immediately angry about and I think a botched run play that he took the heat for. Patterson definitely has a rifle arm... Accuracy is the question. - I have hopes for Keric Wheatfall to take another step this year. -Our LB corps, as already noted, is very very deep and the coaches have a lot of options. People were shifting around a lot but packages with Kyrie at MACK was interesting. -Watched a lot of OL/DL 1v1... OL wasn't terrible, though it seemed like there would be holding calls on a number of plays. DL are just so much faster and you're trying to not get put on roller skates. Thought Wallace showed very well and some of the Americans like Randolph, Vanterpool and Lofton as well. In the reps we saw, we didn't think Neufeld looked very good. It was a bit concerning watching him get "walked" by a few DL. -Its very impressive what Mike Benson does. He really whips that ball and it is so deadly accurate. -Coaches are all very engaged and animated. Osh was hollering pretty good at one point about a missed tackle "You gotta have that!!" Richie, JY, Costello, among others, very very active and involved. -Stan and Willie are both basically coaches. They do a lot of teaching. That's just a few thoughts. I didn't take notes or anything.. just tried to enjoy the sunshine and being at the barn again. I love the CFL, I love the Bombers, and I love Manitoba summers.... It's great to be home.

Reports from 2100 say Jake Thomas isn't practicing but is expected to start in his 89th season in Blue and Gold.

He's definitely a strange animal. Thats what i know.

This guy?

Ah training camp, the time of the year where we see a bunch of exciting stuff from some promising rookies, only to see them released in favour of aging slugs. Seriously though, excited for the season to start.

peeking for some info, are you?

For some reason, Gowan's hard hitting and ball hawking haunt me, they haunt me.

Yeah, Strevs' endorsement of Gowan spoke volumes about him. The secondary is gonna be a real dog fight. We have so much quality available to us, and I don't think JY will play favorites. Bridges did improve with time last year, but he looks like a non-gambling Houston to me. Might be good, but we've got guys who might be great. Hope we don't settle in the secondary. Having guys like Shay, Smith, Makonzo, Kelly, Ayers, Even Gauthier, and probably Bailey, as our depth is wild. That is so much talent, athletics, and upside on the bench. We could run teams off the field nonstop with a unit like that. Can't wait to see these guys fly around. I'm looking to be out Wednesday and probably 1 other day this week.

Most important question, did he learn that no means no yet? Guy should have been black listed from the league along with the management that swept it under the rug.

Complete agreement. MB. all the way, every day.

well done! touched on....without directly touching on Buck's inability to properly utilize skill-sets...Jarius and Hogan on board together....excited to see some new stuff...and guys ...get some things tailored specifically for them. Gonna be a huge thing for Strev...I bet we see him with a moving fluid pocket a lot....and that will just amplify the instances where he will get to take off after 1st or second read isnt immediately there down and out the edge for big gobs of yards and minimal contact

Is he still a dink, though? That is the real story here.

Now I'm almost pulling for him NOT to work out. Constantly hearing those earworms blare out mid-game after he makes a play is only excusable with a Grey Cup ring.

I love what ayers brings, he's like an elite athlete version of Hansen (and IMP) Makonzo played at a good school to in coastal Carolina, just practicing against that offence is a huge advantage. Jones was extremely high on him but those crazy TC drills beat him up pretty good, It was a camp interview on the YT page. I think it was this one below.

Jonathon Jones doesnt have the holes in his game that Tony Jones does...he's the more complete player and already has shown big time success...so thats why I think Tony Jones isnt a lock per say...or shouldnt be unless we fall back into our usual ways Ayers has the upside....Kyrie has the pedigree but injury concerns...If he's 100 percent all yr...he is the Will...and Ayers is the swing guy coming in early and often A lot of people here prob sleeping on Makonzo...was a legit playmaking SAM and was touted as a real up and coming talent...but injury derailed that....so curious to see if he back to where he was 3 NI DT's is pointless and weakens us...1 would be all we needed especially if the oline shapes out to ne 4 Nationals and we only require 1 national at any given time on defence Person is interesting as he is athletically able to play as an LB but is a legit pressure guy on the line...I have talked with collegues down south when we signed him as o was surprised he agreed here last yr...He was a legit NFL pass rush specialist prospect....and teams just wanted him to bulk up but he refused as he didnt want it to take away from his quickness....so hence here he is...I suspect him being on the DA's in the defensive end rotation Parker now he healthy is a perfect guy to have on roster...same with Griffin as they both can play from SAM straight out to all db spots where was that?...I know they were together in 'Zona....so obvioulsy he knows him....and being included in an NFL trade also speaks alot about the talent Technically he a rookie here...but much like Bonds...and Nichols before him...they are vet pro's...just not up here....Obvioulsy with Osh and our defensive coaches that carries a lot of weight in their decision....and thats smart....I'd love to get us a athletic 6-2 or bigger corner in our back field

and its not about a guy who hasnt taken a rep yet....or hasnt been able to show anything yet...It's about keeping long in the tooth...declining... zero upside/all downside guys, at a higher price point as well ...over youth...upside....athleticism....and cheaper....you dont know what you have until you actually give it legit chances...and we in a lot of instances don't...unless forced to by injury...and defections to other teams...and even then we will play a well below 100 percent guy and not give these all starters" a chance....with the older declining dead weight you know exactly what you have...and what your gonna get....and it's not forward looking positive...and some cases isnt even in the now positive There is some legit talent here this yr..Person being one....and cutting high potential guys to keep some of the usual suspects...serves zero purpose and has no value moving forward....Jobs need to be competed for and won Only guys in my opinion who should get the free pass and not have to go balls out are BO...Big Stan...Nichols and WJ....The rest....win the job outright

File that one under no one cares who pays attention. Let the season begin.

https://3downnation.com/2025/05/11/leaner-wiser-gabe-wallace-wants-starting-job-really-badly-with-winnipeg-blue-bombers/ Gotta love this kid. Spent the whole off season here training and working on him self. He’s got all the tangible and intangibles to be the next desjarlais level ol.

..and rarely wrong... Just don't ask my wife to back that up.

AND those 'moody Manitoba mornings'.....topped off with those deep blue skies

And I just remembered that today is, indeed, Manitoba Day. God I love this place.

**** the Argos and especially **** sex pests...

Younger will be like a kid in a candy shop with his options....If I was to make a guess that ot's Gowan's job to lose in Fords spot...and that would give us a Bonds/Nichols/Holm/Gowan group....And if Parker isn't at safety then him and Griffin are constantly on the filed with that 3 man front...Do we keep Bridges just because he is a hold over?...I hope not as scanning the roster right now we have a lot of guys who at first glance seem to offer more...just need the seasoning, but with all the guys I mentioned....plus Makonzo..Kramdi...Smith..Shay....that new DB wont see the roster anyway unless an injury pandemic hits Hope to get there this week a day or two or on weekend to get some eyes on a few guys and get a better idea

We have the Jones we signed form T.O...Ayers....We now have Mokonzo....guys who all showed they belong....If Jaylem Smith and Shay show they can take reps....That Bailey kid who I see as a guy all over the field...Griffin....and actually Person's who I can see used as an Uber-jack type guy....we have a lot to work with in what we gonna do...Tony Jones and Kyrie should be seriously worried about their jobs...and rightfully so....we also have Kramdi who passport alone should keep him in place over those 2....Jones like Kramdi have some holes in their game and are vulnerable in some aspects...top notch in others....so if it's a this or that you keep Kramdi for his National status...and fact we may employ 3 to 4 National/Global guys in the line backing corp gives even more reason to cut bait with 2 national bottom end DT's in lieu of playmaking imports...as the roster makeup would allow it so easily

Yup....as that just puts you one step further behind in 2026...and starting from ground zero ...again...Kyrie...Kolo...Thomas...Schmeck..Hallet's...keeping them over legit talent/upside guys for another yr when in 2026 they should have evn less business on a pro roster...is just piss poor roster managing and projecting

And MOS for the 1200th time told the press JT's a leader and deserves to go out on his own terms.

I'm 100% ready for us to have some really painful cuts. 1 of Woods/Adams, any of Person, Ayers, Jonathon Jones, Eli, Randolph, Terry Wilson, and Vanterpool, I could see being cut. Woods, Adams, Ayers, Eli, and Randolph would really hurt. I think there is even a small chance that Lawson could be cut if he isn't 100% ready to go and comes out slow in camp. The thought of cutting guys like that for Kyrie, Patterson, kola, jake, schmekel etc is just awful. But it's likely we let go of some one with lament.

I thought he'd be in jail by now or working for ICE.

Nice to see you guys reporting again 👍 weather is beautiful and CFL is right around the corner.

I am excited to see Jonahton jones from TO. I think him a lot more than Tony. He has the same ability to gap fill, but is much more rangy. Tony was a liability in pass pro a bunch of times last year. Maybe he puts it together and improves but going into camp, I have J jones well ahead of T jones. Makonzo is a low key steal pick up too. Having a guy like him on the back end of the roster gives us a lot of versatility. He could end up saving us a DI, which would be huge. I love his physicality and fit with what we do. Smith and shay I am intrigued to see if a full camp and rookie camp ends up putting Smith ahead of Shay. Or if they flip one to S. Both guys have such a great tool set and athleticism. The tweener build is really a huge luxury in that package. Both guys could replace the tired old NI LBer pack and give us a package S or 2nd S, a pass rusher, run stopper, or mid zone wall guy. It's going to be exciting to see how both get mixed in. Rotating Lbers, might be the new rotating DL of 2019/21. Bailey could do some similar tweener stuff too, though he has such a nice, polished pass rush move set to go with excellent athleticism, he could just be a package nightmare. The Als used to do that with Menard and others. Have a guy who is just a killer edge rusher, send him in for a few plays each game but having him at 100% and going 100% for each of those snaps. I really hope we don't stick to 2-3 NI DTs and lose one of woods or adams. Woods was soo good as a nose last year, I really want to see him start this year beside lawson. Adams has such insane athleticism and versatility he can be a real game changer with some polish and cardio. If we dress Woods, adams, wj, Vaughters, lawson and bailey, we are going to have a pressure front with out blitzing like we haven't seen since peak stove.

Yup. That and the fact that he is our star QB, we have a backup that we know we can win games with, and that our current and future prospects for success hinge on Kelly's 100% recovery makes it and easy decision to put him on the IR.

Yuup. I am mainly concerned about losing a guy like ayers/Jjones for kyrie. But I'm preparing for it, I know there is gonna be at least one guy let go that would be better to keep. I hope it isn't too brutal.

Someone’s grumpy. There there.

Elgersma signing with Packers today. per 3Downnation

Referees don’t get to decide what’s in the rule book or not. It’s states that goal shouldn’t have counted. Regardless the stars player kicked it.

No suspicion, no credibility

Actually they won’t…. They never have to answer for anything.

Guess people just dislike the small market Canadian team so much that yup. Crazy cuz nhl and sportsnet should be promoting the hell out the small market Canadian presidents trophy winners but they don’t. They appear to make it a bit more difficult. Crazy. Jets winning the cup would be massive. Huge. Not just as a jets fan but for sports fans in every not New York LA Miami etc, jets should be the team they want to see win not go out there way to make it seem like they don’t and galley is the spokesperson. Illegal Curve taking the fine. Damn. Scathing.

If they win game 4, it’s 2 2. they need to take the fine. Everyone who speaks. Take the fine. Cuz it was 2 2 until a blatant missed hit from behind on Connor and goal that by the rules was not a goal. Massive delay leads to good goal then 4 2 seconds later. 5 2 now but still. Refs directly absolutely directly lead to 2 Dallas goals.

And that other corner spot is wide open. We've been very willing to play CFL rookies at that position in the past. He has a good chance.

Apparently Gowan island is a thing.

lol. Lazy penalty by Nino. Galley making it obvious he’s wearing stars undies. Almost unlistenable

In O'Sheas presser it sounded like Schoen and Lawson are likely ready to start the season but they are being smart about it by not rushing them into practice

This is a thing we haven't talked enough... Younger going in to his second season at th helm. He's only going to get better with experience, so I'm excited to see what our D looks like. Could be really special if a few guys from last year take a step forward....

Any other news from practice? Wasn't able to make it out today and I've deleted my twitter account.

Our depth is going to be soo young and athletic. We are gonna have an army of guys like Ayers to float around. Maybe bridges takes a step forward as a year two guy. We seem to always have that guy on the team for a 2nd year in the secondary that makes you go “but why?” Seldom seems to hurt us though. This off season hasn’t added or replaced stars, but boy our depth and roster flexibility are looking really good. If we can develop a guy or two into stars it’s gonna be a great year.

Looks like the jets signed two other udfa tweener lbers and I don’t see any thing from them in news about Shay other than that he attended rookie camp. Similar with the packers camp news. So I bet Shay signs with in a week here.

85+ starters? How can we be so blessed?

If there’s one player—just one—in the entire Canadian Football League who absolutely screams 'poster boy for performance-enhancing drugs,' it’s got to be Zachary J. Collaros. I mean, the sheer physical dominance, the unstoppable power, the jaw-dropping speed... it’s almost too obvious, right?