With Rookie Camp getting underway Wednesday morning, it's officially time to talk about the 2026 Winnipeg Blue Bombers!

I think we're really built to use 4 American OL if that's the best option....and a "backup" American at receiver that can be out there most of the game if we want based on using the roster rules. Also ALL our OL depth is American. Like if Neufeld or Eli say "sorry I'm done" tomorrow or someone tears their bicep, all we have to go with are Americans.

Ultimately not going to matter how many American receivers out there if the interior OL is getting driven back and not letting QB eyes get downfield. Not that it isn't always but I think the lesson learned the last couple years is the offense relies on controlling the line of scrimmage. We saw that slide a little bit and really struggled to find any consistency pass or run.

Maybe this is the year we go from 25 linebackers on the active roster to 25 O-Line to the active roster…

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Sorry, I’ll post more.

I can’t see us bringing SO many receivers to camp if we didn’t have an open American receiver spot but I guess it’s very possible we don’t actually run a lot of 5WR sets. Even for the sake of flexibility though, we should be running Bryant out as our 8th Canadian.

Neuf, Wallace or Eli, Demski, Nield or Clercius, Brady and then two defenders between Lawson, Kramdi, Shay and Nuer.

Yeah...I agree...hence why i was asking if that came outta coaches mouth...or just Tait spin. We have a ton...or can have a ton of roster flexibility of we actually choose to do so...hopefully some slaps upside the head occurred post 2025 season ending and a light was smacked on

2 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Yeah I can’t see us going 7ol, mci, peterson, clercius and daniels. Just too many big blocking bodies. Plus Schmekel. Those other guys bring contribution to other areas, a 7th ol is just too much roster waste.

If we start vanterpool or randolph at guard, and have wallace as the 6th, we have guys who can slide in at C or bump over to T and cover all spots in case of injury.

yup like i said above....we have the opportunity to have crazy good roster flex....and when you have guys like MCI and Clercius...and now Daniels who have ability to actually do some real nice things offensively other than just glorified blocking...you gotta use them

I thinking Condell may just see what kind of benefits MCI can have and may just actually utilize him

Edited 18 hours ago18 hr by kelownabomberfan

36 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Literally nothing was said in the “day one wrapped” article.

18 minutes ago, Jesse said:

Literally nothing was said in the “day one wrapped” article.

Come on, vibes were excellent. Everybody believes.

12 hours ago, Doublezero said:

I too have had the perception that MOS plays favourites. So you’d think that if that bias is real that players would be pissed and pick up and go elsewhere ASAP. But I am re-thinking that theory. I asked AI for a list of players who left the Bombers to play elsewhere for various reasons in the past 5 years. Here it is: Dru Brown Ottawa Demerio Houston DBOttawa REDBLACKS / Calgary2024/2026 Janarion Grant KR/WRToronto Argonauts2024 Rasheed Bailey WRToronto Argonauts2024 Jerreth Sterns WRMontreal Alouettes2026 Eric Lofton OLHamilton Tiger-Cats2026 Keric Wheatfall WRHamilton Tiger-Cats2026 James Vaughters DESaskatchewan Roughriders2026 Alden Darby DB/LBOttawa REDBLACKS2022 Jonathan Kongbo DLToronto Argonauts / BC Lions2023/2026 Enock Makonzo LBToronto Argonauts2026 Casey Sayles DLHamilton Tiger-Cats2023 Dakota Prukop QBEdmonton Elks / BC Lions2024/2025 Peyton Logan is still FA, Shea Patterson Montreal Jake Dolegala Hamilton Josh Hagerty BC Lions. And, other than Dee Alford who started on the PR but then became a star and left for Atlanta, along with Chris Streveler and Sergio Castillo who got some NFL time, the only ex-Bombers to land in the NFL after PR spots on the club are Brandin Bryant (2018) and DB Matthew Jackson who was on Bombers PR last season for a month last year then signed with the Tennessee Titans. Jackson is back in Blue Bombers camp and listed as #4 on the depth chart at CB. So I am not sure how many on the above list left the Bombers feeling insulted because they were snubbed by MOS. We made a mistake letting Janarion Grant get away IMHO and that hurt for a season until Trey Vaval showed up.

80% of those players were players we did not want back....even Janarion was a case of him feeling insulted by Walters not calling him.

The other 20% were lost to the NFL or better offers in FA.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by GCn20

I know that they're not going to start but is it unrealistic to hope that Shay and Smith get 12-15 reps per game this year?

2 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

I know that they're not going to start but is it unrealistic to hope that Shay and Smith get 12-15 reps per game this year?

Reps have to be earned. MOS will play a canuck over an American, we know that, so if he's playing an American while the NAT sits on the bench it's because that NAT ain't ready.

25 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

I know that they're not going to start but is it unrealistic to hope that Shay and Smith get 12-15 reps per game this year?

It’s year 2. I think Kramdi started taking reps year 2. Osh a bit Sean McVay there with not giving drafted rookies reps year 1. Nuer might change that.

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by Goalie

14 minutes ago, Goalie said:

It’s year 2. I think Kramdi started taking reps year 2. Osh a bit Sean McVay there with not giving drafted rookies reps year 1. Nuer might change that.

Nuer will definitely change that just because of ratio needs.

I think it is pretty common that if you are a defensive lineman on the roster that you are taking reps. Those guys are constantly getting after it and need to rotate.

Not sure about LBs in Younger's system. They need to a bit more sound in their responsibilities.

2 hours ago, BBlink said:

I think it is pretty common that if you are a defensive lineman on the roster that you are taking reps. Those guys are constantly getting after it and need to rotate.

Not sure about LBs in Younger's system. They need to a bit more sound in their responsibilities.

Yes. There is so much movement and trade offs in our back end. And it sounds like there's going to be more of it going into this season the way guys are already lining up.

The rookies are going to have to prove in the film room first, I think.

3 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

I know that they're not going to start but is it unrealistic to hope that Shay and Smith get 12-15 reps per game this year?

if we kick/punt that many times sure.

I’d love for them to get 10+ D snaps a game. Hell split 10-15 that’d be some thing.

Smith is far more ready as a player, he’s fully ready to atleast platoon at lber imo. If not start. Shay is at a position where he is more likely to get reps though.

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Reps have to be earned. MOS will play a canuck over an American, we know that, so if he's playing an American while the NAT sits on the bench it's because that NAT ain't ready.

normally i’d agree for smith. The problem is he’s buried on the depth chart at lber. I don’t think mos will be quick to flip ratio at lber. We’ve only done that during his time here due to injury.

I would in a heart beat. I’d much rather use the starting imp at wr or ol.

3 hours ago, GCn20 said:

Nuer will definitely change that just because of ratio needs.

100%. He’s got the best inside track of any rookie on this team by a mile. If hooper over achieves enough to back up/rotate, Or if smith/shay step up into meaningful reps, nuer could play a lot of reps at de.

I think nuers biggest concern will be rookie wall especially with his size. He probably needs his reps kept down to keep him from going full devin adams.

4 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

if we kick/punt that many times sure.

I’d love for them to get 10+ D snaps a game. Hell split 10-15 that’d be some thing.

Smith is far more ready as a player, he’s fully ready to atleast platoon at lber imo. If not start. Shay is at a position where he is more likely to get reps though.

normally i’d agree for smith. The problem is he’s buried on the depth chart at lber. I don’t think mos will be quick to flip ratio at lber. We’ve only done that during his time here due to injury.

I would in a heart beat. I’d much rather use the starting imp at wr or ol.

100%. He’s got the best inside track of any rookie on this team by a mile. If hooper over achieves enough to back up/rotate, Or if smith/shay step up into meaningful reps, nuer could play a lot of reps at de.

I think nuers biggest concern will be rookie wall especially with his size. He probably needs his reps kept down to keep him from going full devin adams.

I see him as a rotational piece this year that could play his way into more meaningful reps if he performs well. Nuer is about our best shot at 2 IMP DTs on occasion so I think he will get regular rotation and if that drops off it's because of performance, not a love of Schmekel. I see Nuer being used more when opposing offences are more likely to run so that we can clog up the middle with Ceresna, and whichever other IMP DT makes the cut.

That makes sense with Smith and Shay but honestly I think they could take some reps on D and we'd be fine.

As for you have to earn it, we started Kolo for multiple years and each week you could watch the film and see him get blown up multiple times. We played Kornelson reps last year and he was invisible. Damian Jackson got reps and he was limited at best. Ditto Corcoran.

So yeah I get earning reps but don't tell me MOS applies this to everybody.

Only way to earn them is in live game reps and proving it...Practice isnt gonna get it for you...film study....hustling around....nope

U need to earn it and gain that trust and development with live action play...And Osh is very reluctant todo it...will ride guys ride into the dirt even when they are underperforming or flat out not good enough but he likes them...to the point which we have seen and discussed here would rather play a disabled player with no business being on the roster over giving a guy a shot...hopefully that has changed and is a thing of the past and it was spoken about internally....we shall see

14 minutes ago, Booch said:

Only way to earn them is in live game reps and proving it...Practice isnt gonna get it for you...film study....hustling around....nope

U need to earn it and gain that trust and development with live action play...And Osh is very reluctant todo it...will ride guys ride into the dirt even when they are underperforming or flat out not good enough but he likes them...to the point which we have seen and discussed here would rather play a disabled player with no business being on the roster over giving a guy a shot...hopefully that has changed and is a thing of the past and it was spoken about internally....we shall see

20 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

That makes sense with Smith and Shay but honestly I think they could take some reps on D and we'd be fine.

As for you have to earn it, we started Kolo for multiple years and each week you could watch the film and see him get blown up multiple times. We played Kornelson reps last year and he was invisible. Damian Jackson got reps and he was limited at best. Ditto Corcoran.

So yeah I get earning reps but don't tell me MOS applies this to everybody.

I agree with both of you guys on the head scratchers of the past. However, I was speaking generally. MOS may have a different take, but as I mentioned earlier he LOVES NATs to a flaw. So, I think it is safe to assume that if a NAT is as good, or represents little drop off, to an IMP he will go with the NAT. We've seen that a zillion times under his coaching. NAT vs NAT, or IMP vs IMP different story.

What's keeping Shay and Smith off the field right now is that we have really good IMPs ahead of them on the depth chart. JSK going down may have opened up a crap load of reps for them now though.

Edited 59 minutes ago59 min by GCn20

25 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

That makes sense with Smith and Shay but honestly I think they could take some reps on D and we'd be fine.

As for you have to earn it, we started Kolo for multiple years and each week you could watch the film and see him get blown up multiple times. We played Kornelson reps last year and he was invisible. Damian Jackson got reps and he was limited at best. Ditto Corcoran.

So yeah I get earning reps but don't tell me MOS applies this to everybody.

I agree! Get Smith some reps at SLB. The Bomber's finally have a legit backup for Kramdi there.

FWIW

De'Shaan Dixon flashes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp - 3DownNation