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BREAKING DOWN THE BOMBERS: A player-by-player look at the roster for the 2021 CFL season

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OFFENCE

QUARTERBACKS

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8 Zach Collaros — A 10-year CFL veteran with a 66% pass completion rate for career. He’s a proven winner and leader with a strong arm but also a history of injuries.

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12 Sean McGuire — Second-year pro who has a strong arm but very little experience and is a bit of a risky backup at this point

RUNNING BACKS

33 Andrew Harris — Won CFL rushing title the last three seasons but is also 34 and has battled calf injury throughout training camp

20 Brady Oliveira — Big, bruising running back, weighing in at 225 pounds … 23-year-old has huge shoes to fill with Harris injured

27 Johnny Augustine — Proved in 2019 he can fill in for Harris and be successful running and catching the football

24 Mike Miller — Rarely gets touches on offensive plays, but the fullback is an absolute demon on special teams, who is closing in on the league tackling record of 190

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RECEIVERS

1 Darvin Adams — When healthy, he’s a deep threat who seemed to connect well with Collaros last season. He’s battling a shoulder injury that will likely keep him out for Week 1

89 Kenny Lawler — Really started to show his value in the second half of 2019 and aspires to be one of best receivers in league this year

10 Nic Demski — Winnipegger can line up at slotback or tailback and is a threat both running and catching. Had a stellar training camp

82 Drew Wolitarsky — Dependable receiver with deep thoughts and good hands. And national status that helps immensely with the ratio

88 Rasheed Bailey — Became a starter late in 2019 and seems to have held onto the job through training camp. Still looking for first pro touchdown

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80 Janarion Grant — Wants a bigger role on offence after shining as a kick returner, scoring three touchdowns in 2019

6 Charles Nelson — He has retired and returned, been released and returned, been injured and returned and now just might have a shot at some starting reps at slotback

17 ArDarius Stewart — Played 15 games for the New York Jets of the NFL in 2017 and could be well suited to CFL game. Looked like he’d be a starter before getting injured earlier this week

87 Kelvin McKnight — Just 5-foot-8 and 186 pounds, McKnight had a strong training camp that included a good connection with Collaros

83 James Tyrell — Only Canadian receiver on roster behind Demski and Wolitarsky

OFFENSIVE LINE

66 Stanley Bryant — He’s 35 but he’s never missed a game in five seasons with Bombers and is perennial contender for most outstanding offensive lineman in CFL

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51 Jermarcus Hardrick — Big, burly Bryant bookend who loves Winnipeg and going up against the best defensive ends in the CFL

53 Pat Neufeld — Entering his 10th CFL season, the 32-year-old was at his best, and healthiest, in 2019

61 Drew Desjarlais — A standout rookie in 2019, he’s already a Grey Cup champ and seems like a future all-star

58 Michael Couture — Was injured for the playoffs and the Grey Cup but still started 18 games at centre

68 Geoff Gray — A 2017 first-round draft pick and former NFL prospect, Gray’s about as good of a Canadian backup as you’re going to find in the CFL

65 Asotui Eli — National player who can back up at centre and guard and come in regularly on short yardage plays

DEFENCE

DEFENSIVE LINE

5 Willie Jefferson — Best defensive player in the CFL in 2019 and there’s nothing to suggest he’ll wreak any less havoc in 2021

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98 Steven Richardson — The man they call “Stove” can get cooking on the interior of the line and be very effective against the run

95 Jake Thomas — The longest tenured Bombers player is a solid defensive tackle, with national status, and was the first player to get to hold the Grey Cup in 2019

94 Jackson Jeffcoat — Didn’t have the sexy stats in 2019 but the former NFL linebacker was stellar in the playoffs, working as a 1-2 punch on the ends with Jefferson

2 Jonathan Kongbo — The Canadian is a physical specimen of a defensive end who got a look from the San Francisco 49ers last year

3 Thiadric Hansen — The best global player in the league in 2019, the native of Germany lines up at end on occasion and makes a big impact on special teams

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15 Tobi Antigha — He can play linebacker or defensive end and that versatility could come in handy

LINEBACKERS

4 Adam Bighill — Tackling numbers were way down in 2019 but middle linebacker is a two-time CFL most outstanding defensive player

19 Kyrie Wilson — Has battled thigh injury in training camp but Wilson was a force on the weak-side for Bombers last season

36 Jontrell Rocquemore — 24-year-old rookie from University of Utah impressed in training camp and could play in Week 1 if Wilson can’t go

34 Jesse Briggs — Entering seventh season with Bombers, the Canadian plays big role on special teams

44 Shayne Gauthier — Fifth-year Bomber made game-saving tackle in West final in 2019 and helped Bombers get into Grey Cup

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54 Les Maruo — A global player who was born in Japan and played college football in the U.S., the Bombers hope he can be as productive as Hansen was in 2019

57 Tanner Cadwallader — Drafted out of Wilfrid Laurier in 2020, the Canadian appears to have made Bombers as a special teamer and backup linebacker

DEFENSIVE BACKS

37 Brandon Alexander — A vocal leader in the secondary, the Bombers defence got better when Alexander moved from halfback to safety in 2019

16 Mike Jones — A star in the 2019 Grey Cup, the Bombers are going to trust the all-important boundary corner position to the second-year DB

9 Nick Taylor — Was a solidifying force at halfback for Bombers after coming over from Edmonton during 2019 season

0 Josh Johnson — Had three interceptions in last year’s East semifinal for the Edmonton Eskimos and looks like he’ll start the season at dime back for the Bombers

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45 DeAundre Alford — A graduate of Tusculum University in Tennessee, Alford beat out more than a dozen hopefuls to win a job at cornerback

32 Deatrick Nichols — Led the XFL in interceptions with three in 2020 and won a job against stiff competition in Bombers training camp. Could start at halfback.

22 Alden Darby — Bombers acquired him in trade with Toronto but he’s been slowed by injuries and looks to be a backup to start

21 Nick Hallett — Fine special teams Canadian who made a name for himself in 2019

23 Noah Hallett — Nick’s brother, who was drafted by the Bombers in 2020 and promises to be just as effective. Has been seeing backup reps at safety

43 Redha Kramdi — A draft pick from 2021 who impressed Bombers scouts with his special teams work

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KICKING

13 Marc Liegghio — He had a chance to win the place-kicking job but struggled with accuracy, so for now, he’s a punter only

14 Tyler Crapigna — Veteran place-kicker was brought in midway through training camp to compete with Liegghio and appears to have won the job. Both players have huge shoes to fill with CFL legend Justin Medlock not playing this year

40 Mike Benson — Winnipegger gets a chance as long snapper, taking over for the very efficient Chad Rempel

COACHING STAFF

Mike O’Shea — The head coach is entering his seventh season with the Bombers after delivering the organization’s first championship in 29 years in 2019

Buck Pierce — Former Bombers quarterback and quarterback’s coach takes over from Paul LaPolice as offensive co-ordinator

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Richie Hall — Did a masterful job as defensive co-ordinator in 2019 and returns for a fifth season in 2021

Marty Costello — Entering sixth year with the Bombers and fourth as offensive line coach. Bombers had best O-line in the CFL in 2019

James Stanley — Entering his third season as linebackers coach

Jordan Younger — Entering third season as defensive backs coach. Did a good job of bringing that group together with better communication in 2019

Darrell Patterson — Replaces Glen Young as defensive line coach and has plenty to work with in Jefferson, Jeffcoat, Kongbo and Co.

Paul Boudreau — Entering fifth season as special teams coach and has hands full breaking in new kicker and punter after years of having Justin Medlock

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Kevin Burgoin — Moves into the receivers coach position after three years as running backs coach

Pete Costanza — Apparently doesn’t mind if people call him “George.” Takes over as Bombers running backs coach after 12 years as receivers coach in Calgary

PRACTICE ROSTER  

86 Carlton Agudosi WR

18 Dru Brown QB

99 Nick Dheilly DL

48 Demerio Houston DB

57 Tyler Johnson OL

67 Chris Kolankowski OL

69 Tomoya Machino OL

81 Cam Meredith WR

31 Nakas Onyeka LB

84 Brendan O’Leary Orange WR

60 Drew Richmond OL

29 David Rivers DB

50 Ezekiel Rose DL

26 Sergio Schiaffino-Perez DB

96 Ricky Walker DL

30 Devonte Williams RB

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