Receiver Ontaria Wilson was back on the field in the blue and gold as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers started their practice week ahead of Saturday’s Banjo Bowl rematch against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Wilson rejoined the squad after signing a contract extension through next season following his recent release from the NFL.
The 26-year-old had a breakout rookie season with the Bombers last year with more than a thousand yards receiving, but was recently cut the New York Jets near the end of training camp.
“I’m just back to go to the Grey Cup, honestly.” said Wilson. “It just feels good to say that I have a home here.
“Everybody welcomed me, feels very family-like.”
Wilson added he learned a lot in his time with the Jets and he feels he got a fair shot at a job, but there’s little margin for error as a non-drafted player.
“I took advantage of my opportunities,” he said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out for me.
“I was kinda clawing and scratching trying to find my way there, but it was a good experience overall.
“Coming from the CFL, like, being a guy that, like, kinda unheard of to trying, like, make my name there in camp.”
Wilson spent some time with the first-team offence in his first practice back, but with only two full sessions this week, it might not be enough time to be ready to play in the Banjo Bowl. While much of the playbook is the same as last year, they’re now using different terminology under a new offensive coordinator, but Wilson feels like he’s picking up the offence pretty quickly.
“Today I felt like I caught on pretty fast,” Wilson said. “It’s more of the same formations, it’s just like different names. Same concepts and things, so it’s just the names that you have to remember.”
O’Shea was asked after practice if Wilson was a realistic option to play on Saturday.
“I don’t know,” said O’Shea. “Have to look at the script. It was a lighter day today, right. We didn’t ask them to do much.”
The Bombers may need Wilson to play though as Dalton Schoen did not practice due to another knee injury after just one game back. He appeared to come up limping after their two-point convert attempt in the Labour Day Classic.
The Bombers placed defensive tackle Tanner Schmekel on the six-game injured list with a leg injury after he left the LDC. But it’s not all doom and gloom as Redha Kramdi was back on the field and Nick Hallett appears to be healthy again after missing two games with a head/eye injury.
The club also made a number of moves as they released new receiver Kyran Moore from the practice roster just a week after he signed with the team. He hasn’t played since 2023 after missing all of last season with a torn ACL in his knee.
With the injury to Schmekel, the club brought back defensive lineman Collin Kornelson who was just released last month. They also signed linebacker Ayo Oyelola and defensive back Ridge Texada to the practice roster.
Oyelola played one game for the Bombers in 2021 after they selected him in the Global Draft and he spent the last three years on the practice rosters of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.