Blogs Bomber Beat

PRE-SEASON
Wednesday, June 12 vs. Toronto 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 20 at Hamilton 6 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON
Thursday, June 27 vs. Montreal 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 4 at Montreal 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 13 at Hamilton 5:30 p.m.
Friday, July 19 vs. Toronto 7 p.m.
Friday, July 26 vs. Calgary 7 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 5 at B.C. 6 p.m.
BYE
Friday, Aug. 16 vs. Hamilton 7 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 24 at Hamilton noon
Sunday, Sept. 1 at Saskatchewan 3 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 8 vs. Saskatchewan 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14 at Edmonton 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20 vs. Edmonton 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 27 vs. B.C. 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5 at Calgary 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 14 at Montreal noon
Saturday, Oct. 19 vs. Toronto 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 24 at Toronto 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2 vs. Hamilton 1 p.m.

Here are the 37 players who became free agents on Friday, Feb. 15, at noon EST and where they have signed or re-signed:

* Canadians
(starters in bold)

Winnipeg (5)
CB Deon Beasley — Hamilton
LB Marcellus Bowman — Hamilton
DE Fernand Kashama*
DE Jason Vega — New England Patriots (NFL)
SB Clarence Denmark — Winnipeg

Toronto (6)
RB Chad Kackert — Toronto
DE Ricky Foley*
LB Tristan Black* — Saskatchewan
OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux*
WR Maurice Mann
DB Evan McCollough — Hamilton

Montreal (2)
RB Brandon Whitaker
DB Dwight Anderson — Saskatchewan

Hamilton (4)
LB Jonathan Hood*
LB Yannick Carter*
DB Chris Rwabukamba* — Edmonton
DB Marcell Young — Edmonton

B.C. (6)
LB Solomon Elimimian — B.C.
OL Jon Hameister-Ries* — B.C. (pending physical)
S Cauchy Muamba* — Winnipeg
OL Jesse Newman*
OL Jovan Olafioye — B.C.
LB James Yurichuk* — Toronto

Saskatchewan (6)
DE Odell Willis — Edmonton
DB Chris McKenzie
LB Tyron Brackenridge — Saskatchewan
OL Alex Krausnick-Groh* — Edmonton
LB Shomari Williams* — Hamilton
SB Jordan Sisco* — Saskatchewan

Calgary (2)
OL Mark Dewit* — Winnipeg
DT Brian Bulcke* — Hamilton

Edmonton (6)
DB Weldon Brown — Saskatchewan
RB Pascal Fils*
WR Marcus Henry
WR Tyler Scott*
OL Dylan Steenbergen*
DE Julius Williams — B.C.

Here is the list of 39 players who, as of Friday morning, were still eligible to become free agents. The team names beside some of the players are educated guesses made by a handful of CFL executives during conversations over the last few days. Some of the suggestions have evidence behind them, while others are speculation based on team needs. Either way, take a peek and see where your team shows up.

Winnipeg (5)
CB Deon Beasley — Edm, Sask, Wpg, B.C.
LB Marcellus Bowman — Wpg (injured)
DE Fernand Kashama* — Tor, Sask
DE Jason Vega — New England Patriots (NFL)
SB Clarence Denmark — Wpg

Toronto (6)
RB Chad Kackert — New York Jets (NFL), Tor, Mtl, Edm
DE Ricky Foley* — Tor, Ham, B.C.
LB Tristan Black* — Sask
OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux* — Tor, Mtl, B.C.
WR Maurice Mann
DB Evan McCollough — Ham, Tor, Sask, Mtl, B.C.

Montreal (4)
RB Brandon Whitaker — Tor, Mtl, Edm (injured)
DB Dwight Anderson — Tor, Mtl, B.C., Sask
RB Dahrran Diedrick* — Mtl
DB Seth Williams

Hamilton (4)
LB Jonathan Hood*
LB Yannick Carter*
DB Chris Rwabukamba* — Sask, Edm
DB Marcell Young — Sask, Tor

B.C. (6)
LB Solomon Elimimian — Cleveland Browns (NFL)
OL Jon Hameister-Ries* — B.C.
S Cauchy Muamba* — B.C., Tor, Wpg, Ham
OL Jesse Newman* — expected to retire
OL Jovan Olafioye — Baltimore Ravens (NFL), B.C.
LB James Yurichuk* — Mtl, Ham, Tor

Saskatchewan (6)
DE Odell Willis — Edm, Tor, Ham
DB Chris McKenzie — Ham, Tor, B.C.
LB Tyron Brackenridge — Ham, Mtl, B.C.
OL Alex Krausnick-Groh* — Sask, Cgy, B.C.
LB Shomari Williams* — Tor, Ham
SB Jordan Sisco*

Calgary (2)
OL Mark Dewit* — Cgy, B.C.
DT Brian Bulcke* — Ham, B.C., Tor, Mtl

Edmonton (6)
DB Weldon Brown — Edm, Sask, B.C., Ham, Edm
RB Pascal Fils*
WR Marcus Henry — Edm, Tor
WR Tyler Scott*
OL Dylan Steenbergen* — Ham, Edm, Cgy, B.C.
DE Julius Williams — B.C., Cgy, Mtl, Ham

* non-import

WINNIPEG
DB Johnny Sears
CB Deon Beasley
DB Jonathan Hefney
LB Marcellus Bowman
DE Fernand Kashama*
DT Bryant Turner
DE Jason Vega
QB Justin Goltz
RB Chris Garrett
RB Carl Volny*
SB Clarence Denmark

TORONTO
RB Chad Kackert
DE Ricky Foley*
LB Tristan Black*
OL Joe Eppele*
OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux*
WR Maurice Mann
DB Evan McCollough
WR Spencer Watt*

MONTREAL
OL Andrew Woodruff*
QB Adrian McPherson
RB Brandon Whitaker
OL Jeff Perrett*
DB Dwight Anderson
WR Brian Bratton
QB Anthony Calvillo
FB Dahrran Diedrick*
DE Chimo Ihekwoaba*
OL Kristian Matte*
DB Seth Williams

HAMILTON
QB Quinton Porter
C Marwan Hage*
OL Peter Dyakowski*
LB Jonathan Hood*
DB Chris Rwabukamba*
OL Brian Simmons
LB Yannick Carter*
RB Terry Grant
DB Carlos Thomas
DB Geoff Tisdale
DB Bo Smith
DT Eddie Steele*
RB Daryl Stephenson*
DB Marcell Young
RB Marcus Thigpen (in the NFL)

B.C.
QB Mike Reilly
OL Jovan Olafioye
OL Jon Hameister-Reis*
OL Jesse Newman*
WR Shawn Gore*
S Cauchy Muamba*
LB Solomon Elimimian
LB James Yurichuk*

SASKATCHEWAN
DE Odell Willis
DE Tearrius George
DB Chris McKenzie
DB Eddie Russ
LB Tyron Brackenridge
LB Mike McCullough*
OL Alex Krausnick-Groh*
RT Pat Neufeld*
WR Dallas Baker
WR Rob Bagg*
WR Scott McHenry*
LB Cory Huclack*
LB Shomari Williams*
SB Jordan Sisco*
RB Brandon West

CALGARY
KR Larry Taylor
P Rob Maver*
S Eric Fraser*
DL Justin Phillips*
OL Mark Dewit*
OL Stanley Bryant
WR Romby Bryant
DL Chris McCoy
DT Brian Bulcke*
DT Corey Mace*

EDMONTON
DB Weldon Brown
LB Mike Cornell*
RB Pascal Fils*
WR Marcus Henry
LB T.J. Hill
DE Marcus Howard
LB J.C. Sherritt
DE Julius Williams
OL Brian Ramsay*
DE Lee Robinson
WR Tyler Scott*
K Grant Shaw*
OL Dylan Steenbergen*
DB Chris Thompson
DB Rod Williams
OL Devin Tyler

Another round of CFL nods came out on Thursday and this time, it was the East and West Division All-star teams.

Let’s just get this out of the way by saying there were a few eye-brow raisers in the bunch, but that’s what makes the debate fun.

Among the seven Winnipeg Blue Bombers chosen to represent the East were defensive backs Jonathan Hefney and Jovon Johnson.

While we are quick to appreciate their talents on the field and on the microphone in interviews, neither Hefney or Johnson lived up to their lofty standards this season.

Part of that was due to the fact both men took turns playing out of position at SAM linebacker, but there were probably a couple of more deserving candidates out there.

Having said that, in order for the Blue Bombers defence to get its “swagger” back, both Johnson and Hefney (a pending free agent who has said he’d like to come back if he doesn’t get another shot in the CFL), will need to have true All-star seasons in 2013.

For now, let’s focus on the five others who were recognized, including DE Alex Hall and DT Bryant Turner.

Hall was the best pass rusher on the Blue Bombers, racking up nine sacks in his first CFL season before he was sidelined by a knee injury. It’s clear he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with in 2013.

Turner, meanwhile, made strides in his second CFL season and Blue Bombers head coach Tim Burke said he was the leader of the D-line, despite his limited experience.

“It’s a big thing, coming from your head coach. It’s something I take pride in and I look forward to leading the defensive line,” said Turner said, who recorded three of his six sacks in the season opener against the B.C. Lions. “I’ve kind of adopted that role, since we had a lot of leaders leave. Somebody had to step up.”

On the offensive side of the ball, a trio of Blue Bombers were saluted: RB Chad Simpson, WR Chris Matthews and OL Glenn January, who made a smooth transition back to left tackle after getting recognized at right tackle in 2011.

“It wasn’t an accomplishment I was focusing on, but when you focus on the big-picture stuff, the individual stuff comes along on its own,” said January, noting the selection was merely a reflection on the growth of the entire Blue Bombers O-line.

January was the left tackle before suffering a torn pectoral muscle prior to the 2010 season, shifting over to right tackle for 2011.

“When I was coming back from my injury, truth be told, I was a bit disappointed I wasn’t going to get an opportunity to play left tackle again,” said January. “But I rolled with it and was able to have success on the other side. In the off-season, when I heard this was going to be a reality, with me being the left tackle, it was news I was excited to hear about. But at the same time, I was like ‘wow, I just got comfortable on the right side.’ Having to switch back over after you’ve taken two years away from the position was a difficult task, that was compounded by the fact I missed the two pre-season games and the first game of the season.

“When I finally got back out there, I was re-learning on the fly.”

The Montreal Alouettes and B.C. Lions each had 10 players chosen, while the Calgary Stampeders had eight, the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats had six (including a two-time selection in Chris Williams, at receiver and returner), while the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders each had three.

Two Winnipeggers also were recognized as first time All-stars: Lions RB Andrew Harris and S Donovan Alexander.

Harris had an outstanding season, his first full campaign as a starter, picking up 1,112 yards rushing to go along with 718 receiving.

Prior to the season opener in B.C., Harris wasn’t shy about telling reporters that his goal was to be a 1,000-yard rusher and he reached that goal.

Alexander, who played for the St. Paul’s Crusaders in the Winnipeg High School Football League, had 43 defensive tackles, a forced fumble and four interceptions while starting all 18 games at safety for the Eskimos this season.

“It’s nice to be recognized for doing your job properly. It’s a really big honour,” Alexander told Edmonton Sun writer Gerry Moddejonge. “The essence of free safety is to be the last guy back, the safety net for everybody and just protect everything deep. If you don’t hear my name, it’s probably a good thing. That’s the way I like it.”

Here’s the entire list of CFL All-stars, voted on by members of the Football Reporters of Canada, CFL head coaches and CFL fans:

Feel free to weigh in with your opinions on who should have been on the team and perhaps who should have been left off.