Returner Drama in Winnipeg!

CFL Talk
1

It looks like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have extended Returner Janarion Grant on the Injured List until late October;

image

This means he will be coming off of the Injured List one day before the Bomber’s final Game on October 27th. I was hopeful after hearing reports of him running sprints during practice but maybe he aggravated his injury? I’m not sure. I do not believe we will see him returning in the 2023 Season which brings up another question; Is Janarion Grant going to retire?

He signed a 1-year contract in April of 2022 so that means he doesn’t have a contract going into the 2024 CFL Season and he is going to be 30 years old next year. With exactly 175 returns (and a lot of big hits taken) in the last 3 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if Grant calls it a career at the end of the season.

On a positive note; The Blue Bombers also moved Greg McCrae to their practice roster earlier this afternoon, a change I have been demanding for weeks now. McCrae was not getting the job done and was always near the bottom of my Punt/Kickoff Returner Power Rankings.

So where do they go from here?

I think they go 1 of 2 routes;

  1. They keep Jamal Parker returning and see where that goes, though he is only averaging 8.6 yards per PR and hasn’t returned a KO yet.
  2. The Bombers just recently signed WR/R Ronnie Blackmon out of Toledo (I think) who was brought in on the MTL practice squad. This guy has some wheels. They could let him try his hand, and feet, at returning to see where that goes.
3 Likes
2

The Bombers have been bleeding yards on special teams since Grant has been down.

I don’t know anything on Blackmon, but neither McCrae or Parker seem to be able to get it done, so it can’t hurt anything.

4 Likes
3

Obviously can’t hurt cuz Parker & McRae are dormant returners. Unless Blackmon is a turnover machine?

Bomber blocking also leaves much to be desired so Bombers either have too many under-powered guys on teams or the schemes are poor. Maybe combination of both.

2 Likes
4

Methinks O’Shea has bigger plans for Janarion Grant THIS season. There’s no point putting Flash… uh, I mean ‘Grant’ back there to return balls in his sub-sonic state. We’ll see our slippery one-man-highlight-machine weaving through BC’s tacklers like a greased pig on Red Bull come playoff time.

It’s in the bag gentlemen. Book 'em Dano. :partying_face: :boom: :beaver:

2 Likes
5

Maybe I am already getting a little eager and excited about what appears to be a sneaky good strategy.

So maybe they suit Grant up for the playoffs, and they do have to list him on the roster before a game of course, but let’s say he does not return the first kick and they just hide him somewhere on the sideline in some equipment bag.

I don’t know the best way to hide him. You all are the pros here, so you tell me.

But then, on the second or third kick, they unleash him out of hiding and have him swoop in to play.

Whether or not the opposing special teams coach even notices before the kick, well let’s just say it won’t be very long before he might need to go change pants too.

This is advanced and bold special teams strategy and exciting too! :smiley:

2 Likes