Bombers GM holds court with media By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018

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This article was published 15/10/2018 (2264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Just like the team he runs, Kyle Walters hasn’t made it easy on himself this year.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers general manager emerged from the shadows Tuesday to hold court with reporters for the first time this season. With the Bombers on a bye week, Walters wasted little time addressing a number of topics — speaking for nearly 23 minutes on everything from the signing of offensive lineman Geoff Gray on Monday to what it will take to bring back linebacker Adam Bighill next season.

There was also discussion about what he didn’t do, which is make any moves ahead of the CFL’s trade deadline on Oct. 10, ultimately deciding to stay put with the team that has strung together four straight wins.

Walters said there were some attempts to reach out to other teams but in the end nothing that worked for the Bombers, particularly as they navigate near the salary cap line.

“It was really quiet… You can get a good indicator when you reach out and it’s generally the teams that are out of the playoffs… and neither one of those teams were particularly interested in talking,” Walters said. “(There were) a couple initial talks with other teams but I can assure you there was nowhere even close to anything getting done and it was just — certainly on our end and on their end, too — it was barely beyond a polite phone call interest and there really wasn’t anything.”

According to sources, Walters inquired about B.C. Lions running back/receiver Chris Rainey, who also returns punts, but the cost was too high and included a star player in return. There was also a call to the Toronto Argonauts to see if they might be willing to part with veteran receiver S.J. Green, which they weren’t.

“You’re always looking to upgrade but it has to fit in the salary cap and you have to be darn sure it’s going to improve your team,” said Walters. “Nothing got off the ground.”

Then there was the prospect of bringing back receiver Chris Matthews, who played two years in Winnipeg and was awarded rookie of the year honours in 2012 before spending the next four seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens.

Unable to find another NFL job, Matthews signed with the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 2. He’s played in one game this year — a 26-21 loss to B.C. — reeling in three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. Given his familiarity with the Bombers, it seemed odd they wouldn’t get the first crack at Matthews. There were some talks there, but, again, the Bombers didn’t see the immediate fit.

“Chris made a good decision for himself and signed with a team that obviously needed him and was able to get on the field right away,” said Walters. “Chris is a good young man and we had some talks with him and I wish him the best.”

It certainly helped that by the time the trade deadline came around the Bombers were playing some of their best football of the season and now sit at 9-7 and in third place in the West Division.

“It wasn’t like we were getting blown out of the water for four games and we need to blow up everything and make drastic changes. It was if we can just play clean football a little bit and limit the number of errors we were making, I think we’ll be fine. I think that’s proved accurate the last four (games),” said Walters.

“Week to week it seems whose the best team in the league, particularly in the West where all five teams are so evenly matched right now? It’s exciting football coming down the stretch and I think the CFL has got exactly what they wanted with this schedule, where we’re all playing each other. It felt like playoff football last week and I think it’s going to feel like that the rest of the year.”

Naturally, that sparked the question of whether the CFL should consider changing its playoff format, something Walters has taken issue with in the past. As it stands, three teams from each division are allotted a playoff spot, with the possibility of a crossover in the event the record of the fourth-place team in one division exceeds that of the third-place team in the other.

That crossover spot has heavily favoured the West in recent years, and it will once again this season as the Montreal Alouettes (3-12) and Toronto Argonauts (3-12) have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Given the time of the season, Walters preferred not to beat the same drum he did a year ago.

“That was more out of frustration where we had last year a very good regular season, finished second, and our reward was playing the team with the third-best record in the league (Edmonton Eskimos). They whooped us and it was as simple as that. That’s more of an after-the-season discussion, to sit back and talk about it. Right now we’re just trying to get into the playoffs.”

The Bombers’ recent turnaround is in large part due to the play of the defence. The addition of Bighill — named a CFL top performer Tuesday for Week 18 after recording eight tackles, including three quarterback sacks and a forced fumble in a 31-0 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders — has been a big part of that improvement. The middle linebacker leads the league with 101 tackles, is tied for the CFL lead with three forced fumbles and has two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

“He’s had a huge impact on our team. He’s as advertised, he’s everything and more that he brings to this team. From leadership, from his ability, you just watch the way he flies around and moves and makes plays…the turnaround on our defence this year, a lot of it has to do with the presence that he brings,” said Walters. “It’s hard to imagine our team without him on the field this year, for sure.”

Bighill, who signed just ahead of training camp after NFL interest dried up, is in need of a new contract next season. Needless to say, it’s at the top of the GM’s to-do list.

Walters said he expected Gray, who has signed through the 2020 season, to be eased into the team. After stints in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, Gray will begin his CFL career in his hometown in earnest beginning next week when the team returns to practice. He was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 draft with the plan that he would eventually return to the CFL after testing out interest down south.

“For Geoff to get a jump-start on next year and learning the system and being around the guys and things like that, it’s exciting to get to get one of our draft picks under contract,” said Walters.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.

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