Pokey Wilson stood in front of a phalanx of media following the first practice upon his return to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and was instantly hit with a simple opening question from CJOB’s Derek Taylor.
“So, Ontaria,” began Taylor, “what brings you to Winnipeg?”
Wilson, grinned for a moment, and then added: “I’m just back to go to the Grey Cup, honestly.”
So, let it be said for the record that Wilson’s sequel as Blue Bomber began with a mic drop.
Now, sure, some will roll their eyes at his comment, given the Blue Bombers, at 6-5, are sitting in third place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division and coming off a 34-30 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic that had an encouraging finish but wasn’t without its warts.
Still, a guy can dream, can’t he?
Wilson stepped back into his old #80 for Wednesday’s practice after officially signing a contract extension with the club on Monday that will carry through next season. He took a ton of reps with the starting unit, although head coach Mike O’Shea — surprise, surprise — was non-committal when asked whether the second-year receiver would be inserted into the lineup for Saturday’s Banjo Bowl rematch against the Riders.
“He looks fast. He remembers the Waggle. It looked like he was on time. It was good,” said O’Shea. “He’s got some more learning to do. We’ll see how much of the playbook he can keep digesting as far as the running around, he looks good.
“It’s pro football… he needs to know what to do. If he gets out there and he’s wrong, it’s going to cost you a sack or a hit on the quarterback or an incompletion or an interception. It can be costly if you don’t do what you’re supposed to do.”
Wilson’s timing couldn’t be better. Dalton Schoen was at practice on Wednesday but did not participate and with Thursday’s session closed to the media we won’t know whether he is available until the release of the depth chart on Friday morning.
In any case, adding a 1K receiver from a year ago — Wilson was also the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Rookie — gives Zach Collaros & Co. another weapon for the offensive arsenal.
“I remember that first game he arrived on the scene,” said Collaros of Wilson’s 200-yard game against Calgary last summer. “It wasn’t his first outing with us, but it was his first time being in the spot he was.
“I remember talking to Stan (Stanley Bryant) that week and being like, ‘This kid’s really good, I’m telling you.’ And then I remember I threw him a bubble (receiver screen) and he took it for like 30 and then Stan looking back at me and saying, ‘You’re right.’ He’s really good.
“I remember that and then he reminds me a lot of Nic (Demski) in a different way, but the way he’s able to adjust to the football in the air is really special. It’s helpful, for sure, (to have Wilson back) and adds another explosive element to the offence.
“Good dude. Competitive as hell, and that’s what you’re looking for.”
Wilson used his sensational 2024 season here in Winnipeg to get his shot with the New York Jets, signing with them in January and then playing in three preseason games before his release late last month.
Cracking an NFL roster is never easy — even with solid CFL credentials — but it’s a shot Wilson, now 26, had to take while the window was open. He’s had two cracks now, including a stint with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023, and the fact he’s now signed through ’26 means he’ll put down some football roots here in Winnipeg.
Wilson with the Jets; photo courtesy Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
“I was clawing and scratching, trying to find my way there,” he said of his shot with the Jets. “It was a good experience overall. Coming from the CFL and being a guy who is unheard of to try and make my name there in camp… Everything felt good there. I took advantage of my opportunities, unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.
“It seems like there’s very small window to exceed there. Every chance you get you try and give it your all.”
Wilson said the NFL experience helped him fine-tune aspects of his game including alignment, assignment and having to react more quickly with defensive backs right in his face at the line of scrimmage.
He’ll now have another full practice to get the terminology down from the playbook of new offensive coordinator Jason Hogan.
“Today I felt like I caught on pretty fast,” said. “It’s more of the same formations, just different names. Same concepts, it’s just the names you have to remember.”
Most importantly, there’s this — and it’s something that shouldn’t be overlooked in the cutthroat world of pro football: “It just feels good to say I have a home here.”
More from Wednesday’s practice session in this week’s Need to Know…
OUCH REPORT: Schoen wasn’t the only spectator on Wednesday, with OL Micah Vanterpool not participating and DT Tanner Schmekel on crutches. Dime back Redha Kramdi was practising to start, but then was limited while OL Gabe Wallace appeared to tweak something during the session. With Wallace down, Tui Eli took reps at left guard, as did rookie Ethan Vibert.
Injury Report: September 3, 2025#ForTheW pic.twitter.com/PCOQJE1X5p
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) September 3, 2025
COMINGS/GOINGS: The Blue Bombers were busy on the transaction front on Wednesday, bringing back Canadian DT Collin Kornelson, releasing WR Kryan Moore, and adding Global LB Ayo Oyelola and DB Ridge Texada to the practice roster.
Oyelola might ring a bell with Blue Bomber fans as he was selected by the club in the 2021 Global Draft and spent that season primarily on the practice roster, dressing for one game. He then spent 2022-23 on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice roster and 2024 with the Pittsburgh Steelers before being released in January.
Texada (5-8, 179, North Texas; born: May 7, 2002, in Frisco, TX.) joins the club after a five-year collegiate career at North Texas (2021-2024), and McNeese State (2020). During his time at North Texas, Texada finished with total 139 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five interceptions — including one Pick-6 — one forced fumble, and 32 passes defended in 52 appearances, including 37 starts.
THE COACH SAYS: Some pertinent sound bites from O’Shea from Wednesday’s media scrum:
Overall thoughts on the Labour Day Classic loss:
“We weren’t good enough. We lost a good battle; it was a good battle, but we weren’t good enough. We made some mistakes we’d like to have back. Too many penalties. In a tight game like that — they ended up taking more (penalty) yardage because of that one big PI (a 57-yarder inside the final minute) — against a really good team like that that generally has all three phases going we’ve got to play better.
“… It’s not all about penalties. When you lose by four against a really good football team it comes down to five or six plays that could go one way or another, and you’d like to change a couple of those.”
On the work of Hogan, the first-year offensive coordinator:
“He’s doing really well. There was always going to be some growth but he’s coming a long way. He doesn’t have to do it himself, either. It’s always been in this environment — from LaPo (Paul LaPolice) on — a collaboration. Input into the game plan, there’s always a ton of chatter on the (headset) about what comes next and trying to think a couple plays ahead and there’s always a lot of input from the players. What does Zach like in that situation? What does Strev like here? How’s it work?
“Obvioiusly entering into it there is going to be some growing pains, from LaPo and his first time, for Buck (Pierce) and his first time and for Hogie his first time. He’s not doing it alone.”
On the five sacks surrendered by the offence on Labour Day:
“They’ve got a good front, they really do. That would be a goal every time — the O-line would always like to pitch a shutout in terms of pressure and sacks — but they get after it pretty darn good.
“People try pin a sack on something and they always try to look at the O-line first. But there’s 12 offensive players out there and this being the greatest team sport going there’s enough corrections to go around to make sure we’re cleaner. Something as simple as route depth or route width can lead to hanging onto the ball. There’s so many factors that go into the timing of a play and the delivery of a football. It’s always about all 12 guys doing it right.”
ICYMI: Had a great chat with DT Cam Lawson in this week’s Huddle. You can view it here:
SALUTED: The performance of Collaros in the LDC loss earned him a nod from the CFL and Pro Football Focus. Check out that here:
Honour Roll, Week 13: Malik Carney, Kiondré Smith, Stamps’ O-line make the grade