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MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski (left) speaks with potential backup Gavin Cobb during practice at Princess Auto Stadium back in August. Demski did not practise Tuesday, but head coach Mike O\u2019Shea said the injury is not season ending.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cNo update yet,\u201d said head coach Mike O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
A hamstring injury \u2014 regardless of the severity \u2014 will always draw extra concern for a player who does as much running as receivers do. O\u2019Shea, who will occasionally reveal if an injury is season-ending for a player, offered a bit of optimism for fans after being pushed for a more detailed answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it\u2019s not (season-ending) then, obviously,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Wednesday will be Demski\u2019s last chance to test out his wheel in a practice setting, as the Bombers hold a walk-through on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old has continued to age like fine wine this season, leading the Bombers in every major receiving category while his seven touchdowns are the most he\u2019s scored since 2022. Demski is also just 30 yards away from setting a new single-season career high in receiving yards.<\/p>\n
With Dalton Schoen going down with a season-ending injury earlier this year, Demski has been leaned on more than ever. He\u2019s the most experienced and most trusted weapon for quarterback Zach Collaros.<\/p>\n
The next question is who will need to step up in Demski\u2019s potential absence.<\/p>\n
The Bombers tested out a couple of new looks on Tuesday, including Keric Wheatfall lining up at wideout with the first-team offence, and Kevens Clercius and Gavin Cobb jumping into the slot, which was occupied by Demski and Dillon Mitchell last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody as a group has to understand what their job is even more,\u201d said Collaros.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I always tell you guys, Nic does a ton for us. So when he\u2019s not out there, it can make stuff difficult,\u201d Collaros added. \u201cObviously, when you\u2019re in a game where a lot of things are drawn up for him or he problem solves a lot for us, so it\u2019s imperative for us \u2014 not just this week, but every week \u2014 to make sure that we understand if, in a worst case scenario, he\u2019s not playing, what we need to do to continue to execute.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody as a group has to understand what their job is even more.\u201d<\/p>\n
If Demski is a no-go, could it be Pokey Wilson\u2019s show?<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old, who rejoined the Bombers last month after a brief stint in the NFL, has bolstered the receiving corps, hauling in 18 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns in five contests.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they\u2019re all important,\u201d said offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan. \u201cWe got to rely on every receiver. So, I mean, (Wilson) brings some juice. He\u2019s definitely a good down-the-field threat, but I think everybody\u2019s got a part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson has shown a clear rapport with Collaros that seamlessly carried over from his sensational rookie campaign, where he recorded 71 receptions, 1,026 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Ontaria Wilson is another potential backup to fill Nic Demski\u2019s role this Friday. Wilson completed an acrobatic touchdown catch in last Saturday\u2019s game against the Edmonton Elks.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cProbably better from a starting point, because I know him now,\u201d said Collaros. Early in the season last year, when he was finding his way onto the roster, I think he was playing field two (wideout) for us\u2026 he wasn\u2019t necessarily our go-to guy early in the year. As the season went on, I think he became one of those guys for us, obviously.<\/p>\n \u201cI think just carrying over from last year and into this year, and obviously he\u2019s a smart guy, he understands what we\u2019re doing \u2014 you don\u2019t tell him a lot of things twice. And you guys see it week in week out, not just on the field during games, but at practice. He can make a play when the ball is in the air. So it\u2019s been great to have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilson, who typically stays quiet during the week and lets his play do the talking, said he would relish the opportunity to play in an elevated role.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything to help the team, I\u2019m willing to do, honestly. So if I have to step up and play my role, I\u2019m willing to step up,\u201d said Wilson, whose miraculous fourth-quarter catch last weekend has blown up his social media in recent days.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a receiver, I\u2019m sure any receiver loves when the ball comes his way.\u201d<\/p>\n He may see a lot of pigskin thrown his way as the Bombers\u2019 offence looks for a much-needed bounce back. At this point, there are more questions than answers about a unit that has the second-fewest touchdowns among all teams, while its starting quarterback is tied for the most interceptions in the league (15).<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t It\u2019s particularly concerning considering the time of year \u2014 Week 20 \u2014 when all units are expected to be a well-oiled machine with playoffs around the corner. Winnipeg is stuck in neutral, and it may need to search for another gear without the engine of its passing attack this week.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to play a clean game, like we always talk about. Whether that\u2019s winning turnover battles, executing plays in critical situations, when we\u2019re in scoring territory \u2014 scoring touchdowns, not field goals \u2014 all those things,\u201d said Collaros.<\/p>\n \u201cSeems like we\u2019ve had to say that a lot this year, but we have to make sure that we fine-tune everything.\u201d<\/p>\n joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X: @jfreysam<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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