\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"MIKAELA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/3476900_web1_250714-Bombers-0179.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Blue Bombers\u2019 Dillon Mitchell (13) has run multiple snaps out of the slot this week at practice, indicating the wide receiver might see his first start in Blue and Gold in Saturday\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n
Mitchell, who had 1,896 yards and 12 touchdowns on 130 receptions during the first three seasons of his career with the Edmonton Elks, was paid handsomely ($148,000 in hard money and a $63,300 signing bonus) to join the Bombers in the off-season and looked like a shoo-in to be one of the starting receivers.<\/p>\n
When he arrived at training camp, admittedly not as mentally sharp as he should\u2019ve been, Mitchell was bumped down the depth chart and hasn\u2019t climbed back up.<\/p>\n
Now, after multiple injuries to the receiving corps, he\u2019s getting a good look with the starting unit again, which at least puts him in the mix to suit up for Saturday\u2019s road game against the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium (6 p.m. CT).<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s a really good teammate, a good guy,\u201d quarterback Zach Collaros said Tuesday. \u201cI\u2019m happy that he\u2019s here, and I was happy when we signed him in the off-season. So I\u2019m happy for the opportunity that he might have this week as a receiver, I think he does some really good things to the field and the boundary.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s played at a high level for a long time in our league, right? So I think experience is something that definitely matters, being out there and not having that deer-in-the-headlights look, I think, is an important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Dalton Schoen went down with a knee injury in Week 5, Mitchell didn\u2019t get a sniff at joining the starting offence. Instead, the Bombers went with second-year receiver Cody Kase. Two games later, Kase suffered a significant ankle injury.<\/p>\n
Once again, Mitchell was passed on, this time in favour of rookie fifth-round pick Joey Corcoran.<\/p>\n
Offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan said he didn\u2019t view Mitchell as a slot receiver at the time, and suggested the receiver wasn\u2019t versed enough with the waggle to make the impact that the team needed, despite Mitchell having 14 games of experience playing in the slot.<\/p>\n
However, this week, Mitchell has run multiple snaps out of the slot, which could point to a change of heart from the Bombers\u2019 coaching staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody on our offence gets moved around and has turns waggling and not waggling, motioning in and out, so I don\u2019t see it as they changed their mind,\u201d said head coach Mike O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been good. He\u2019s been accurate. He\u2019s been attentive in meetings, and learning, and asking good questions, and working hard at it. He\u2019s been putting in the work.\u201d<\/p>\n
If it is Mitchell\u2019s time, Collaros believes he has enough rapport with the receiver to produce in a game, despite them playing on different units for much of camp and Mitchell being on the scout team since the regular season started.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking back at training camp, there was a lot of moving\u2026 parts, for sure,\u201d Collaros said. \u201cI mean, I don\u2019t feel like I got enough reps with anybody, but you never feel you get enough reps. So that was a long time ago, but Dillon has done a great job of learning what we\u2019re doing here. He, obviously, has a great rapport with Jarious (Jackson, quarterbacks coach), too, from being in Edmonton with him for all those years.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released Marquise Bridges (9) on Wednesday, a week after the defensive back was placed on the practice roster. <\/p>\n \u201cSome of the things \u2014 and I\u2019m speaking for him \u2014 some of the concepts and routes that we run, we can just say, \u2018Hey, it\u2019s like you did it this way in Edmonton,\u2019 so I think that helps. I think just getting used to a new setting for him and being around our locker room for this extended amount of time has been good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a great player, and if he gets this opportunity, I think he\u2019s gonna do a great job,\u201d Collaros added.<\/p>\n Bombers release Bridges<\/p>\n The Bombers released defensive back Marquise Bridges on Wednesday.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t The second-year pro started six games at field side cornerback this season, recording 16 tackles and two interceptions.<\/p>\n Bridges was expected to make a jump in his second year with the Blue and Gold after CFL all-star Tyrell Ford was signed by Edmonton in free agency, but a stretch of miscues led him to being benched in the club\u2019s Week 8 game in Toronto and then moved to the practice roster last week.<\/p>\n Rookie Trey Vaval and recently signed third-year veteran Dexter Lawson Jr. have worked with the first team defence in practice this week.<\/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
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n