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![\"Ruth](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4408870_web1_260709-Bomb-Dru-Brown1-.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRuth Bonneville \/ Free Press
\nBombers quarterback Dru Brown during practice at the Princess Auto Stadium last week. This week he’s set to face his former team the Ottawa Redblacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt worked out that way, it wasn\u2019t a fit, and now we\u2019re trying to move forward and trying to find some answers here in our building.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maier was handed the QB1 job a week and a half before the season opener. Brown asked to be released, but the Redblacks didn\u2019t want to lose him for nothing, so they traded him to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 23.<\/p>\n
The Bombers (3-2), with Brown under centre in place of an injured Zach Collaros (neck), take on the Redblacks in Ottawa on Sunday (6 p.m. CT).<\/p>\n
Brown was Ottawa\u2019s starting pivot for the past two seasons before Dinwiddie was hired from Toronto in the off-season.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, we know Dru\u2019s a capable quarterback \u2014 that\u2019s why we wanted to keep him here,\u201d said Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just didn\u2019t work out. And not naming him the starter, that didn\u2019t sit well with him, and he wanted to get out of here. So, some of those things are out of our control when it comes to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the deal, Dinwiddie criticized Brown\u2019s arm strength and labelled him a \u201cdistraction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not just going to say \u2018No comment,\u2019 right? You get a bunch of questions on it, and I just said Jake\u2019s got a stronger arm, which is true. It\u2019s not a knock on Dru, he\u2019s a very capable quarterback \u2026 I was just stating the facts,\u201d said Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n
A fact that can\u2019t be argued is that Maier has not been good enough. He\u2019s near the bottom of most quarterback statistical categories, and the Redblacks rank last in points per game (23.8).<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Brown, who was brilliant in last week\u2019s 30-21 win over Toronto despite having very limited practice time with Winnipeg. He was named one of the CFL\u2019s Players of the Week after completing 80 per cent of his passes for 339 yards, one touchdown and one interception.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, no doubt (Brown played well against Toronto) \u2014 he got a win,\u201d said Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you know, two different situations, two different teams. Jake had four picks last week and one was late in the game where we\u2019re trying to force a ball down field and we\u2019re down by a lot, right? But there are some things we need to clean up there, but it\u2019s not always on the quarterback. We got to play better football and we\u2019re asking the quarterback to do a lot where he\u2019s not just managing games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown has an opportunity to make his former boss eat his words, but the 29-year-old isn\u2019t adding any more fuel to the fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think that I wasn\u2019t maybe what they wanted, and that\u2019s OK,\u201d said Brown shortly after landing in Ottawa on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have any feelings towards it. I think things like this happen. I\u2019m grateful for my time here in Ottawa, but also, extremely grateful to be back with Winnipeg.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny chance I get to go out there and play, I\u2019m not necessarily out to prove anyone wrong. To me, the game is too complex and too hard to have an emotional attachment to these games.\u201d<\/p>\n
COLLAROS PLACED ON SIX-GAME<\/p>\n
The Bombers moved Collaros to the six-game injured list on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The move doesn\u2019t necessarily mean he\u2019ll be sidelined long term, however.<\/p>\n
Teams often make the move for financial reasons because the salaries of players on the six-game injured list do not count against the salary cap. It also provides greater roster flexibility while an injured player works his way back.<\/p>\n
Collaros can be activated at any point.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I certainly don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to be that long,\u201d said Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, it\u2019s sort of the way you handle your business this year: you pretty well put everybody on the six-game just in case.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers also placed defensive tackle Cam Lawson on the six-game injured list.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if he\u2019ll be the full six weeks either,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw him running around the other day, so, I\u2019m sure he\u2019s (back) sooner than later.\u201d<\/p>\n
WINNIPEGGER IN OTTAWA<\/p>\n
The Redblacks used the first overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft on Winnipeg offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve wasted no time putting the former Purdue product to work. He\u2019s started all five games at right guard and will once again be in that spot Sunday against his hometown team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt like he was clearly the No. 1 pick and we\u2019re happy with that pick still,\u201d said Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n
\u201cGio\u2019s growing into a really good professional. Now he\u2019s had some moments where he\u2019s gotten a little bit overmatched, and you know, it\u2019s a little different than the college level \u2014 he\u2019s a rookie. But we\u2019re happy with his development and he\u2019ll continue to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson, who lives in Winnipeg, has known Vaccaro for years. Before taking the NCAA route, Vaccaro played for the Manitoba Bisons and would occasionally cross paths with Jefferson during off-season workouts.<\/p>\n
The future Hall of Fame pass rusher has no plans to take it easy on his young friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s coming along,\u201d said Jefferson, with a grin. \u201cHe\u2019s gonna get it, he\u2019s gonna get it for sure. I can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n
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Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor 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
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