New receivers join Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Schoen gets healthy – Winnipeg

After suffering a rash of injuries to their receiving corps, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had a pair of new bodies and a very familiar face on the field to start their practice week.

While injured pass catchers Nic Demski and Jerreth Sterns both did not take part in Tuesday’s session after leaving their last game, reinforcements have already arrived as they started to prepare for this week’s Labour Day clash against the West Division-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Bombers officially announced the signings of veteran receivers Kyran Moore and Cam Echols to the practice roster, and Dalton Schoen is now ready to return from an injury.

Moore has five CFL seasons under his belt with both the Riders and Edmonton. He played two years with Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros in Regina but missed all of last season after suffering a torn ACL in his knee. It came only three years after tearing his other ACL, and after sitting at home and waiting for a call for quite some time, Moore wasn’t sure he’d get another chance to play pro football after a rough year of rehab.

“It was tough,” said Moore. “Just going through another ACL injury from the opposite leg and how it happened. It was kinda crazy but being around my teammates, that helped me go through it.

“I was missing it. Like, when I got that call my whole, like literally, my life changed again just like that.”

Echols was released by the Calgary Stampeders in training camp after the 30-year-old put up 363 yards receiving with four touchdowns in only 12 games in his rookie season last year after playing in the USFL. He also spent time on the BC Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats practice rosters.

Echols also has experience returning punts and kickoffs and he said he’s been hounding the Bombers for a job for weeks, even sliding into their DM’s.

“They say persistence is key,” said Echols. “I kinda betted on myself. Without telling on myself, I kinda stayed in somebody’s DM’s for a solid month. It’s like you nagging on a lady that you like. I just kept nagging and nagging and being a little gnat, and I’m here.”

Both players practiced on Tuesday as they try and nail down their new playbook as fast as possible.

“They were taking as much information as they could and they got out and they ran a little bit,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “We expect them as pros, they’re going to learn the system, and I think because they’ve been in the CFL, we believe they’re going to learn it fast. And then we’ll see what they can do.”

Schoen was back practicing with the first team offence, pushing Dillon Mitchell back into a backup role. Schoen missed their past six games with a knee injury. A knee injury also ended his season early last year, but he wouldn’t say if the two are related. But he’s feeling great now and is ready to get back in the lineup if his number is called.

“It’s always hard not being out there,” said Schoen. “Being forced to watch from the sideline, you try to help out where you can. Or talk through things with the guys who are going to be out there in your spot and stuff like that, but it’s obviously never easy when you’re watching from the sidelines.

“It has been a while that I’ve been out, so, luckily I’ve had time to obviously work through the rehab process and strengthen the body and do all those things off the field.”

The Bombers will travel to Regina to face the Riders on Sunday night with kickoff at 6:00 p.m.

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