The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are down a quarterback.
Just before their final practice ahead of Saturday’s pre-season opener, the club placed QB Payton Thorne on the suspended list after he opted to leave the team.
“We had a great conversation this morning,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “He’s a great kid. He’s really smart. I’m sure he’s got a future in football still, just this is what he had to do.”
O’Shea was asked if Thorne just saw the writing on the wall, but the head coach said he wasn’t afraid of the competition.
Thorne signed with the Bombers in December after attending camp with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals last year following a five-year collegiate career with Michigan State and Auburn.
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“You’re disappointed because you want to run an organization where nobody ever leaves,” O’Shea said. “Where they all want to stay, all the time.”
With Thorne’s departure, it leaves the Blue and Gold with just four quarterbacks under contract.
Zach Collaros will certainly be their QB1 again this season, leaving Terry Wilson, Taylor Elgersma and Bryce Perkins battling for the other two QB jobs on the active roster, with the other likely to go on the practice roster.
O’Shea didn’t reveal his plans for the quarterbacks for Saturday’s exhibition contest, only saying the roster will be out on Friday. But their performances with the bodies flying for real will go a long way in determining their place on the depth chart.
“I’m not saying I’m excited to get hit, but definitely getting that first contact, definitely gets you going,” said Perkins. “And definitely gets you in game mode officially, officially, officially. It’s always fun in practice but you get a better, real feel in the game. The realest feeling you can get.
“I’m definitely excited that we get to go out there on Saturday and definitely show what we can do.”
The Bombers will face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Saskatoon on Saturday starting at 6:00 p.m.
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