Training camp 2024

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions still have 14 offensive linemen and 15 defensive linemen on the roster but today’s cuts seem to clarify other position groups. The only rookie linebackers remaining on the roster are Ayinde Eley and national draft pick Terrence Ganyi. The only rookie American defensive backs are CB Jordan Perryman, HB Ronald Kent and SAM Chris Cooper. There are still several American receivers vying for practice roster spots but the biggest challenge for the coaching staff next week will be deciding how to handle their deep national talent base.

[Hambone]

Rookie CB Jordan Perryman seems to be the biggest beneficiary of today’s roster cuts. He’s taking first-team reps Monday in place of released rookie Tyon Davis. There are no other changes in the first-team offence and defence. Alex Hollins is back at WR after sitting out last week.

Thanks for quickly answering that question BC FAN. Mizzell's release means all three American RBs that saw game time a year ago are no longer with the club. Just scrolled through the transactions page and it seems Shaun Shivers ans J'Quan Hardy were never officially released since last fall but maybe as practice roster players they were already considered FAs and the Lions simply didn't re-sign them.

Usually as soon as the season ends PR players become FAs because they are not under a Standard Players Contract and the PR ceases to exist. I'm not sure of the PR ceases to exist immediately after each team's final game or if not until after Grey Cup.

[TheLionKing]

I was never a fan of Mizzell as he is just too small to be effective running between the tackles.

Not a fan either. Tired of seeing him juking and jiving at the line of scrimmage only to be swallowed by a defensive lineman.

[Hambone]

Interesting decision on Prukop given short yardage was the only reason Davis was on the team last year. Perhaps they now realize he was more a beneficiary of the Bombers' outstanding o-line than his ability. Of our remaining 3 QBs VA is probably the best athletic option. Maybe he just handles it the same way Rourke did in 2022.

What's happened there is Brice showed well enough in camp, and in his half of football Saturday, that he has continued to progress in his development and has earned the opportunity to continue in that development. In that regard getting more practice reps with the main offense as opposed to splitting scout team reps with #3 is needed. Keeping Prukop around as #3 would only serve to hinder his development. Listed at 6'3 235 Brice certainly has the size to handle the short yardage plays if Campbell chooses to delegate that part to him.

With all the tough decisions Campbell and McEvoy have to make in the next 6 days they might rather save the PR spot for one of the other position guys or Meyer as opposed to a 4th QB.

[B.C.FAN]

The reaction among practice regulars today to the decision to keep Brice over Prukop was pure joy. Brice has earned his spot. Some suggested he should be No. 2 ahead of Dolegala, but I don't expect that to happen.

[David]

When I saw Prukop skipping short passes into the McMhahon Stadium turf, I thought to myself, "uh-oh. This is not good." Despite his short yardage proficiency, he has never had an accurate arm. I guess the club figures Dolegala or Brice will be good enough (e.g., Tommy Stevens) and it's important to give more reps at this point to Chase Brice.

Mizzell is a bit of a head scratcher. McEvoy and Moj were singing his praises in the off-season, how they were expecting big things from a (now) 2nd year CFLer. I thought, based on B.C.FAN's reporting, that he had some decent runs in camp and would play at least a quarter or half of the preseason game on Friday. Moreover, the two recruits Agyei-Obese and Terrell struggled a bit against the Calgary front seven. Neither really stood out.

If there is one blind spot this club has is its ability to find quality backs. Calgary does it like finding apples at the market. B.J. Emmons looks like a dead ringer for Ka'Deem Carey.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

Monday's practice featured a lot of team play, including no-huddle, as the offence continued to open up the playbook. Unofficially, Vernon Adams completed 11 of 16 passes, including the final 7 in a row. One of those was a TD pass to Alex Hollins on a deep post pattern behind rookie cornerback Jordan Perryman. Jevon Cottoy was Adams' biggest target (and not just by size), with 6 catches, including 3 checkdowns, 2 designed screens and a short crosser. He took one pass down the sideline to the end zone, reminiscent of a couple of his big plays last year. Manny Rugamba had an interception on a tipped ball. Garry Peters had a knockdown on a deep sideline pass intended for Ayden Eberhardt.

Jake Dolegala continued to take second-team reps, completing 8 of 10 passes. Stanley Berryhill caught 5 passes but dropped 2 balls that appeared catchable, including a bomb behind NFL vet Chris Cooper. Terry Williams had a couple of big catches, including one that he appeared to steal from the hands of veteran LB Bo Lokombo.

Chase Brice, who beat out Dakota Prukop for the third QB spot, completed 7 of 8 passes. Jalen Sample had 4 catches on 5 targets but dropped a deep ball behind national DB Patrice Rene.

Veteran running back Will Stanback had a nice inside run behind the blocking of Jarell Broxton and David Knevel on the left side of the first-unit offensive line, which is where the Lions have had the most success in camp. Stanback also caught a screen pass for a big gain. Jordan Terrell, a late addition to camp, took second-team reps and had 2 big inside runs. Fellow rookie Percy Agyei-Obese had a couple of successful runs, including a sweep around the left side.

Sean Whyte did all field goal kicking, hitting 8 of 9 attempts, mostly from the 37 or 40 yards. Stefan Flintoft did almost all punting, and NFL vet Kyle Nelson did the long snapping.

The Lions have two practices remaining Tuesday and Wednesday before leaving Kamloops and concluding their preseason Friday night at B.C. Place against Edmonton.

[Qman]

Interesting decision on Prukop given short yardage was the only reason Davis was on the team last year. Perhaps they now realize he was more a beneficiary of the Bombers' outstanding o-line than his ability. Of our remaining 3 QBs VA is probably the best athletic option. Maybe he just handles it the same way Rourke did in 2022.

What's happened there is Brice showed well enough in camp, and in his half of football Saturday, that he has continued to progress in his development and has earned the opportunity to continue in that development. In that regard getting more practice reps with the main offense as opposed to splitting scout team reps with #3 is needed. Keeping Prukop around as #3 would only serve to hinder his development. Listed at 6'3 235 Brice certainly has the size to handle the short yardage plays if Campbell chooses to delegate that part to him.

With all the tough decisions Campbell and McEvoy have to make in the next 6 days they might rather save the PR spot for one of the other position guys or Meyer as opposed to a 4th QB.

Meyer is going on PR. There are extra PR spots just for globals. PR costs almost nothing.

the 47,48,49th guy that’s costs cap real room. Too good to expose on pr. 1 game health scratch at full salary. I think that’s what hurt mizzel, is they decided other guys they need to hide more.

[B.C.FAN]

With only two days left in training camp, the Lions have announced the signing American defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor, who spent time on the practice roster of the Detroit Lions.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/05/28/lion ... us-taylor/

[SammyGreene]

With only two days left in training camp, the Lions have announced the signing American defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor, who spent time on the practice roster of the Detroit Lions.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/05/28/lion ... us-taylor/

Whoa! Transactions page also list d-linemen Daniel Joseph and Dominic Quewon have been released. So that’s it for our former 1st rd draft pick?

[Toppy Vann]

Tiquan Mizzell might be just as much a casualty of the run schemes as he is by guys who showed better in TC and Stanback's signing suggesting he's the preferred back for the limited run package BC employs.

The astute observation from Hambone and BC Fan etc seems to be that Brice has shown and grown and earned his spot.
Who will run short yardage?

Prukop like any QB, RB or ball carrier benefits from the quality of their OL and in the Bomber's case, their schemes even on short yardage.
Despite his USFL time, he's not had much of a chance to show a total package as hey used Dru Brown.
He wants to live in WPG as a home base so I guess the question for him will be will the Bombers had a 3rd spot for him. I think they loaded up on QBs for TC.

It seems there are 3 approaches in CFL pre-season:
1. The Hugh Campbell approach to use game 1 at least to see if they have talent that deserves a roster spot.
2. The MTL approach this year
https://3downnation.com/2024/05/26/a-ch ... r-toronto/
3. the hybrid that we'll see in the 2nd game. Give the starters more time but your QB less but enough to get some game experience.

If you go MTL and lose key starters, your fans will say go BC route.
If you go full BC with rookies and not much to your starters and blow the first league game, you'll get you should have done the MTL approach.

[Qman]

Tiquan Mizzell might be just as much a casualty of the run schemes as he is by guys who showed better in TC and Stanback's signing suggesting he's the preferred back for the limited run package BC employs.

The astute observation from Hambone and BC Fan etc seems to be that Brice has shown and grown and earned his spot.
Who will run short yardage?

Prukop like any QB, RB or ball carrier benefits from the quality of their OL and in the Bomber's case, their schemes even on short yardage.
Despite his USFL time, he's not had much of a chance to show a total package as hey used Dru Brown.
He wants to live in WPG as a home base so I guess the question for him will be will the Bombers had a 3rd spot for him. I think they loaded up on QBs for TC.

It seems there are 3 approaches in CFL pre-season:
1. The Hugh Campbell approach to use game 1 at least to see if they have talent that deserves a roster spot.
2. The MTL approach this year
https://3downnation.com/2024/05/26/a-ch ... r-toronto/
3. the hybrid that we'll see in the 2nd game. Give the starters more time but your QB less but enough to get some game experience.

If you go MTL and lose key starters, your fans will say go BC route.
If you go full BC with rookies and not much to your starters and blow the first league game, you'll get you should have done the MTL approach.

RCs approach last 3 years
1st game - 2nd and 3rd stringers. Glorified scrimmage.
2nd game - 1st half is game 0 of regular season .. all starters, full offense, find out issues. 2nd half .. backups, playmakers make the roster.

[B.C.FAN]

With only two days left in training camp, the Lions have announced the signing American defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor, who spent time on the practice roster of the Detroit Lions.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/05/28/lion ... us-taylor/

Whoa! Transactions page also list d-linemen Daniel Joseph and Dominic Quewon have been released. So that’s it for our former 1st rd draft pick?

Demetrius Taylor is an interesting acquisition. He sat out the 2023 season due to an NFL gambling suspension. The suspension was recently lifted, so he is eligible to play in either league. I'm told he has been in Kamloops since last week and travelled with the team to Calgary and was going to play in the preseason game but there was a delay in registering his contract with the league, so he had to wait.

Domenic Quewon and Daniel Joseph took second-team reps on an injury-depleted D-line earlier in camp but they were considered bubble players who have been bumped down the depth chart and didn't do anything to distinguish themselves.

[Hambone]

With only two days left in training camp, the Lions have announced the signing American defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor, who spent time on the practice roster of the Detroit Lions.

https://www.bclions.com/2024/05/28/lion ... us-taylor/

Whoa! Transactions page also list d-linemen Daniel Joseph and Dominic Quewon have been released. So that’s it for our former 1st rd draft pick?

For Joseph it's a combination of not sticking out in camp and losing the numbers game.

I'm sure BCF will chime in. From what I saw Joseph just didn't stand out in any way. He looked like just another guy out there who wasn't doing anything to push himself up the depth chart beyond getting 3rd unit reps. They were going to have a hard time finding a PR spot for him. Prior to his release they had 29 NATs in camp with 21 active spots and 3 or at most 4 PR spots left. When I get thru the locks for starters, rotational depth guys and special teams needs I get down to Joseph battling with Una, Packer, Tieide, Poissant, Bagayogo, Beaulieu, Ringland, Ganyi and loser of Pickett/Nelson LS duel for what amounts to 3 spots on the 46 and 3 or at most 4 PR spots, That's 10 guys for 5 or 6 spots. Joseph is now gone. I think once Harty returns Poissant will go. Loser of the LS duel goes. After that it will be difficult to determine the final couple of 46/PR spots but likely they tell Una he has a hang nail problem and 1G him. They won't risk possible poaching by putting him on the PR. Packer may be vulnerable although they have been working him some at center which could put pressure on Pierson depending on how he's grading. I think Bagayogo, who continues to improve, will get a spot on the 46 as will Tieide until Harty returns. Beaulieu and Ringland are safe. Ganyi is next on the bubble after Joseph, Poissant, Pickett/Nelson.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions donned pads Tuesday morning and took to the field at Hillside Stadium for the second last time this year. Michael Couture, who has been limited for the past 10 days, was dressed but didn't participate. Tyler Packer took first-team reps at centre. Manny Rugamba sat out on defence and spent time stretching with DL Nathan Cherry in the end zone and riding the bike on the sideline. Patrice Rene took Rugamba's spot at SAM on the first-team defence. The good news on the injury front is that DL/ST Josh Archibald and LB Ryder Varga were full participants for the first time. Jordan Perryman took first-team reps at field cornerback for the second straight day. Perryman is the only true rookie in the projected starting lineup on either side of the ball.

In team play, newly signed DL Demetrius Taylor made his presence known by tackling first-team RB Will Stanback for a loss against the first-team O-line. Alex Hollins continued to stretch the field, catching a deep ball from Vernon Adams for a TD against Marcus Sayles. Jevon Cottoy, who has been targeted all over the field for the past two days, also caught a deep pass against Sayles. Sayles got some revenge by intercepting a deep pass for Hollins in double coverage. Justin McInnis made a deep diving catch but missed a couple of other opportunities to make clutch catches. The defence also had its moments. Rene, rookie DBs Charlie Ringland and Christophe Beaulieu and LB/ST Maxime Rouyer had knockdowns. Veteran CB Garry Peters knocked down an underthrown deep ball intended for Cottoy.

Third-team running back Percy Agyei-Obese had a nice inside run, and third-string QB Chase Brice followed with a QB keeper on the next play but the running game had little success otherwise on the day.

Rookie Global kicker Carl Meyer handled punting and was regularly sailing the ball 50 to 55 yards from scrimmage. Meyer split kickoff duties with veteran American Stefan Flintoft. There's not much to separate the two kickers in terms of distance or consistency. Meyer has gotten better as camp has gone on. Sean Whyte was good on all 5 FG attempts at distances ranging from 36 to 42 yards.

Training camp wraps up Wednesday morning before players travel to Vancouver for the final preseason game Friday night against Edmonton.