Wanna get Lucky: Blue Bombers in talks with receiver Whitehead
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Published Jun 29, 2024 • 2 minute read
In the days after a season-ending injury to star receiver Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea downplayed the likelihood of going after a veteran free agent like Lucky Whitehead.
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It seems a fourth straight loss to open the season has changed that.
The Bombers are in talks with the four-year veteran speedster, who wasn’t retained by the B.C. Lions this year.
Whitehead has averaged 62 catches, nearly 800 yards and three touchdowns per season over his career, while also doing part-time duty as a kick returner.
The 32-year-old made his CFL debut with Winnipeg in 2019, catching 52 passes for 521 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 15 regular-season games.
He also ran the ball nine times for 92 yards and a score and averaged nearly 30 yards per kickoff return, including a 104-yard touchdown.
After the COVID shutdown of 2020, Whitehead joined the division rival Lions for the last three seasons, scoring a touchdown each on a punt return and missed field goal return.
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But he’ll potentially help the Bombers most at receiver, where they’ve lost Schoen to a knee injury and Kenny Lawler to a broken arm.
At least he’ll be somewhat familiar with the Winnipeg offence.
O’Shea had said the problem with going after a free agent instead of simply promoting players from their practice roster is the length of time it would take for them to get familiar with the play book.
In a 22-19 loss to Calgary on Saturday, dropping them to 0-4, the Bombers managed just 225 yards passing between starter Zach Collaros, who got hurt just before half-time, and backup Chris Streveler.
Collaros, who’s led the league in touchdown passes the last three season, has yet to throw his first this year, while Streveler tossed the team’s first major through the air on Saturday.
The Bombers went into the weekend the CFL’s lowest-scoring team, averaging less than 19 points per game, while recording the least number of offensive yards per game, at 310.
They managed just 297 against the Stampeders.
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