Winnipeg Blue Bombers place returner Janarion Grant on six-game injured list ahead of clash with Redblacks

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be without star returner Janarion Grant when they take on the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

Grant was absent from practice all week with an ankle injury and has been placed on the six-game injured list. In five games this season, he has returned 12 kickoffs for 298 yards and 23 punts for 315 yards and a touchdown, while adding 27 yards on missed field goal returns, 17 yards receiving, and 13 yards rushing.

The 29-year-old recorded five return touchdowns in 2022, three in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. That included a record-setting 102-yard return that came during the team’s Grey Cup loss to Toronto.

Since joining the team in 2019, Grant has amassed 1,963 yards on kick returns and 2,108 yards on punt returns. He is the Bombers’ all-time franchise leader with eight regular-season return touchdowns.

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Grant will be replaced in the return game by Swiss army knife Greg McCrae, who returned a missed field goal 102-yards in last week’s win over Calgary and added a 68-yard receiving touchdown.

American receiver Carlton Agudosi will claim the open spot on the roster and is expected to rotate with McCrae at receiver. In three games this season, he has caught nine passes for 120 yards.

Despite listing 12 other players as questionable on this week’s injury report, the Bombers have made no other changes to their game-day roster. Canadian defensive back Redha Kramdi (hip) remains the only player on the one-game injured list, while fullback Konner Burtenshaw (hand), halfback Jamal Parker (ankle), cornerback Winston Rose (foot), and linebacker Kyrie Wilson (Achilles) are all in line to return from the six-game injured list next week.

The Bombers (4-1) will visit the Redblacks (1-3) on Saturday, July 15 at 4:00 p.m. EDT. They are currently [metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”spread-away” query=”531026″ site_id=”3downnation”] point favourites.

Photo courtesy: Winnipeg Blue Bombers