The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have made a trio of signings for the 2024 season, including replenishing their quarterback depth with the addition of Eric Barriere.
The six-foot-one, 210-pound passer played at Eastern Washington University from 2016 to 2021, suiting up in 51 career games. He was twice named the Big Sky Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year and took home the Walter Payton Award as the top player in FCS football in 2021 after throwing for 5,070 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 games.
The Inglewood, Cal. native completed 1,007-of-1,623 passes for 13,809 yards, 121 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions in his college career, while also rushing for 1,585 yards and 22 majors on 376 carries — all of which are school records. Eastern Washington has been known as a CFL QB factory, producing names like Bo Levi Mitchell, Matt Nichols, and Vernon Adams Jr.
Barriere went unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft and did not receive a contract offer after participating in mini-camp with the Denver Broncos. The All-American later signed with USFL’s Michigan Panthers, completing 14-of-24 pass attempts through two games for 118 yards, a touchdown, and an interception while running for 13 more. After being waived in May of 2023, he signed with the New Jersey Generals but saw that team dissolve following the league’s merger with the XFL.
The signing comes on the same day that Winnipeg traded pending free agent backup Dru Brown to the Ottawa Redblacks, leaving a significant vacancy in their quarterback room.
Also joining the Bombers are a pair of American receivers in Kody Case and Tyler Adams.
Case played his senior season at the University of Illinois, seeing action in four games as a kick returner. He spent the previous five years at the University of South Dakota, catching 82 passes for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns in 32 games. The five-foot-10, 182-pound slot was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but waived following training camp.
Adams also attended training camp with the Colts last summer as an undrafted free agent. The six-foot, 190-pound target played his final collegiate season at Butler University, collecting 39 receptions for 689 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games. He previously played at Harvard from 2017 to 2021, where he totalled 21 receptions for 305 yards and three majors in 15 games.
Winnipeg will open their 2024 season on Thursday, June 6 when they host the Montreal Alouettes.
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