Bombers confident in Collaros as they chase third consecutive Grey Cup

WINNIPEG — Zach Collaros offered to take some snaps during the Blue Bombers’ pre-season games, but the veteran quarterback was told it wasn’t necessary.

Such is the level of confidence earned by the reigning CFL most outstanding player and Grey Cup most valuable player.

The faith head coach Mike O’Shea and offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce have in his abilities to be ready for Friday’s season-opener at home against the Ottawa Redblacks isn’t lost on Collaros as he begins his 10th season.

“I think that they understand that I take it very serious and I’m going to put my best foot forward to do what’s best for the team,” Collaros said this week after practice.

His best foot (or best arm) has served the team well as he helped the Bombers win back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2019 and last year. The 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Collaros, 33, led the league last season in touchdown passes (20) and quarterback efficiency (111.0 rating) and finished second in passing yards (3,185) in the shortened 14-game campaign.

The franchise has never won three titles in a row, but coaches and players don’t like to talk about a three-peat.

"We have one goal when we get here, to win the Grey Cup,” said Collaros, who joined the Bombers in a 2019 late-season trade with Toronto. “We talk about it for about 10 seconds and then that's it.”

Collaros will be backed up by Dakota Prukop, who was with the Edmonton Elks last season and the Argonauts from 2017-19, and second-year Bomber Dru Brown.

Winnipeg is returning a good chunk of last season’s 11-3 roster, including nine players who were CFL all-stars. Still, it does have some question marks on both sides of the ball and special teams.

One notable change to last