Dixon turning heads at Bomber camp

You want to make a statement in training camp?

Just take a page out of De’Shaan Dixon’s playbook and steamroll the most decorated offensive lineman in CFL history in a one-on-one drill.

That’ll get people talking.

“I was surprised, but it’s all good,” admitted left tackle Stanley Bryant after Monday’s session. The rep in question occurred on Day 1 on Sunday.

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow when the pads come on. Nothing against him, that’s on me. It won’t happen again.”

Bryant, who turned 40 last week, backed that on Monday when he again lined up across from the aspiring Bomber.

“He got me back today,” said Dixon, a 27-year-old from Chesapeake, Va.

“You shake hands at the end of the day. Just good competition.”

Considering Dixon’s size — six-foot-four, 260 pounds — and résumé, it should come as no surprise that he’s been standing out.

After a five-year collegiate career at Norfolk State, Dixon signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and made the 53-man roster.

He appeared in three games, recording his first career tackle against then-New York Giants superstar running back Saquon Barkley for a minimal gain.

“In my head, I got really excited. It was like a ‘you’re in the league’ moment — like, ‘Oh, you just tackled Saquon.’ It was really cool,” said Dixon.

“The next play, they ran a read option — Daniel Jones kept it and ran for eight yards. I chased him down, but I think I was still too excited from the first play, and then I got pulled out.”

He spent 2023 on the practice squad. In 2024, Dixon was having a promising camp when he tore his ACL.

His NFL career was over.

“It was heartbreaking. It really sucked,” he said. “It took more of a mental toll than a physical toll. You work so hard to get to that level and then it just kind of gets taken away from you.”

He returned home to Virginia and started working for a company that does crawl space and foundation repairs.

“It’s not an ideal job for somebody my size,” he said.

After some time away from the game to heal up, Dixon got an offer to join Winnipeg’s practice roster in October.

“First day off the plane, I was in a full padded practice. It was really good because I hadn’t been in a practice in probably two years,” he said.“I just had a blast and was enjoying every moment of it.”

He was only in blue and gold for a few weeks before returning home for the birth of his son.

Now back in Winnipeg, Dixon has a chance to crack this year’s roster and have a significant role. Jake Ceresna and Cam Lawson will man the middle of the D-line, and Willie Jefferson will hold down the fort at one of the edge spots.

With James Vaughters leaving Bomberland for Riderville in free agency, that leaves an opening at the opposite end from Jefferson. While names like Kydran Jenkins are in the mix, Dixon might just be the favourite.

Head coach Mike O’Shea has made it clear that he’s already a fan.

“We saw it yesterday in practice, he chased a play 50 yards down the field when other guys had already stopped — he kept running. For a guy that size, it just looks effortless for him to move that way,” said O’Shea.

“And he’s a good football player. He’s a conscientious learner, and there are a lot of good things that we recognized last year, too. So he’s building upon that and we’ll see where that takes us. We had him in here last year for a reason and he’s back again this year for a reason.”

With what his past few years have looked like, Dixon is just thrilled to have a chance.

“Having a role on this team, whether it’s in a rotation, on special teams, or anything like that, just being here is already a blessing and a great opportunity.”

GATKUOTH SET TO JOIN BOMBERS

The Bombers are set to welcome their first-round pick from this year’s CFL Draft.

Defensive end Nuer Gatkuoth, an Edmonton product who was chosen fourth overall out of Wake Forest, attended Denver Broncos rookie minicamp over the weekend but was not offered an official contract.

“I did everything I could (in the tryout),” said Gatkuoth in an interview with Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. “I put my best film on tape. The Broncos already have a great outside linebacker group, so it was hard to get signed here. But I feel like I had a dominant three days and it worked out like it worked out. So now I’m going to the CFL to just dominate.”

Gatkuoth saod the Broncos told him they’ll be watching what he does in the three-down loop. If he impresses, they could bring him back to the NFL in 2027.

“Honestly, I have right now all the confidence in the world,” Gatkuoth said. “My confidence has shot up a hundred times. Just me going out there and dominating all three days has really boosted my confidence and I know I can play in the NFL. It’s not an if, it’s a when if I just keep working.”

Gatkuoth returned home to Edmonton on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Winnipeg in the near future.

“He has a very high football IQ, so I think he’ll do well there and make his way back to the NFL,” added Gatkuoth’s agent, Nate Thomas, in the article.

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