Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have revealed that Jermarcus Hardrick and Stanley Bryant will be back with the team in 2019, after agreeing to a deal in principle.
Ed Tait of BlueBombers.com wrote that the two will be back next season following the club’s Western Final loss to the Calgary Stampeders. Bryant, 32, and Hardrick, 28, form one of the league’s top offensive tackle duos.
It starts with Bryant, who was the Nissan Titan Most Outstanding Lineman last season, adding division and league all-star honours to his resume in 2017. He was also named a West Division All-Star this season, and on Thursday he’ll try to capture the award for the league’s top O-lineman for the second season in a row.
After starting his career with the Calgary Stampeders in 2010, Bryant signed a free agent deal with the Bombers in 2015. He hasn’t missed a game in four seasons, anchoring what’s become one of the league’s top units, paving the way for league-leading rusher Andrew Harris while allowing just 36 sacks.
Hardrick just finished his fifth season in the CFL, including his third with the Bombers. He’s been a regular fixture since joining the team in 2016 following one-year stints with BC and Saskatchewan.
The moves begin what will likely be a busy off-season for the Blue and Gold. On Wednesday, the team announced it has released defensive back Maurice Leggett, while there are a number of key pending free agents including offensive linemen Matthias Goossen and Sukh Chungh, among several others.
