WINNIPEG, MB., – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce signing of four American players in quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, receivers Otis Lanier and Matt Cole and defensive end/long-snapper Damian Jackson, as well as National receiver Michael O’Shea.
Pigrome (5-10, 200; Towson State; born: October 22, 1997, in Birmingham, AL.) comes to the Blue Bombers after a collegiate career spent at the University of Maryland (2016-19), Western Kentucky University (2020) and most recently with Towson State (2022). He spent the 2021 season at Ole Miss but did not play. Pigrome threw for 1,638 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Tigers last year, rushing for an additional 574 yards and two more TDs. He was the 2015 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Alabama while at Clay-Chalkville High.
Lanier (5-10, 185; Howard Payne University; born: October 7, 1997, in Houston, Tex.) spent the last two seasons with the Yellow Jackets. Last year he had 66 receptions for 955 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the American Southwest Conference in receiving yards, receptions per game and all-purpose yards. He also nine punt returns for 166 yards and one TD and was a First Team All-ASC selection. He had 46 receptions for 807 yards and nine TDs in 2021.
Cole (5-10, 197; McKendree University; born: November 7, 1996, in Chicago, IL.) arrives in Winnipeg after spending last year on the practice roster of the Washington Commanders. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins in 2020, he would later make his NFL debut later that season after being picked up by the San Francisco 49ers, making two tackles on special teams. Cole has also had stints with the New York Jets and Giants, the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks
Jackson (6-2, 263; University of Buffalo; born July 22, 1992, in Las Vegas, NV) appeared in 13 games last year for the Bulls, including making nine starts at defensive end while handling the long-snapping chores. He had 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery. He transferred from Nebraska, where he spent five seasons after initially walking on with the Cornhuskers. He was a member of the Navy SEALS for four years and was the 2021-Armed Forces Merit Award Winner.
O’Shea (6-0, 183; Okanagan Sun; born: March 9, 2000 in Mississauga, ON) joins the Blue Bombers after two solid years with the Sun in the British Columbia Football Conference, including helping lead the squad to a 21-19 win over the Regina Thunder in the national championship last fall — a game in which he caught a touchdown pass and also had seven returns for 108 yards, earning him the Special Teams Player of the Game award. O’Shea had 28 receptions for 483 yards and eight touchdowns last season, adding another seven catches for 164 yards and a TD in the playoffs. In his first year with Okanagan, he had 27 catches for 654 yards and 11 TDs. He is also an exceptional kick returner, having taken five punt returns back for touchdowns in his two years with the Sun while averaging 25.9 yards per kickoff return last season. Those numbers earned him a spot on the Canadian Junior Football League First-Team All-Canadian squad. In 2021 he was a CJFL First-Team All-Canadian as a receiver. He is the son of Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea.
