Bruce Johnson figures he's ready for Ricky Ray

Ricky Ray? Blue Bomber Bruce Johnson has heard of him. Never seen him play, though.

Except on film, that is.

On Thursday, Johnson will get up-close-and-personal with the future hall-of-fame quarterback when his Bombers host Ray and the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL season-opener for both teams.

Johnson will be part of a green-as-grass Winnipeg defensive backfield, one of three players filling in for injured starters.

“I hear they say he’s a good quarterback,” a casual-sounding Johnson said of Ray. “Has a good deep ball, can look you off and everything. But with film and everything, I think we’ll be fine with what we have out here.”

Johnson, 26, has reason not to be star-struck.

His brief NFL career included practising against Eli Manning and playing against Drew Brees, when he played 22 games for the New York Giants in 2009 and 2010.

Newcomer Maurice Leggett will in a similar boat against the Boatmen, starting his first CFL game, but having NFL experience to lean on.

“I’ve gone against Brett Favre, twice,” Leggett said. “Pre-season and regular season. He could thread a needle between me and you right now.”

And what has he heard about Ray, who leaves pass defences in shreds on a regular basis?

“I know he has a great deep ball,” Leggett said, predicting an “entertaining” game, Thursday.

“Entertaining means I’m getting a lot of action.”

Leggett and Johnson will fill in for the injured Korey Banks and Alex Suber, while Canadian backup Matt Bucknor will play instead of the limping Donovan Alexander.

“You let ’em go,” head coach Mike O’Shea said. “I’m not trying to scare them, by any means. They need to do what they’re doing, play within the system, play their techniques and they’ll be fine.”


(winnnipegsun.com)