The Tyson Pencer era has come to an abrupt end.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers trimmed their roster by five players on Thursday morning, as they get set for the final pre-season tune-up against the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday.

The most notable cut was Pencer, the big offensive lineman who was selected third overall in the 2012 CFL Draft when Joe Mack was still the general manager.

Pencer dressed for seven games and started two during his two-plus seasons with the Blue Bombers, missing all of 2012 due to injury.

“Well, we weren’t going to bring him on the trip to Calgary. So in effect, we were going to release him,” said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. “To have him wait around for another bunch of days just doesn’t seem right. Tyson Pencer was not going to make our football team.”

O’Shea was asked if Pencer — who saw action in Monday’s pre-season loss to the Toronto Argonauts — had been given enough time to prove his worth, given he missed so much time on the injured list?

“Yeah, I believe so,” said O’Shea, noting that Pencer had a great attitude. “He was not going to win that job, so it was the right move for the team.”

The Blue Bombers also released non-import defensive back Kris Robertson (who was chosen 11th overall in 2013), import offensive tackle Quentin Saulsberry and import defensive linemen Stafford Gatling and Louis Nzegwu.

The Blue Bombers face the Stampeders on Saturday night at McMahon Stadium and then will open the regular season against the Argonauts on June 26 at Investors Group Field.

O’Shea is planning to use all four of his quarterbacks on Saturday and said the backup job behind Drew Willy is still very much up for grabs between Max Hall, Brian Brohm and Robert Marve.

ken.wiebe@sunmedia.ca