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BRADENTON, Fla. — Unable to secure a big-play receiver through free agency, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have to go the in-house route to fill a void that haunted them last season.

The process of unearthing that potential gem started last year when the Bombers brought in promising but CFL-untested receivers Corey Washington, Kenbrell Thompkins, Charles Nelson and Kenny Lawler.

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It continues Wednesday and Thursday, when the Bombers’ scouts, coaches and management will take a look at 15 American receivers at a free-agent camp here at the IMG Academy.

It’s expected about seven of those pass-catchers will move on to the Bombers main camp — assuming the league’s labour impasse is resolved — in May.

“It’s generally a passing thing and that won’t change,” Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said of the mini-camp. “It’s heavily loaded on receivers and defensive backs.

“The goal is to find receivers who can help right away but the track record of the CFL shows that for a rookie receiver to come in and learn the playbook in a two-week training camp, it’s very difficult. When we look at these receivers, it’s less about ‘We think he’s gonna come in and start Day 1,’ it’s ‘We think this guy’s got a chance at some point during the year, once he learns everything and figures out what he’s supposed to do.’”