Newly acquired DB Shell ready to help Bombers As Darrin Bauming writes in his latest Bombers Report for TSN1290.ca, 33-year-old defensive back Lin-J Shell, who was signed to Winnipeg's practice roster earlier this week, is ready to help his new team in any way he can as the season opener approaches Saturday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

When they open Week 1 of the regular season in Regina against their historic rival Roughriders, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will look to establish a few things in year two of the Kyle Walters-Mike O'Shea era.

On the docket; build continuity among eight new starters, establish chemistry within a re-tooled locker room, and continue to build experience and leadership on one of the league's youngest clubs.

So when a six-year CFL veteran — his 2014 Grey Cup ring fresh out the box — is available and wants to play for Mike O'Shea, it's pretty much a no-brainer.

"I've played for (O'Shea) before, and 'Osh' is one of those guys — natural-born leader," said 33-year-old defensive back Lin-J Shell. "'Osh' is one of those guys where if he asks for me to do it I'll do it. Brick wall and everything, I'm running through it."

Signed to Winnipeg's practice roster this week, Shell says he has a couple options but chose Winnipeg after the Calgary Stampeders decided not to bring him back.

"He's a vet. He's a pro. He's got lots of experience in a lot of different defences, so I think he picks things up easily," said head coach Mike O'Shea following Shell's first practice in Winnipeg. "He's already communicating first day out there. He's communicating with the guys around him out on the field. He demands a lot of himself and a lot of his teammates. He'll never lower the bar. He always is working extremely hard."

While O'Shea says there's still time to make roster moves before Saturday's season opener against Saskatchewan, Shell was taking first-team reps at safety on Tuesday with starter Moe Leggett starting the season on the one-game injured list.

"You can activate anyone off the practice roster," added O'Shea of his new defender. "Whether or not he picks up all the defences and what we need him to do right away, and then how that shapes with the roster. (Rookie) Demetrius Wright has done a good job for us. He's taken a lot of reps through practice. We moved him from linebacker to safety and given him a chance to learn there and he obviously competed very well and stepped in there when Moe Leggett got hurt. Once again, we've got a number of days of practice before we make any decisions on the roster."

"I'm always ready to play," said Shell when asked if he could be ready to go with just five days lead. "If I play or not that's up to the coaches. It has nothing to do with me. If coach says play, I play. If coach says sit, I sit. Practice, I practice. That's all I'm here to do — be a professional. It's up to them."

Having played various spots in Calgary's secondary last season, Shell is confident playing wherever Winnipeg may need him.

"I'm a utility guy. Wherever coach needs me — I make sure I know the entire defence," said Shell. "The more you can do, the more you can play. So I'm trying to stay on the field. If they need me to play safety, I'll play safety. Half(back), boundary corner, wherever it is. They need me to play nose tackle, I'll play it. It's one of those things where it's just football. I love the game and I love these coaches. If they need it, I got it."

"At the end of the day you're only as good as your weakest link and I try to make sure that everybody is as strong as they can possibly be. So maybe that's my best attribute."

In joining a young Blue Bombers team from a more experienced Stampeders club fresh off a championship, leadership is something Shell feels he can bring.

"I was always taught to lead by example. So as far as having to be a leader, I've never had to think about taking that role. I just do it by the way I play and the things that I say. At the end of the day when you do things the right way, whether you're a loud, loud leader or a quiet storm leader, you're still a leader and people follow that."

With two rookies and only seven years of combined CFL experience among the five Bombers defensive back projected to start Week 1, Shell hopes to share the knowledge his six years in the league have taught him.

"It's the small things that I was taught by older guys when I was younger in the league. Small things like footwork, sets, guy's tendencies, things they do, because a lot of people know offences are creatures of habit."

"Just knowing certain things from this team to that team, I might be able to help some of the younger guys become All-Stars. That is a true testament to leadership is if you make the guys better around you. That's all I'm looking to do."