If Kris Adams has impeccable timing on the field like he does off of it, he might just be a perfect replacement in the Bombers receiving corps.

The Texas native's family, which includes wife Keisha, eight-year-old Kris Jr. and three-year-old Krimsyn, have been in Winnipeg for the last month. They're heading back to the U.S. on Thursday, but the good news for the Adams family is papa will make his CFL debut against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Wednesday night. He has been pressed into action due to injuries to Darvin Adams and Weston Dressler.

“I hope I can make some plays for them and get everybody excited,” Adams said Monday after a lightning shortened practice at Investors Group Field.

The 6-foot-3 Texas-El Paso product won't be starting just anywhere on the field. He'll be at Dressler's wide receiver spot on the short side of the field, so he could be busy. And if that's the case, he might be flying by the seat of his pants a bit, because Monday's workout marked the first time this season he participated in two consecutive practices. And even that one was cut short.

The reason for the lack of practice participation is the hamstring pull he suffered during rookie camp. The team “released” him on May 28, but he didn't go anywhere and re-signed on June 6. He then aggravated the injury trying to get it ready for the first pre-season game. That landed him on the six game injured list, and he was eligible to resume practising only 11 days ago.

He will come off the six game injured list Tuesday and one day later attempt to help Winnipeg win back-to-back games for the first time in two years and three days.

“I hope I get some opportunities out there,” Adams said. “I know I know my stuff. I stayed on the playbook. I know what I'm doing. I've been playing the game for a while, so I got some football smarts.

“So hopefully when the ball comes my way, if it comes my way, I can make a play and show that I'm not just the guy who can step in and fill shoes. I can play in this league.”

Adams has travelled a longer road than most to the CFL, making stops in five NFL cities and overcoming a devastating leg injury before deciding to come north. He was on practice rosters in Chicago, St. Louis and Minnesota in 2011. He joined the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 and caught two passes from Andrew Luck in three games before going back to the practice squad when other receivers got healthy.

He got a chance with the New York Giants in 2013, but he badly broke his lower left leg in the first pre-season game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and failed his physical with the team in 2014. He still wasn't ready to commit to the Bombers last year when assistant general manager Ted Goveia came calling.

“One, I was still coming off my rehab. I wasn't really sure of myself yet with my leg injury,” Adams said. “And two, I still wanted to try to get a shot back in The League, because it was my first year not on a roster technically. Once I didn't get a call this year I just went ahead and was like, I gotta play somewhere.”

The wonky hamstring almost killed his CFL chances, too, because not many rookies get to make the club from the tub during training camp. The Bombers liked what they saw in Adams, though, and kept him around.

“The combination of his size and athleticism and his ability as a receiver was very intriguing,” head coach Mike O'Shea said. “He was a guy that we thought, boy, we'd like to see a lot more of this guy, and now he's got his opportunity.”

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Full speed ahead for Adams

Kris Adams describes himself as “just a guy from Texas” who loves to play football. It kind of goes hand in hand, actually.

The one thing Adams is not, however, is patient when it comes to recovering from injuries. He doesn't like not playing football, so he doesn't exactly ease himself back into action once he gets clearance to do so.

After breaking his leg in three places during an NFL pre-season game in 2013, Adams hit the ground running when the doctor told him he could.

“I was rushing to come back,” Adams said. “I went through my rehab as hard as I could. As soon as the doctor said, 'You can run,' I was hitting it full speed. I didn't think to pace myself, because I was so anxious. I never thought about anything else other than playing football.”

The same thing happened this spring when he rushed back from a hamstring pull in an effort to make the Bombers. He ended up on the six game injured list as a result.

“I'm very fortunate,” Adams said. “I'm grateful to the guys for keeping me around; Kyle (Walters), Ted (Goveia) and (Mike) O'Shea and whoever made the statement that they could use me here. I assumed the worst once I got hurt. I was trying to rush back to make it for the first pre-season game but got hurt again. So I'm grateful that I'm still here.”