Ryan Bomben was surprised by the trade that sent him from Montreal to Hamilton, but after getting acclimated to the characters on the Tiger-Cats offensive line, he’s starting to feel back at home.
Hamilton is as close to home as Bomben could get playing in the CFL. He’s a native of Burlington, where he already lived in the off-season, and he played college ball at the University of Guelph.
“It’s definitely nice to not have to move a bunch of times each year,” said Bomben, “it’s a big bonus to be close to home.”
Yet despite a favourable destination, the trade was a surprise for the offensive lineman who played in 72 games since entering the league with Montreal through the 2010 CFL Draft.
On his first day of camp, Bomben told media that he had been taken a little aback by the trade but that he was going to put his head down and get to work.
Two weeks later, Bomben is feeling back at home in Hamilton, thanks in large part to the quick connection he’s made off the field with the other offensive linemen.
“Obviously there’s a pretty good group of guys here,” explained Bomben on Saturday morning, “I’m getting along with most of them off the field which is obviously a good thing, you want to be close with the guys you’re playing close to.”
Bomben is easy-going off the field, but he’s a fierce competitor on it, a mix that has made him an instant fit on the Ticats’ offensive line.
“He fits in great,” said Ticats centre Mike Filer, “he’s got a great attitude, he’s a hard worker, and he fits in really well with our group of guys.”
Bomben’s beard scored him some instant points with Filer, who now may have some competition for the most impressive facial hair on the team.
Head coach Kent Austin likely didn’t factor the beard into his trade negotiations, but Austin is happy to have been able to make the move that brought Bomben to the Ticats. Rather than rolling the dice in the draft, the Ticats opted to bring in a proven starter and guaranteed contributor at the position.
“He’s a proven player, he’s extremely athletic,” started Austin, “he’s very versatile and can play three spots.”
That versatility gives the Ticats flexibility with their player ratio, allowing them to get another skilled player on the field in another capacity, said Austin. Bomben’s versatility does not necessarily stop at the three offensive line positions, either.
In his first three seasons in Montreal, Bomben was used as a tight end, a position he’d had experience at growing up. Over the course of his time with the Alouettes, the vet made eight receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.
The Tiger-Cats’ offensive sets do not generally feature a tight end, so it’s not probable that Bomben will see any passes thrown his way in 2015, but he’s not exactly opposed to the idea.
“I can only hope, but I’m not going to hold my breath on that one,” laughed Bomben.
Other than the lack of a tight end in the offence, there are definitely differences between the pass protections that the Ticats and Als run, so there’s been a learning curve for the veteran Canadian lineman; he’s far from in over his head though.
“There’s only so many ways you can block five guys,” he said.
Both Coach Austin and offensive line coach Allen Rudolph have been pleased with Bomben’s quick acclimation to the team’s system. Rudolph praised the 27-year old’s professionalism and understanding of the game, while Coach Austin said that he shines when the lights are on.
“He’s better live than he is in individual drills,” explained Austin, “you want guys that play when it matters.”