DRESSLER EXTENDS WITH BOMBERS

There was never a doubt in Weston Dressler’s mind if, or where, he wanted to continue playing football.

The 32-year-old receiver signed a one-year extension Tuesday with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Dressler was scheduled to become a free agent in February but decided quickly after the 2017 season he wanted to return for an 11th CFL campaign and third in Manitoba.

“Once the season is over you kind of take a minute to regroup and think about things,” Dressler said during a conference call. “To continue playing was something I definitely wanted to do and to continue playing in Winnipeg was a top priority.

“I’m just happy they want me to be a part of the team again.”

The five-foot-seven, 168-pound slotback had 51 catches for 691 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games this year. He’s registered 131 receptions for 1,694 yards and five TDs over two seasons with the Bombers.

“Weston Dressler brings so much to our organization in addition to his productivity on the field,” Winnipeg general manager Kyle Walters said in a statement. “Every week he is out on the field, he is a threat in so many facets of the game and brings invaluable experience and leadership to our locker room.”

Dressler said it was important to him to get his contract status settled prior to the start of CFL free agency.

“If you want to be somewhere and have the chance to be there, I feel like if you can get it done before it gets to that free-agent point that’s most important,” he said. “The last few weeks having talks with Kyle and the organization, we knew it was going to get done.

“It was just a matter of taking care of some of the smaller details within the contract. They found a way to make all that stuff work sooner rather than later.”

Walters has been busy this off-season keeping his core players in Winnipeg. Other veterans who’ve also re-signed include running Timothy Flanders, kicker Justin Medlock and left tackle Stanley Bryant, the CFL’s outstanding lineman this year.

“I think it’s important we keep some of the core guys around,” Dressler said. “Knowing that’s kind of the direction the team wanted to go and seeing that was getting done definitely makes me want to be there even more.”

(Canadian Press)