Never one to thump his chest and boast, Dalton Schoen will insist he is just one piece of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive puzzle.
Fair comment. But let’s add this fully understanding his not the type to brag: he is one GIGANTIC piece of said puzzle.
The Blue Bombers announced today the signing of the veteran receiver to a one-year contract, less than two weeks prior to the opening of the Canadian Football League free-agent market and the news had folks in Bomberland — undoubtedly along with quarterback Zach Collaros — rejoicing.
Schoen’s numbers prior to last year’s knee injury that limited him to 2 1/2 games speak for themselves: over the 2022-23 he was twice named a CFL All-Star and in 34 games finished with 141 receptions for 2,663 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Here are four other numbers that speak of his importance to the Blue Bombers offence:
1.31
Over 2022-23 Schoen found the end zone once every 1.31 games.
That total is eye-catching, no doubt, and over that span he scored more touchdowns than any other player in the CFL. That included a league-best 16 TDs in 2022 when he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie, and a league-high 10 receiving scores in 2023.
More context as to why that number matters so much: The Blue Bombers led the CFL in passing TDs in 2023 with 42. That number fell dramatically last year with Schoen out — as well as Kenny Lawler, who missed eight games — with Winnipeg finishing dead last in passing TDs with just 18.
8
Of Schoen’s 26 TDs, eight have been in the red zone — 20-yards and in — high-lighting how massive his production is near the goal line. Here’s another: an additional 11 of Schoen’s touchdowns have occurred just outside the red zone between 21 and 30 yards. Combine those totals and 19 of his 26 TDs have been from 30 yards or closer.
And another total related to the above, should you allow us to connect some dots: last year, including the game in which Schoen was injured before halftime, the Blue Bombers lost four games without him in the lineup by a field goal or less, including two in overtime — perhaps magnifying how much his absence was missed.
48.4%
An under-rated component of Schoen’s game beyond the ridiculous touchdown totals is this: since joining the Blue Bombers an astonishing 48.4 percent of his receptions — 75 of 155 — have been second down conversions.
That speaks of the tendency Blue Bombers quarterbacks had looking for Schoen in the red zone, but also in critical situations all over the field just to keep the offence moving.
76.3
Schoen’s 2,822 yards in 37 games averages out to 76.3 yards per game over that span. Included in that are 10 100-yard games; five in each of 2022 and 2023.
His rookie season included a club record 16 touchdowns by a first-year Blue Bomber and his 1,441 yards receiving that year was the seventh highest in franchise history ranking behind only Milt Stegall (1,896 in ’02; 1,616 in ’97 and 1,499 in ‘00), James Murphy (1,746 in ’86), Gerald Wilcox (1,624 in ’94) and Eugene Goodlow (1,494 in ’81).