The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be without key starters on both sides of the football when they go after a fourth straight win against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday.

Quarterback Zach Collaros and starting safety Redha Kramdi will both miss their week eight tilt with injuries.

Collaros will sit out a third straight game with a neck injury, while Kramdi is dealing with a hand injury.

Jake Kelly will be the Bombers starting safety on Friday in Kramdi’s absence. The 27-year-old recorded his first career interception last week in the win over the Ottawa RedBlacks. He’s appeared in all six games so far this year as a backup defensive back in his fourth season in the blue and gold.

It’ll be just his fourth career CFL start after making one start in 2023 and a pair in 2024.

“I think it represents an opportunity,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea told reporters on Thursday. “He’s a guy that’s been getting lots of snaps for us and can play a bunch of different spots, and understands what we’re doing. He’s going to communicate well and it’s going to be pretty damn good. ”

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Kramdi was placed on the six-game injured list, but O’Shea doesn’t know how long he’ll actually be out.

“I wouldn’t say awhile,” said O’Shea. “I’m not sure. Once again, I think the standard these days is put guys on the six-game and see where it goes.”

QB Dru Brown will be at the controls of the Bombers offence for the third straight game. The Bombers have had some strong finishes in winning their last three in a row; it’s their starts that have been concerning. The Bombers have turned the ball over on their first possession of the game in their last three straight contests with a fumble, a turnover on downs, and an interception.

“I think that there’s a level of focus that we need to sustain throughout the whole game,” Brown said. “And I think right now what everyone sees is that, right? But at the end of the day, I’ve started fast before. I’ve been on teams that start fast and then don’t do anything for the rest of the game, right.

“So, it’s kind of like, it’s tough sometimes. Obviously, we want to clean that up.”

The Bombers also took four players off the injured list in making five changes to their active roster. Receiver Kevens Clercius will back up Gavin Cobb at wide out in his first game of the season. Defensive back Ethan Ball, defensive tackle Tanner Schmekel, and linebacker Lane Novak will also be making their season debuts and DB Matthew Jackson will appear in his first career CFL game.

Receiver Joey Corcoran, defensive end Kydran Jenkins, defensive back Ethan Stuart, and linebacker Charles-Elliot Bouliane were all removed from the game day roster to make room for the newcomers, with all four getting moved to the practice roster.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Princess Auto Stadium.