Over the last few years, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have approached the opening of the Canadian Football League free agent market the same way deal-obsessed shoppers attack a Boxing Day sale.

They would religiously line up overnight to be at or near the line before the doors swung open. And when they did – BOOM! – they attacked the available talent with a fervour, desperate to fill holes on the depth chart.

That changes this week when the 2017 free agent market opens on Valentine’s Day, in large part courtesy of the stability that comes from last year’s turnaround and a desire from more players to want to stay or sign here, not escape.

“Normally during free agency you’re down here and it’s chaos.”

GM Kyle Walters told bluebombers.com this week. “It’s a busy day, a full day… it’s nuts.

“But this year is going to be nothing like that. We’re going to follow along and see who signs. It would be nice to get some good value with some young Canadian kids that we like, but we’ve already done a lot of our work.”

That included signing quarterback Matt Nichols and receiver Darvin Adams to new deals, adding receiver Kenny Stafford and, on Thursday, landing their big offseason prize in defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo.

A dozen Bombers will be headed to free agency unless they sign before Tuesday. Walters has already confirmed that linebacker Khalil Bass, defensive tackle Euclid Cummings, receiver Rory Kohlert and offensive lineman Jeff Keeping will not be offered new contracts.

The remaining eight include receivers Clarence Denmark and Tori Gurley, linebackers Jesse Briggs, Tony Burnett and Sam Hurl, defensive backs Macho Harris and Teague Sherman and fullback James Tuck.

The Bombers lineup isn’t without its question marks as the offseason talent grab really begins to come into focus, especially with the departures of Shologan, Cummings and Bass.

But the Canadian depth – and six of the seven Canadian starters in Andrew Harris, Sukh Chungh, Matthias Goossen, Julian Feoli-Gudino, Taylor Loffler and Jamaal Westerman – is as good as it has been in years and that’s always the starting point to any CFL roster.

Walters said the club won’t be chasing any of the high-end talent expected to become free on Tuesday, but will be kicking the tires on some of the players who might still be available after the initial spending spree subsides.

He went over the club’s salary cap plans one more time last Friday, now factoring in the addition of Okpalaugo, to see what they might have left to spend when the market opens.

“We thought all along that defensive end was the biggest need on our team. Period,” said Walters. “We went out and got our guy and now the ramifications are being felt.

“We can’t just keep signing everybody.”

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Bombers current roster as they ready for Tuesday’s market opening:

DEFENCE

Defensive line

Starters: Jamaal Westerman (DE), Tristan Okpalaugo (DE)
Vacant: import defensive tackle; Canadian defensive tackle
Reserves: Jake Thomas, Justin Cole; Shayon Green; Trent Corney; Padric Scott; Brandon Tennant; Rupert Butcher
Pending free agent: Euclid Cummings
Released: Keith Shologan (signed with Montreal)
Synopsis: The Bombers are undergoing a makeover along the D-line. A year ago they spent big dollars in free agency to shore up the interior with Shologan and Cummings, who started 17 and 18 games, respectively, but saw both their sack totals drop.

Now the emphasis is on more pressure from the edge and Okpalaugo and Westerman give the club a formidable duo. Thomas, Tennant, Butcher and likely a tackle taken with one of two first-round draft picks should shore up the Canadian spot once held by Shologan, and right now, Scott is the leading candidate to fill the hole left vacant with Cummings leaving.

Linebackers

Starters: Ian Wild, Maurice Leggett
Vacant: middle linebacker
Reserves: Kyle Knox; Shayne Gauthier; Nick Temple; Frank Renaud; John Rush; Akeem Whonder
Pending free agents: Khalil Bass; Tony Burnett; Sam Hurl; Jesse Briggs
Synopsis: Bass put up huge tackle totals the last two years at middle and weak-side linebacker and also chipped in with sacks, interceptions and forced fumbles. The Bombers want more of a thumper in the middle, however, and thought Bass was better suited to the weak-side spot that is held by Wild. Leggett is a ball-thieving playmaker at the strong-side spot.

Right now, the leading contender for the middle is Knox, and Burnett could also be in the picture if he re-signs. But expect the scouting department to be scouring the south for a middle linebacker and for a defensive tackle that can push the pile.

Secondary

Starters: Chris Randle (CB), Terrence Frederick (CB), Taylor Loffler (S), Bruce Johnson (HB), T.J. Heath (HB)
Vacant positions: none
Reserves: Kevin Fogg; Derek Jones; Brendan Morgan; Garrett Waggoner; Justin Warden; C.J. Roberts; Jeremy Harris; Keith Lewis; Robert Porter; Josh Celerin
Pending free agents: Teague Sherman; Macho Harris
Synopsis: The Bombers gave up a league-high 6,033 passing yards in 2016 (335.2 per game) and that was a combination of the scheme – consistently rushing just four at the quarterback – that occasionally left this crew exposed. Injuries ravaged the air defence, but there is more depth here than some might think.

OFFENCE

Quarterbacks

Starter: Matt Nichols
Reserves: Dom Davis
Pending free agents: none
Released: Kevin Glenn (signed with Saskatchewan)
Synopsis: The position that gets analyzed the most and for obvious reasons. The release of Glenn wasn’t just financially motivated, it was also a move made in the club’s trust that Davis is ready to be the No. 2. Critics will call that blind faith and, until he answers the question, that’s fair comment. McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who arrived here last fall after bouncing around the NFL, may be back and expect a fourth QB – a prospect type – to also be added.

Receivers

Starters: Darvin Adams (WR); Weston Dressler (SB); Ryan Smith (SB); Kenny Stafford (SB); Julian Feoli-Gudino (WR)
Vacant positions: none
Reserves: Gerrard Sheppard; Addison Richards; Alex Chisum; Kieren Duncan; Ryan Lankford; Xavier Rush
Pending free agents: Clarence Denmark, Rory Kohlert, Tori Gurley
Released: Quincy McDuffie (signed with Dallas)
Synopsis: The addition of Stafford last month offers another threat to what could be an emerging force. Dressler showed he still had game last year in posting a 1,000-yard season; Smith was crushed by injuries but had two TDs in the playoff game and Adams returned from a shoulder injury to continue his metamorphosis into a legit deep threat. Feoli-Gudino had replaced Kohlert in the starting lineup for the playoff game and will get more work there in ’17.

Running backs

Starters: Andrew Harris (RB); Chris Normand (FB)
Vacant positions: none
Reserves: Timothy Flanders
Pending free agents: James Tuck
Released: Pascal Lochard
Synopsis: Harris was everything as advertised and then some after being one of the Bombers big free agent additions a year ago. He finished third in the league in rushing with 974 yards and added 67 receptions, the most by a Bomber tailback since Robert Mimbs in 1991. Normand is a very under-rated fullback and Flanders was outstanding in his spot starts when Harris was dinged.

Offensive line

Starters: Stanley Bryant (LT); Travis Bond (G); Matthias Goossen (C); Sukh Chungh (RG); Jermarcus Hardrick (RT)
Vacant positions: none
Reserves: Patrick Neufeld; Michael Couture; Manase Foketi; Zachary Intzandt
Pending free agents: Jeff Keeping
Synopsis: It’s been eons since this position group wasn’t in a state of flux, but after drafting well in the last few years and then making the commitment to start three Americans last season, this unit found both stability and consistency and is now a backbone of the squad.

There is depth at the Canadian spot even with Keeping heading to free agency and if Neufeld could stay healthy, an opportunity to tinker with the ratio here. The only uncertainty right now is how significant the loss of coach Bob Wylie to Cleveland will be and who replaces him on the staff.

Specialists

Kicker: Justin Medlock
Long-snapper: Chad Rempel
Punt returner: Kevin Fogg
Vacant positions: kickoff returner
Synopsis: The kicking chores are in the capable hand of the best in the CFL in Medlock. Ditto with Rempel and the snapping responsibilities. McDuffie’s departure to the Cowboys takes away some of the home-run skills he showed last year, but Fogg – who handled the punt-return chores so deftly – and Duncan are candidates to try and fill that void.