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January 24, 2025

1st & 10 | A roster check-in as free agency looms

Dalton Schoen is one of 18 Blue Bombers who are currently pending free agents

The Canadian Football League free agent market opens in less than three weeks and while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football operations department has already done some serious grunt work in re-signing some of their own, the true heavy lifting is just ahead on the horizon.

Just as a reminder, the official opening of free agency goes Tuesday, February 11th at 11 a.m. and is preceded by the communication window which runs February 2-9 — a frenetic week which allows teams to step up conversations with pending free agents and make formal offers if they wish with the contracts then registered with the league — to give players and clubs a truer lay of the land before the market opens two days later.

Here’s a good primer of the communication window courtesy the fine folks at CFL.ca:

Now, the Blue Bombers 2024 season not only came with an abrupt and disappointing conclusion, but it also did so with a list of 27 pending free agents heading into the winter. Since then, nine players have agreed to terms in offensive linemen Stanley Bryant and Pat Neufeld, defensive linemen Willie Jefferson and Jake Thomas, linebackers Tony Jones, Shayne Gauthier and Kyrie Wilson, defensive backs Evan Holm and Jamal Parker, Jr. and kicker Sergio Castillo.

As well, the club scooped up veteran receiver Dillon Mitchell following his release by the Edmonton Elks, while watching receiver Ontaria Wilson sign a deal with the New York Jets.

“It’s a waiting game now but we’re reaching crunch time on a lot of things,” said Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters. “There’s a bunch of irons in the fire and you’ve got to be ready to quickly pivot to something else and go from there.”

Still, that leaves the Blue Bombers list of pending free agents at 18 and some pressing questions as the negotiating window and free agency approaches. Of those 18, 14 started at least one game last year and the list features All-CFL cornerback Tyrell Ford, West Division all-star guard Liam Dobson, a future hall of famer in linebacker Adam Bighill, two veteran receivers in Dalton Schoen and Kenny Lawler, long-time safety Brandon Alexander, popular No. 2 quarterback Chris Streveler and leading kick returner Lucky Whitehead. Just as a reminder — and undoubtedly a talking point in any discussions — Bighill, Schoen and Streveler are all coming off season-ending injuries suffered at various stages last season.

UPDATE: make that list of pending free agents now 17 after Bighill posted a thank-you and farewell to the Blue Bombers on Instagram Friday night:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Adam Bighill (@bighilla44)

And just to be clear as to how this unfolded from a club perspective, head coach Mike O’Shea told Bighill in early December he would not be receiving a new contract offer from the club. Bighill represents himself and GM Kyle Walters said they spoke not long after the player’s meeting with O’Shea to confirm the news.

“These are always difficult discussions, especially for a player of Adam’s stature,” said Walters. “This is the business part of the game and after we spoke I thanked him and we talked about plans moving forward — would he be released, was he free to call other teams — and I wished him the best of luck in trying to land another contract.”

With all this in mind, our latest edition of 1st & 10 looks at the current state of the Blue Bombers roster — those under contract, the pending free agents, the new faces and a burning question for each position group (*Indicates Canadian; (G) Global player):

QUARTERBACK

Zach Collaros

SignedZach Collaros, Terry Wilson, Jake Dolegala

CFL vets added: none yet

New: Darren Grainger

Pending free agents: Chris Streveler

Burning question(s): The three pivots who suited up for the Grey Cup are all back in Collaros, Wilson and Dolegala. Question is, with other teams in the West bulking up at the position — Edmonton committed to Tre Ford and then traded McLeod Bethel-Thompson to Montreal for Cody Fajardo, Saskatchewan inked former Calgary starter Jake Maier for depth behind Trevor Harris while Calgary traded for Vernon Adams, Jr. and signed NFL journeyman P.J. Walker — are the Blue Bombers comfortable rolling with the quartet under contract or looking to add another vet, prospect, or both, before camp? And is there a potential place for Streveler, who blew his knee out in the Banjo Bowl?

RUNNING BACK/FULLBACK

Brady Oliveira

Signed: Brady Oliveira*, Michael Chris-Ike*

CFL vets added: none

New: none

Pending free agents: Johnny Augustine*, Bailey Feltmate*,

Burning question: The Blue Bombers signed Oliveira to a two-year contract just before free agency last season, giving the club stability at the position with the two-time CFL rushing champion and reigning Most Outstanding Player. Chris-Ike is more of a fullback and Augustine — who has provided Canadian depth behind both Oliveira and Andrew Harris since 2018 — is now 31. Does the club look to the draft to find homegrown depth here or grab an American?

RECEIVER

Nic Demski

Signed: Nic Demski*, Drew Wolitarsky*, Kevens Clercius*, Keric Wheatfall, Myron Mitchell, Ontaria Wilson (signed with New York Jets)

CFL vets added: Dillon Mitchell

New: D’Marcus Adams, Bryson Daughtry, AK Gassama*, Jaylen Hall, Keilahn Harris,

Pending free agents: Dalton Schoen, Kenny Lawler, Lucky Whitehead

Burning question: The constraints of the salary cap would suggest the Blue Bombers might have to choose between one of Schoen or Lawler but, as GM Kyle Walters told media during CFL meetings earlier this month, the same thinking was prevalent last year with Schoen and Oliveira about to hit the market and both ended up staying. Schoen’s productivity over his first two seasons – 141 catches for 2,663 yards and 26 TDs in just 34 games – was astonishing, but he suited up for just three games last year before his knee injury. Lawler is a dominant game-changer but also missed 14 games over the last two years due to suspension and last year’s broken arm. While landing both would be a tasty option, is that kind of investment in one position group the right move given potential needs elsewhere on the roster?

OFFENSIVE LINE

Stanley Bryant

Signed: Stanley Bryant, Pat Neufeld*, Chris Kolankowski*, Kendall Randolph, Gabe Wallace*, Tui Eli*, Micah Vanterpool

CFL vets added: none yet

New: Antonio Garcia, Chris Walker

Pending free agents: Liam Dobson*, Eric Lofton

Burning question: Canadian O-linemen are always in high demand on the open market, so Dobson’s camp will be fielding a ton of calls if he gets to next week’s negotiating window. There are Canadian options available if he should leave in Wallace and Eli — plus a potential draft pick or two — but would the team consider going with three imports up front given Kendall Randolph started games at guard and tackle last year?

DEFENSIVE LINE

Willie Jefferson

Signed: Willie Jefferson, Jake Thomas*, Cam Lawson*, Tanner Schmekel*, Jamal Woods, Devin Adams, Collin Kornelson*, Lucky Ogbevoen (G), Kyle Samson*,

CFL vets added: none yet

New: Brandon Wright

Pending free agents: TyJuan Garbutt, Celestin Haba, Miles Fox

Burning question: The Blue Bombers finished first in some important defensive statistical categories last year, including points allowed (19.9), net offence against (328.6) and passing yards against (234.8). Yet, the team was sixth best against the run and last in sacks.

So, does the team bulk up along the defensive front with a proven CFL vet to take some extra attention off Jefferson and give defensive coordinator Jordan Younger even more options schematically?

LINEBACKERS

Tony Jones

Signed:  Tony Jones, Michael Ayers, Tanner Cadwallader*, Shayne Gauthier*, Max Charbonneau*, Kyrie Wilson, Fabian Weitz (G)

CFL vets added: none yet

New: Jason Person, Marvin Pierre

Pending free agents: Adam Bighill, Brian Cole II

Burning question: The commitment to Jones after the season was telling and it impacted Bighill — who is coming off the injury and and is now 36. Cutting ties with a player who casts such a big shadow, both in the locker room and on the field, is never easy. The Blue Bombers have some solid linebacking options in Jones, Wilson — when healthy — and the up-and-coming Ayers. But do they go shopping for more help on the market in this position group?

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Deatrick Nichols

Signed: Redha Kramdi*, Deatrick Nichols, Evan Holm, Terrell Bonds, Michael Griffin II, Nick Hallett*, Marquise Bridges, Jake Kelly*, Jamal Parker, Jr.,

CFL vets added: none yet

New: Russell Dandy, Quandre Mosley, Patrick Rogers, Jordan Toles, Duron Lowe,

Pending free agents: Brandon Alexander, Tyrell Ford*, Noah Hallett*, Nick Taylor

Burning question: This is one of the most intriguing storylines to track in the next few weeks: if Ford doesn’t land an NFL opportunity, can the Blue Bombers be a player in bidding war that will surely unfold for his services?

SPECIALISTS

Sergio Castillo

Signed: PK Sergio Castillo, P Jamieson Sheahan (G), LS Ian Leroux*

Pending free agents: LS Mike Benson, returner Lucky Whitehead

Burning question: How much does last year’s experience with Janarion Grant — letting him leave in free agency for Toronto and again be deadly in the return game — impact what the team might do this winter? Grant combined for 105 touches in the return game last year — 67 kickoffs, 41 punts — while Whitehead, added in early July, combined for 69 touches as the club searched for answers in that department.

Let’s also remember this as crunch time approaches: a year ago the Blue Bombers got a ton done when the calendar flipped to February, locking up Schoen and Oliveira along with then pending free agents Alexander, Kolankowski, Thomas and Gauthier while adding Streveler.

So, buckle up, Bomber Nation, for the ride is just about to get interesting.