Keric Wheatfall was one of many Blue Bombers to shine in Friday's final preseason win in Regina; photo by Sam Calvert
A football locker room after a win — even in the preseason — can be one of the happiest places on earth as players slowly unwind from playing the role of gladiators.
It was no different late Friday night/early Saturday morning in Regina, not long after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers wrapped up their 2025 preseason with a 27-20 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium.
Now, it could be argued no one earned the right to be happier than receiver Keric Wheatfall, who pulled in five passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns — the first from Chris Streveler, the second from Zach Collaros — in less than a half of work.
TWO DRIVES. TWO KERIC WHEATFALL TUDDYS.
14 zip pic.twitter.com/fxkf93fIMM
— Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) May 31, 2025
And with that, some of the mystery surrounding the Blue Bombers receiving corps outside of Nic Demski, Dalton Schoen and Kevens Clercius was instantly solved. Yes, pencil Wheatfall into the lineup. He’s earned it.
“After the Grey Cup game last year… man, that left a real bitter taste on my tongue,” Wheatfall told bluebombers.com in a raucous locker room afterward. “I got to work right away as soon as I got back home to Houston and that work is showing now, it’s being displayed.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way from my rookie year to now. I’m reading defences more now, I’m catching the ball better, running routes better. I just feel that now my game is the level it needs to be.
“That stuff doesn’t come over night. Last year it took me a while to get the timing with the Waggle. I’m playing on the ball more now (as a wideout) but if I do have to Waggle, everything is going to be on point.”
Wheatfall started seven games last year — plus the Western Final and the Grey Cup — and showcased his skills in spurts. He made his CFL debut in a Week 2 loss in Ottawa, leading the club with 111 receiving yards on three catches — including a 76-yarder. Unfortunately, he also suffered an injury that night and spent the next six weeks rehabbing it and then another two weeks on the practice roster before wedging his way back into the lineup.
Again, though, it was really just a teeny-tiny snapshot of his potential.
“Awesome for him, man. Awesome for him,” said Streveler of Wheatfall. “He had that big game last year against Ottawa, got hurt, and then for him to come out here and have the game he did and have that jump ball in the endzone… just awesome.
“He’s such a great dude who works so hard. Great attitude. He had that even from the start of camp last year and that’s something that really stood out for all of us. It’s cool to see a guy who was fighting for a spot last year and make the team now take that big step forward this year in his role.
“He’s going to be a great player for us this year.”
“This whole camp, as a team, we worked really hard and performed well as a team,” added Wheatfall. “We’re all looking forward to the season now — offence, defence and special teams — because we’ve all put in the work and we’re ready to go.
“I feel like this year we have a really good chance to be an explosive offence. We’ve got some good guys here — older guys and rookies that came in and, as an offence, we’re going to get the job done.”
ICYMI, here’s our Game Recap story from Friday’s win:
And what follows is the rest of this week’s UPON FURTHER REVIEW…
GREAT STUFF POST-GAME FROM STREVELER… in our discussion about the tough decisions coming for the coaching staff before Saturday night’s cut down deadline:
“This is probably one of the toughest camps in terms of the decisions coming up,” he said. “There’s a lot of guys that had great camps that worked extremely hard and put their best foot forward.
“This is my least favourite part about football and this business. I’ve been on both ends of it, so I know what these guys are feeling on both sides of it — that feeling of making a team and seeing the hard work pay off and then jumping into a season and then the guys who put their best foot forward and yet aren’t going to be here.
“I try to appreciate all these guys and tell them how much I appreciate all their work. There’s going to be some tough decisions but, from a team standpoint, that’s a great place to be.”
THREE NUMBERS WHICH STOOD OUT… after a second glance at the stats package, which can be found here:
1 The top of the Blue Bombers QB depth chart is set in stone with Collaros and Streveler. Those two combined to go 10-of-12 for 156 yards with the two TDs to Wheatfall and one interception by Streveler.
Over two preseason games and less than nine months removed from having his knee torn apart in last year’s Banjo Bowl, Streveler went 14-of-20 for 125 yards with one TD and one interception.
By comparison — and yes, yes, yes, it’s just preseason and this isn’t entirely fair — the Roughriders No. 2 man, Jake Maier, was 17-of-30 for 193 yards with zero TDs and two picks.
2 Some of the toughest decisions upcoming will be around the defensive front. With Willie Jefferson, James Vaughters and Jake Thomas not making the trip, with Cam Lawson returning to action for the first time and getting back into form, and Devin Adams really jumping out along the front along with Jamal Woods, who survives from a talented collection of D-linemen will be interesting.
Winnipeg limited the Riders to just 50 yards rushing on 12 attempts, got a forced fumble by Jaiden Woodbey that was then returned 90 yards for a TD by Phillip Webb and registered three sacks by Adams, Jay Person and Kevin Pointer.
3 The decisions about the secondary won’t be easy, either. We didn’t mention the goal-line interception by Isaiah Avery on Friday night — an oversight here — and he was one of many who attacked passes and closed on receivers all night long as Winnipeg had the Avery interception and four passes knocked down.
Terrell Bonds, Evan Holm, Deatrick Nichols, Michael Griffin II and Redha Kramdi all didn’t make the trip, and it looks like Marquise Bridges has locked up a corner gig. But this is an extremely deep group, too.
THE STREET DAWG RETURNS: Schoen made his first appearance in game action since a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 a year ago. He may still have some rust to knock off but based on Friday’s performance and his work since he returned to the field in training camp, #83 could be poised for another mammoth year.
“That was great. To get back out on the field is something I’ve been working towards for a long time,” Schoen said afterward. “It’s been a long time coming after 11 months. So great to be back out there with the guys.
“You take it for granted when you’re going through the grind of recovery, and when it does happen, it’s hard. You never think it’s going to happen to you and sometimes you don’t even know how to respond.
“That’s why it meant the world to get back out there.”
AND, FINALLY… thanks for reading this far and we end with this: so many newcomers have stepped up for the Blue Bombers in this camp, including versatile defender Jaiden Woodbey, who followed up his excellent practices with two solid preseason games.
Woodbey spent last year in the Indoor Football League with the Massachusetts Pirates and also had a long look from the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, including suiting up for three preseason games.
“I felt like I showed them my versatility and that I love football,” said Woodbey Friday. “I showed them that I’m taking this all in and am very humble about this whole opportunity.
“I’ve played in the NFL; I’ve played in the indoor league and now I’m in Canada — my first time — and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity. I love it. I’m so happy to play football and make new relationships and play the sport I love.”
However this turns out, Woodbey said he felt good about doing everything possible to make the club. He’s also been through the nervousness that comes while players wait for the roster decisions.
“I’ve had a situation where I was in the NFL and was congratulated before the cuts were made and then got the rug swept out from under my feet,” said Woodbey of his release from the Rams. “I did everything I could to make that team but there were certain situations I couldn’t control. I just know that in this situation I put my best foot out there.”
