Ceresna: “Go where you’re wanted.”

Let’s not kid ourselves here on the first official day of Canadian Football League free agency: the numbers on the paycheque always matter. Yet Jake Ceresna has his own personal motto which certainly fit his approach to the open talent market and trying to put down roots in a business that can often be so nomadic.

And it goes like this: ‘Go where you’re wanted.’

That credo was a major factor in Ceresna becoming a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the signing first reported on February 2nd and made official today. He broke into the CFL in 2017 with Ottawa, has had two stints with Edmonton wrapped around a year in Toronto. He’s been traded twice and has now changed teams twice in free agency.

So, heck yeah, stability means a ton for the 31-year-old two-time CFL All-Star — especially after an 2025 season in Edmonton pockmarked by a meniscus injury and then the Elks being lukewarm in their approach to re-signing him.

“It was funny… I thought it was going to work out, and we were going to get a contract done,” said Ceresna on Tuesday during a media conference at Princess Auto Stadium. “But it just didn’t materialize and then I hit free agency and there were other teams out there that expressed more interest and there’s a saying I always have that’s, ‘Go where you’re wanted.’ I want to be somewhere that wants me and I want them and if we have a great relationship, we can make it work.”

Ceresna referenced the Blue Bombers vaunted culture, adding, ‘”It’s a winning organization, a great organization. There was big interest from this team to bring me in here and the feelings were mutual. I’m happy it happened. I’m excited to be here.

“… There’s guys that stay here and they stay here for a long time. I don’t think that’s an accident. The group of guys that are here — Zach Collaros, Stanley Bryant, Willie Jefferson, those are household names in this league, and they’ve been here for a while so you know the organization is doing something right.

“When the opportunity presented itself to come here and be a part of something like that, I jumped on it.”

Ceresna’s addition came on a day when the Blue Bombers also made official the additions previously reported in offensive tackle Jarell Broxton, Canadian receiver Tommy Nield and veteran cornerback Jonathan Moxey — ex of the B.C. Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats — while also bringing back linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, who began his career here and was sensational last year in Ottawa.

The signing of Ceresna and Broxton significantly beef up Winnipeg on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Nield is coming off a career year with the Roughriders and, at 26, seemingly has yet to reach his ceiling, while Moxey joins a secondary teeming with experience in Evan Holm, Deatrick Nichols and Redha Kramdi. Santos-Knox bolsters a linebacking corps already stacked with Tony Jones, Kyrie Wilson, Michael Ayers, Jaiden Woodbey and Canadians Tanner Cadwallader, Connor Shay and Jaylen Smith.

Ceresna came to Winnipeg late Monday to get his work permit set up and to then get a feel for his new surroundings, including a workout session Tuesday morning. He is coming off a bucket handle meniscus tear suffered last season, which limited him to 11 games.

“I’m running, jumping, squatting heavy in the gym, so everything is going great. I feel strong,” he said. “My body is the best its’ felt going into the season for the past four years that I can remember. I feel great.

“When you get hurt, the rest of the nicks and bruises heal up, too, that bother you from season to season. I just feel great. I feel ready to go. I’d start tomorrow if I could.”

Ceresna said Stanley Bryant was the first player to reach out to him, but he also heard from Nichols, Brady Oliveira, new defensive line coach Jake Thomas and Zach Collaros, whose pitch was along the lines of ‘Hey, how about you join my team and stop hitting me?’

That show of love came at an important time, with the clock ticking the minute the negotiating window opens.

“It’s a little stressful because you don’t know where you’re going. You’ve got make your decision quickly,” he said. “Teams want to get a commitment so they can construct their roster. So, it became between Winnipeg and another team, and I just felt like where I’m at with my career and with my family and everything that this was the place to be and I’m excited for it. I can’t wait to play in front of these fans, with these teammates. I’m trying to win, I’m trying to win a Grey Cup so, I’m all in.

“… Going into my career, when I started in Ottawa, I thought I was going to be a Redblack for life. Then I went to Edmonton and thought I was going to be an Edmonton guy for life. I always wanted continuity but sometimes that’s not how the coins fall.  I’m hoping to be here for a long time. I’m hoping to be here for five, six years if I can finish up my career here.”

Near the end of his media session Ceresna was asked about joining the Blue Bombers after a down year, a notion which brought a wide grin to his face.

“We’re talking about a down year, and they were 10-8. By their standards, yeah,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve been 4-14 in this league a couple times. I think we’re going to be okay.

“Zach Collaros is still a great player, Brady Oliveira’s great. A lot of guys here got a chip on their shoulder, and they’ve got something to prove, just like I do. And we’ll see what happens.”