Kydran Jenkins (54) during Blue Bombers training camp; photos by Cameron Bartlett and Josh Kjarsgaard
They’ve rehearsed their lines and their stage cues. And now the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will get a chance to evaluate who grabs the spotlight — or who might freeze up with stage fright — in the first dress rehearsal of 2026.
The Blue Bombers are wheels up for Saskatoon today for Saturday’s preseason tilt at Griffiths Stadium against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It’s the first of two dry runs for the club — next Friday they are at home to the B.C. Lions — before the curtain goes up on the regular season June 5th in Calgary against the Stampeders.
There’s been a growing buzz in Bomberland over the past few days as the first preseason game approaches — more players returned from the infirmary and the pace of practice ramped up.
That jump includes the head coach Mike O’Shea, too, who offered this when asked by TSN’s Danielle Bain what still excites him about the preseason after all these years in the game:
“I don’t think that’s ever changed: it’s to see these young guys get out there and fly around and get to do something a little different than just practice,” he said. “We can’t do everything that football entails in a practice setting.
“It’s good to keep them healthy but it’s just way different in a game. I’m fired up to see these young guys get out there and make plays and see the excitement from their teammates when they do. They all understand what each guy has been going through, sitting beside them every day watching these guys grind and guys are hurting. They’ve got a couple days left to get their bodies back and show us what they can do.
“So, it’s just that excitement of seeing good football, seeing the interaction between the players.”
The Blue Bombers have 77 players listed on the depth chart for this one and O’Shea offered this when it was suggested the preseason could ‘make or break’ those trying to crack the opening night roster.
“You just want to see them make plays,” he said. “We’re not looking for guys to make mistakes and just waiting for them to make mistakes. We’re wanting to see good football, good plays and see what they can do. We’re not hoping for anybody to show themselves the other way.
“We want them to all reach their potential and if they don’t play up to their potential then as coaches we’re not going to feel very good about it.”
Kickoff: Saturday, 6 p.m. CDT; Griffiths Stadium, Saskatoon
TV/Streaming: CFL+
Radio: 680 CJOB (pre-game: 4 p.m/. CDT); Play-by-play: Derek Taylor/analyst: Doug Brown
Saskatoon weather forecast: Clear. High 25; low 11.
Preseason records: Wpg: 0-0; Sask: 0-1
QB WATCH
Zach Collaros is listed atop the depth chart for Saturday’s game — we won’t officially get confirmation on that until the first offensive series — with Canadian rookie Taylor Elgersma second, followed by Bryce Perkins.
**UPDATE from Friday: the club announced before departure that Terry Wilson, who had been with the club the previous two seasons, had been placed on the suspended list after deciding to leave. We’ll get an update on that from O’Shea after Saturday’s game, FYI.
The Blue Bombers have a new offensive coordinator in Tommy Condell and while he has worked with Collaros in the past in Hamilton, it’s understandable that QB1 would want to get comfortable at the controls of the attack in real game action and working with the new timing rules, including the 35-second play clock.
O’Shea doesn’t usually lock in to set segments for quarterbacks in the preseason — it’s a feel and timing thing — nor does he have to be married to trotting out the pivots behind Collaros in the order listed on the depth chart.
That said, based on what these eyes have seen in camp it does seem that Elgersma has earned second-team reps, if that’s what we want to call it. The big Canuck has the rocket arm, as advertised, but it’s his decision making that stands out especially. That will be under the microscope on Saturday, too.
Perkins, the 29-year-old vet, and Wilson, who has been with the club for two seasons, have also both had their moments in camp but with Wilson’s sudden departure the team is down to just three pivots heading into this game and next week unless another is added.
ICYMI, our story on Perkins from yesterday:
BATTLES BREWING
As much as there are still a ton of returnees from last year’s team — and the core of a group that went to five consecutive Grey Cups before that — and as much as this team was busy in the offseason in free agency, there are starting jobs up there for players to snatch hold of and squeeze tightly.
Winnipeg’s projected starting offensive line will be in Saskatoon in tackles Stanley Bryant and Jarell Broxton, guards Pat Neufeld and Gabe Wallace and centre Tui Eli. But 10 other O-linemen are dressing, too, and that list includes eight Americans who have each taken turns impressing during camp. Keep an eye on centre Tyler Elsbury and the club will also have some tough decisions upcoming on the American depth, including on returning vets Kendall Randolph and Micah Vanterpool.
Other spots to monitor:
-The defensive end spot opposite Willie Jefferson;
-Who jumps out at the two corner spots, especially with free agent addition Jonathan Moxey not on the trip;
-The third Canadian receiver gig behind Nic Demski (who has been out for much of camp) and Tommy Nield. Gavin Cobb and Joey Corcoran are listed as the starters for Saturday.
THE CONDELL EFFECT
Don’t expect a whole lot of flash from Winnipeg’s offence in this one — ‘vanilla’ is the term often used in the preseason — as this game is more about evaluation than anything. That said, one of the most dominant subplots through a couple of weeks in camp has been the impact felt already by the arrival of Condell, the veteran offensive coordinator who joined the team after his most recent stint with Ottawa.
Winnipeg finished sixth in offensive points last year (23.6 per game), last in passing yards (235.0) while ranking second to Calgary in rushing yards (124.1), so — how do we say this nicely? — there is certainly room for growth.
“It’s been amazing,” said Collaros this week of working with Condell. “As I said before, he’s the ultimate communicator; one of the best teachers if not the best teacher I’ve ever been around.
“He’s an excellent football mind. He loves it and gives it his all 24/7 — he never stops. He brings consistent energy out there, enthusiasm. It’s really infectious to our room, to the offence. Above all, he’s a great communicator and a great guy, so it’s been awesome this camp.”
THE LINEUP: The Blue Bombers depth chart for tomorrow features a ton of regulars, including Collaros, Brady Oliveira, Stanley Bryant, Willie Jefferson, Redha Kramdi, Tony Jones, Kyrie Wilson, Deatrick Nichols, Evan Holm and so on.
It also offers fans their first looks at newcomers Broxton, Nield and Tim White in Blue Bombers colours.
Notable by their absences are Demski, CB/KR Trey Vaval, WR Pokey Wilson, K Sergio Castillo, P Jamieson Sheahan, new CB Jonathan Moxey and new DT Jake Ceresna.
