If you clicked on the link for this story — first, thank you for that, as always, as I’m told our impressions were up a ton again in 2025 — you’ll notice at the top a banner featuring a countdown to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers first preseason game on May 23rd in Regina against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

And when we posted this story Friday afternoon that countdown was at 134 days and counting until we get our first look at the 2026 Blue Bombers in action against their Prairie brethren in the Queen City.

Yup, just 134 days.

That number is a subtle reminder that it’s time to truly shake off the holiday season hangover and start chopping wood for the coming season — especially with the Canadian Football League’s annual winter meetings scheduled for next week in Calgary and with the free-agent window for negotiating less than a month away.

With that in mind and with yours truly playing a bit of catch-up after a Christmas break, here is a patchwork Blue Bombers to-do list, in no particular order, as we trot out our latest 1st & 10 column — and first of the new year…

-THE WINTER MEETINGS

The league’s big brains — team presidents, GMs, coaches, commissioner Steward Johnston, CFL Players’ Association reps and league personnel will gather in Calgary from January 12-14 to hit on a number of topics, including the new rule changes, a review of the replay centre, the possibility of an American player draft to acquire player rights and possible changes to the CFL playoff format and end-of-season player awards.

The full list of topics on the agenda can be found here:

2026 CFL Winter Meetings set to get underway in January

Say what you will about the proposed rule changes and the new commish’s aggressive approach to pushing it through, but they are happening and that — along with some other intriguing items on this agenda, including a change to the playoff format — will potentially make this a busy few days in Calgary.

Blue Bombers President & CEO Wade Miller and head coach Mike O’Shea will be in attendance, while GM Kyle Walters will be doing his media session on Monday remotely. We will have a story on Monday from that availability, so come back for further details.

-THE PENDING FREE AGENT LIST

The Blue Bombers ended last season with 35 names on their list of pending free agents. FYI, teams can begin officially sniffing around the list of pending free agents through the communication window from February 1-8, with the market opening on February 10th.

The club has started whittling away at their list, re-signing key starters like running back Brady Oliveira, receiver Nic Demski, all-star halfback Evan Holm and his teammates in the secondary like Deatrick Nichols and Redha Kramdi, along with key special teamer Tanner Cadwallader, defensive tackle Tanner Schmekel and two potential Canadians who could see increased workloads in centre Tui Eli and defensive tackle Cam Lawson.

Nic Demski signed a two-year contract extension last month

As well, game-breaking receiver Pokey Wilson has signed an extension — he wasn’t scheduled to become a free agent, but had his deal reworked — while centre Chris Kolankowski and defensive back Jamal Parker, Jr. were both released.

One more — and we’ll mention this further in a bit — but veteran defensive tackle Jake Thomas retired and was then named the club’s defensive line coach, replacing Darrell Patterson, who has retired.

That leaves a ton of heavy lifting still to be done on the free agent agent front, with the complete list of possible available talent found here:

Official 2026 Free Agent Tracker

There are some familiar faces and stars still unsigned including left tackle Stanley Bryant and right guard Pat Neufeld on the offensive line, defensive ends Willie Jefferson and James Vaughters, starting receivers Keric Wheatfall and Jerreth Sterns, cornerback Demerio Houston, defensive backs Michael Griffin II and Dexter Lawson, Jr., linebacker Kyrie Wilson, defensive tackle Jamal Woods, specialists Sergio Castillo and Jamieson Sheahan and veteran special teamers Shayne Gauthier and Nick Hallett.

The numbers on a player’s birth certificate aren’t always representative of quality of play — Bryant is 39 and was named the club’s top offensive lineman last year — but this is a change business, as they say, and teams are always looking at ways to get younger and cheaper.

Stanley Bryant

Neufeld (37), Jefferson (34), Wilson (33) and Vaughters (32) are all starters, Castillo (35) is still one of the best in the league, while Gauthier (33) and Hallett (32) have been fixtures on special teams.

What happens next as the Blue Bombers attack that list and attempt to upgrade from a squad that finished 10-8 and lost in the first round of the CFL playoffs will be fascinating.

-THE COACHING STAFF

O’Shea has already begun tinkering with his staff with the move of Thomas from the locker room to the coaching office, with veteran offensive coordinator Tommy Condell coming over from Ottawa to lead the offence and Jason Hogan will remain as running backs coach.

Ottawa, Saskatchewan, Toronto and Calgary have all recently announced their coaching staffs, but the Blue Bombers have not yet unveiled who will round out their crew for 2026.

-NFL WATCH

Trey Vaval authored a sensational debut in his first CFL season, earning both the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player honours. Winnipeg’s sensational kick returner, understandably, drew considerable interest from the NFL and since the end of the season has had workouts with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns.

Trey Vaval

The NFL workout window for CFL players under contract opened on November 17 and ends on February 10th, with teams down south able to sign players beginning on January 6.

We’ve already seen considerable movement on that front from around the league with the following having left the CFL for NFL opportunities:

KR Isaiah Wooden (Hamilton-Cleveland); DL Jaylon Hutchings (Calgary-Minnesota); WR Dohnte Meyers (Saskatchewan — LB Jacob Roberts (Calgary-Minnesota); K Nick Constantinou (Hamilt0n-Cleveland); WR Damien Alford (Calgary-New Orleans); DB Robert Carter Jr. (B.C.-Indianapolis).

Nothing yet on the Vaval front, while Evan Holm — who re-signed this week — had a look from the NFL but is staying in Winnipeg for two more years.

Of note: QB Taylor Elgersma, selected by the Blue Bombers in the second round, 18th overall, in last year’s CFL Draft, has had workouts with the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins since December and since impressing in camp last summer with the Green Bay Packers. He is not locked into the February 10th deadline as he has not yet signed a CFL contract, meaning he can continue to wait on an NFL look should he choose to do so.