“Boy, that escalated quickly.”
That quote from media legend Ron Burgundy has been bouncing around in my head since the CFL’s Free Agency Communication Window opened on Sunday.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Elks have gone full cannonball, while many Saskatchewan Roughriders fans may be stuck in a glass case of emotion after watching several high-end defenders sign elsewhere.
All right, I’ll stop the Anchorman references and focus on the task at hand.
We are officially in the thick of free agency season, so here are three big-picture storylines to watch as you furiously hit refresh for updates.
REMINDER: The CFL’s Free Agency Communication Window opened on Sunday, February 1, at noon ET, allowing teams to negotiate with all pending free agents. Deals cannot be ratified until free agency officially begins on Tuesday, February 10, at noon ET.
2026 CFL FREE AGENCY
» CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents
» Where every CFL team stands ahead of Free Agency
» Tiger-Cats sign linebacker Wynton McManis
» More 2026 Free Agency news and analysis
» What you missed from the first day of the Free Agency Communication Window
HOW DO THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS PUT THE QUARTERBACK IN THE BEST POSITION TO SUCCEED?
After being named Toronto’s new head coach, Mike Miller declared that Chad Kelly will be healthy to start the season and enter training camp as the undisputed No. 1 quarterback.
Assuming the 2023 Most Outstanding Player is fully healthy, the next question becomes simple: how do Pinball Clemons and company get Kelly back to the quarterback who went 15-1 as a starter three years ago?
Most of the top free agent receivers have already reportedly been signed or extended, and the Argonauts are rumored to lose last season’s leading receiver, Dejon Brissett, to Calgary. That raises several questions.
Do they ensure DaVaris Daniels doesn’t leave the building, considering he topped 1,000 yards with Kelly in 2023? Do they closely monitor Dohnte Meyers’ NFL opportunities? Along the offensive line, how much impact can new faces have on a group that allowed the most sacks last season, or was health the real issue?
And finally, who is out there to improve a running game that averaged just over 50 yards per game? With Ottawa potentially signing Greg Bell, is there a back who can help take pressure off Kelly in 2026?
WHO WILL BE BACKING UP ZACH COLLAROS?
Judging by how busy general manager Kyle Walters has been, the Blue Bombers have made it clear they are all-in on winning the 113th Grey Cup.
You don’t bring back veterans like Stanley Bryant and Willie Jefferson if you’re rebuilding. However, unless you enjoy incredible injury luck, you’re not winning a championship without a reliable backup quarterback.
Just look at Toronto’s last two Grey Cup wins.
Zach Collaros’ 2025 season was hampered by injuries, and he attempted his fewest passes since 2021. At 37, the Bombers will need a capable backup to keep the team afloat if he misses time.
As someone who didn’t advance past Grade 10 science, I won’t make medical proclamations about Chris Streveler’s recovery, but it’s fair to say his late-season ACL injury puts his availability in question.
Meanwhile, a potential option such as Tre Ford, has already signed a deal with Hamilton. Taylor Powell and Jake Maier also have already reportedly agreed to deals elsewhere. Looking at Winnipeg’s current quarterback room, only one player has ever attempted a CFL pass: Terry Wilson, with just 22 career attempts over two seasons.
That’s a thin margin for error.
WHAT MOVES CAN THE 2025 DIVISION LEADERS MAKE?
The sky is not falling in either Saskatchewan or Hamilton.
The Tiger-Cats return the Bo Levi Mitchell–Kenny Lawler connection and a solid offensive line. Defensively, they still feature All-CFL talent in Julian Howsare, Stavros Katsantonis, and Jamal Peters. Add in the intrigue of Tre Ford and Wynton McManis in a new setting, and Hamilton remains fascinating.
Still, they’ve reportedly lost one of the league’s top interior linemen in Coulter Woodmansey, their leading rusher in Greg Bell, and key secondary pieces in Jonathan Moxey and DaShaun Amos. With Ottawa improving and the continued rise of Davis Alexander, the East is shaping up as a true three-horse race.
In Saskatchewan, the Roughriders can feel good about their passing game, with Trevor Harris’ main targets back in the fold. However, like many defending champions, they’re dealing with a significant defensive talent exodus just as Winnipeg and Edmonton load up to knock them off.
Let’s see how Jeremy O’Day responds in the coming days and weeks.