The CFL is a strange bird. There used to be a time when CFL clubs could not legally approach players until CFL free agency opened. But those days are gone; and now we have a legal tampering window.

I would not blame you if you thought the CFL free agency began on February 10; that is in fact what the rules state. But the CFL has adopted a wired rule, “legal tampering.” The CFL’s free agency communication window, also known as the legal tampering window, opened on Sunday, February 1. And if you think the Bombers are the only team to utilize this, think again! This is now a common practice.

Even though teams have until Sunday, February 8, at 12:00 p.m. EST to speak to pending free agents, and no deals can become legally binding until Tuesday, February 10, that does not stop teams from agreeing (in principle) to deals with players.

So how did the Bombers navigate this process? So far the Bombers have agreed to terms with 4 players.

Jake Ceresna
Being known for doing summersaults after making a tackle, Jake Ceresna is a good addition to the Bombers.

As I wrote earlier, I believe it could be hard for the Bombers to attract defensive line players due to their scheme – you are not likely to rack up the stats based on how they play. However it seems like Ceresna is more interested in winning than he is his stats. That makes sense to some degree. Having been in the league for 7 years, he already has the stats to show what he can do.

Signing a 2 year deal is both good for the Bombers and Jake. The Bombers are poised to lose some players on the front end of their defense. And for Jake, he is coming off am injury that could keep other teams reluctant to sign him.

“Ceresna’s 2025 season was dramatically impacted by a meniscus tear in is one his knees that he tried to fight through before being shut down and needing surgery after the Labour Day Classic. He had one sack and 16 tackles in 11 games, but has been a consistent sack producer in his career with 46 quarterback take-downs in 102 games, including a career best 12 in 2023. Over a stretch from 2018-24 and before last year’s injury, Ceresna averaged just under nine sacks per season.” (Source).

Tommy Nield
The Bombers were thin at receiver in 2025, so this deal makes a lot of sense for the Bombers. But what is in it for Tommy Nield? He just wont the Grey Cup with Saskatchewan in 2025. “After putting up career-best numbers last year in Saskatchewan with 42 receptions for 535 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games. He began the year by missing the first five games due to injury before serving as a reserve receiver for two weeks. He then started the last 11 games and the Western Final and 112th Grey Cup victory for the Roughriders over the Montreal Alouettes at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.” (Source).

Maybe he likes playing in Winnipeg after the Grey Cup in Winnipeg. But there must be more to that. Although the dollar figures are not known at this time, I believe the Bombers were not cheap on this deal. Likely learning from last year, that saving money is a fools errand if you do not have the horses to get you across the line.

Additionally, the Bombers will likely lose a receiver or two. Keric Wheatfall, Jerreth Sterns and Dillon Mitchell, as well as Dalton Schoen and receiver/return Kody Case, are set to become free agents. Both Dalton Schoen and receiver/return Kody Case are coming off injuries. While we know the Bombers are not going to re-sign Schoen, I am not convinced that they will re-sign Case. And as for Mitchell, he was a huge let down. That leaves the Bombers needing to sign receivers.

Jarell Broxton
“Now 32, Broxton (6-5, 325; Baylor University) would be joining the Blue Bombers this year for his sixth season in the CFL after spending the last five years on the West Coast and instantly upgrades an already veteran group that features future hall of famer Stanley Bryant and three-time CFL All-Star Pat Neufeld along with veteran guard/centre Tui Eli, mammoth left guard Gabe Wallace and 2025 CFL Draft picks Ethan Vibert and Iwinosa Uwubanmwen and two veteran Americans in Kendall Randolph, who started every game at right tackle last year, and versatile guard/tackle Micah Vanterpool.” (Source)

Broxton is not new to the Bombers, though he never played for them. He had first signed in the CFL with the Blue Bombers in February of 2020; but we all know what happened to that season. So this deal makes sense for Broxton, he liked the Bombers before, why not go to that team. And it makes sense for the Bombers for similar reasons.

Jonathan Moxey
At the time of writing this Jonathan Moxey, is the other player to agree to terms with the Bombers.

Moxey is a veteran of 82 Canadian Football League games, 76 of them starts, and has eight career interceptions and has started games at corner, halfback and the dime spot during his days with Calgary and Hamilton. He started at field corner all of last year with the Ticats.

He would be joining a Blue Bombers secondary which has already locked up CFL All-Star Evan Holm this offseason, as well as halfback Deatrick Nichols and dime back Redha Kramdi.

As we pointed out in this piece, Winnipeg is heading into free agency next week with both Demerio Houston and Dexter Lawson, Jr. pending free agents, as well as Terrell Bonds, who finished the year on the injured list. With Jamal Parker, Jr. released in December and Marquise Bridges last summer, of the six different players who started at corner for the club in 2025, only Trey Vaval is officially under contract.” (Source).

The Bombers needed to make sure that they were not late to the party in suring up their defense. In past years the Bombers have sat back and waited to see what unfolds. It seems like in preparation for the 2026 season the Bombers are utilizing a different philosophy.

Final Thoughts
All in all, I like the Bombers’ proactive approach this year. They are demonstrating that they are not interested in a slow rebuild; but rather an aggressive retool. While the Bombers still have much work to be done, call me cautiously optimistic. If the Bombers Were able to go to five straight Grey Cups (minus the 2025 season) with only a slight retool, I like their chances in 2026 with this approach.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this. Catch all my articles here.