Something Winnipeg Blue Bombers faithful can all attest to after living through it and then revisiting the whole situation in hindsight this winter: there was a certain patchwork feel to the receiving corps last season.

Let’s begin with a brief recap: game-changer Kenny Lawler left for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in free agency, while Drew Wolitarsky also landed there after the club opted to move on from the veteran receiver.

Their departures were part of a receiving corps turnover that then led to the arrival of Jerreth Sterns, Dillon Mitchell and Reggie White, Jr. — all veteran Canadian Football League receivers brought in as replacements — while the club crossed its fingers Dalton Schoen could squash the injury bug and again become the dominant threat he was in 2022-23.

As we trot out the next edition of our Positional Preview series with a closer look at the pass catchers, it’s certainly worth pointing out that none of that quartet listed above — the three new faces brought in a year ago and Schoen — are not on the roster for 2026.

And all of that certainly played a part in the recent decline in offensive numbers which we outlined in our offensive line positional preview.

It also says something of the patchwork unit of a year ago that the second-leading receiver in terms of catches was running back Brady Oliveira, with 61.

That aside, let’s not paint a dark and gloomy portrait here with training camp fast approaching, especially given what the club had in house before landing a couple of intriguing targets in free agency this winter.

Coming aboard are former Tiger-Cat Tim White — he has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons heading into 2026 — along with Canadian Tommy Nield, whom the Blue Bombers believe is still just scratching the surface of his potential after five years in the league with the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Tim White in action against the Blue Bombers

Veteran Nic Demski is the group’s consistent threat after posting another 1,000-yard season and the club will no doubt benefit from a full year from Pokey Wilson, who returned from the New York Jets last September and signed a two-year contract extension in December.

As camp approaches the Blue Bombers are looking at starting three Canadians in their receiving corps — Demski, Nield and one of Kevens Clercius, Joey Corcoran, Gavin Cobb and, possibly, a player grabbed in next week’s CFL Canadian Draft to go along with White and Wilson.

What’s especially important for this bunch is to find some continuity in the lineup while being consistent and reliable targets for quarterback Zach Collaros in new offensive coordinator Tommy Condell’s offence.

Winnipeg finished last in passing yards per game a year ago (235.0), sixth in passing touchdowns (23) and eighth in completions of 30 yards or more (24). Of note — and this is like poking at a still-open wound — Lawler led the CFL in that department a year ago with 14 catches of 30 yards or more.

There is the foundation for the return of a potentially explosive receiving corps with this collection of talent. Goal number one for this crew is to collectively help make the Blue Bombers passing attack dangerous again in 2026 to augment what has been a prolific rushing game over the last decade.

The Receivers

Receivers coach: Lee Hull
The Returnees:
Starters: Nic Demski*, Pokey Wilson,  Kevens Clercius*, Joey Corcoran*
Returning vets: Gavin Cobb*
CFL vets: Tim White (Hamilton), Tommy Nield* (Saskatchewan)
2025 CFL Draft pick: (Rd 5, 39th overall)
Newcomers: Jahmal Banks, TJ Davis, Christian Fredericksen, Bryce Kirtz, Jamoi Mayes Gerald Monroe, Dorian Singer, Key’Shawn Smith, Kenneth Womack
Departed: Keric Wheatfall (Hamilton), Jerreth Sterns (Montreal), Dalton Schoen (injured, unsigned free agent), Dillon Mitchell, Kody Case (injured, unsigned free agent), Cam Echols (unsigned free agent)
*Indicates Canadian

Keep an eye on:

WR Tim White, #12

Here are his gaudy numbers: in 83 games over his five years with the Ticats – all starts – White had four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, including 84 receptions for 1,016 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.

He was named an All-CFL three times (2022, 2023, 2024), an East Division All-CFL on four occasions (2021-24) and was twice named the Tiger-Cats Most Outstanding Player (2022-23).

Insert White into a receiving group which features Demski and Wilson and there’s a hope the field can be stretched vertically with his speed while providing another proven target for Collaros & Co.

White: “They showed up and I felt like they wanted me.”

Did you know?

Demski has now posted three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including 67 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns.

The last Blue Bombers receiver to post four straight 1K seasons was Milt Stegall, who did so every year during a stretch from 1999-2007. No Canadian receiver in franchise history has had four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, with Demski and Gerald Wilcox (1993-95) having each done it three years in a row.

Notable Number: 51.2%

The Blue Bombers had 11 different receivers catch passes in 2025 in Demski, Wheatfall, Sterns, Wilson, Clercius, Schoen, Mitchell, Corcoran, Cobb, Case and Echols.

The six now departed — Wheatfall, Serns, Schoen, Mitchell, Case and Echols, combined for 155 of the club’s 300 catches by receivers last year, or 51.2 percent. Sterns (48 receptions) and Wheatfall (42) also ranked second and third in catches among receivers for the Blue Bombers a year ago.