One of the things that the Bombers did not adequately address during free agency was their lack of a quality back-up(s) quarterback. And in recent days, news on that front has only got worse!
The Bombers were hoping that after the NFL window closed on Canadian QB Taylor Elgersma, that he would come to Winnipeg…but not so fast! On January 13th, Elgersma was selected by Birmingham Stallions in 2026 UFL Quarterback Draft. Canada’s Taylor Elgersma drafted by Birmingham in UFL Draft It appears that he has not given up on the NFL dream, and one can hardly blame him.
However, more bad news broke for the Bombers this week with regards to their quarterback situation. This week, after one year with the Bombers Chase Artopoeus decided to call it a career. Look, it is not like he was going to be the heir apparent to Collaros. But for a team struggling to find a legitimate number two quarterback this is not good. It is one less player listed at that position for the Bombers; one less option.
I know what people are going to say, ‘No big deal. He suited up for 5 games and never got in to a single game.’ However, we did get to see him in preseason action. There, he led the team on a 2:44 drive that resulted in a Sergio Castillo field goal with half a minute left on the game clock. In that drive Artopoeus completed five of six passes for 43 yards. And how about running the ball? He had one run for 10 yards.
So while it is not 100% correct to say that we do not know what he can do, none of us really know what Chase Artopoeus could have done. We just know what he cannot do now, play quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. That leaves the Bombers with this:
While Collaros will be the number one quarterback, it has been evident over the last many years in the CFL that winning teams have at least two quality quarterbacks. I think everyone is hoping that it is Bryce Perkins…but are you comfortable rolling the dice with that?
A very fair question would be this, which CFL quarterbacks were available during free agency, or at least the legal tampering window leading up to free agency?
Jake Maier, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Taylor Powell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Montreal Alouettes
Dustin Crum, Ottawa Redblacks
Caleb Evans, Montreal Alouettes (
Tyrie Adams, Ottawa Redblacks
Harrison Frost, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Cameron Dukes, Free Agent
Jake Dolegala, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Chase Brice, B.C. Lions
Shea Patterson, Montreal Alouettes
Jeremiah Masoli, B.C. Lions
Logan Bonner, Calgary Stampeders
You could tell me that the Bombers already had Patterson, and Dolegala but released both of them, and you would be correct. Bombers Release Patterson – And They Are Still In Need And when the Bombers released Patterson I said this, “That leaves the Bombers with Collaros, Streveler, Willson, and rookie Chase Artopoeus. Not a great string of quarterbacks for a city hosting the 2025 Grey Cup. So the release of Shea Patterson is all the more intriguing. If the Bombers did not think Streveler was good enough to go in to the 2024 Grey Cup, and found out that Wilson was not good enough in the 2024 Grey Cup, then they obviously came to believe that Patterson could not fill that void, and they still need to be searching.”
In May of 2025, the Bombers were convinced that Streveller was their number two, and that is when they released both Patterson and Dolegala. Do not forget that. Now that, for all intents and purposes, Streveler is done, why would the Bombers not bring at least one of – Patterson or Dolegala back?
In all fairness, the Bombers may not have known that Chase Artopoeus, was going to retire. However, regardless of knowing or not knowing, what would it have hurt to have had another – CFL experienced – quarterback in training camp?
I wish I could provide a logical suggestion as to why the Bombers went the route they did…but I cannot find one. If they were banking on Taylor Elgersma being available for 2026, that was a sucker bet! Sure, they payoff might be big, but so too is the risk!
For all the signings the Bombers made leading up to, and in free agency, this is a fail. Even if Perkins turns out to be legitimate, I will still call this a fail. 2025 was a season to forget for the Bombers. But what they should not have forgotten is that a proven number two quarterback is critically important to a teams success.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments section wherever you are reading this. Catch all my articles here.