{"id":269749,"date":"2025-11-08T10:24:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-08T10:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/269749\/"},"modified":"2025-11-08T10:24:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T10:24:16","slug":"1st-10-offseason-questions-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/269749\/","title":{"rendered":"1st & 10 | Offseason Questions\/Issues"},"content":{"rendered":"

We open with some hard truths today in an examination of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with last week\u2019s playoff loss still stinging like an open wound, with them playing spectators with the 112th Grey Cup in their own backyard next weekend and with a whole offseason ahead.<\/p>\n

First, as much as there is parity in the Canadian Football League, four teams finished with a better record than the men in blue and gold, and a fifth \u2014 the Montreal Alouettes \u2014 finished with the same 10-8 mark and just eliminated the Blue Bombers from the Grey Cup derby.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s also remember this Blue Bombers squad finished fourth in the West Division and after starting the season 3-0, then went 7-9 in its last 16 \u2014 including the Eastern Semi-Final playoff loss.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So, that\u2019s some tough math.<\/p>\n

Yes, this is an organization that appeared in six straight West Division Finals from 2018-24 and made five consecutive trips to the Grey Cup from 2019-24, winning two championships. And over a span from 2021-24, the club was a remarkable 40-10 in the regular season in a run had come to be known as the \u2018Glory Years 2.0\u2019 \u2014 rivalled only by the four championships in five years from 1958-62.<\/p>\n

But over the last two years the club has finished 21-15 in the regular season \u2014 22-17 including playoffs \u2014 and the regular dominance flashed from \u201921-24 appears now only in occasional flashes.<\/p>\n

So, while there will be frenetic activity all around over the next week through Grey Cup, it\u2019s not melodramatic to say this football team is at a crossroads with more pressing questions and concerns than we\u2019ve seen in these parts in eons.<\/p>\n

With all that serving as a backdrop, here are some key questions\/issues which much be addressed \u2014 from this perch, at least \u2014 as we trot out our inaugural 1st & 10 column of the offseason\u2026<\/p>\n

WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CANADIAN MAFIA?
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Kyle Walters, Mike O\u2019Shea and Wade Miller at the 2017 Canadian Football Hall of Fame induction announcement<\/p>\n

The fingerprints of Wade Miller, Kyle Walters and Mike O\u2019Shea have been all over the Blue Bombers turnaround from CFL laughingstock in 2013 to a franchise which has regularly been in the Grey Cup contender discussion and just finished playing an entire season in front of capacity crowds. Those two things \u2014 success on and off the field \u2014 go hand in hand.<\/p>\n

Yet, here\u2019s where things get fuzzy: both Walters and O\u2019Shea are on expiring contracts and the aftershock of the blockbuster news by the Ottawa RedBlacks this week \u2014 hiring Ryan Dinwiddie away from the Toronto Argonauts to become their new GM and head coach \u2014 is already being felt all the way out here on the Prairies. O\u2019Shea is Argos royalty, after all, as a hall of fame player who was on the coaching staff in 2012 when Toronto captured a title at home and there is already commentary<\/a> in The Big Smoke he should be the leading candidate to replace Dinwiddie.<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers have posted nine straight double-digit win seasons \u2014 the longest stretch in franchise history \u2014 and yet until there is clarity with the Canadian Mafia, a term hung on them by Calgary Stampeders boss Dave Dickenson, addressing all the other questions and issues to follow here could be seen as moot. That includes who might be back on O\u2019Shea\u2019s staff should he return.<\/p>\n

The only certainty right now with the three of them is with the big boss man himself \u2014 Miller.<\/p>\n

A LONG LIST OF PENDING FREE AGENTS
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Brady Oliveira<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be alarmed by the long list of pending free agents \u2014 33 in total \u2014 because every team has a big chunk of contracts to deal with at this time of year. But, again, the uncertainty above does impact how quickly that list can be attacked, especially with teams already chipping away at it.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg\u2019s list is substantial, led by running back Brady Oliveira, receivers Nic Demski, Jerreth Sterns and Keric Wheatfall, three starting offensive linemen in Stanley Bryant, Pat Neufeld and Chris Kolankowski, along with sixth man Tui Eli, six players who started games on the D-line in Willie Jefferson, James Vaughters, Jake Thomas, Cam Lawson, Jamal Woods and Tanner Schmekel, veteran linebackers Kyrie Wilson, Shayne Gauthier and Tanner Cadwallader, five players who started in the secondary in Evan Holm, Deatrick Nichols, Redha Kramdi, Jamal Parker, Jr. and Demerio Houston as well as placekicker Sergio Castillo and punter Jamieson Sheahan.<\/p>\n

Two snippets which speak to the team\u2019s continuity and the importance of so many in the locker room, the first coming from Brady Oliveira \u2014 full story here<\/a> \u2014 who said his decision to re-sign will be partly based on who returns and then this from Kramdi on exit day last Sunday:<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody asked me what it would take for me to remain a Winnipeg Blue Bomber. I don\u2019t feel the Winnipeg Blue Bombers would be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers without Michael O\u2019Shea. I\u2019ve said it many times, he could call me at 3 a.m. asking for help and there would be no questions, I would be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

THE QB PICTURE
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Zach Collaros<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers QB1, Zach Collaros, is under contract for 2026 and so the club has a sense of stability at the most important position on the field. All that said, he\u2019s 37 and coming off a season in which he missed four starts, sat for a fifth and did finish three other contests. Countering that concern is his ability to still be a difference maker when given the opportunity, his knowledge of the game and his leadership.<\/p>\n

What shouldn\u2019t be forgotten here, too, is this: two of the three CFL\u2019s leading passers outside of B.C.\u2019s Nathan Rourke \u2014 Saskatchewan\u2019s Trevor Harris and Bo Levi Mitchell of Hamilton \u2014 have enjoyed career renaissances while working in a system where the ball comes out of their hands instantly. Harris, FYI, is 39 and Mitchell is 35.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s what is behind Collaros on the Blue Bombers depth chart which makes the picture so blurry. Veteran Chris Streveler suffered a knee injury in the regular-season finale and is a pending free agent. Terry Wilson came off the bench to help lead the team to a victory in that regular season finale, but hasn\u2019t really had the opportunity to prove whether he is a keeper long term or not. Ditto for rookie Chase Artopoeus, who dressed for five games but didn\u2019t throw a pass.<\/p>\n

The key to all this could be Taylor Elgersma, selected 18th overall by the Blue Bombers this past spring in the CFL Draft. He\u2019s big at 6-5 and has the skillset to have intrigued a number of NFL teams last year before he signed with the Green Bay Packers. Despite an impressive preseason, he was released, had a look from the New York Giants and is still waiting for an NFL opportunity. The Blue Bombers have reached out to him and his decision for 2026 could be critical for him and for the club.<\/p>\n

If he keeps chasing the NFL dream, as is obviously his right, he risks losing another year of playing time. And if that door closes and he signs in Winnipeg, he could benefit from learning from one of the smartest pivots in the CFL in Collaros and then set himself up as a possible heir apparent.<\/p>\n

CONTINUITY\/LOYALTY VS. YOUNGER\/CHEAPER
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Stanley Bryant<\/p>\n

Virtually every organization wrestles with this every offseason, and it\u2019s been especially the case over the last few years with the Blue Bombers appearance in five straight finals and wanting to ride or die with the group that got them at or near the pinnacle.<\/p>\n

Still, birth certificates don\u2019t lie, and the club finished 2025 with 11 starters 30 years or older in Bryant (39), Collaros (37), Neufeld (36), Jefferson (34), Thomas (34), Kolankowski (33), Vaughters (32), Kyrie Wilson (32), Demski (31), Nichols (31) and Tony Jones (30). All but Collaros and Jones are moving to the free-agent market, which opens in February.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no question many of those players still have tread on their tires \u2014 Bryant, for example, was once again named the club\u2019s top lineman and looks like he could play until he is 90 \u2014 but bringing back all of them, or even a majority, has significant salary camp implications while blocking the path of ready-for-primetime players like Micah Vanterpool and Cam Lawson, draft picks\/prospects like guard Ethan Vibert and defensive ends Matthew Jaworski and Kydran Jenkins, both of whom stood out in the final regular-season game.<\/p>\n

AN AERIAL ATTACK IN DECLINE
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Pokey Wilson<\/p>\n

Some numbers to munch on here: in 2023 \u2014 just a couple of seasons ago \u2014 the Blue Bombers averaged 292.4 yards passing per game, which ranked second in the CFL. In 2024 that number fell to 260.2 (8th) and this year it tumbled even further to 235.0 yards per game, or dead last in the CFL.<\/p>\n

There are too many factors in play here to point the finger solely at first-year offensive coordinator Jason Hogan, including Collaros being out of action for a handful of games and three others, to the injury to Dalton Schoen, to the departure of Kenny Lawler in free agency, to an offensive line greying at the temples. But that drop \u2014 almost 60 yards per passing per game in three years \u2014 is absolutely alarming, especially with three receivers pending free agents in Demski, Sterns and Wheatfall.<\/p>\n

The to-do list is substantial for the Blue Bombers this winter, but breathing some life into the passing game needs to be a top priority.<\/p>\n

FURTHER TO THE ABOVE
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Dalton Schoen<\/p>\n

There was no more productive receiver in the CFL in 2022-23 than Dalton Schoen, who was twice named a CFL All-Star, was the CFL\u2019s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2022 and pulled in a jaw-dropping 141 passes for 2,663 yards and 26 TDs in 34 games. His numbers in the two years since then, due to injury? Eight games played, 36 receptions for 414 yards and two scores.<\/p>\n

He is again heading to free agency, albeit with far less bargaining power now. Worth noting: he also owns a master\u2019s degree in data analytics and would have firms tripping over themselves to have them in their offices. So, the question: if Schoen still wants to play, does the club step up again to give him a home? Or do they let him get to market knowing they\u2019d be sick to their stomachs if he regained his form in a different uniform?<\/p>\n

THE TRENCHES
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

The boys on the O-line<\/p>\n

In his season-ending press conference Collaros made mention of some of the offensive troops recently watching film of the 2019 Grey Cup and marvelling how the O-line repeatedly blew the Tiger-Cats off the line of scrimmage, all part of a dominant 33-12 win. Winnipeg\u2019s big eaters up front are still effective in run blocking \u2014 the offence finished second in the league in rushing yards per game at 124.1 (Calgary was first at 126.7). But, again, three starters are now in their 30s and the pass protection issues \u2014 37 sacks allowed, ranking sixth \u2014 are partly owned by this unit, by the quarterbacks, and by the play calling.<\/p>\n

Still \u2018dominant\u2019 is not a word which was used to describe Winnipeg\u2019s front, certainly not the way it has been in the past few years.<\/p>\n

The defensive line situation is also worth looking at as part of a bigger take on the Blue Bombers at the line of scrimmage. Winnipeg\u2019s defence finished first in offensive points allowed (24.1), third in net yardage (344.3), second vs the pass (261.4), third against the run (94.1) while allowing 21 TDs \u2014 tied for fewest in the league. Those are all exceptional numbers that speak of the work of defensive coordinator Jordan Younger\u2019s crew.<\/p>\n

The flip side of that is the overall defensive approach, which regularly drops eight-nine players into coverage, and means there is often less pressure on QBs. As a result, Winnipeg ranked last in sacks (23), last in tackles for losses (20), sixth in forced fumbles (11) and tied for last in interceptions (13). Vaughters is coming off a season in which he had a career high six sacks and while Jefferson\u2019s sack totals were down \u2014 he had only three, tying a career low set in Saskatchewan in 2016 when he played in only five games after a shot in the NFL \u2014 he did lead the league with 16 pass knockdowns.<\/p>\n

STOCKPILING THE CANADIAN CUPBOARD
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Jaylen Smith (39)<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers got significant contributions from their 2025 CFL Draft class, with linebackers Jaylen Smith and Connor Shay both suiting up for every game \u2014 Smith also finished second on the team and fifth in the league in special teams tackles with 22 \u2014 while defensive back Ethan Ball dressed for every game after returning from a hand injury, receiver Joey Corcoran started the Eastern Semi-Final, with linebacker Lane Novak making the team out of camp before suffering a knee injury and Vibert, mentioned above, a promising prospect at guard.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg has all its selections in the 2026 CFL Draft and a national snaps bonus pick again and will choose 6th overall, then 15th, 20th, 26th, 35th, 44th, 53rd, 62nd and 71st overall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We open with some hard truths today in an examination of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with last week\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":269750,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-269749","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cfl","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-canadian-football-league","11":"tag-canadianfootballleague","12":"tag-cfl","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}