We\u2019re into that really interesting stretch of every off-season.<\/p>\n
Free agency is about a month old with much of the key names off the board, while the CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness and 2026 CFL Draft are approaching quickly. Before we know it, players will be reporting for training camp and the countdown to a new season will be underway.<\/p>\n
As such, we have a pretty good idea of how things are shaping up for all nine teams going into the 2026 campaign. While there\u2019s still room for a roster move here or there, things are generally set in that regard.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, we have more than enough body of work for our MMQB theme the next two weeks. We\u2019re identifying one key off-season decision for all nine CFL teams, and this week we\u2019re starting with the West Division.<\/p>\n
RELATED WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS<\/p>\n Retaining the brain trust<\/p>\n The Bombers have been one of the league\u2019s most aggressive teams in free agency after having their string of consecutive Grey Cup appearances snapped at five last season. But it was a decision made long before the opening of free agency that defines Winnipeg\u2019s winter. While not necessarily in doubt, it was still significant news when the Blue Bombers extended head coach Mike O\u2019Shea and general manager Kyle Walters in mid-November<\/a>.<\/p>\n After all, we\u2019re talking about one of the most impressive duos in recent CFL history. After being hired in November 2013, Walters made his first big decision by hiring O\u2019Shea a few weeks later. Now entering their 12th season together, Walters and O\u2019Shea have amassed a 117-77 record together, which is good for 0.603 winning percentage. Winnipeg\u2019s mandate is clear: win more titles. And I can\u2019t think of a duo better suited to make that happen than Walters and O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS<\/p>\n Trevor Harris<\/a>\u2019s return<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This one isn\u2019t a team decision. Instead, the biggest off-season decision for the Riders was made by Trevor Harris<\/a>, and it didn\u2019t take long. With retirement briefly discussed, Harris opted to sign a one-year contract with Saskatchewan in early December<\/a>, just a couple weeks after the team\u2019s triumph in the 112th Grey Cup.<\/p>\n Turning 40 in late May, it\u2019s clear Harris still has plenty left in the tank. In 17 appearances last season, Harris led the CFL with a 73.6 per cent completion rate while finishing top three with 4,549 passing yards and a 100.7 quarterback rating. The Roughriders had every reason to go all-in for a second straight Grey Cup title, and getting Harris back for another year was a key to making that a reality.<\/p>\n CALGARY STAMPEDERS<\/p>\n Extending Clarence Hicks<\/a><\/p>\n Clarence Hicks moves in and shuts it down!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcc5: @calstampeders<\/a> vs. Lions LIVE NOW \u2014 CFL (@CFL) October 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Getting a player like Clarence Hicks<\/a> under contract would have been a huge deal for Calgary under any circumstance. After all, Hicks burst onto the scene last season and established himself as one of the league\u2019s most dominant edge rushers. After showing flashes in his first CFL season, Hicks exploded in 2025 and finished third overall with 12 sacks and was also ranked the league\u2019s third most effective defensive end by our friends at Pro Football Focus.<\/p>\n But when you add in a few other factors, getting Hicks locked up becomes that much more significant. First off, it\u2019s a three-year deal<\/a>, which gives the Stamps security and cost certainty at a key defensive position. And retaining a player of Hicks\u2019s calibre feels even more important when you consider the departures of defensive standouts Jaylon Hutchings and Jacob Roberts<\/a>, who are both pursuing opportunities in the NFL.<\/p>\n EDMONTON ELKS<\/p>\n Being aggressive in free agency<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Despite missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season, the Elks put a solid foundation in place in 2025 under new head coach Mark Kilam and new general manager Ed Hervey. As a result, Edmonton has taken a very aggressive approach to this off-season. I\u2019m a big fan of what the Elks have done so far this winter, and they\u2019ll be one of my top teams to watch this year.<\/p>\n Edmonton\u2019s off-season began by signing quarterback <\/a>Cody Fajardo<\/a> to a one-year extension<\/a> in early December and continued with key extensions for defensive linemen Brandon Barlow<\/a> and Noah Taylor. But it\u2019s their work in free agency that really jumps off the page, as the Elks have added key pieces like Malik Carney<\/a>, Austin Mack, and Coulter Woodmansey. It feels like Edmonton is in the best spot they\u2019ve been in ages to return to the post-season.<\/p>\n BC LIONS<\/p>\n An early Nathan Rourke<\/a> extension<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s something to be said for getting out in front of an organizational priority. And that\u2019s exactly what the Lions did when they signed franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke<\/a> to a two-year extension in January<\/a>. Entering the final year of his current deal, Rourke\u2019s extension keeps the reigning Most Outstanding Player in BC through the 2028 campaign.<\/p>\n More than anything, getting a Rourke extension in place early avoids any type of distraction that might surround his future. Signed more than a year before a possible deadline, the Lions know they have their most important piece in the fold for the long term. And after a slow-ish start to his MOP season last year, it feels like Rourke is situated to build on what he did in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u00bb\u00a0Way-too-Early AMSOIL Power Rankings: Who sits at the top?<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a03 bold predictions for the 2026 CFL season<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a03 free agent signings that could shape the 2026 season<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Subscribe to the CFL\u2019s official YouTube channel<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0Subscribe to the CFL\u2019s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates<\/a>
\u00bb\u00a0View the entire 2026 season schedule here<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6: TSN
\ud83c\udf0e: CFL+ pic.twitter.com\/t2c3oaR2ve<\/a><\/p>\n