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![\"JOHN](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4089644_web1_CP175076540.jpg\")
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JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
All signs point to Chris Streveler retiring after the 31-year-old quarterback posted a video on Tuesday of him hanging up all the jerseys he\u2019s worn over the years dating back to his collegiate days.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Streveler suffered a torn ACL, MCL and partially torn PCL in his left knee in the 2024 Banjo Bowl and worked his tail off to return in time for the 2025 campaign. The 2019 Grey Cup champion then re-tore the ACL in last October\u2019s regular-season finale at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnbelievable competitor, terrific leader. Leads in a variety of ways, but his actions are first and foremost,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he leads, it\u2019s pretty evident from teammates that when he was out there on the field, what he was willing to do for his teammates would be second to none. It was also a great reminder to other guys of how much they need to give to this game for their teammates, so he was sensational.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walters added: \u201cFor me, it\u2019s just his will to win. Didn\u2019t care about anything \u2014 the scoreboard at the end of the game, that\u2019s it. And he was willing to do anything, and it showed that it did not matter \u2014 winning the football game was the only thing that mattered. It was obvious and contagious and that was really, really the only thing that mattered to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quarterback questions<\/p>\n
With Streveler out of the picture, the Bombers are without an experienced backup quarterback. Behind starter Zach Collaros is Terry Wilson, who has just 22 passing attempts to his name in two seasons of work. Joining those two in training camp is a pair of CFL rookies in Bryce Perkins and Payton Thorne.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll these quarterbacks that we\u2019re watching now that everybody talks about being the greatest started off at some point,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, who\u2019s the next one? I don\u2019t know if we\u2019re in a rush to find that out. Zach\u2019s a stud.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t RUTH BONNEVILLE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea said Wednesday he has full confidence in his starting quarterback Zach Collaros going into the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Perhaps they should be in a rush considering Collaros turns 38 this year and is coming off back-to-back lacklustre seasons.<\/p>\n Walters said it\u2019s unlikely the club will add a veteran arm before camp. He also isn\u2019t banking on Canadian pivot Taylor Elgersma \u2014 who was drafted in the second round by the Bombers in 2025 \u2014 being in the picture in the near future.<\/p>\n Elgersma recently threw at the NFL Combine to help scouts evaluate position players with the hopes of catching the eye of a team in the four-down circuit. He was also drafted by the United Football League\u2019s Birmingham Stallions and is working on getting his U.S. work permit in order to play in the league.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of uncertainty and I still think there\u2019s uncertainty but the clock is ticking,\u201d said Walters, who spoke with Elgersma\u2019s agent on Tuesday. \u201cIt seems it\u2019s getting less and less likely. But \u2026 we\u2019ve still got a few weeks to sort it out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Collaros pay cut<\/p>\n Walters said back in November that the club isn\u2019t big on renegotiating and that Collaros has earned his contract.<\/p>\n So much for that.<\/p>\n Earlier this month it was revealed that Collaros agreed to a restructured one-year contract for 2026 that will see him max out at $550,000 in hard money as opposed to the $600,000 that he originally signed for. The move saved the Bombers $50,000 in salary cap space.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I just asked Zach if that was something he would be interested in and he said, \u2018If that helps the team, for sure.\u2019 That was about the extent of it,\u201d said Walters.<\/p>\n Walters added that it was not a result of the team spending big money in free agency on names like Jarell Broxton and Jake Ceresna.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite it coming out a little bit later with the paperwork, it was all decided prior to those signings,\u201d said Walters.<\/p>\n His reduction in pay doesn\u2019t mean his coach has lost any confidence in him, though.<\/p>\n \u201cZach can win us a championship. Zach can be a part of a team that wins a championship. Absolutely,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Draft, combine talk<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n Winnipeg Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said Wednesday the talent in the CFL combine is the best he\u2019s seen in years and making the draft on April 28 all the more challenging.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n So, other than running fast, jumping high and pumping out a bunch of reps on the bench press, what\u2019s a guy gotta do to impress this weekend?<\/p>\n \u201cLittle things that you notice, or that I notice, just stick with me. You want an example? Everybody has a process they do before a drill. They stand up, they\u2019re in line, then they turn to the camera, or whatever,\u201d said O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if the guy seventh in line doesn\u2019t turn to the camera, I notice that. I\u2019m like, \u2018Well, he\u2019s just not paying attention.\u2019 Or he\u2019s really nervous and you give him the benefit of the doubt and you try to dig a little deeper on that kind of stuff. All those little interactions, I happen to notice.\u201d<\/p>\n This year\u2019s class is loaded. That\u2019s a good thing, obviously, but Walters believes that will also present some unique obstacles to CFL decision-makers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe talent is the best in quite a while. The problem is it might be too good in the sense that it\u2019s NFL good, so, that makes it a big challenge,\u201d said Walters.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great that you\u2019re seeing these Canadian players have so much success at a high level, but it does certainly add a stressful element to the draft process and an unknown to the draft process.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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