![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2024_Sponsorship_GMC_BlueBomber_Digital_NewsLetter_Ad_600x100_Op1-183.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nNow, normally that type of dramatic turnover during an offseason at one specific position would have been the byproduct some grotesque play in the year previous or from a roster being absolutely devoured by opponents throwing around big bags of cash in free agency.<\/p>\n
Yet, instead it was the Blue Bombers which opted to move on from the others outside of Vaval who suited up at corner in 2025 in Terrell Bonds, Dexter Lawson, Jr., Demerio Houston, Jamal Parker, Jr., and Marquise Bridges.<\/p>\n
In other words, as we open up the second instalment of our Positional Preview series with a look at the defensive backs it should be reinforced that Blue Bomber diehards need not fret here, for significant change in the secondary has been a regular thing in these parts for the better part of a decade and the team\u2019s nine straight seasons with double-digit win totals.<\/p>\n
And not only has this organization consistently unearthed quality defensive backs over the years as if they were cloning them in some secret factory, they\u2019ve been able this winter to also add some quality veteran pieces to the usual collection of talented new faces.<\/p>\n
So, while Houston, Parker, Jr., Lawson, Jr., Bridges and Bonds have exited, now arriving is a proven vet in this league like Jonathan Moxey, along with two others with CFL experience in Deandre Lamont and Alijah McGhee.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cam-Allen-0-24893-Large.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Cam Allen<\/p>\n
Couple those additions with how solid the club is in the interior of the secondary with the return of CFL All-Star Evan Holm and Dedrick Nichols at halfback, promising second-year safety Cam Allen and somehow still underrated Redha Kramdi \u2014 plus critical depth guys like Michael Griffin II and Jaiden Woodbey, who got significant work in defensive coordinator Jordan Younger\u2019s defence last year \u2014 and the Blue Bombers believe their air defence could be truly stingy this season.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s significant, given Winnipeg\u2019s defence already ranked second in passing yards allowed last year (261.4) after leading the league in that department in the four previous seasons before that (2021-24).<\/p>\n
Even with the changes at cornerback, the Blue Bombers secondary must be considered one of the areas of strength with training camp set to open in a few weeks. Experience matters in the defensive backfield and the club has augmented its roster with some quality veteran talent.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, what every defensive coordinator wants from its secondary is more turnovers and what the club has done up front \u2014 more on the changes to the defensive line and linebacker positions in previews to follow \u2014 certainly should help that number grow.<\/p>\n
If it does, and there is a continued maturation of players like Allen and Woodbey, this unit could firmly establish itself as even more of a CFL force.<\/p>\n
The Defensive Backs
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Deatrick-Nichols-1-25629-Large.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Deatrick Nichols<\/p>\n
Defensive coordinator: Jordan Younger
Defensive assistant: Richie Hall
The Returnees:
Starters: Halfbacks Deatrick Nichols and Evan Holm, safety Cam Allen, dime back Redha Kramdi*
Vets: Michael Griffin II, Jaiden Woodbey, Trey Vaval, Nick Hallett*, Jake Kelly*, Ethan Ball*
CFL vets:\u00a0Jonathan Moxey (82 games with Hamilton\/Calgary from 2019-25), Deandre Lamont (41 games with Ottawa from 2023-25), Alijah McGhee (19 games with Ottawa over 2023-25)
Newcomers: Ridge Texada and Major Williams (were on Blue Bombers practice roster for a bit in the fall), Robert Javier (Saskatchewan practice roster last fall), Bryan Addison, Shyheim Battle, Warren Burrell, Javaris Davis, Michael Dixon, Cameron McCutcheon, Jordan Taylor
Departed: Demerio Houston (Ottawa), Jamal Parker, Jr. (B.C.), Marquise Bridges (B.C.), Terrell Bonds, Dexter Lawson, Jr., Enock Makonzo* (Toronto)
*Indicates Canadian<\/p>\n
Keep an eye on:<\/p>\n
CB Jonathan Moxey, #2<\/p>\n
The Blue Bombers have chased Moxey before in free agency \u2014 his was on their radar when he left Calgary for Hamilton in\u00a0 2024 \u2014 and his experience should provide stability at one of the two vacant cornerback positions.<\/p>\n
He has bopped all over the secondary during his six CFL seasons, but started all 18 last year in Hamilton at corner. What makes him especially valuable is his versatility and that positional flexibility makes him an intriguing addition for Younger and his defence.<\/p>\n
Did you know?<\/p>\n
A stat we reserve for this space and have trotted out for the nine previous incarnations of our defensive back positional preview because it still remains so astonishing \u2013 back in 1990 the Blue Bombers defence set a CFL record that still stands with 48 interceptions. That total included 26 picks by the two corners, both in the Blue Bomber Hall of fame, with Less Browne finishing with 14 and Rod Hill stealing an even dozen.<\/p>\n
Last season, Winnipeg\u2019s six different starting cornerbacks combined for three interceptions and the Blue Bombers had 13 interceptions as a team \u2014 tied for last in the CFL \u2014 with Hamilton leading the league with 27. No Blue Bombers defender has reached double digits in interceptions since Browne had 10 in 1991, with Winston Rose leading the league in 2019 with nine.<\/p>\n
Notable Number(s): 2-1-1-1-1\u00a0<\/p>\n
We touched on this above but it bears repeating: Winnipeg finished second in passing yards allowed last year at 261.4. Prior to that, the passing yardage allowed totals were 234.8 in 2024 (1st in the CFL); 229.4 in 2023 (1st); 253.6 in 2022 (T-1st) and 216.4 in 2021 (1st).<\/p>\n
Just by comparison, prior to this current run the Blue Bombers gave up an average of 303.4 yards passing in 2019, which ranked sixth in the league.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We open today with this nugget which \u2014 had it been presented in many other eras in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":396998,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-610391","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\/610391","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=610391"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610391\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/396998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610391"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610391"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}