The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have long made it their practice not to display any silver medal banners in and around Princess Auto Stadium often spotted at other sporting venues around the globe.
And so you’ll see no sign of the any division champion or finalist banners, just those instead saluting the dozen Grey Cup titles the franchise has won since its inception.
Should there, could there be a few more? Of course, and absolutely, including a couple from the five consecutive Grey Cup visits this team has made since 2019 with two victories and now three straight losses.
The other stuff the club has accomplished along the way — nuggets like the eight consecutive playoff appearances and double-digit win seasons — are no doubt all foundational blocks in the organization’s rise to among the Canadian Football League’s elite both on the field and as the attendance leader for three straight years.
Yet, it’s about standing on that stage late on Grey Cup Sunday and deadlifting the cherished trophy which matters most and as the Blue Bombers step onto the field Sunday morning for the first day of training camp that remains the only goal — to get back to the championship game for a sixth straight season and finish the job in front of a home crowd on home turf on November 16th.
It’s been an eventful offseason for the club with more turnover in personnel than in recent seasons. That’s clearly influenced Vegas oddsmakers, for what it’s worth, as they have the Blue Bombers listed as the fourth-best squad to win the Grey Cup at +550, behind the Toronto Argonauts at +280, the Montreal Alouettes at +425 and the Saskatchewan Roughriders at +500.
Just to be clear, that’s certainly not the sentiment within the building’s walls. Change can be good and change can be invigorating, after all. And the fresh new blood and new ideas brought on board over the winter has this bunch buoyed as camp opens.
And with all that in mind, here’s a quick look at 10 storylines swirling about the Blue Bombers as the work begins on the chase for a 13th championship banner…
COLLAROS AND THE FUZZY QB DEPTH CHART BEHIND HIM
Zach Collaros
Collaros enters camp as the clear-cut QB1, just as has been the case since he was acquired by trade in October of 2019 and less than two months later was at the controls when the franchise ended a 28-year championship drought. At 36 he is still elite and coming off a season in which he threw for a career-best 4,336 yards even if his TD:interception ratio dropped to a pedestrian 17:15. He’s in the final year of his contract and his play — and his own desire to keep going or potentially move on — will undoubtedly impact what happens beyond this season.
It’s the group behind him which is the more intriguing storyline as camp opens — especially now with his one-game suspension leaving who takes the first snap in the season opener in play. Chris Streveler was the No. 2 man before a devastating knee injury in the Banjo Bowl last September and he’s back fully healthy and was looking sharp through three days of rookie camp. Also on board are second-year man Terry Wilson, and veteran Shea Patterson, who comes over from the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was a capable replacement for Trevor Harris last season. Newcomer Chase Artopoeus has already flashed a solid arm and quick decision making while working with the vets and the club will closely monitor what happens with Canadian and second-round draft pick Taylor Elgersma as he chases his NFL opportunities.
If Streveler is locked in as the short-yardage/special package specialist — and he has 32 rushing TDs in 46 games as a Blue Bomber — who earns that third seat and what kind of role will they play now and, potentially, in the future?
NEW FACES IN COACHING/PERSONNEL
New offensive coordinator Jason Hogan
Jason Hogan is the new offensive coordinator with Buck Pierce now the head knock with the B.C. Lions and he’s already established in the Blue Bombers clubhouse as diligent and innovative during his days as the running backs coach.
The other changes on offence see veteran assistant André Bolduc on board as well as newcomer Billy Jean, while Jarious Jackson is to be the new QB coach but was not at rookie camp due to personal reasons. They join O-line coach Marty Costello, widely considered to be the best, or one of the best, at his craft in the CFL. The defensive staff — defensive coordinator Jordan Younger, D-line coach Darrell Patterson, veteran assistant Richie Hall and linebackers coach James Stanley — remain the same, while Mike Miller returns for his second year leading the special teams.
The impact of the other changes won’t be known right away, but the team added three veteran personnel types in the offseason in Jim Jauch, Brock Sunderland and Eric Deslauriers and paired with GM Kyle Walters and Danny McManus, we’ll start to get a feel when main camp opens about the quality of personnel they’ve brought in or drafted in the offseason.
KENNY/WOLI/POKEY EXIT — MITCHELL/WHITE, JR./OTHERS ENTER
Dillon Mitchell
No position group has undergone more of a makeover in the offseason than the receiver group with Kenny Lawler and Drew Wolitarsky now with the Tiger-Cats and Pokey Wilson with the New York Jets. The club made countermoves to those departures, bringing aboard Dillon Mitchell, Reggie White, Jr., Jerreth Sterns and Gavin Cobb in the offseason and they’ll join a group of returning vets that includes Nic Demski, Dalton Schoen, Kevens Clercius, Keric Wheatfall, second-year guys like Myron Mitchell and Kody Case and a pile of newcomers.
That’s a ton of bodies for a very few openings and somewhere in that mix, it says here, the Blue Bombers will once again have an outstanding group of receivers.
THE O TRENCHES — 3 CANUCKS OR 3 YANKEES
Kendall Randolph
A picture of continuity for so many years, the Blue Bombers saw Jermarcus Hardrick and Geoff Gray leave last year and lost Liam Dobson to Hamilton in free agency this February. Couple that with the fact future hall of famer Stanley Bryant is 39, three-time CFL All-Star Pat Neufeld is 36 and gritty centre Chris Kolankowski is 33 and right tackle Eric Lofton now 32 and this is a unit is collectively greying at the temples.
There are enough players in place to push them now and be part of a succession plan in Tui Eli, Gabe Wallace, 2025 draft pick Ethan Vibert and Université de Montreal prospect Alexis Levesque-Gallant — all Canadians — along with returning American vets Kendall Randolph and Micah Vanterpool, along with five others from rookie camp.
Randolph and Wallace might be the two to keep a closest eye on — Randolph as the University of Alabama product who started games at tackle and guard last year when Bryant and Neufeld went down and Wallace as the 2024 draft pick who jumped out last year.
Should Randolph grab a job either at Dobson’s old left guard spot or by pushing Lofton, or if Vanterpool is dominant in camp, the club could switch to using three Americans up front instead of two. Wallace will compete at guard and his play will give the coaches the option to stay with three Canadians along the line.
THE LOGAN EFFECT
Peyton Logan in Stamps colours
It wasn’t as splashy a free agent signing as many others across the CFL, but the Blue Bombers bringing aboard running back/returner Peyton Logan might be one of the most important in terms of need.
Winnipeg finished last in 2024 in ‘big-play kick returns’ — designated as a 30-plus yard punt or missed field goal return and 40-yards play on kickoffs — and Logan led the Calgary Stampeders in both punt and kickoff return yards last year while ranking third in the league.
THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF 2025 DRAFT PICKS
Jaylen Smith
They are the lifeblood of any CFL franchise and a year ago the Blue Bombers got exceptional value from their 2024 draft class of Clercius, Wallace, fullback Michael Chris-Ike along with D-linemen Owen Hubert and Kyle Samson — now both in Hamilton — while receiver AK Gassama and long-snapper Ian Leroux are back in camp after returning to school.
The Blue Bombers grabbed three linebackers in the draft earlier this month in Connor Shay — currently at the New York Jets rookie mini-camp — Jaylen Smith and Lane Novak and also heading into main camp after three days with the rookies are defensive back Ethan Ball, D-lineman Trey Laing, receiver Joy Corcoran and Vibert, the OL mentioned above. Every one of those players will push for work in the here and now and should either Shay or Elgersma, or both, return from their NFL looks the Canadian talent should be solid.
There’s also the possibility Global Draft pick Kemari Munier-Bailey, a defensive end, finds his way onto the roster to contribute immediately.
A PRIMARY LOOK AT THE SECONDARY
Evan Holm
Two faces from a year ago are gone in all-star cornerback Tyrell Ford (Edmonton) and veteran safety Brandon Alexander, who was not re-signed. That leaves a couple of vacancies in the secondary and it’s no coincidence 13 defensive backs were present at rookie camp, including Ball, the Canadian via the University of Calgary and North Dakota.
Deatrick Nichols, Evan Holm, Terrell Bonds, Michael Griffin II and dime back Redha Kramdi all return, as do Canadians Nick Hallett and Jake Kelly, who will be joined by a pair of veteran homegrown DBs in Josh Hagerty and Enock Makonzo. Jamal Parker, Jr., coming off a knee injury and a starter in the latter stages of 2023, is also in the picture to contend for starting work.
As they always do, the Blue Bombers will have unearthed another starter from the collection of new DBs in camp and at least one could be starting right from the opening week, as was the case with Bonds a year ago.
SENSATIONAL, STUPENDOUS, SPECTACULAR SCHOEN
Dalton Schoen
It’s not a reach to draw a straight line between the dip in the TD numbers and the higher pick total of Collaros to the absence of his favourite target for all but 2 1/2 games last season. Schoen was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2023 and followed that up with a stellar 2023 season before a knee injury cut him down last year. Consider this: in 34 games over 2022-23, Schoen racked up 141 receptions for 2,663 yards and 26 touchdowns while being named a West Division and CFL All-Star in each season.
Quite clearly, a return to form for the 28-year-old would be a boon to Collaros and the offence.
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD FOR THE O-TRAIN?
Brady Oliveira
Just to recap the last three seasons for the Winnipeg-born workhorse: he is the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player, the two-time reigning CFL Most Outstanding Canadian Player, the two-time reigning CFL rushing champ and a man who has posted three consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Yet, munch on this for a bit — Oliveira still thinks he’s got much more to give. Here’s where that could occur: he’s been consistently grinding out yardage between the tackles, but his receiving totals continue to grow, from 23 to 38 to 57 receptions in each of the last three years. There’s no sign of this train slowing down whatsoever.
A NEWER, NASTIER DEFENSIVE FRONT?
Willie Jefferson
Willie Jefferson returns to wreak havoc and continue to cause nightmares for offensive coordinators and quarterbacks across the league.
Jake Thomas is also back, as is promising second-year tackle Jamal Woods. Tony Jones settled in seamlessly last year as a replacement to Adam Bighill when the future hall of famer was injured.
And here’s where things get intriguing for the Blue Bombers defensive front six: the club added two proven veterans in defensive end James Vaughters from Calgary and linebacker Jonathan Jones from Toronto and, coupled with a return to health for Cameron Lawson and Kyrie Wilson and the there is more depth and talent up front.
That gives defensive coordinator Jordan Younger and his crew more weapons in their arsenal and he’s already shown what he can do with a versatile and flexible unit last year when the club finished first in points allowed and yards offence against.
Buckle in, Bomber Nation, for the pursuit of another title begins Sunday morning.
