After grabbing from the bargain bin last year, the Blue and Gold returned to the strategy that once helped them land players like Stanley Bryant, Andrew Harris, Adam Bighill, and Willie Jefferson: quality over quantity.

The Blue Bombers signed two of 3DownNation’s top six pending free agents, including the No. 1 available player in Jarell Broxton. Tim White would also have been top 10 had he not hit the market early due to his release from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

With the additions now official, it’s time take a look at Winnipeg’s updated depth chart. What you see below obviously isn’t official — it’s merely a mock-up designed to illustrate how the team could look come Week 1.

OFFENCE

Tim White and Tommy Nield were signed from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders, respectively, to upgrade Winnipeg’s receiving corps.

White is a three-time All-CFL selection who has recorded four-straight 1,000-yard seasons, and though he’s struggled with drops in the past, he indicated it’s a skill he’s continuing to hone. The 31-year-old received a $75,000 signing bonus to join the Blue Bombers, per source, on a contract worth $222,000 in hard money.

Nield, meanwhile, scored the game-winning touchdown for Saskatchewan in the West Final and should still have some untapped potential at the age of 26. He set all-new career-highs in 2025 with 42 catches for 535 yards and five touchdowns and will bring some much-needed size to the group at six-foot-three and 200 pounds. The native of Guelph, Ont. will earn $175,000 in hard money in 2026.

Nic Demski and Ontaria ‘Pokey’ Wilson are locks to be in starting lineup, which means there’s only one spot left. Kevens Clercius and Joey Corcoran both started games at field-side wideout in 2025, though Clercius was publicly berated by Zach Collaros for a mistake late in the regular-season and subsequently benched for the playoffs.

If Clercius or Corcoran win the starting job in training camp, Winnipeg would have three starting Canadian receivers, making it a little easier to start three Americans along the offensive line (more on that in a moment). The team has brought in several rookie American receivers, however, as they look to find the next Dalton Schoen, who wasn’t re-signed after suffering another torn ACL. Jerreth Sterns and Keric Wheatfall, who started a combined 30 regular-season games in 2025, also weren’t retained.

Jarell Broxton was Winnipeg’s flashy addition along the offensive line, signing a two-year contract worth $250,000 per season. He’ll likely be the team’s starter at right tackle with Stanley Bryant remaining on the left side, where he’s started since 2015. If this is Bryant’s swan song — he turns 40 in May — Broxton would be the perfect heir apparent. The 32-year-old was the best pass-blocking offensive tackle in the CFL last season, per Pro Football Focus, while protecting Nathan Rourke’s blindside in B.C.

It’ll be interesting to see how Winnipeg manages the interior of the offensive line, a spot that wasn’t addressed in free agency. Gabe Wallace had ups and downs over 15 starts at left guard in 2025 and though Micah Vanterpool struggled in three starts at left tackle, he played well in three starts at left guard. There’s also Kendall Randolph, who was a full-time starter at right tackle last year and gradually improved. With Broxton now presumably manning that spot, Randolph would be available to start at left guard.

Patrick Neufeld is a lock to start at right guard, while Tui Eli is the heavy favourite to win the starting job at centre following the release of Chris Kolankowski. Ethan Vibert, the team’s third-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft, should be ready to fill a full-time depth role, though the Blue Bombers would be wise to use their first-round pick in the upcoming draft on a blue-chip offensive lineman.

Vanterpool and Randolph are on cheap contracts for 2026, which means it could be possible to keep both of them around even if they’re not starting. If the Blue Bombers believe in either or both of them long-term, they should be retained since quality offensive linemen are so tough to find. Then again, the team has cast an extremely wide net with 13 American offensive linemen currently under contract, most of whom have no previous CFL experience. Clearly, the offensive line will be a position to watch come training camp.

Winnipeg didn’t make an addition at quarterback, instead standing pat with incumbent passers Zach Collaros, Terry Wilson, and Chase Artopoeus. Wilson has attempted only 12 regular-season passes in the CFL, while Artopoeus has never taken a regular-season snap. Chris Streveler, who suffered a torn in ACL in October, wasn’t retained and he has yet to confirm whether or not he intends to return to the CFL.

It should be noted that the Blue Bombers have added two CFL rookies at the position in Bryce Perkins and Payton Thorne. Perkins is far from the average rookie, bringing six years of professional football experience and having won the UFL’s MVP award in 2025. Thorne, meanwhile, started 48 games at Michigan State and Auburn, two top collegiate programs, and was mentored by longtime CFL quarterback Kent Austin.

It remains to be seen if Perkins or Thorne achieve any success in the CFL, but it’s noteworthy that they have stronger collegiate and professional resumés than most quarterbacks who come to the league.

As for the running back position, there’s no question that Brady Oliveira will be the team’s starter and Matthew Peterson is a solid Canadian backup, having rushed for 329 yards and one touchdown as a rookie in 2025. It appears longtime NFL speedster J.J. Taylor will be this year’s American running back who almost surely gets cut, following in the footsteps of players like Quinton Cooley and Chris Smith. If Taylor is going to make the team, it’ll likely have to be as a return specialist.

DEFENCE

Jake Ceresna was the team’s big-money addition along the defensive line and he should add some much-needed punch to the pass rush. The 31-year-old has been a game-wrecker for much of his CFL career, recording 30 sacks and five forced fumbles from 2022 to 2024 and helping the Toronto Argonauts upset Winnipeg in the Grey Cup.

The six-foot-four, 295-pound native of New Fairfield, Conn., who makes his offseason home in Tampa, Fla., received a better financial offer from the Ottawa Redblacks, per sources, but ultimately chose to sign in Winnipeg. He will earn $235,000 in hard money in 2026, making him one of the league’s highest-paid defensive linemen. Though he primarily plays along the interior, it wouldn’t be surprising if the two-time All-CFL selection pushes out to defensive end when the Blue Bombers flex to a three-man front on passing downs.

Matthew Jaworski and Kydran Jenkins should have the inside track to winning the starting job opposite Willie Jefferson. Both players dressed for Winnipeg’s regular-season finale in 2025 and recorded a sack, drawing speculation that they should have been in the lineup earlier and perhaps remained active for the playoffs.

Jaworski has prototypical size at six-foot-five and 260 pounds and was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year at Fordham University in 2024, while Jenkins is a more compact edge rusher and was named third-team All-Big Ten at Purdue University in 2024. James Vaughters, who started opposite Jefferson in 2025, has signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Cameron Lawson, who made a career-high 21 tackles in 2025, is expected to start at nose tackle in place of Jake Thomas, who ended his 14-year playing career to become Winnipeg’s defensive line coach.

Jonathan Moxey was signed from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and should fill an important hole at cornerback. He’s been pencilled-in at boundary cornerback above, though he played field-side cornerback at a high level in 2025. Moxey will earn $135,000 in 2026, which is the first of a two-year deal with the Blue Bombers.

Trey Vaval, who was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2025, has been pencilled-in as the starter at field-side cornerback, though it may be best to have him focus solely on his return duties. Alijah McGhee, who was signed in November, has starting experience at field-side cornerback from his tenure with the Ottawa Redblacks.

Winnipeg lost boundary cornerback Terrell Bonds to a torn ACL in August and the team struggled to replace him, repatriating Demerio Houston, who was only available because he’d been the subject of criminal charges that were subsequently dropped. Jamal Parker Jr., who struggled at field-side cornerback during the East Semi-Final, was released by the team in December.

The halfback spots are set in stone with Deatrick Nichols and Evan Holm being two of the highest-paid defensive backs in the league. Cam Allen is the incumbent at safety, though it will be interesting to see if big-bodied UCLA product Bryan Addison gets an opportunity to play there. The team could also move Redha Kramdi back to safety, which they did three times this past season, allowing someone else to start at strong-side linebacker.

Winnipeg made one addition at linebacker, bringing Jovan Santos-Knox back where he started his CFL career in 2017. The 31-year-old has played 77 regular-season games with Edmonton, Hamilton, and Ottawa since departing the Blue Bombers, earning an All-East Division selection in 2022.

Tony Jones and Kyrie Wilson are the incumbent starters at middle and weak-side linebacker, respectively, though Santos-Knox could change that. In the above depth chart — which, again, is unofficial — Santos-Knox has been listed at the starter at middle linebacker with Jones being moved to weak-side linebacker.

Redha Kramdi has been sketched in as the returning starter at strong-side linebacker, though Winnipeg will rotate in all kinds of players like Michael Ayers, Michael Griffin II, and Jaiden Woodbey, particularly on passing downs.

Shayne Gauthier, who is best remembered for making a key tackle late in the West Final in 2019, was not retained, which could open opportunities for 2025 CFL Draft picks Connor Shay and Jaylen Smith. Shay made 10 special teams tackles as a rookie, while Smith recorded 22 to finish one shy of Ayers for the team lead.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Blue Bombers have made no changes on special teams with Sergio Castillo, Jamieson Sheahan, Ian Leroux, and Trey Vaval all returning.

Vaval had six NFL workouts after being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2025, though it doesn’t appear he was offered a contract down south. He remains under contract with Winnipeg through 2027.

The post How do the Winnipeg Blue Bombers look after free agency? appeared first on 3DownNation.

“I still feel maybe a little bit of scar tissue, but as far as results and data we’re seeing, it’s pretty much 100 percent,” Alexander told the media in Montreal. “I actually threw for the first time, picked up a ball for the first time since Grey Cup (on January 29), and that was fun. I felt fine, I feel good — I was able to roll out and all that stuff.”

“As far as fully coming back 100 percent, we all feel really confident about it. (Calgary receiver) Jalen Philpot, he tore his (hamstring) completely off the bone, I think, a couple years ago, and obviously, he was able to come back off that, and he looks fantastic. Mine’s not as severe as that, so we feel optimistic. Again, I play quarterback; I don’t play receiver. I know I do like to run a little bit, but we feel optimistic, and we’re on the right track.”

Alexander was recently flown to Montreal so the team could get an update on his recovery, and it seems as though all parties are pleased with the progress.

The 27-year-old was surprisingly transparent about the injury leading into the Grey Cup, suggesting it may have been caused in part by overtraining during the previous offseason. It seems as though Montreal’s medical staff has since confirmed that, though it’s possible the injury could have been even worse had Alexander not trained as hard as he did.

“I was always the guy that tried to push through anything, but I never really had a soft tissue-type injury like this, so I learned my lesson there,” he said. “I was told, basically, I might have overworked it and overworked in general, but because of that, they think that’s why I didn’t completely tear it off the bone, so there’s some good to it and some bad to it.”

Alexander indicated he currently weighs 212 pounds, which he’s happy with as he wants to be between 210 and 215 when the regular season starts. He indicated he reached 220 pounds at one point in 2025, which he felt was too heavy and may have added undue stress on the soft tissue in his hamstring.

The native of Gig Harbor, Wash., trains with longtime CFL quarterback Chris Streveler in the offseason and is thrilled to be getting back into the swing of things. Though some people would welcome the opportunity to spend weeks on end sitting on the couch, Alexander wasn’t a fan of being off his feet.

“It was horrible, I hated it. All the people around me, I was complaining a lot. It’s not in my nature (to sit around the house),” he said.

“I like to always do stuff, be active, or else I’m gonna be on the couch watching sports or playing video games, so it’s been great to get back into it, be around competitiveness. The trainers back home, I love them to death, they’re such good guys, and being in a highly competitive environment often.”

The Alouettes have been relatively quiet during the CFL’s legal tampering period, signing returner DeVonte Dedmon following his release from the Ottawa Redblacks and agreeing to terms with quarterback Dustin Crum and receiver Jerreth Sterns. The most costly loss is defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy, who chose to retire after five seasons with the team.

With minimal change heading into 2026, Alexander will be looking to replicate much of the success he had one year ago but do so for a full 18 regular-season games.

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“(Mack)’s done so much for this organization. He came in in 2023, I think he started fourth on the depth chart and he just kind of put the whole league on notice. Obviously, he was super clutch in the playoffs, super clutch in the Grey Cup, but we’ve been around the game long enough — it is a business. I’m super happy for him that he was able to reconnect with Cody, I’m sure Cody’s fired up about that,” Alexander told the media in Montreal.

“He got released and he found his next-best spot — or maybe he felt his best spot — super quick, so I’m happy for him and I’m sure he’s going to light it up there with Cody.”

Mack was released late last month ahead of a $45,000 offseason roster bonus, which was due on February 1. The move came following an injury-plagued season, which saw the 28-year-old dress for 12 regular-season games and make 48 catches for 674 yards and two touchdowns. He made two grabs for 21 yards in the East Final but was held off the stat sheet in the Grey Cup as the Alouettes fell to Saskatchewan.

Alexander understood his team’s decision to release Mack, though he clearly still holds the receiver in high esteem. Nothing is guaranteed in professional football and the emerging quarterback is excited to see which of Montreal’s receivers is able to step up in 2026 with Mack no longer on the depth chart.

“It’s tough because players want stability and some people want to be in a spot for a long time, especially if you have a family and stuff like that. I’m signed through 2028 now, but at the end of the day, I know that that’s not guaranteed. I’m not saying (the release) was performance-based on Mack, that’s an upstairs decision — a money thing would be my guess, that’s what it always is — but if I don’t perform, I know this contract could be swept under me just as well,” said Alexander.

“It is what it is, but we have a lot of pieces, a lot of great receivers coming back, and they seem to be pretty high on some rookies that are coming in as well. You look at a guy like Cole Spieker, he could absolutely thrive off this opportunity, and I think he’s going to thrive off this opportunity. That’s not to take anything away from Mack, but we’ve got to keep pushing, we’ve got to keep going.”

The Alouettes ranked seventh in passing in 2025, though that was due in part to Alexander missing 10 regular-season games with a hamstring injury. Tyler Snead led the team with 84 catches for 1,129 yards and four touchdowns and was rewarded with a contract extension through 2027. Tyson Philpot, who missed six games due to injury, received a massive contract extension after snagging 61 passes for 804 yards and five scores.

As for Mack, he’s now been reunited with Fajardo, who served as his quarterback in Montreal during a storybook season in 2023. Mack made 78 catches for 1,154 yards and four touchdowns as a CFL rookie that year, helping the Alouettes end a 12-year championship drought with an upset win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Hamilton.

It remains to be seen if Mack and Fajardo will be able to rekindle that success in Edmonton, but one thing’s for sure — Alexander is confident they will.

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“When I received (Montreal’s first) contract (offer) in December, I had a voice inside of me that said, ‘No,’ and I didn’t know what that voice was. It took the whole process to understand what it was. When you search inside of you and you don’t know what you really want, sometimes you try to look for answers everywhere else. It just took all that time because it wasn’t really clear what was in front of me,” Dequoy told the media on Tuesday.

“I had an offer from another team, I had an offer from (general manager) Danny (Maciocia). … It was a good offer and I said with that offer, that’s what I wanted to do, I wanted to play (in Montreal). I talked with the coaches and everything went right in front of me for me to sign and I still had that voice inside of me that still didn’t know. I didn’t feel quite right about it, and that’s where that discussion (about retirement) happened.”

The six-foot-one, 195-pound defender was originally a second-round pick of the Alouettes in the 2020 CFL Draft, though he would have been taken higher had he not been under contract with the Green Bay Packers. He signed with Montreal in 2021 and quickly accomplished everything one could hope to achieve in the CFL.

Dequoy became a full-time starter in 2022 and recorded his first interception off Cody Fajardo in Week 3. One year later, Fajardo joined the Alouettes and led them to an unlikely Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg. Dequoy recorded a career-high 62 tackles, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two touchdowns that year, earning his first of two All-CFL selections. After the Grey Cup, he went viral for criticizing the league’s lack of bilingual representation at the event.

The Université de Montréal product appeared in his second Grey Cup this past November and though his team suffered a loss to the Roughriders, he was pleased to see the CFL do a much better job of embracing bilingualism in its branding.

A championship? Check. All-CFL honours? Check. A viral moment? Check.

Dequoy accomplished a lot in a short time, becoming a star in his home province.

It would have been perfectly understandable if he’d signed back with the Alouettes and finished his career with a few mediocre seasons. With nothing left to prove, Dequoy could have helped mentor the team’s other defensive backs, including recently-signed former first-round pick Jonathan Sutherland, while playing at a reduced yet decent level.

Instead, Dequoy chose to hang up his cleats, never wanting to be one to mail it in.

“I didn’t want to come in and just ride the wave and be that guy. As much as I would have loved selfishly to do it, I chose my respect for myself and for the game. Physically, I just couldn’t do it, and it cleared up when everything was set in front of me to succeed and just play football. I had a contract and everything, the answer was clear,” said Dequoy.

“I just realized at that point my body couldn’t do it enough. I couldn’t give 100 percent to that team. I have too much respect for my teammates, for the sport of football to sign a contract for 18 games if I knew that coming in May, I couldn’t physically play that season.”

It’s unclear what’s next for Dequoy, who has recently appeared on several French-language television shows including Sortez Moi D’Ici, Sous Écote, and Big Brother Célébrités. It seems possible that broadcasting could be in his future, though his agent indicated there are currently no plans for that.

Regardless, one thing is clear — Dequoy would rather step away from the game altogether than play it at a reduced level.

The post Toll on body, not contract dispute, led Marc-Antoine Dequoy to retire from CFL appeared first on 3DownNation.

“It’s a business, so the first (contract offer) is never going to work for anyone and, of course, we had to wait for all the superstars to sign — get all of them out of the way before they reach out to me. It felt like I was waiting forever. It had me sweating, but it worked out and I’m excited to be here,” Ouellette told the media on Monday.

“You get that first offer and you just go hit a 20-minute workout session to kinda get your anger out, but then you have to sit down and be like, ‘It is a business, he’s trying to get a running back for as cheap as he can.’

“(The negotiating process included) working in what I think is fair, talking to other people that have been through the negotiation thing, talking with Trevor (Harris), talking to people in the community, and eventually getting to where you want to be. The first number, it gets to you a little bit — like, is that really what I’m worth? But that’s not how they see it — like I said, it’s a business.”

The 30-year-old said Saskatchewan’s coaching staff expressed interest in bringing him back during exit interviews after the Grey Cup, though they were seemingly aware the interest was mutual, which meant negotiations started late. The team extended over 20 pending free agents before Ouellette’s deal got done, including Harris, Samuel Emilus, KeeSean Johnson, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Mike Rose, Jermarcus Hardrick, and Tevaughn Campbell.

“They said, ‘Be patient, someone’s going to reach out,'” said Ouellette, who serves as his own agent. “I think they knew I didn’t want to leave, so they could push it back and try to get everybody else first, talk Trevor into not retiring and all that.”

The five-foot-eight, 210-pound ball-carrier struggled in his first season with the Roughriders in 2024 but dropped weight for 2025 and played brilliantly, rushing for 1,222 yards, catching 35 passes for 250 yards, and scoring nine touchdowns. He per-carry average of 4.9 yards would have been higher had he not been tasked with short-yardage duties for part of the season.

Ouellette spoke glowingly about the Roughriders as a whole but his most important connection is with Trevor Harris, the team’s veteran quarterback and a fellow Ohio native.

“I love (head) coach (Corey) Mace, the coaching staff’s awesome. The whole locker room is amazing, but the bond that me and Trevor have developed over the two years (was a big reason to sign back),” said Ouellette.

“The way everything’s ran here — front office, supporting staff, (the media) — it’s a true professional feel, and then being able to just go out in the community and feel like you’re impacting someone’s life. I get stopped at Walmart and that five-minute conversation I would have with someone, and (the fan) says it made their whole month, their whole year. It just makes you feel good.”

Ouellette indicated that veteran linebacker Jameer Thurman reached out to him after his extension, joking that the offence will need to score 40 points per game in 2026.

Saskatchewan retained virtually its entire Grey Cup-winning offence, save for Dohnte Meyers, who departed for the NFL, and Tommy Nield and Trevon Tate, who may not have been in the starting lineup if it weren’t for injuries elsewhere. Tate remains a pending free agent, while Nield agreed to terms with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The same can’t be said for the defensive side of the ball. Malik Carney, Habakkuk Baldonado, A.J. Allen, and C.J. Reavis all agreed to terms with new teams for 2026, while Micah Johnson retired to join Saskatchewan’s coaching staff. Mace and Josh Bell, who was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator earlier this offseason, will have their work cut out for them with several new faces in the lineup later this year.

Ouellette indicated that he’s continued to change the way he trains, taking the lead of Harris, who will turn 40 in May. The running back got down to 203 pounds after the season and is looking to start training camp at 210 to 215, then bulk up to 220 pounds for the playoffs to prepare for the cold.

The native of Covington, Ohio considered testing the CFL’s free-agent communications window but decided not to do so once the Roughriders made what he considered a “respectful offer.” He indicated the deal is worth “pretty much” the same as he earned in 2025, which was around $160,000.

“You don’t get to play that long and I feel like for my career, this is where it needs to be right now,” said Ouellette. “One day, a new running back’s going to step in and take my spot, and a few years after that, I’ll just be a picture — a Grey Cup picture on someone’s wall, so I’m just going to enjoy it while I have it.”

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The 28-year-old signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent three seasons with the team, rushing for 156 yards, catching six passes for 20 yards, and scoring two touchdowns over 12 regular-season games. He also returned one punt for 11 yards and five kickoffs for 112 yards.

The native of Corona, Calif. signed with the Houston Texans in 2023 and spent two years with the team, dressing for five regular-season games. He rushed 10 times for 44 yards and caught two passes for zero yards but was released by Houston this past August.

The five-foot-ten, 185-pound speedster played collegiately at the University of Arizona. He played 49 games and rushed 587 times for 3,263 rushing yards, caught 62 passes for 487 yards, and scored 20 touchdowns. Taylor was named first-team All-Pac 12 in 2018.

The Blue Bombers also signed American receiver Dorian Singer and American linebacker Micah Cretsinger.

Singer finished his collegiate career at Utah in 2024, where he caught 53 passes for 702 yards and one touchdown. He played at USC the previous year, where he made 24 receptions for 289 yards and three scores in 12 games.

The six-foot, 191-pound target started his collegiate career at Arizona, where he made 66 grabs for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns over 12 outings.

The native of St. Paul, Minn. attended training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars after going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He made seven catches for 59 yards during the preseason but didn’t make the club’s final roster.

Cretsinger had a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024 and the Ottawa Redblacks in 2025, though he didn’t see any regular-season action with either team.

The six-foot, 238-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla. played collegiately at Saginaw Valley State where he made 271 total tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 10 interceptions, 10 pass knockdowns, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and five touchdowns over 44 games. He was named All-Conference four times.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Zach Collaros threw for 3,048 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 13 regular-season games, going 6-7 as a starter.

The Blue Bombers ranked fifth in net offence, third in net defence, and eighth with a turnover differential of minus-eleven. The club’s leading rusher was Brady Oliveira with 1,163 yards, leading receiver was Nic Demski with 1,001 yards, and leading tackler was Tony Jones with 104 tackles. Winnipeg ranked first in attendance with average crowds of 32,343, which was a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year.

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Vaughters spent the 2025 season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He appeared in all 18 regular-season games, recording 36 defensive tackles, six sacks, and one touchdown.

The 32-year-old returned to the CFL in 2023 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders following a stint in the NFL. Over two seasons with the team, he made 47 defensive tackles, 10 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

The native of Chicago, Ill. played 27 NFL regular-season games with the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons from 2019 to 2021, recording 33 total tackles, two tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. He also attended training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, though he didn’t make the club’s final roster.

The six-foot-one, 256-pound defender’s original run with the Stampeders took place in 2017 and 2018. He made 50 defensive tackles, eight special teams tackles, and 11 sacks, helping the team win the Grey Cup in his second year with the squad.

After his collegiate career at Stanford University, Vaughters was a member of the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and San Diego Chargers, though he didn’t see any regular-season action at that time.

Pending CFL free agents can negotiate with teams across the league during the communication window, which closes on Sunday, February 8. Players can agree to terms on a contract with a particular franchise; however, the deals are not legally binding and can’t be made official until after free agency opens on Tuesday, February 10.

Vaughters was 3DownNation’s No. 21-ranked pending free agent.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders finished first in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 12-6 record, finishing first in the West Division for the first time since 2019. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the team’s first championship in 12 years. Trevor Harris went 11-5 as a starter, throwing for 4,549 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

The Roughriders ranked second in net offence, second in net defence, and tied for third with a turnover differential of plus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was A.J. Ouellette with 1,222 yards, leading receiver was KeeSean Johnson with 1,159 yards, and leading tackler was A.J. Allen with 91 tackles. Saskatchewan finished second in attendance with average crowds of 28,427, which was a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year.

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According to sources, the deal is worth $235,000 in hard money in 2026 and $255,000 in hard money in 2027. He will receive a $120,000 signing bonus to execute the deal.

The 31-year-old made 16 defensive tackles, one sack, and one interception over 11 regular-season games in 2025 — the lowest production of his career. However, he suffered a bucket-handle meniscus tear in late June and attempted to play through the injury for two months before ultimately getting surgery. He is fully recovered and expected to be ready for training camp.

Ceresna played 17 regular-season games with the Toronto Argonauts in 2024 and tied for the league lead with eight sacks. He also made 29 tackles and one forced fumble, helping the team win the Grey Cup in Vancouver over Winnipeg.

The Cortland State product began his CFL career with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2017 before being traded to Edmonton. He spent parts of the next five seasons with the Green and Gold, interrupted only by a stint with the New York Giants in 2019.

In 102 career regular-season CFL games, Ceresna has racked up 201 defensive tackles, 46 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and one interception. The six-foot-four, 295-pound pass rusher was named an All-CFL selection at defensive tackle in 2022 and 2024, but has frequently lined up at defensive end throughout his career.

Pending CFL free agents can negotiate with teams across the league during the communication window, which closes on Sunday, February 8. Players can agree to terms on a contract with a particular franchise; however, the deals are not legally binding and can’t be made official until after free agency opens on Tuesday, February 10.

Ceresna was 3DownNation’s No. 6-ranked pending CFL free agent.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Zach Collaros threw for 3,048 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 13 regular-season games, going 6-7 as a starter.

The Blue Bombers ranked fifth in net offence, third in net defence, and eighth with a turnover differential of minus-eleven. The club’s leading rusher was Brady Oliveira with 1,163 yards, leading receiver was Nic Demski with 1,001 yards, and leading tackler was Tony Jones with 104 tackles. Winnipeg ranked first in attendance with average crowds of 32,343, which was a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year.

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Amos spent the 2025 season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, appearing in all 18 regular-season games at field-side halfback. He recorded 45 defensive tackles and four interceptions, earning an All-East Division selection.

The 31-year-old spent the three previous seasons with the Argonauts, winning two Grey Cups and earning an All-East Division selection in 2024.

The five-foot-eleven, 185-pound defender played for the Calgary Stampeders from 2018 to 2021, interrupted only by a stint with the Green Bay Packers in 2020. He won a Grey Cup as a rookie in 2018 and was named All-West Division in 2019.

In 95 career CFL games, Amos has collected 213 defensive tackles, eight special teams tackles, one forced fumble, 20 interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns.

Pending CFL free agents can negotiate with teams across the league during the communication window, which closes on Sunday, February 8. Players can agree to terms on a contract with a particular franchise; however, the deals are not legally binding and can’t be made official until after free agency opens on Tuesday, February 10.

The Toronto Argonauts finished third in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 5-13 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Franchise quarterback Chad Kelly was unable to play all season due to a fractured leg he suffered in the East Final the previous year, giving way to Nick Arbuckle, who threw for 4,370 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions to be named the team’s candidate for Most Outstanding Player.

The Argonauts ranked seventh in net offence, sixth in net defence, and seventh with a turnover differential of minus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was Spencer Brown with 314 yards, leading receiver was Dejon Brissett with 907 yards, and leading tackler was Cameron Judge with 79 tackles. Toronto ranked ninth in attendance with average crowds of 15,109, which was a 0.1 percent decrease from the previous year.

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The 32-year-old was named All-CFL for the first time in 2025 after anchoring the B.C. Lions at left tackle. He started 16 regular-season games and received the second-highest season-long grade from Pro Football Focus among all offensive tackles.

The native of Olney, Md. played 51 regular-season games over five seasons with the Lions, becoming a full-time starter in 2023. He was initially going to start his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2020, though the season was cancelled due to the inset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The six-foot-five, 325-pound blocker played collegiately at Baylor University where he made 21 starts. He then spent two years with the Baltimore Ravens after going unselected in the 2016 NFL Draft, though he never dressed for any regular-season games.

Pending CFL free agents can negotiate with teams across the league during the communication window, which closes on Sunday, February 8. Players can agree to terms on a contract with a particular franchise, though the deals are not binding and can’t be made official until after free agency opens on Tuesday, February 10.

Broxton was 3DownNation’s No. 1-ranked pending free agent.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Zach Collaros threw for 3,048 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 13 regular-season games, going 6-7 as a starter.

The Blue Bombers ranked fifth in net offence, third in net defence, and eighth with a turnover differential of minus-eleven. The club’s leading rusher was Brady Oliveira with 1,163 yards, leading receiver was Nic Demski with 1,001 yards, and leading tackler was Tony Jones with 104 tackles. Winnipeg ranked first in attendance with average crowds of 32,343, which was a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year.

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