The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have plenty of tough decisions to make coming off a fifth-straight Grey Cup appearance.
The team’s roster got younger this past year, which contributed to an uncharacteristic 2-6 start. The players eventually gelled in Bomberland as the team went 10-1 before collapsing in the fourth quarter of the CFL’s championship game against Toronto.
Winnipeg’s brain trust has been active since the season ended, signing left tackle Stanley Bryant and middle linebacker Tony Jones to contract extensions. There are still 25 pending free agents to deal with, however, with off-field openings at assistant general manager and offensive coordinator remaining following the departures of Ted Goveia and Buck Pierce to Hamilton and B.C., respectively.
Players are listed alphabetically by last name. Please note that “N” denotes nationals (ie. Canadians) and “A” denotes Americans.
OL Liam Dobson (N)
The native of Ottawa, Ont. won the starting job at left guard vacated by Geoff Gray, beating out veteran backup Tui Eli and rookie second-round draft pick Gabe Wallace. The results were solid as he was named All-West Division as part of an offensive line that overcame a slow start to help Brady Oliveira win Most Outstanding Player and finish fifth league-wide in sacks allowed.
According to Pro Football Focus, Dobson was the fifth-ranked left guard in the CFL this past season. This might not be a tremendous achievement in a nine-team league, but the 26-year-old has yet to reach his ceiling and is by far the youngest member of a relatively old offensive line. Given his age and remaining potential, losing the former first-round pick to the open market would be a disaster.
DB Tyrell Ford (N)
The 26-year-old established himself as one of the best defensive backs in the league regardless of passport this past season, recording 55 total tackles, 12 pass knockdowns, and seven interceptions to be named All-CFL. Teams south of the border took notice of Ford’s strong play as he recently worked out for the New Orleans Saints with more workouts potentially on the way.
The rumour mill will suggest that the native of Niagara Falls, Ont. will want to play with twin brother Tre Ford in Edmonton next season, though it’s likely he’ll become the league’s highest-paid defensive back wherever he winds up. It still seems possible that Ford will sign back with the Blue Bombers, but of the players on this list, he’s the one I most expect to end up elsewhere in 2025.
DL TyJuan Garbutt (A)
The six-foot-two, 261-pound defender noticeably improved Winnipeg’s pass rush when he returned from an ankle injury that forced him to miss the first third of the season. He made only three sacks over 12 starts opposite Willie Jefferson, but it’s tough to rack those up when your defence mostly rushes three defenders on second down.
Talking to sources around the league, defensive end might be the toughest position to recruit fresh talent to the CFL due to the NFL’s recent trend towards smaller edge rushers. Garbutt might never become a dominant player, but he’s played only 13 regular-season CFL games and remains just 25. Given his positional value, it would probably be a mistake to let him get away now.
DB Evan Holm (A)
The 26-year-old has quickly become one of the best halfbacks in the CFL, recording 89 total tackles and nine pass knockdowns this past season. The rangy defender was named All-West Division in 2023 and had another strong year in 2024, though he lost out on divisional accolades thanks to the strong play of Rolan Milligan Jr. in Saskatchewan and teammate Deatrick Nichols.
Holm told 3DownNation after the Grey Cup that he likes Winnipeg’s proximity to home — he was raised in a suburb of Minneapolis, Minn. and played collegiately at the University of North Dakota — as he and his wife are expecting their first child. Then again, he recently changed agents to one with more CFL experience, which seems like an indication he’s keen on getting the best possible deal for his growing family.
DL Willie Jefferson (A)
If there was any doubt about the 33-year-old still being one of the CFL’s best defensive players, put on the highlights from this year’s Grey Cup. He was a one-man wrecking crew against the Argonauts, making six tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. If the Blue Bombers hadn’t collapsed in the fourth quarter, it seems likely that Jefferson would have been named Grey Cup MVP.
The six-foot-six, 245-pound native of Beaumont, Texas produced his lowest sack total since 2016 during the regular season, though Jordan Younger’s defence doesn’t prioritize getting after the passer. His numbers were still good, recording 25 defensive tackles, 10 pass knockdowns, six sacks, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick.
OL Patrick Neufeld (N)
The soon-to-be 36-year-old had a bit of a down year in 2024 but is a three-time All-CFL selection for a reason. Winnipeg’s offensive line improved as the season went on and was sensational in the playoffs, allowing only one sack over two games against excellent defensive lines and helping Brady Oliveira rush for 203 yards and two touchdowns.
One could argue that it’s time to turn the reigns over to a younger option at right guard, but with Winnipeg set to host the Grey Cup for the first time in a decade in 2025, it makes sense to run it back for one more year. This spot will probably belong to Gabe Wallace come 2026 but it takes time for young offensive linemen to develop and for a unit to gel. Given the circumstances, it would be wise to bring Neufeld back for one last ride.
RECs Kenny Lawler (A) and Dalton Schoen (A)
It feels right to pair these two together given that they’re both star receivers coming off injury-plagued seasons. Lawler missed eight games due to a fractured arm he suffered in Winnipeg’s season-opener, while Schoen missed 15 contests after tearing his ACL in June. The pair played a combined 13 games, making 55 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns, and missed out on all-star accolades.
Lawler restructured his contract in January, lowering his cap hit from $320,000 to $285,000 as part of an agreement that included a $150,000 signing bonus. The 30-year-old remains arguably the CFL’s most dangerous receiver when healthy — he took over the West Final against Saskatchewan, making three touchdown catches — but has played only 22 regular-season games over the past two years.
Schoen told 3DownNation that he “should be fine” about a month before training camp gets underway and he wants to be back in Winnipeg come 2025. He was contacted by five teams during the free agent window in February before returning to the Blue Bombers on a one-year deal that paid him $230,000.
Lawler and Schoen were two of the CFL’s three highest-paid receivers this past season, which seems unlikely to be the case again in 2025. Between the pair’s recent injury history and receiver money being expected to come down league-wide, Winnipeg would be wise to get these two back under contract somewhere around Nic Demski’s number — right around $200,000 — including a decent chunk of off-the-cap marketing money.
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