The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with veteran defensive back Deatrick Nichols.
He was scheduled to become a free agent in February.
https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/12/18/blue-bombers-re-sign-veteran-defensive-back-deatrick-nichols/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOxBQBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFUSnVCQzl0YjFUTVZmRURVc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlETzTfTL3PSgG3NAboejTeF9TP63lzRIL5xFejJIoKJa0RtwzNZIqcGKCjS_aem__zXPIfP5iC7e_QdrvkLPpA
Blue Bombers re-sign veteran defensive back Deatrick Nichols
WINNIPEG, MB., December 18, 2025 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with veteran defensive back Deatrick Nichols.
He was scheduled to become a free agent in February.
Nichols (5-9, 178; University of South Florida; born: June 3, 1994, in Miami, FLA.) returns in 2026 for his sixth year with the Blue Bombers and following another solid season in 2025.
An important leader and steady presence in a defence that surrendered the fewest points in 2025, Nichols finished the year with 37 defensive tackles and 13 pass knockdowns – second in the Canadian Football League to Willie Jefferson's league-leading 16.
A two-time CFL All-Star (2021, 2022), Nichols started all 18 regular-season games and the Eastern Semi-Final and has only missed two contests in the last five years. He was also a member of the 2021 Grey Cup championship side. He has now suited up for 82 regular-season games, every one of them as a Blue Bomber.
Nichols played his college ball at South Florida and was a starter in his final three seasons. He first turned pro with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and had looks from the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins and, in 2020, was also leading the XFL in interceptions in 2020 as a member of the Houston Roughnecks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the league down.
He first signed with the Blue Bombers in February of 2021.
Nice!
Great. I had no doubt he'd be re-signed even though some felt we'd go younger and cheaper on SMS. He's as solid a DB as you can get in the CFL.
I don't know that I thought he'd be re-signed this early, but that's just a moot point. He'll turn 32 in TC but has almost no injury issues and missed no gmes to mention.
Good on Walters for getting down to work with our potential free agents.
Good.
Castillo and Demski...
Need some outside talent additions especially edge rusher, DT, a ball hawk safety would be sweet as well.
No complaints so far with any of our re-signings.
The interesting part will be when/if we sign guys that maybe we shouldn't, or what happens when free agency opens.
Also, *** are we doing at OC?
Quote from: Blue In BC on December 18, 2025, 04:37:04 PMGreat. I had no doubt he'd be re-signed even though some felt we'd go younger and cheaper on SMS. He's as solid a DB as you can get in the CFL.
I don't know that I thought he'd be re-signed this early, but that's just a moot point. He'll turn 32 in TC but has almost no injury issues and missed no gmes to mention.
Good on Walters for getting down to work with our potential free agents.
Hopefully they re-sign Holm as well, if he makes it to FA he could be gone to higher money, It would be sad to see him lead the Riders secondary for the next 5 seasons.
Good one, part of our awesome D
Quote from: Jesse on December 18, 2025, 05:43:42 PMNo complaints so far with any of our re-signings.
The interesting part will be when/if we sign guys that maybe we shouldn't, or what happens when free agency opens.
Also, *** are we doing at OC?
We have asked permission to talk to potential candidates, and there will be more available once contracts end Dec 31. Only then can we sign someone without them getting a release from their current team. Even though we have been granted permission to talk it doesn't mean they are released to sign. Toronto might still have Miller in the running for HC, for instance.
In the case of Sunderland, obviously we granted him his early release, allowing him to sign in Ham. No reason to restrict that if he was leaving in Jan anyways.
Quote from: theaardvark on December 18, 2025, 08:15:39 PMWe have asked permission to talk to potential candidates, and there will be more available once contracts end Dec 31. Only then can we sign someone without them getting a release from their current team. Even though we have been granted permission to talk it doesn't mean they are released to sign. Toronto might still have Miller in the running for HC, for instance.
In the case of Sunderland, obviously we granted him his early release, allowing him to sign in Ham. No reason to restrict that if he was leaving in Jan anyways.
FYI Mike Miller was appointed Toronto's head coach on Dec 2
Would really like to see the price point of this one.
Quote from: the.inkster on December 18, 2025, 08:29:03 PMFYI Mike Miller was appointed Toronto's head coach on Dec 2
LOL, wow. Missed that news. I guess he's off the OC list. One Mike Miller per team is enough, though.
Quote from: Sir Blue and Gold on December 18, 2025, 08:59:20 PMWould really like to see the price point of this one.
Always. My guess is under $150k. If under $140k then we got a good deal. He's older and a bit less effective but the "bad" teams would hire our dregs or this caliber in a second -- and they probably have SMS to blow.
Good signing.
Now change his number from 1 to 15 so my 2 old Nichols jerseys become current again!!
Nichols at $175K with a $60K signing bonus.
Quote from: Pigskin on January 08, 2026, 09:02:29 PMNichols at $175K with a $60K signing bonus.
Where'd you get that from? Announced somewhere?
If so, that's almost the same to Holm. Which is doubly shocking.
Pretty sure that's it for Houston then, unless he takes ELC+$10k. Bonds will get offered only ELC. Lawson probably walks or takes ELC.
Looks like we're counting on scouts to find us 2 "next D.Alfords" that can play our wacky scheme week 1! Hang on to your hats boys!
Quote from: Tecno on January 09, 2026, 09:25:37 AMWhere'd you get that from? Announced somewhere?
If so, that's almost the same to Holm. Which is doubly shocking.
Pretty sure that's it for Houston then, unless he takes ELC+$10k. Bonds will get offered only ELC. Lawson probably walks or takes ELC.
Looks like we're counting on scouts to find us 2 "next D.Alfords" that can play our wacky scheme week 1! Hang on to your hats boys!
Nichols was signed in December though. If that signing bonus is accurate, Nichols is getting a max of 115 against the 2026 cap.
Again, without a lot more transparency, we have no idea how much is actually being spent.
Quote from: Tecno on January 09, 2026, 09:25:37 AMWhere'd you get that from? Announced somewhere?
If so, that's almost the same to Holm. Which is doubly shocking.
Pretty sure that's it for Houston then, unless he takes ELC+$10k. Bonds will get offered only ELC. Lawson probably walks or takes ELC.
Looks like we're counting on scouts to find us 2 "next D.Alfords" that can play our wacky scheme week 1! Hang on to your hats boys!
Wasn't that hard to find.
Quote from: Pigskin on January 09, 2026, 05:04:22 PMWasn't that hard to find.
LOL, that's useful. Part of the value of the form is people generally provide links or citations to new info so we can all save our collective time having to look it up and pore through 3down articles.
This was the first mention of a $ number for Nichols I had seen, that's why I asked. And if I didn't immediate have a source, I bet a ton of other people didn't either.