Blue Bombers roster - 2024-2025

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Jones: "This couldn't have turned into a better situation for me than it has."
June 18, 2025   Ed Tait

INJURY REPORTS: All eyes on the injury reports for both the Blue Bombers and Lions for this Saturday's rematch in Vancouver. The Lions report indicates that QB Nathan Rourke did not participate on Wednesday after being limited on Tuesday following the core injury he suffered in last week's loss here in Winnipeg.

If Rourke can't go, the Lions could turn to veteran Jeremiah Masoli or Chase Brice, who has been with the club since 2023 but has only 29 career pass attempts.

"He's been the main trigger man, the starting quarterback for a number of years for different teams," said O'Shea of Masoli. "He's a fiery competitor. He can run the ball. He's strong. So, there's a lot of stuff that's very similar. You're certainly not going to discount them because Jeremiah Masoli is playing.

"Once again, I don't think we really worry about who the starting quarterback is because the system is more the system, and you've got to defend that."

O'Shea was coy when asked after Wednesday's closed practice for an update on RB Brady Oliveira.

"I thought he looked good today. I'm always hopeful. Always," he said.

The Blue Bombers finished last week's win with Matthew Peterson going off after Oliveira's exit following
the first drive and did dress fullback Michael Chris-Ike, who could be an option. As well, Quinton Cooley had a fair bit of work at Tuesday's practice in the backfield.

As to how that could work/look with the roster...

"We've got lots of ways to move the roster around," said O'Shea. "We've always been pretty comfortable with everybody in our locker room and the belief is if they're here they're going to help us win football games this year. The coaching staff has always been excellent at putting their hand up first to say, 'We can adjust this for you' so we're pretty set."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/18/jones-this-couldnt-have-turned-into-a-better-situation-for-me-than-it-has/

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48-Hour Primer  Demski's Ascent
June 19, 2025  Ed Tait

BRADY O/BENSON OUT: Confirmed from the daily injury report: running back Brady Oliveira — who exited last week's win over the Lions after the first drive — will not play on Saturday due to a shoulder injury. As well, long-snapper Mike Benson is also out. Expect more clarity on the roster when the depth chart is released Friday morning.

ROURKE WATCH: The Blue Bombers did not have a practice on Thursday and will travel to Vancouver Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, B.C. starting quarterback Nathan Rourke did not participate at practice for the Lions on Thursday. If he can't go — the depth charts will be revealed Friday — the club can go with veteran Jeremiah Masoli or Chase Brice behind centre.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/19/48-hour-primer-demskis-ascent/

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Game Preview: WPG at BC
June 20, 2025   Ed Tait

THE LINEUP: The Blue Bombers have made four changes to this week's lineup from last week. On are QB Zach Collaros, RB Quinton Cooley, LS Ian Leroux and LB Fabian Weitz. Off are RB Brady Oliveira, QB Chase Artopoeus, LS Mike Benson and OL Micah Vanterpool. Oliveira, Benson and Vanterpool all move to the one-game injured list. Gabe Wallace starts at right guard for Vanterpool.

This will mark the first CFL start for Peterson, who was so effective in relief of Oliveira last week and mark the first games for Cooley and Leroux.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/20/game-preview-wpg-at-bc-4/

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Transactions:

2025-06-20   WPG   Leroux, Ian   LS   N   Laval   ADD FROM PRACTICE ROSTER   Active Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   BENSON, Mike   LS   N   Acadia   TRF TO SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   SCHMEKEL, Tanner   DL   N   Regina   EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   LOGAN, Peyton   RB   A   Tennessee Martin   EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   MITCHELL, Dillon   WR   A   Oregon   EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   VANTERPOOL, Micah   OL   A   Hawaii   TRF TO SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   Cooley, Quinton   RB   A   Liberty University   ADD FROM PRACTICE ROSTER   Active Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   Weitz, Fabian   LB   G   Cologne Centurions (ELF)   ADD FROM SINGLE GAME INJURY   Active Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   SHEAHAN, Jamieson   P   G   California   ADD FROM PRACTICE ROSTER   Active Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   HAGERTY, Joshua   DB   N   Saskatchewan   TRF TO PRACTICE ROSTER   Practice Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   Woods, Jamal   DL   A   Illinois   TRF TO SIX GAME INJURY   Six Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   Artopoeus, Chase   QB   A   Chattanooga   TRF TO PRACTICE ROSTER   Practice Roster
2025-06-20   WPG   OLIVEIRA, Brady   RB   N   North Dakota   TRF TO SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury
2025-06-20   WPG   JONES, Jonathan   LB   A   Toledo   EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY   Single Game Injury

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Game Day HQ  #2: Blue Bombers at Lions
June 21, 2025   Ed Tait

MILESTONE WATCH
A few items to track for those of you, like me, who are into this stuff...

The next TD pass thrown by Collaros will be the 200th of his career and would make him the 14th player in CFL history to hit that mark. The list: Anthony Calvillo (455), Damon Allen (394), Henry Burris (373), Ron Lancaster (333), Ricky Ray (324), Matt Dunigan (303), Kevin Glenn (293), Tracy Ham (284), Doug Flutie (270), Danny McManus (259), Tom Clements (252), Bo Levi Mitchell (226) and Dieter Brock (210). Of that list, only Glenn and Mitchell — the latter the starting QB in Hamilton — are not in the CFHOF.

Of Collaros's 199 TD passes, 109 have come as a Blue Bomber with 66 during his days in Hamilton, 15 with Toronto and nine with Saskatchewan.
Collaros (16,177) needs 294 passing yards to pass Kenny Ploen (16,470) for fourth on the Blue Bombers all-time list.

And mentioned in this piece but worth repeating — Nic Demski needs 56 yards to move past Darvin Adams in 10th spot on the Blue Bombers all-time receiving yardage list. Demski is at 4,612; Adams finished his career at 4,667 yards.

Sergio Castillo needs 11 points to move into seventh place on the Blue Bombers all-time scoring list. Those ahead of him: Troy Westwood (2,748), Trevor Kennerd (1,840), Milt Stegall (890), Justin Medlock (802), Bernie Ruoff (673), Gerry James (601) and Charles Roberts (474).

NOTABLE
This is the earliest date that the Blue Bombers-Lions season series will ever have been wrapped up. Winnipeg needs only to avoid a loss of 14 points or more to secure the potential tiebreaker.

Collaros has 34 300-yard passing games in his CFL career, including 15 as a member of the Blue Bombers. He has eclipsed the 300-yard mark six times against both the Lions and Toronto Argonauts — the most of any opponent.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/21/game-day-hq-2-blue-bombers-at-lions/

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Game 2:

Derek Taylor   DTonOB Jun 20
Bombers roster for Saturday:
Brady Oliveira to the 1-game injured list. Micah Vanterpool to 1-game (presumable a healthy scratch).

Quinton Cooley will make his CFL debut (The Shuttle Bus).

And DT Jamal Woods goes to 6-game injured list (knee)

Bob Irving  @BobIrvingCJOB  Jun 20
Blue bombers add import RB Quinton Cooley to their roster for Saturdays game in Vancouver, moving American guard Micah Vanterpool to the 1-game injured list. Gabe Wallace will start in Vanterpools place at left guard. Brady Oliviera is out. Oh, and Zach Collaros returns.

Darrin Bauming  @DarrinBauming  Jun 21
Rourke is OUT
Collaros is IN
The #Bombers look to make it B2B dubs against the Leos tonight.

Ed Tait   @EdTaitWFC   Jun 20
The @Wpg_BlueBombers depth chart features four changes. On are QB Zach Collaros, RB Quinton Cooley, LS Ian Leroux and LB Fabian Weitz. Off are RB Brady Oliveira, QB Chase Artopoeus, LS Mike Benson and OL Micah Vanterpool. Oliveira, Benson and Vanterpool all move to 1-game injured list.
Gabe Wallace starts at RG

Jeremiah Masoli starts for the Lions tomorrow against the ⁦@Wpg_BlueBombers

Nathan Rourke listed as GTD  - game time decision









Winnipeg Blue Bombers to dress preseason star Quinton Cooley vs. B.C. Lions with Oliveira out
By John Hodge -June 20, 2025

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have set their roster for Saturday's game against the B.C. Lions in Vancouver.

Brady Oliveira, the CFL's reigning Most Outstanding Player, has officially been moved to the one-game injured list with a shoulder injury. Matthew Peterson, who ripped off 130 yards and a touchdown as his in-game replacement last week, is listed as the starting running back on Saturday, though rookie Quinton Cooley has been promoted from the practice roster to dress in a backup role.

Cooley was a standout during the preseason, rushing 13 times for 92 yards and catching three passes for 45 in back-to-back matchups against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also proved to he a punishing lead blocker despite standing only five-foot-seven.

The 220-pound ball-carrier was twice named first-team All-Conference USA at Liberty University, an NCAA Division I program located in Lynchburg, Va. He ran for 2,655 yards and 29 touchdowns over 25 games with the Flames, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

The Blue Bombers have also made a change along the offensive line, starting Gabe Wallace at left guard. The former second-round CFL draft pick out of the University at Buffalo dressed for 12 games as a rookie in 2024 but this will be his first career start. Micah Vanterpool, an American out of the University of Hawaii, started at left guard last week but has been moved to the one-game injured list as a healthy scratch.

With franchise quarterback Zach Collaros returning from his one-game suspension, rookie Chase Artopoeus has been moved to the practice roster. CFL teams can only carry three quarterbacks on the active roster on game days. Chris Streveler started in place of Collaros last week and led the Blue Bombers to a 34-20 win over B.C. at Princess Auto Stadium, throwing for 246 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

Global linebacker Fabian Weitz will dress after being a healthy scratch last week. The 27-year-old native of Germany recorded one special teams tackle over seven games in 2024. The only other change to the active roster this week for Winnipeg is Laval Université product Ian Leroux coming on as the long snapper in place of Mike Benson, who has been moved to the one-game injured list.

The Blue Bombers currently have seven players on the one-game injured list, including Oliveira, running back Peyton Logan, receiver Dillon Mitchell, Vanterpool, defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel, linebacker Jonathan Jones, and Benson. Only three of those players — Oliveira, Logan, and Benson — are actually hurt. Teams are permitted to stash healthy players on the one-game injured list as their earnings still count against the salary cap.

Defensive lineman Jamal Woods, who was a healthy scratch last week, has been moved to the six-game injured list with a knee injury.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0) will visit the B.C. Lions (1-1) at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.

https://3downnation.com/2025/06/20/winnipeg-blue-bombers-to-dress-preseason-star-quinton-cooley-vs-b-c-lions-with-oliveira-out/



B.C. Lions name QB Jeremiah Masoli starter, Nathan Rourke game-time decision vs. Bombers
By 3Down Staff -June 20, 2025

The B.C. Lions have officially named quarterback Jeremiah Masoli the starter for Saturday's rematch with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The 36-year-old, who signed with the Lions this offseason, was seven-of-10 passing for 84 yards and an interception in relief last week. He started three games for the Ottawa Redblacks last season, throwing for 1,149 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions and rushing six times for 42 yards. He went 1-2 as a starter with a win over Calgary and losses to Saskatchewan and Montreal.

Masoli has appeared in 133 career CFL games with the Lions, Redblacks, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, throwing for 17,908 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 62 interceptions.

Canadian starter Nathan Rourke, who went down last week with an oblique injury that caused him to miss two days of practice, is listed as a game-time decision. Whether or not he is actually healthy enough to play, he'll have to serve as the team's third-stringer behind Masoli and Chase Brice due to the Lions not having more than three quarterbacks under contract.

With Rourke out, Canadian offensive lineman Tyler Packer will step in at right guard to fulfill the ratio requirement. American Chris Schleuger, who had started the first two games of the season, will be a healthy scratch.

B.C. will be without the services of speedy American receiver Stanley Berryhill III, who has been placed on the one-game injured list after tweaking his thigh in practice. Rookie Jermaine Jackson returns to the lineup after a one-week absence to take his spot in the starting lineup, while fellow newcomer Seven McGee will make his debut handling return duties.

Defensively, the big change is veteran American defensive end Sione Teuhema making his return to the lineup after a two-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. In 49 career games, he has recorded 96 defensive tackles and 22 sacks.

Making their Lions debuts in a depth capacity are Canadian linebacker Adam Auclair, who battled a shoulder injury through training camp, and American nickel Tyler Coyle. Defensive end Jalil Clemons and linebacker Devin Richardson have been returned to the practice roster, while Canadian receiver Kieran Poissant has been placed on the one-game injured list with a thigh injury.

The B.C. Lions (1-1) will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0) at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.

https://3downnation.com/2025/06/20/b-c-lions-name-qb-jeremiah-masoli-starter-nathan-rourke-game-time-decision-vs-bombers/

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CFL Stats   @CFLStats   Jun 21
Congratulations to those set to play in their first career #CFL game today!

BC:
#6 Tyler Coyle, DB, Purdue   
#77 Seven McGee, WR, Albany

Winnipeg:
#36 Quinton Cooley, RB, Liberty   
#42 Ian Leroux, LS, Laval

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Game Recap  Wpg 27 BC 14
June 21, 2025   Ed Tait

WELCOME TO CLUB 200:
Zach Collaros made his first start of the season after missing last week's game due to suspension and, first and foremost, took care of Job 1 for a quarterback by leading his team to victory.

That improves his career record against the Lions to 14-4 and he's now a remarkable 50-15 as a starter in Winnipeg for the best winning percentage in franchise history.

Collaros also entered elite company Saturday by becoming just the 14th player to throw for 200 touchdown passes in his career. And let the record show that it came on a vintage Collaros play as he rolled to his left and then fired a seeing-eye strike to Dalton Schoen for a 15-yard score on the game's first drive.

NOTABLE
-The Blue Bombers are now done with the Lions for the regular season, having swept the season series. The two clubs won't meet again this year unless it's in the playoffs.

-Nic Demski caught just one pass but in so doing extended his streak to 72 consecutive games with at least one reception.

-Defensive end Willie Jefferson had two objectionable conduct penalties — the second with just 1:36 remaining — and was therefore ejected from the game.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/21/game-recap-wpg-27-bc-14/

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Upon Further Review  Wpg 27 BC 14
June 22, 2025   Ed Tait

BIG NEWS OUT OF CALGARY SUNDAY... with the Stampeders adding veteran linebacker Adam Bighill — a future hall of famer — to their practice roster. Good for Biggie, who was such a force during his days here in Winnipeg.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/22/upon-further-review-wpg-27-bc-14/

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48-Hour Primer  Game #3 vs. EDM
June 24, 2025   Ed Tait

OLIVEIRA OUT/DEMSKI QUESTIONABLE: Short week for the Blue Bombers with Saturday's win followed by Thursday's home date with the Edmonton Elks at Princess Auto Stadium.

Tuesday's injury report confirms running back Brady Oliveira will miss a second straight game while all-star slotback Nic Demski is listed as questionable after suffering an ankle injury in Saturday's game.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/24/48-hour-primer-game-3-vs-edm/

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Game Preview #3  EDM at WPG
June 25, 2025   Ed Tait

THE LINEUP: The Blue Bombers depth chart does not feature any changes for this week, although receiver Nic Demski does have a 'GTD' — game-time decision — designation. Demski was nicked in Saturday's win over B.C., a game in which he extended his consecutive games streak with at least one reception to 73 and did not practice on Tuesday according to the daily injury report. If Demski can't go, the Blue Bombers could start 2025 draft pick Joey Corcoran or activate veteran Gavin Cobb.

It also means running back Brady Oliveira — the CFL's Most Outstanding Player and Canadian a year ago — will not be suiting up for a second straight game. He remains on the one-game injured list along with KR/RB Peyton Logan, LS Mike Benson, LB Jonathan Jones, WR Dillon Mitchell, DT Tanner Schmekel and OL Micah Vanterpool.

DT Jamal Woods, DBs Jake Kelly and Enock Makonzo and OL Eric Lofton are all on the six-game injured list.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/25/game-preview-3-edm-at-wpg/

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Transactions:

2025-06-25    WPG    SCHMEKEL, Tanner    DL    N    Regina    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    OLIVEIRA, Brady    RB    N    North Dakota    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    LOGAN, Peyton    RB    A    Tennessee Martin    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    BENSON, Mike    LS    N    Acadia    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    JONES, Jonathan    LB    A    Toledo    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    MITCHELL, Dillon    WR    A    Oregon    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury
2025-06-25    WPG    VANTERPOOL, Micah    OL    A    Hawaii    EXT ON SINGLE GAME INJURY    Single Game Injury

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Game Day HQ  Game #3: Elks at Blue Bombers
June 26, 2025   Ed Tait

Nic Demski wasn't in a walking boot. There was no visible sign of a limp, nor did he need a walker to work his way over to a media throng waiting to interview him following Wednesday's Winnipeg Blue Bombers walk-through practice.

So, the odds of him playing tonight when the Blue Bombers host the Edmonton Elks at Princess Auto Stadium, despite the 'GTD' — game time decision — designation beside his name on the depth chart?

"I'd say, 'high' but at the end of the day it's a game-time decision," said Demski. "We'll see how I feel (today). Mentally I'm coming in like I'm preparing to play this game, and we'll take it from there."

MILESTONE WATCH
A few items to track for those of you, like me, who are into this stuff...

Collaros (16,177) needs 115 passing yards to pass Kenny Ploen (16,470) for fourth on the Blue Bombers all-time list behind Dieter Brock (29,623), Khari Jones (20,175) and Kevin Glenn (18,116).

Demski needs 55 yards to move past Darvin Adams in 10th spot on the Blue Bombers all-time receiving yardage list. Demski is at 4,613; Adams finished his career at 4,667 yards.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2025/06/26/game-day-hq-game-3-elks-at-blue-bombers/

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