Blue Bombers add quarterback

[bunker]

Tell us more!  I'm a bit shocked, as it doesn't make sense at this juncture.  The roster is pretty set.  There are no more FAs.  WPG has zero options at QB.

Even if all of a sudden Zach decides to be the nicest guy in the world to help the team, I'm not sure it can help the team NOW.  3 months ago, sure.  But now it's too late?  Unless KW went over budget and asked Zach to bail him out.

Of course... that's assuming we got Zach to go LOWER.  Maybe Zach made them restructure HIGHER!      

This is all I've got:

"Bombers QB Zach Collaros has re-structured his contract, per the CFL transaction wire.

This is usually a cap move to convert money to guaranteed money and aid both the player and team.

Last May Collaros signed an extension through the 2026 season."

So I'm assuming salary got converted to bonus money, which is taxed less, allowing bombers to decrease the cap hit while Zach takes home the same money. Downside is if he's injured, and 6 gamed, we get less of a break on the cap. I believe Harris did the same for riders last year.

[gobombersgo]

Zach Collaros restructures 2026 CFL contract with Winnipeg Blue Bombers
By Justin Dunk -March 6, 2026

Veteran quarterback Zach Collaros has agreed to a restructured contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, which saves the team $50,000 in salary cap space for the 2026 season, per sources.

Collaros received two separate $100,000 offseason bonuses as scheduled on January 1 and January 15. Under his old deal, he would have earned an additional $400,000 in base salary, bringing his total earnings to an even $600,000.

However, Collaros' new contract will now pay him $300,000 in base salary. That came with a $50,000 signing bonus, maxing out at $550,000 in hard money. The 13-year veteran remains the CFL's third-highest-paid QB behind Nathan Rourke at $684,000 and Chad Kelly at $625,000 for the upcoming campaign.

https://3downnation.com/2026/03/06/zach-collaros-restructures-2026-cfl-contract-with-winnipeg-blue-bombers/

[Blue In BC]

Tell us more!  I'm a bit shocked, as it doesn't make sense at this juncture.  The roster is pretty set.  There are no more FAs.  WPG has zero options at QB.

Even if all of a sudden Zach decides to be the nicest guy in the world to help the team, I'm not sure it can help the team NOW.  3 months ago, sure.  But now it's too late?  Unless KW went over budget and asked Zach to bail him out.

Of course... that's assuming we got Zach to go LOWER.  Maybe Zach made them restructure HIGHER!      

I suppose that's a good idea but that means $250K in total in early money which goes against the SMS even if there is a long term injury etc.

There was no mention of marketing money which would help but perhaps that's part of the earlier and current deal.

I don't think this was done specifically to create more SMS room in free agency. Not many players left to consider at this point.

[bunker]

I suppose that's a good idea but that means $250K in total in early money which goes against the SMS even if there is a long term injury etc.

There was no mention of marketing money which would help but perhaps that's part of the earlier and current deal.

I don't think this was done specifically to create more SMS room in free agency. Not many players left to consider at this point.

More likely it was done to accommodate the salaries of people already signed.

[theaardvark]

Maybe that $50k was made up in part by marketing money.

$50k extra cap is great, $50k extra injury exposure not so much.

Maybe Collaro's off season training has given Walters encouragement as to him staying on the field more this year.

When you lose a player and have to eat cap, the big concern is how much his replacement is making.  And his replacement's replacement.  If our backup QB's don't have big game start incentives, especially the one that lands the #2 spot, then losing Collaro's bonuses in the IR is easier to swallow.

[gobombersgo]

Maybe that $50k was made up in part by marketing money.

$50k extra cap is great, $50k extra injury exposure not so much.

Maybe Collaro's off season training has given Walters encouragement as to him staying on the field more this year.

When you lose a player and have to eat cap, the big concern is how much his replacement is making.  And his replacement's replacement.  If our backup QB's don't have big game start incentives, especially the one that lands the #2 spot, then losing Collaro's bonuses in the IR is easier to swallow.

Not likely.

3Down Nation normally mentions when marketing money is being paid out.

[Blue In BC]

Not likely.

3Down Nation normally mentions when marketing money is being paid out.

A players contract and the hit to the SMS for 2026 are all a little vague. Collaros may have already had marketing money tabbed in the original deal. He may have had ( probably did ) have early money applied to 2025 SMS ( $100K ).

It's too bad we don't see more transparency on salaries. It would be interesting.

[TBURGESS]

A players contract and the hit to the SMS for 2026 are all a little vague. Collaros may have already had marketing money tabbed in the original deal. He may have had ( probably did ) have early money applied to 2025 SMS ( $100K ).

It's too bad we don't see more transparency on salaries. It would be interesting.

Being as he had 2 January bonuses, I doubt he had any of his salary in the 2025 SMS.