Blue Bombers agree to terms with veteran defensive lineman Jake Ceresna

[theaardvark]

He had 1 sack in 11 games last year, strong he is, fast he ain't.  Pretty sure he cycles into the DT rotation in place of Woods and DE's will be chosen from a different pile.

Here he runs over Stanley, this must have been his only sack.

Not sure you watched the video you posted... Jake is definitely playing DE in this clip, walking right over Big Stan to Collaro's blind side.

[Blue In BC]

Not sure you watched the video you posted... Jake is definitely playing DE in this clip, walking right over Big Stan to Collaro's blind side.

He's capable of playing DE at times but it depends on the QB he's playing against. I wouldn't want to see him trying to do that against Rourke or VAJ for example.  Collaros is more of a sitting duck in that sense and is not going to run around and by most DE's. 

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Not sure you watched the video you posted... Jake is definitely playing DE in this clip, walking right over Big Stan to Collaro's blind side.

Well as a DE he wasn't very effective, he got through to the QB one time in 11 games.

[Jesse]

Well as a DE he wasn't very effective, he got through to the QB one time in 11 games.

He was injured all last season. He's been one of the premier pass rushers in the CFL for like 5 years.

[dd]

No kidding, the man's a force to be reckoned with and has been for years. I just hope his knee prob1ems are behind him.

[GCn19]

He's capable of playing DE at times but it depends on the QB he's playing against. I wouldn't want to see him trying to do that against Rourke or VAJ for example.  Collaros is more of a sitting duck in that sense and is not going to run around and by most DE's. 

68.9% of his snaps in 2024 was at DE. He will definitely play both inside and out on our D but he excels at both. As a big man capable of playing DE he will likely play there in our 3 man fronts so that another big man can line up in the DT.

[Jesse]

68.9% of his snaps in 2024 was at DE. He will definitely play both inside and out on our D but he excels at both. As a big man capable of playing DE he will likely play there in our 3 man fronts so that another big man can line up in the DT.

I expect a lot of what we'll see is Jefferson-Lawson-Ceresna, with Griffin/Woodbey as the extra defender.

[GCn19]

I expect a lot of what we'll see is Jefferson-Lawson-Ceresna, with Griffin/Woodbey as the extra defender.

That would be my guess for a 3 man front as well. I expect that Ceresna will line up outside in the 4 man a fair deal. Ceresna can move for a big man and OTs are not used to being bullrushed by a 300 lber.

[Blue In BC]

68.9% of his snaps in 2024 was at DE. He will definitely play both inside and out on our D but he excels at both. As a big man capable of playing DE he will likely play there in our 3 man fronts so that another big man can line up in the DT.

That may well be true but that was Edmonton and this is Winnipeg. Edmonton may have had a better interior of choices at DT. Winnipeg had squat and our need is / was at DT. The returning players from our PR are DE types. Most of the rookies we've signed are DE types. The only returning back up DL we have is Schmekel. Our DL is in full re-build mode with 3 departures.

Obviously players will line up at various spots. Depth charts are not written in stone but I suspect he'll be listed at DT. How many snaps he takes at DT or DE is going to depend on how well we recruit at DE and DT as variables. Defensive strategy comes into play.

[theaardvark]

I don't care if they put him in at MLB. 

Just get him on the field.

He is legit Jefferson quality, and will give Willie some relief.  If he lines up at DT beside Willie, woe be that oline... and by extension, QB.

To heck with the blindside, I want them in the QB's face.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

68.9% of his snaps in 2024 was at DE. He will definitely play both inside and out on our D but he excels at both. As a big man capable of playing DE he will likely play there in our 3 man fronts so that another big man can line up in the DT.

Where did you get that precise number?  Now days it doesn't matter so much where they line up but DE's and DT's still have distinctly different responsibilities and dimensions, even though the jobs have morphed a bit, I see Ceresna as strictly a DT.

[LXTSN]

Where did you get that precise number?  Now days it doesn't matter so much where they line up but DE's and DT's still have distinctly different responsibilities and dimensions, even though the jobs have morphed a bit, I see Ceresna as strictly a DT.

It sort of makes sense.
On first downs, he would play more DE and they bulk up their interior, and then on second downs they replace a DT with another DE and move Ceresna to the middle. There's more 1st downs and 3rd and 1's, than there is 2nd and longs.

I see him moving around our d-line just like Willie does. Sometimes you want to seek out size or speed mismatches.
Ultimately, he's a fantastic pick up and wherever they put him, he's going to be a big upgrade!!

[gobombersgo]

Jake Ceresna is officially a Bomber.

https://3downnation.com/2026/02/06/edmonton-elks-transfer-jake-ceresnas-playing-rights-winnipeg-blue-bombers-make-contract-official/

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers Sign All-CFL Defensive Lineman Jake Ceresna

WINNIPEG, MB., February 6, 2026 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has signed All-CFL defensive lineman Jake Ceresna to a two- year contract. Ceresna's rights were transferred by Edmonton to Winnipeg today.

Ceresna (6-4, 295; Cortland State; born: July 9, 1994, in New Fairfield, CT) joins the Blue Bombers after spending last season with the Edmonton Elks and following previous stints with the Toronto Argonauts (2024), Edmonton (2018-23) and the Ottawa Redblacks (2017).

A two-time All-CFL (2022, 2024), Ceresna is a veteran of 102 Canadian Football League regular season games and was a member of the 2024 Grey Cup champion Argonauts. He returned to Edmonton as a free agent in 2025.

Ceresna is coming off a 2025 campaign in which his production was impacted by an injury he attempted to play through before having his season come to an end in the Labour Day Classic. He finished the year with 16 defensive tackles, one sack and one interception in 11 games.

A versatile lineman who has started games at both defensive end and defensive tackle, Ceresna has 201 defensive tackles, 46 quarterback sacks and seven forced fumbles in his CFL career.

He posted a career high 12 sacks in 2023 with the Elks, following a 2022 season in which he had 10 sacks and was named Edmonton's Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

Ceresna's CFL career began with Ottawa in 2017, and he was then traded to Edmonton in February of 2018 for defensive end Odell Willis. He was traded again in January of 2024 along with the rights to a player off Edmonton's negotiation list to Toronto for receiver Kurleigh Gittens, Jr. and a seventh-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft.

Ceresna first turned pro with the New York Jets in 2016 as an undrafted free agent and following a collegiate career split between Southern Connecticut State (2012) and Cortland State (2013-15).

 

[ModAdmin]

Jake Ceresna will be available to media Tuesday, February 10 at 11:00 a.m.