Kyle Walters Press conference

[Jesse]

The conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUSCa0meTWA

Ed Tait's key take aways:

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/02/12/key-takeaways-from-kyle-walters-media/

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Some absolutely juicy quotes here. A lot of confirmation about things we've guessed and shutting down of things we guessed incorrectly.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Most interesting thing is at the very end regarding last season. "Too many veterans not playing each week." Other theme about midway is going back to a training camp where spots can actually be won and not to take the mindset of a week 1 roster from day one.

Good.

As long as we execute like that we can go back to winning. Need the best players today. Not the best players three years ago. Culture is a pre-requisite to winning it is not the end goal.

Other themes: spending money on the interior of the defense. You don't do that unless they are going back to a more 4-3 approach. They do like Ceresna's ability to play DE in 3-4 sets. So it's not going away, which it shouldn't, but it can't be the main package, which, again, it shouldn't.

Scouting needs to find us a DE and a corner. Possibility to go 3 National receivers and 3 American offensive lineman. Americans coming in to compete at Centre. Elgersma may or may not be here this spring. Will bring in a more veteran QB if he's not.

[Jesse]

He doubled down a couple of times saying, "we can't have our roster set before TC begins". He wants a true competition on multiple spots getting the best combination of guys possible.

Especially on offence, where there are options to change the ratio in the WR core or along the OL to get the best on the field.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

He doubled down a couple of times saying, "we can't have our roster set before TC begins". He wants a true competition on multiple spots getting the best combination of guys possible.

Especially on offence, where there are options to change the ratio in the WR core or along the OL to get the best on the field.

Surprised how open the O-line is on the inside, in a battle against Imports I see Eli coming up short vs. Neuf or Wallace, might lose Randolph and Vanterpool in the process unless they accept backup status.  Doesn't sound like Walters is keen to use the 1 game IR as he did last year to stash healthy players.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Sounds like Neild was a big piece, he will get an inside SB spot many hoped for, while Clercius and Corcoran compete or share the outside spot, did not mention Cobb. 

[Tecno]

He doubled down a couple of times saying, "we can't have our roster set before TC begins". He wants a true competition on multiple spots getting the best combination of guys possible.

Well, or he's just saying that to light a big fire under the vets complacent butts!  Either way it should have the desired effect.

[Tecno]

Other themes: spending money on the interior of the defense. You don't do that unless they are going back to a more 4-3 approach. They do like Ceresna's ability to play DE in 3-4 sets. So it's not going away, which it shouldn't, but it can't be the main package, which, again, it shouldn't.

Rewatching the GC I was surprised to see how much SSK was only bringing 3.  Not as much as us, but not miles different, either.  The difference was their 3 could sometimes get through, and the QB knew it.

I think the way KW worded the 4-3/3-4 bits, and was basically saying "Younger gonna do what Younger gonna do", hints that (at least) KW isn't putting a stop to it.  We may see a lot more of the 3 man rush than many people here want.

Maybe the sweet spot is to do it more like SSK did it in the GC.

[Tecno]

The thing I like about KW is he just lays it all out there.  He's like Alternate Universe MOS.

He gives you so much meat to work with and doesn't hold back very much.  It makes it very easy to understand the thoughts behind the '26 roster and what we still need to do and where we're headed.

Sometimes I almost think it's too much info, like giving the other GMs an advantage to foil his plans or something.  From a fan standpoint, I love it, though!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

The thing I like about KW is he just lays it all out there.  He's like Alternate Universe MOS.

He gives you so much meat to work with and doesn't hold back very much.  It makes it very easy to understand the thoughts behind the '26 roster and what we still need to do and where we're headed.

Sometimes I almost think it's too much info, like giving the other GMs an advantage to foil his plans or something.  From a fan standpoint, I love it, though!

Walters has to pack it in, he only makes 4 appearances a year, after FA, after the draft, after TC and after the season.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Rewatching the GC I was surprised to see how much SSK was only bringing 3.  Not as much as us, but not miles different, either.  The difference was their 3 could sometimes get through, and the QB knew it.

I think the way KW worded the 4-3/3-4 bits, and was basically saying "Younger gonna do what Younger gonna do", hints that (at least) KW isn't putting a stop to it.  We may see a lot more of the 3 man rush than many people here want.

Maybe the sweet spot is to do it more like SSK did it in the GC.

You're kind of failing to grasp the basic lesson. Saskatchewan's defense was constantly getting pressure all season. They wacked QBs all day long. It really doesn't matter if you think they ran more 3-4 or 4-3 in the Grey Cup. That's not the takeaway.

And why would we invest in the interior of the defensive line and then run a ton of 3-4?

I don't really care what we run as long as we get pressure this year. I'd expect more 4-3 than last year though. Not that that will be very hard.

[Tecno]

They wacked QBs all day long. It really doesn't matter if you think they ran more 3-4 or 4-3 in the Grey Cup. That's not the takeaway.

Except so many here bash the 3-4 scheme to the point that they want it run 0 or maybe 2 times a game.  I was a bit shocked to see SSK running it maybe up to 10 times in the GC, especially since I didn't notice them running it much in the reg season.

Maybe that was their special wrinkle for the GC...

And why would we invest in the interior of the defensive line and then run a ton of 3-4?

I don't really care what we run as long as we get pressure this year. I'd expect more 4-3 than last year though. Not that that will be very hard.

Agreed on your final sentence.  I want to see a pass rush at least as good as HAM or EDM was generating in '25.  Getting anywhere close to '25 SSK effectiveness will be gravy.

But your point about "why invest in DT then go 3-4" is a non sequitur, as proven by SSK in the GC.  If we are good enough then we can get pressure even with 3.  We all want to see more 4-3, but the Ceresna signing does absolutely nothing to prove that will be the case.

Heck, Younger could see Ceresna and be thinking "yay, now I can run MORE 3-4 and get some pressure!".  You never know.  However, I'm the odd man out here thinking Younger/Hall have a method to their madness and will figure out how to make it all work.

[Blueforlife]

We will use 3 man fronts a lot and the entire league has also done this for a number of years.  I agree with Techno, the criticism of our 3 man front is overstated.  That said we need better outcomes out of our DL and I think that will occur this year if we can find a few more aces.

And I'm with you Techno on how Hall and Younger will figure it out, they are an incredibly talented and experienced combo platter.

[Tecno]

And what's up with KW doing an audio-only interview?  Usually these things are in the PAS annals press room.

KW living it up in Hawaii right now?  Doesn't seem the case unless the phone he's using has exceptional sound quality.  Really does sound like an everyone-present-in-room presser, yet no vid.

Weird.