Official Game Day Thread - Winnipeg @ Calgary, June 5, 2026

[Waffler]

Let's face it, the "bottom" one or two receivers on the field are rarely going to be targeted anyway.

That's how I feel too. White, Wilson, Demski. 80% of the passes are going here. As good a top 3 as any in the league. Nield will contribute and maybe Olivera. This is far stronger than what we started last year with. 

Cobb can play, he's not a star but good enough that you've got to account for him.

[GOLDMEMBER]

"Huge gap" between us and BC.
After we signed there best OL.
How is this possible?

Anyways I'm most looking forward to improvements in the trenches on both side of the ball.

Secondly our new additional FAs flourishing in White, Ceresna, Moxey in particular.

Big Blue look like a complete roster of excellent talent throughout with few holes.

[Blue In BC]

As expected Ball, Novak and Allen added to the 6 game IR. Not expected was Vanterpool added to the 6 game IR.

Vibert moved to the 2 man reserve. At the moment he's the only one. I'm not sure having 2 is mandatory or not. I think we have 1 too many imports but that's less clear at the moment.

Also we have open spots for globals on the PR but Sheehan is the only global on our roster.

So were saving a few schekels on the opening day roster as far as SMS. lol

Eli is on the AR but did Elsbury actually beat him out or are they waiting for him to have some additional low activity to recover from nicks in TC?

I thought Jones at WIL and K. Wilson at MLB was just a TC thing but it appears that is actually the plan.  Kramdi at safety to all 3 LB positions switched around.

[bwiser]

I was watching Jay Onrait last night and he had Luke Wilson on for his CFL review. Luke Wilson is picking the Bombers to win the west and Montreal to win the east. Let the games begin.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

As expected Ball, Novak and Allen added to the 6 game IR. Not expected was Vanterpool added to the 6 game IR.

Vibert moved to the 2 man reserve. At the moment he's the only one. I'm not sure having 2 is mandatory or not. I think we have 1 too many imports but that's less clear at the moment.

Also we have open spots for globals on the PR but Sheehan is the only global on our roster.

So were saving a few schekels on the opening day roster as far as SMS. lol

Eli is on the AR but did Elsbury actually beat him out or are they waiting for him to have some additional low activity to recover from nicks in TC?

I thought Jones at WIL and K. Wilson at MLB was just a TC thing but it appears that is actually the plan.  Kramdi at safety to all 3 LB positions switched around.

The two man reserve is optional, I believe .

[Blueforlife]

Cobb while the underdog might show flashes

[Jesse]

I haven't seen a depth chart yet, but Cobb was always with the #1 team all training camp, whereas I don't recall ever hearing Clercius was. He always came in with the 2nd team.

[Blue In BC]

I haven't seen a depth chart yet, but Cobb was always with the #1 team all training camp, whereas I don't recall ever hearing Clercius was. He always came in with the 2nd team.

The depth chart is up on the site and Cobb is shown as the starter with Corcoran the back up.

[Blueforlife]

I haven't seen a depth chart yet, but Cobb was always with the #1 team all training camp, whereas I don't recall ever hearing Clercius was. He always came in with the 2nd team.

Cobb backed up by Corcoran

[gobombersgo]

[ModAdmin]

Game Preview | #1: Blue Bombers at Stampeders

Ed Tait
@EdTaitWFC

They did a forward somersault dive with a zillion rotations into the Canadian Football League free agent pool, made some dramatic changes to Mike O'Shea's coaching staff, plucked some new homegrown talent in the draft and unearthed the usual collection of finds from south of the border.

Yet, it could be said the most important player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as the lights go up on their 2026 season is the most obvious: quarterback Zach Collaros.

Now, no doubt some of you at this point are screaming aloud — 'thanks for the brilliant insight, Eddie boy' — but sometimes if the dots are that big, that fat and obviously staring you right in the mug, you simply go ahead and draw the straight lines to connect them all.

Kickoff: Friday, 8 p.m. CDT; McMahon Stadium, Winnipeg
TV/Streaming: TSN, CBS SportsNetwork; CFL+
Radio: 680 CJOB (pre-game: 6 p.m/. CDT); Play-by-play: Derek Taylor/analyst: Doug Brown
Calgary weather forecast: Sunny with a high of 22C; Clear overnight, low 10C
Preseason records: Wpg: 0-2; Cal.: 2-0
PlayNow odds: The Stampeders are favoured by 1.5.

So, let's not complicate things here: if the Blue Bombers are to flex in the CFL's West Division again, they'll need their MIP — Most Important Player — to stay healthy and find his mojo again after his most difficult season in blue and gold a year ago.

And, sure, you could certainly say the same **** thing about every football team in every league, but as Collaros goes in 2026, so go the Blue Bombers.

To that end, they've parachuted in a familiar face to him in new offensive coordinator Tommy Condell, went out and snagged the best offensive tackle on the market in Jarell Broxton and added two quality starting receivers in Tim White and Tommy Nield.

The early returns through training camp have been nothing but positive and, with that, hope has again entered the Blue Bombers offensive huddle. And so, Nic Demski, what should we expect this season from Collaros, the veteran 37-year-old pivot who turns 38 in August?

"A lot," began the veteran receiver this week. "Zach's a competitor. He's ready for a lot of big plays and he has a familiar face in Tommy, as well. That revamped him in a way, so I think it's going to be a great year.

"Zach was very heavily involved in the offseason in making our playbook and installing everything and even when we're in our meetings, he's very vocal with what he wants from the receivers and when you delete the assumptions from the quarterback position as well it doesn't leave a lot of room for error.

"As long as we perform for him, I know he's going to deliver the ball to where it needs to be."

This is a massive year for Collaros in so many ways as he enters the final year of his current contract. Over the last two years his touchdown-to-interception differential dipped to 34:31, including a career-high 16 picks last year. Just for context, from 2021 through 2023 that ratio of 90:34 as he won back-to-back CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards in 2021-22.

Yet, ask anyone who has been around him this winter through training camp and they'll insist his competitive fire is still raging.

"He's so competitive, man," said White, one of the new targets. "He's not just a competitor in the way you might think, he's internally motivated and driven. If he makes a bad throw, he's on himself hard. He's such a leader. Being around him has already been a great experience.

"You see how many reps he takes in practice and you're like, 'Man, this guy is driven.' It makes you want to take more reps as well."

"He's still got that fire and that high compete level," added Nield. "He's a veteran leader out there. Whatever people may be saying about him, I don't know. I will say he's still doing it at a high level."

More on Game 1 Preview here...

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/06/04/game-preview-1-blue-bombers-at-stampeders/

[gobombersgo]

[gobombersgo]

markonfootball   @Markonfootball

Position chart;  Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Calgary Stampeders, June 5, 2026

Stampeders have placed veteran place kicker Rene Paredes on the six-game injured list, ending his consecutive game streak at 247.  He has played every game since his debut July 8, 2011

INSTA-ANALYSIS:  Will be strange seeing the Stamps without Paredes in a game!  Secondary juggled as Jackson Sombach draws in at safety shifted Damon Webb to halfback.  Chris Fortin wins battle at center as Bryce Bell is sixth OL

[LXTSN]

To be honest, I'm not overly impressed or scared of this Calgary roster without Hutchings.
They just have a lot of new names. Don't get me wrong... they could be very good! Just a lot of unknowns...

If it's going to be Cobb over Clercius long-term, I would be a little less happy but still okay. It's our 5th WR after all...

[gobombersgo]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers to start rookie centre Tyler Elsbury against Calgary
by John Hodge  June 4, 2026

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have listed Tyler Elsbury as their starting centre against the Calgary Stampeders for their regular-season debut on Friday night. The team issued its official depth chart on Thursday morning.

The University of Iowa product made the team's practice roster out of training camp last year but left the squad in mid-July to attend to a personal matter. He rejoined the club in December and made the active roster after training camp.

The 24-year-old native of Byron, Ill. will start over veteran Tui Eli, who reportedly gained weight this offseason to move from tight end to centre. Last year's starting centre, Chris Kolankowski, was released in January and has since signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The Blue Bombers will have two other inexperienced players in the starting lineup against the Stampeders, both of whom are on the defensive side of the ball.

Kydran Jenkins, a 23-year-old out of Purdue University, played the team's regular-season finale in 2025 and recorded one tackle and one sack. The six-foot, 270-pound defender has won the starting job opposite Willie Jefferson, though newcomer De'Shaan Dixon will also dress in a depth role.

Major Williams will start at boundary cornerback, filling a spot that was a revolving door last year. The Carson-Newman University product had a stint on Winnipeg's practice roster late last season and returned for 2026, beating out Warren Burrell and Ridge Texada for the starting job.

Other rookies who have cracked the roster in depth roles include backup quarterbacks Taylor Elgersma and Bryce Perkins, first-round draft pick Nuer Gatkuoth, second-round draft pick Dante Daniels, and mid-round draft picks Brody Clark and Ethan Stuart.

Five of Winnipeg's big-name free-agent additions will be in the starting lineup, including receivers Tim White and Tommy Nield, offensive tackle Jarell Broxton, defensive tackle Jake Ceresna, and field-side cornerback Jonathan Moxey.

White played only one series in the preseason but caught three passes for 57 yards from Zach Collaros, leading to a touchdown from Brady Oliveira against Saskatchewan.

The team has also shifted a few veteran players, flip-flopping Tony Jones to weak-side linebacker and Kyrie Wilson to middle linebacker. Redha Kramdi has moved from strong-side linebacker to safety, with Michael Griffin II filling Kramdi's old spot.

Off the field, the Blue Bombers have placed Canadian offensive lineman Ethan Vibert on the reserve roster, a new designation for 2026. The Regina native was a third-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft out of South Dakota State University and spent his entire rookie year on the practice roster.

Six players have also hit the six-game injured list, including Canadian receiver Kevens Clercius, American offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool, Canadian defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel, Canadian linebacker Lane Novak, American linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, American defensive back Cam Allen, and Canadian defensive back Ethan Ball.

Santos-Knox has already been ruled out for the year due to an injury he suffered on the first day of training camp.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-0) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (0-0) at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 5 with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Blue Bombers are coming off an East Semi-Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes, while the Stampeders lost last year's West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.

https://3downnation.com/2026/06/04/winnipeg-blue-bombers-to-start-rookie-centre-tyler-elsbury-against-calgary/