Blue Bombers add three to practice roster

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers add three to practice roster

WINNIPEG, MB., September 21, 2026 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has added Global defensive end Thiadric Hansen, Global offensive lineman Nouredin Nouili and American receiver Matt Henry to the practice roster.

Hansen (6-1, 235, Cologne Centurions; born December 26, 1992, in Flensburg, Germany) returns to the Blue Bombers for his third stint with the club after spending the previous two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts. He is a three-time Grey Cup champion, winning titles with Winnipeg in 2019 and 2021 and Toronto in 2024.

Hansen was selected second overall by the Blue Bombers in the inaugural 2019 CFL European Draft. He made an immediate impact on special teams as a rookie, helping Winnipeg capture the Grey Cup that season.

When the 2020 CFL season was cancelled, Hansen played for the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland, helping the team win the 2020 Polish Bowl. He later signed with the Cologne Centurions of the European League of Football but returned to the CFL before appearing in a game.

Hansen returned to the Blue Bombers in 2021 and helped the club win its second Grey Cup championship in three seasons. He remained a key special teams contributor, though an Achilles injury suffered in 2022 limited his playing time over the following two seasons.

In February 2024, Hansen signed with the Toronto Argonauts. He appeared in 12 regular-season games and all three postseason contests, helping Toronto defeat Winnipeg in the 111th Grey Cup to claim the third championship of his career. He remained with the Argonauts until his release in May 2026.

Over his CFL career, Hansen has recorded 22 defensive tackles, 40 special teams tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles in 69 games.

Henry (6-1, 180, Western Kentucky; born November 7, 2002, in Miami, FL.) joins the Blue Bombers following a five-year collegiate career with Livingstone College (2021-23), Western Illinois (2024) and Western Kentucky (2025).

At Livingstone College, Henry emerged as one of the program's top receiving threats, recording 46 receptions for 601 yards in 2022 and 54 receptions for 650 yards in 2023.

Henry transferred to Western Illinois for the 2024 season and immediately established himself as one of the top receivers in the FCS. In 12 games, he recorded 64 receptions for 1,211 yards and six touchdowns, averaging nearly 19 yards per reception.

He joined Western Kentucky in 2025 and started all 13 games, finishing the season with 55 receptions for 888 yards and six touchdowns.

Nouili (6-3, 321, Nebraska; born October 31, 2000, in Frankfurt, Germany) joins the Blue Bombers after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons on the Montreal Alouettes' practice roster and completing a four-year collegiate career at Colorado State (2019) and Nebraska (2020-21, 2023).

Nouili started seven games as a true freshman at Colorado State in 2019, becoming the school's first true freshman offensive lineman to start a game since 1996. Following the season, he transferred to Nebraska and joined the program as a walk-on.

After spending the 2020 season primarily as a reserve, Nouili earned a scholarship and appeared in every game in 2021, starting the final seven games at left guard. He continued to play a key role on Nebraska's offensive line, starting 11 games in his final season and helping the Cornhuskers rank among the Big Ten's top rushing teams.

Following his college career, Nouili went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the New Orleans Saints. He was also selected by the Montreal Alouettes in the second round of the 2024 CFL Global Draft. After spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons on Montreal's practice roster, Nouili joined the Ottawa Redblacks in 2026 but did not dress in a CFL game before signing with Winnipeg.

[Pete]

this team cant have enough special teams linebacker type players...can we?

[Blue In BC]

this team cant have enough special teams linebacker type players...can we?

Apparently O'Shea thinks we need more. lol

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Apparently O'Shea thinks we need more. lol

It could be Miller, he played with Hansen and may have been the one that initiated the signing.

[Blue In BC]

It could be Miller, he played with Hansen and may have been the one that initiated the signing.

Possible but that's what an organization has a GM to decide after feedback from the HC.

BTW. Wade Miller retired in 2005. He never played with Hansen. lol

[Stretch]

BTW. Wade Miller retired in 2005. He never played with Hansen. lol

Guessing the reference was to Mike Miller (ours, not the Argos one), but I'll let TLB confirm.

[Blue In BC]

Guessing the reference was to Mike Miller (ours, not the Argos one), but I'll let TLB confirm.

Ah. I'd hope that's not the case. Played 4 games in 2023. 23 total in 2024-2025 and none in 2026.