Player Awards

[Sir Blue and Gold]

It's too bad that Singer was shelved for Corcoran and Cobb and the merry band of super duper (exciting!) Canadian receivers for half the season or he'd be in contention and probably is the most talented new player we've got, with Williams not far behind.

Otherwise for me it's something like this:

Outstanding player- Evan Holm
Canadian- Jaylen Smith
Special teams- Trey Vaval
Defensive Player- Evan Holm
Offensive lineman- Broxton
Rookie-Major Williams

[Tecno]

Sounds like TSN cutting back further on their commitment to promoting the CFL.

Nah, it's just the Johnston factor. They did it already with the hof inductees. It's to make the whole process more social media like with short clips of the gotcha moments.

People like the awkwardness and spontaneity of some buddy telling the guy they won, on camera of course.

Meh. I think it cheapens it all, but I get it. It's ok. Gotta put on MORE Show! And draw in the kidz theze dayz...

[BLUEBOMBER]

Clearly Castillo and Williams will get some votes.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Clearly Castillo and Williams will get some votes.

Williams appears to be relatively unknown around the rest of the league, more commonly mentioned for MOR are Argos receiver Tyler Kahmann or BC WIL Parker McKenna as the leading candidates.

[Tecno]

Clearly Castillo and Williams will get some votes.

Castillo is hot butt this season.  2 makeable misses in just this game?  And several kickers now looking better even on the 50+ range.

If I can get a K tomorrow, it's that EDM guy.  That guy is the next Money Medlock.

[TBURGESS]

You're complaining about missing 55 and 56 yard FG's? 

[Waffler]

You're complaining about missing 55 and 56 yard FG's?

Doesn't the coach ask Castillo after the warm ups what distance he is good from? Up to Castillo to be honest and up to MOS if he believes him. I would start believing him less.

[TBURGESS]

Doesn't the coach ask Castillo after the warm ups what distance he is good from? Up to Castillo to be honest and up to MOS if he believes him. I would start believing him less.

Anything over 50 is a 50/50 FG. Castillo is better than most at that distance, but he's not infallable.

[Tecno]

You're complaining about missing 55 and 56 yard FG's?

Well, yes, when it costs us TDs or huge returns against.  And Castillo missed a 50 or under in this game, I'm pretty sure.  Cost us huge.

He was the best once you factored in big-distance do-or-die kicks, but not anymore.  That EDM guy and Maltos and heck even short-only Parades are now better.  If Castillo wants to kick for us next year, he needs to take a cut.  He's up there with Whyte for $$$ when he needs to be lower like Maltos and the EDM guy.

[dd]

The 'Edmonton guy" is Vincent Blanchard, a NAT kicker no less !!

[Blue In BC]

Well, yes, when it costs us TDs or huge returns against.  And Castillo missed a 50 or under in this game, I'm pretty sure.  Cost us huge.

He was the best once you factored in big-distance do-or-die kicks, but not anymore.  That EDM guy and Maltos and heck even short-only Parades are now better.  If Castillo wants to kick for us next year, he needs to take a cut.  He's up there with Whyte for $$$ when he needs to be lower like Maltos and the EDM guy.

I agree. I also question the coaching decisions to try these long FG's. It's great when you make them but IIRC we've given up 2 missed FG returns for TD's?

Improve the offence so you can continue drives and not need to kick so many FG's.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I agree. I also question the coaching decisions to try these long FG's. It's great when you make them but IIRC we've given up 2 missed FG returns for TD's?

Improve the offence so you can continue drives and not need to kick so many FG's.

O'Shea has become more reliant on those long FG's, 3 years ago he rarely gambled on the +55 mainly because the offence was more effective. He should at least have Holm somewhere on the field when kicking 50+ FG's.

[Waffler]

Official winners:

Outstanding player-Olivera
Canadian-Olivera
Special teams-Vaval
Defensive Player-Holm
Offensive lineman-Broxton
Rookie-Major Williams

https://bluebombers.com/article/oliveira-tops-blue-bombers-most-outstanding-player-award-winners

[ModAdmin]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers announce team award winners

WINNIPEG, MB., October 22, 2026 – The Canadian Football League today announced the team winners for the 2026 Most Outstanding Player Awards.

The voting was conducted by four members of the local chapter of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the league's head coaches.

The following players are the Blue Bombers' nominees for the league awards:

    Most Outstanding Player: running back Brady Oliveira*
    Most Outstanding Canadian Player: running back Brady Oliveira*
    Most Outstanding Defensive Player: defensive back Evan Holm
    Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: right tackle Jarell Broxton*
    Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: kick returner Trey Vaval
    Most Outstanding Rookie: cornerback Major Williams*

*Indicates unanimous selection

Most Outstanding Player/Most Outstanding Canadian - Brady Oliveira

Brady Oliveira is the Blue Bombers' MOP and MOC winner for a fourth straight season in both award categories. A unanimous choice by the voters in both categories, he was the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2024 and a runner-up to the award in 2023 and was the league's Most Outstanding Canadian in both 2023 and 2024.

He is currently the CFL's leading rusher with 1,344 yards and has a 174-yard lead on Edmonton's Justin Rankin for what would be the third CFL rushing title of his career. Oliveira has also posted seven 100-yard rushing games this season, most in the CFL.

Oliveira is also the club's leading rusher for a fifth straight year and has posted a 1,000-yard rushing campaign for a fifth consecutive time with only Charles Roberts having accomplished that feat more, having rushed for over 1,000 yards six consecutive times from 2002-07. His five consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons is also a new CFL record for a Canadian, as he surpassed Normie Kwong this season.

Oliveira's 1,344 yards heading into the final week of the regular season is just nine yards short of the second-highest total of his career – he had 1,353 yards in 2024 and a personal best 1,534 yards in 2023. He has five rushing touchdowns and one through the air while adding 40 receptions for 325 yards and another score.

The Winnipeg product, now seven years into his career, has also moved into third place on the Blue Bombers all-time rushing list with 6,824 yards, passing Gerry James, Jim Washington and Williard Reaves this season and is now behind only Roberts (9,987) and Leo Lewis (8,861).

Oliveira was selected by the Blue Bombers in the second round, 14th overall, in the 2019 CFL Draft.

Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Evan Holm

Evan Holm has been named the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Defensive Player for a second straight season.

Holm leads the Blue Bombers with 15 pass knockdowns -- second in the CFL to Montreal's Lorenzo Burns (17) -- and currently ranks third on the club in defensive tackles with 71, behind Major Williams (77) and Tony Jones (85) while adding one interception, one tackle for a loss, two fumble recoveries and one fumble recovery.

Now in his fifth year with the Blue Bombers, Holm became a starter midway through the 2022 season and has now started 75 consecutive games. He was named a CFL All-Star in 2025 and West Division All-Star in both 2023 and 2025.

Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman - Jarell Broxton

Jarell Broxton was the unanimous selection as the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in his first season with the team after signing this winter in free agency.

Broxton has started 16 of 17 games so far at right tackle and is a key cog in the success of Oliveira along the ground and in protecting the right side of the line for Winnipeg's quarterbacks.

He was the B.C. Lions Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in each of the previous three seasons, 2023-25, and was a CFL and West Division All Star in 2025.

Most Outstanding Special Teams Player- Trey Vaval

Trey Vaval has been named the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Special Teams Player for a second straight season, one year after being named the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and Most Outstanding Rookie.

The second-year Blue Bomber heads into the final week of the regular season leading the CFL in punt return yards at 1,014 and ranks second in punt-return average at 14.3 yards. He is second in the CFL in kickoff return yardage at 1,517, including an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown and ranks second in the league in missed field goal return yardage with 256 yards, including a 129-yard touchdown. That 129-yard return broke his own record of 128, set last year, for the longest in franchise history.

His 2,787 combined kick return yards – punt, kickoffs and missed field goals – ranks first in the CFL. His two return touchdowns this season already gives him six as a Blue Bomber, ranking him tied for second all-time with Eric Blount behind only Janarion Grant (eight).

Vaval already ranks second in Blue Bombers history in career missed field goal return yards at 647, fourth in career kickoff return yards at 2,435 and seventh in punt return yards at 1,971.

Vaval has done all this on special teams while also starting five games this year at cornerback.

Most Outstanding Rookie Player - Major Williams

Cornerback Major Williams is the unanimous choice as the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Rookie Player.

Williams has started all 17 games this season for the Blue Bombers in the defensive secondary and ranks second on the team in defensive tackles with 76 to Tony Jones (85), while adding seven more takedowns on special teams, one interception and one tackle for a loss.

[bwiser]

The Bombers will be releasing their nominees for the various CFL awards soon. Here are my picks.
Outstanding player-Olivera
Canadian-Olivera
Special teams-Castillo
Defensive Player-Tony Jones
Offensive lineman-Broxton
Rookie-Major Williams

My hardest choice was between Jones and Kramdi and I gave it to Jones because he did not miss any games

I was close on a few picks. Holm getting best defensive player I had no problem with and Vavel as top special teams player was close with Castilio, who also had a solid season.