Blue Bombers re-sign all-star guard Pat Neufeld
WINNIPEG, MB., January 18, 2026 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms on a one-year extension with veteran right guard Pat Neufeld.
Neufeld was scheduled to become a free agent in February.
Neufeld (6-6, 300, University of Saskatchewan; born: December 26, 1988, in Regina, Sask.) returns in 2026 for his 12th season with the Blue Bombers and 15th in the Canadian Football League, including his days with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2011-13).
A three-time CFL All-Star (2021-23), Neufeld started all 18 regular season games and the Eastern Semi-Final at right guard last year. He played a key role in an offence which helped running back Brady Oliveira post a fourth consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season while the attack finished second in the CFL in rushing yards per game at 124.1.
Originally drafted by the Roughriders in 2010, Neufeld was acquired by Winnipeg in a trade in 2013 and has become a fixture along the offensive line. He has played in 186 CFL games, including 149 with the Blue Bombers, and now calls Winnipeg home.
Neufeld has also been active in the community and was honoured in 2023 as the recipient of the Ed Kotowich 'Good Guy Award' for 'excellent football ability, a leader in the locker room and outstanding effort in the community' and in 2021 was the winner of the club's Cal Murphy 'Heart of a Legend Award' presented annually to the player who has shown 'outstanding sportsmanship and dedication to the Canadian Football League and the community.'
Now do the same thing with big Stan and we just need to figure out the centre plan.
Still a very good player. Some like to dump on our vets that are near the end but I believe many remain pillars to our success. Nice work.
Yes we needed to retain him and now we need to add Bryant as well. Each has over 150 games in Winnipeg and low injury history.
Good signing, I think? Sure were loads of complaints on Pat last year.
Pat's on the downside of his career and has been for several years now. Hope we didn't 'overpay' him.
Knew it. Package deal. Next is Stan. Maybe one more year for the super oldsters to give it the ol' college try.
Some people really whinged about Neuf in '25 but I really didn't see it as the weakest (or even "weaker") link. The worst I can say is the couple of times Rand filled in for Neuf we got better, but that might have been sheer luck.
Like many OL roles, perhaps any issues with Neuf were really issues with the 2 dudes next to him: the revolving door at RT, and the always-middling Ko-man. Maybe if we get a real RT going (think Yoshi-level) and a league-top C it'll make Neuf seem a whole lot better.
He also is the OL leader, and a team leader, and our social/podcast leader ;D ;D
I don't think anyone should be surprised with this signing considering MOS said earlier in the week they were working on contracts for Neufled and Bryant.
We haven't been churning out top OL of late, like we used to. It seemed like every year, we'd lose a top OL and not miss a beat.
Here's hoping we have some beef in the pipe that's going to step up, that Eli, if he is out C, gets to the next level, and Grader Gabe takes it up a notch.
We have 8 new American OL coming in, and 2 incumbents, for the RT spot. Should be able to find someone to be the next Hardrick out of that, and even someone to back up Big Stan.
Quote from: theaardvark on January 19, 2026, 03:23:01 PMWe haven't been churning out top OL of late, like we used to. It seemed like every year, we'd lose a top OL and not miss a beat.
Here's hoping we have some beef in the pipe that's going to step up, that Eli, if he is out C, gets to the next level, and Grader Gabe takes it up a notch.
We have 8 new American OL coming in, and 2 incumbents, for the RT spot. Should be able to find someone to be the next Hardrick out of that, and even someone to back up Big Stan.
The NFL is taking more CDN O-linemen from U-Sports than they ever did in the past, which likely makes Walters wary of gambling a high draft pick on a prospect that may never report. That may be the reason for the dearth of young Natl. O-lineman currently on the roster and the change in O-line ratio we're seeing across the league.
The Neuf interview is interesting for his take on Wallace & Viebert. He speaks highly of Viebert, meaning he could be the new dressed 6th or 7th. He says he can snap, too. Things may depend a bit on where we slot Eli, but as it stands right now maybe the plan is to start Eli at C and Viebert is our backup snapper.
I'd still rather see a monster IMP C, but that may be an impossible ask in an IMP's first year up here, given the C's responsibilities.
If it is Eli, I hope someone gets that guy some galaxy-sized balongas to fatten up big time.
Quote from: Tecno on January 26, 2026, 02:41:11 AMThe Neuf interview is interesting for his take on Wallace & Viebert. He speaks highly of Viebert, meaning he could be the new dressed 6th or 7th. He says he can snap, too. Things may depend a bit on where we slot Eli, but as it stands right now maybe the plan is to start Eli at C and Viebert is our backup snapper.
I'd still rather see a monster IMP C, but that may be an impossible ask in an IMP's first year up here, given the C's responsibilities.
If it is Eli, I hope someone gets that guy some galaxy-sized balongas to fatten up big time.
I don't understand the need to bulk up Eli. He's extremely mobile at 287lbs 6'3". We'll see if there's any difference in the push of our OL on running plays, but I have a feeling he's going to do well there.
Quote from: LXTSN on January 26, 2026, 03:48:40 PMI don't understand the need to bulk up Eli. He's extremely mobile at 287lbs 6'3". We'll see if there's any difference in the push of our OL on running plays, but I have a feeling he's going to do well there.
In the CFL What's a typical, ideal height and weight for a centre? Or is there one?
That's what I'm wondering...
I was too lazy to look at each team, but these were the 2 all-star centers:
Logan Ferland (SSK) 6'4" 300lbs
Justin Lawrence (MTL) 6'0" 305lbs
So 15lbs? I don't really care to be honest. If he puts it on that's great.
Maybe if he knows he's shifting from 6th OL/TE to an interior OL he can put some on?
Quote from: markf on January 26, 2026, 05:51:56 PMIn the CFL What's a typical, ideal height and weight for a centre? Or is there one?
Don't think you'd find many O-linmen below 300 lbs, average height 6'-2" for C, Kola had to eat 5 meals a day to keep his weight up above 300 lbs. which is what he believed to be his best playing weight.
Quote from: Throw Long Bannatyne on January 26, 2026, 06:56:06 PMDon't think you'd find many O-linmen below 300 lbs, average height 6'-2" for C, Kola had to eat 5 meals a day to keep his weight up above 300 lbs. which is what he believed to be his best playing weight.
And Ko-man was being pushed around... So what's going to happen to an even lighter Eli? It's simple physics.
Some DTs are around Eli's weight. You don't want that. You want a big weight advantage. It's like the adult yaks (OL) circling around the baby yaks (QB) to protect them from the wolves (DL).
We still don't know how much Eli signed for. If its a lot, he's the plan at C. If it wasn't, he remains 6th man, backup C and gadget play TE.
I have no doubt either way that he will have snaps in TC with the opportunity to win the spot.
Getting "pushed around" is related to weight, but not the only factor. Positioning, angles, leverage, foot speed... so many factors in good Oline play.
You'd think 6'10 means OT, but how many NAT giants become guards?
If Eli was an NFL prospect at C, pretty sure there was a reason besides weight.
Quote from: theaardvark on January 27, 2026, 05:31:52 PMWe still don't know how much Eli signed for. If its a lot, he's the plan at C. If it wasn't, he remains 6th man, backup C and gadget play TE.
Eli has always been super budget. I'm still pretty convinced he's just the C backup and jumbo, even in '26. He gets paid as such.
And even if we planned on him being starting C, you don't announce that to his agent during negotiation, you play like he's just doing another jumbo/backup year and pay him for that!! Wait until next FA for him to gouge us for a starting NAT C salary.
Quote from: theaardvark on January 27, 2026, 05:31:52 PMIf Eli was an NFL prospect at C, pretty sure there was a reason besides weight.
I still find this wild. NFL looks puzzle me sometimes. Maybe they wanted to make him a super beefy TE?? He's a total shrimpken compared to normal NFL hoggie sizes.
Quote from: Tecno on January 27, 2026, 05:46:33 PMEli has always been super budget. I'm still pretty convinced he's just the C backup and jumbo, even in '26. He gets paid as such.
And even if we planned on him being starting C, you don't announce that to his agent during negotiation, you play like he's just doing another jumbo/backup year and pay him for that!! Wait until next FA for him to gouge us for a starting NAT C salary.
I still find this wild. NFL looks puzzle me sometimes. Maybe they wanted to make him a super beefy TE?? He's a total shrimpken compared to normal NFL hoggie sizes.
You may have missed it, but Eli was 315 lbs. in college and maybe a bit heavier when he first arrived in Wpg.