Blue Bombers add five to roster
WINNIPEG, MB., January 23, 2026 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has signed American wide receiver Key'Shawn Smith, American defensive ends Warren Peeples and Khris Bogle, and American defensive backs Warren Burrell and Shyheim Battle.
Smith (6-1, 186, Southern Methodist; born: September 29, 2001, in San Diego, CA.) joins the Bombers after two stints in the NFL (2025), and a five-year collegiate career with Southern Methodist (2024), and Miami (FL) (2020-2023).
After being unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft, Smith signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and attended their rookie minicamp. He was released in late July and was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs a week later. He appeared in all three 2025 preseason games, catching one pass on three targets for eight yards, and added two kickoff returns for 62 yards.
Smith spent his last two college seasons with Southern Methodist, recording 58 receptions for 919 yards and eight touchdowns in 28 games (17 starts). He also added eight kick returns for 142 yards. Before his 2023 season he was a College Football Network Preseason All-AAC Honourable Mention.
He began his collegiate career with Miami (FL), posting 48 receptions for 662 yards and five touchdowns over 29 games (15 starts). During his 2022 season, Smith returned 21 kickoffs for 640 yards with a 91-yard touchdown.
Peeples (6-2, 230, Southeastern Louisiana; born: June 14, 2001, in Stone Mountain, GA.) signs with the Bombers after time in the NFL (2025), and a three-year collegiate career with Southeastern Louisiana (2024), Northern Iowa (2023), and Memphis (2022).
Peeples signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and appeared in all three 2025 preseason games, recording six total tackles, two sacks, and one quarterback hit.
Peeples spent his final college season with Southeastern Louisiana, starting in all 12 games. He recorded 33 tackles (16 solo, 17 assists), and five sacks (45 yards lost).
Before 2024, Peeples played one season at Northern Iowa, registering four total tackles and one sack in seven games (one start). In his 2022 season at Memphis, he recorded four solo tackles in six appearances.
Bogle (6-4, 245, Michigan State; born: October 9, 2000, in Fort Lauderdale, FL.) joins the Bombers after being selected in the 2026 UFL Draft, time in the NFL (2025), and a six-year collegiate career split between Michigan State (2022-2024), and Florida (2019-2021).
Bogle was recently drafted by the Columbus Aviators of the UFL this January.
Bogle signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants and attended their 2025 rookie minicamp.
Over his six-year college career, Bogle played in 61 games and totaled 129 tackles (57 solo, 72 assisted), 25 tackles for loss, and 14.5 sacks. In his senior year with Michigan State, Bogle started in all 12 games, posting career highs in tackles (37), tackles for loss (7.5), and tied his career high in sacks (4), finishing as an honourable mention All-Big Ten selection.
Burrell (6-0, 195, Georgia Tech; born: December 15, 2000, in Suwanee, GA.) joins the Bombers after a six-year collegiate career with Georgia Tech (2024), and Tennessee (2019-2023).
Over his collegiate career, Burrell accumulated 118 total tackles (90 solo, 28 assists), three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, 13 pass breakups and two interceptions in 52 games (31 starts).
After transferring to Georgia Tech in 2024, Burrell started nine of eleven games, recording 27 tackles (23 solo, 4 assists), one interception and four pass breakups.
Burrell posted the best season of his Tennessee career in 2021, starting all 12 games at corner while setting career highs in tackles (41), tackles for loss (2) and passes defended (7). He started just two games in 2022, recording 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assists), before being sidelined due to injury.
Battle (6-3, 196, NC State; born: July 18, 2001, in Rocky Mount, NC.) signs with the Bombers after time in the NFL (2024), and a four-year collegiate career with NC State (2020-2023).
Battle signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in April 2024, attended rookie minicamp, and was released in June 2024.
Collegiately, Battle recorded 144 tackles (95 solo, 49 assists), six tackles for loss, one sack, seven interceptions for 58 yards, 32 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery across 48 games for the Wolfpack. He started all 12 games in his senior season, posting 46 tackles, two interceptions, two tackles for loss, six passes defended, and a fumble recovery. Battle ended the 2021 season as an honourable mention All-ACC and was a second-team PFF All-ACC performer.
Everyone sounds good on paper. Someone mentioned we seem to be signing more players sooner than previous seasons. I don't know if that is true or not. To me it seems we have more potential free agents this close to free agency than usual.
If either of those comments are true or what it might mean is still TBD.
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 23, 2026, 05:56:15 PMEveryone sounds good on paper. Someone mentioned we seem to be signing more players sooner than previous seasons. I don't know if that is true or not. To me it seems we have more potential free agents this close to free agency than usual.
If either of those comments are true or what it might mean is still TBD.
It might look like we have a lot of FAs left to sign, but I think many of those players the Bombers have no intension of resigns. It actually looks like we are in the top three as far as resigning our players this season. Teams like Edmonton, and Hamilton have had a very slow off season.
Quote from: Pigskin on January 23, 2026, 08:22:43 PMIt might look like we have a lot of FAs left to sign, but I think many of those players the Bombers have no intension of resigns. It actually looks like we are in the top three as far as resigning our players this season. Teams like Edmonton, and Hamilton have had a very slow off season.
We have 17 potential free agents left. Also another 7 that have already been released / retired. 7 starters remain on that list, 8 if you include Schoen.
That sounds like a lot of players to change in an off season. Whether we should or shouldn't sign some of those left is an interesting debate. Whether we've re-signed more or less than other teams is not really relevant IMO.
At the moment this sounds more like a re-build than a tweak to the roster as O'Shea suggested.
I'm ok with all of that but the proof is in the result at the end of the season. We finished 4th in the west and change is needed.
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 23, 2026, 11:23:44 PMWe have 17 potential free agents left. Also another 7 that have already been released / retired. 7 starters remain on that list, 8 if you include Schoen.
That sounds like a lot of players to change in an off season. Whether we should or shouldn't sign some of those left is an interesting debate. Whether we've re-signed more or less than other teams is not really relevant IMO.
At the moment this sounds more like a re-build than a tweak to the roster as O'Shea suggested.
I'm ok with all of that but the proof is in the result at the end of the season. We finished 4th in the west and change is needed.
Who are you 7?
The only official releases/retirements I am aware of are Kolankowski, Thomas and Parker.
Quote from: gobombersgo on January 23, 2026, 11:49:03 PMWho are you 7?
The only official releases/retirements I am aware of are Kolankowski, Thomas and Parker.
I wasn't suggesting they were all important or starters but they were depth which can't be overlooked either. The 3 you mentioned were starters though and Weitz and Adams were 2 year players on the roster.
PARKER, Jamal
KOLANKOWSKI, Chris
WEITZ
ADAMS
ECHOLS
THOMAS, Jake
LOGAN
Quote from: Blue In BC on January 23, 2026, 11:59:33 PMI wasn't suggesting they were all important or starters but they were depth which can't be overlooked either. The 3 you mentioned were starters though and Weitz and Adams were 2 year players on the roster.
PARKER, Jamal
KOLANKOWSKI, Chris
WEITZ
ADAMS
ECHOLS
THOMAS, Jake
LOGAN
Gotcha. I thought you were referring to free agents.
Weitz and Adams finished the season on the practice roster so they weren't free agents.
Neither were Echols and Logan as they were under contract for 2026.
Quote from: gobombersgo on Today at 12:08:03 AMGotcha. I thought you were referring to free agents.
Weitz and Adams finished the season on the practice roster so they weren't free agents.
Neither were Echols and Logan as they were under contract for 2026.
....and yet Logan was released early and shortly after signs with the Argos.
Quote from: gobombersgo on Today at 12:08:03 AMGotcha. I thought you were referring to free agents.
Weitz and Adams finished the season on the practice roster so they weren't free agents.
Neither were Echols and Logan as they were under contract for 2026.
No but they were with the team last year and became actual free agents rather than potential free agents. There are not very many players that finished the season that were on the PR for most of the year.
Usually we see more retention going into TC.
Quote from: Blue In BC on Today at 01:28:26 AMNo but they were with the team last year and became actual free agents rather than potential free agents. There are not very many players that finished the season that were on the PR for most of the year.
Usually we see more retention going into TC.
At the end of last season Walters talked about how retooling in the cfl is easier because of the number of 1 year contracts. I hope he isn't just talking about switching out the bottom half of the roster once again. with other midlevel guys. They need to add at least two impact players. All the guys that are free agents right now with the exception of perhaps Bryant fit this description. (as do the guys weve let go already)