Year in Review #1: What’s next?

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Year in Review #1: What's next? - Ed Tait

First it was Mike O'Shea, followed by Kyle Walters. And as the two key figures in the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football brain trust stood in front of reporters for season-ending media sessions just over a week after the Grey Cup loss, they both hit on a couple of critical-to-remember talking points.

Yes, losing the last game of the season absolutely stinks.

And yet this bunch is still going to be a good football team in 2025 — even with all the potential change that comes with every offseason.

That last point — the hope for 2025 after a third straight Grey Cup loss with changes having already come to the coaching and football operations staff — lands at #1 in our annual Year in Review series of the top Blue Bombers stories of 2024.

"When you take a step back and go, 'You know what? Of course, the last three final games were very frustrating.' And you can't lump them all together, there's three individual losses," said Walters in late November. "But, yeah, the idea that going to five Grey Cups and let's take a deep breath, and we went 9-1 down the stretch.

"We've got a good football team here. I expect us to be good. I said that at the Grey Cup. I'm excited for next year.

"I was excited for next year based on what I'm looking at, compared to years past, where we've got more young guys that have contributed that are under contract, we've got more young players in the building. So, the idea of, 'This is the end of the road. The team is in a free-for-all downward,' I don't think is accurate. We have a good group of guys, and we were a one-point game with 10 minutes left (in the Grey Cup) before things went downhill.

"... I do think the pieces are here and we're just going to keep doing what we've been doing."

And this, from O'Shea:

"All of us, as a team, we didn't do our best in the Grey Cup. But I don't think that should lead to all the questioning going on to a group that went 0-4, 2-6, 10-1 run to get to their fifth straight Grey Cup. These are the same guys. This is the same group.

"We're the same group that got there, that went on a phenomenal run after a bad start, and a bad start for a lot of reasons that we overcame. I just, I don't question any of it. I look for answers, too.

"I watch the film over and over and over again. And look to already make notes on how we're going to be better, how we're going to get back there again. For the first time."

Change is inevitable in pro sports and the Blue Bombers success over the last few years — eight straight playoff appearances, all featuring double-digit win seasons and four straight first place finishes — has already impacted the staff.

Offensive coordinator Buck Pierce was named the new head coach of the B.C. Lions and that leaves a vacancy that, as of this writing, had yet to be filled. As well, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats made long time Blue Bombers Assistant GM Ted Goveia their new GM, bringing home to Steeltown the Burlington, Ont. product.

On top of that, the Blue Bombers entered the offseason with 27 pending free agents — although that list has been cut to 24 with kicker Sergio Castillo, left tackle Stanley Bryant and linebacker Tony Jones since signing extensions.

More are certain to come, but in the meantime that free-agent list now features:

QB Chris Streveler; running backs/fullbacks Johnny Augustine and Bailey Feltmate; receivers Kenny Lawler, Dalton Schoen and Lucky Whitehead; offensive linemen Pat Neufeld, Liam Dobson and Eric Lofton; defensive linemen Willie Jefferson, Jake Thomas, Miles Fox, TyJuan Garbutt and Celestin Haba; linebackers Adam Bighill, Brian Cole, Shayne Gauthier and Kyrie Wilson; defensive backs Brandon Alexander, Noah Hallett, Tyrell Ford, Evan Holm, Jamal Parker and Nick Taylor and long-snapper Mike Benson.

Some players are getting NFL looks, too, with all-star cornerback Tyrell Ford having been worked out by the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers before Christmas, while linebacker Michael Ayers did the same with the Denver Broncos.

There is still a sensational core already returning as a foundation, including Most Outstanding Player and league rushing champ Brady Oliveira, quarterback Zach Collaros, two 1,000-yard receivers in Nic Demski and Pokey Wilson along with veterans on the offensive side of the ball like Chris Kolankowski and Drew Wolitarsky as well as Redha Kramdi and Deatrick Nichols, Jamal Woods, Michael Griffin II and Cam Lawson on defence.

Couple that crew with players like promising receivers Keric Wheatfall and Kevens Clercius, starting cornerback Terrell Bonds and offensive lineman Gabe Wallace and that's where the optimism in the building is based.

"We saw this coming last year and were going to transition into some guys this year, which is now, at certain positions, what you're seeing it while still keeping some of the core together for sure," said Walters. "That process started this year and combined with some of the injuries we had early and the transition to some younger players that certainly contributed to the struggle, but it also was different this year that you saw our team improve as the year went on and as these younger players that were contributing got a bit more comfortable with the league.

"So, we'll continue that process next year but with the young guys we have under contract that contributed, I'm feeling probably better now than in years past in regards to the transition to youth heading into the next season."

The rest of the "Year in Review" articles are below...

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/12/26/year-in-review-2-more-pain-another-grey-cup-loss/

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/12/24/year-in-review-3-outstanding-oliveira/

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/12/22/year-in-review-4-the-turnaround/

https://www.bluebombers.com/2024/12/20/year-in-review-5-an-early-season-stumble/