Winnipeg Blue Bombers release veteran receiver Drew Wolitarsky

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have released Canadian-American receiver Drew Wolitarsky.

The 29-year-old made 33 catches for 403 yards and one touchdown this past season, missing eight games due to injury. He started five games at field-side wide receiver and five games at boundary wide receiver.

"These decisions are always difficult and it's especially true with a player who has been with us for so long," said general manager Kyle Walters in a statement. "Drew has been a solid contributor for the team, was popular in the locker room and was instrumental in two Grey Cup championships, and for that the franchise is forever grateful."

Per sources, Wolitarsky was due a $12,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 as part of a deal that would have paid him around $110,000 in 2025.

https://3downnation.com/2025/01/27/winnipeg-blue-bombers-release-veteran-receiver-drew-wolitarsky/

[Blue In BC]

I'm sorry to see this happen. He was a fan favourite and worked well with Collaros. I had wondered whether his injury in late 2023 and then again in 2024 might have been a sign of a medical problem. We'll see if he surfaces elsewhere or decides to retire.

Clercius became his replacement in that role. Canadian depth at receiver is a little thin or suspect though. Does this give room for Gassama on the PR at the very least? Free agent acquistion maybe?

One benefit at the moment is it trims the SMS by $35K more or less.

Thanks for an excellent career in Winnipeg.

[blue_gold_84]

This is unfortunate news to read. I fully expected he'd be back for 2025 but it seems like injuries were a factor.

Thanks for your contributions, Drew. And best of luck.

[Jesse]

Good luck to Woli, loved him during his time here.

Hopefully he's healthy and continue his career elsewhere if that's his wish.

[VictorRomano]

Fans need to look at this situation using their head, not their heart. Stats don't care about your feelings.


Dude is a nice guy, but he's coming off a career-threatening injury, has never broken 700yds in a season , only had 8 TDs over the last 3 years. We need to find money to keep our bonafied superstar FA recievers (Lawler, Schoen), and as a rookie Canadian on a much lower salarly, Kevens Clercius put up similar numbers in Woli's spot. Woli's been with the Bombers since 2017, and has been steady but not spectacular. He's never going to be a 1000yd guy - 2954 career yards over 89 games as a Bomber. That's 33.x yards per game, or an average of 442yds per season over 7 seasons. Clercius put up 352yds as a rookie in 2024, and we assume he wil improve with experience.

Literally, Woli is nothing special on the field. We've seen what he can do, and it's time to move on.  Best of luck to you, Drew, and thanks for your contributions, but if I have to choose between Woli and Schoen, or Woli and Lawler, not sorry to say Woli is the odd man out on that list.

[Waffler]

Kind of shocking. Bombers playing hard ball? Never thought I'd see it. Injured and old are no longer safe here? An admission that we have to change if we want to win it all again I assume. I wonder what the plan is for the savings?

Good luck to Drew. He was a great Bomber on and off the field.

[Blue In BC]

It's a reality of dealing with balancing the SMS across the roster. Some players will earn more in 2025. That means others will need to earn less one way or another. In some cases veterans will be released as part of a given succession plan which in turn can trim some SMS.

Injuries, age, replacement choices and roster size come into play.

I wouldn't call this an SMS decision specifically. In that sense there isn't a specific plan for the savings, but it is a cumulative situation across the roster.

We saved some money by not re-signing Bighill. In that case we may have used that money to retain Jones.

Ultimately no team can maintain a total status quo. Good players often are moved out.

[Pigskin]

Big body Canadian receiver that made some clutch catches. Canadian receive depth a little depleted with Woli82 and Murphy gone. $110K for a Vet Canadian received didn't seem like it was crazy money. 

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers release receiver Drew Wolitarsky

WINNIPEG, MB., January 27, 2025 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has released veteran receiver Drew Wolitarsky.

"These decisions are always difficult and it's especially true with a player who has been with us for so long," said Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters. "Drew has been a solid contributor for the team, was popular in the locker room and was instrumental in two Grey Cup championships, and for that the franchise is forever grateful."

Wolitarsky was selected by the Blue Bombers in the 2017 CFL Supplemental Draft and appeared in 89 regular-season games over his seven seasons with the team, pulling in 227 receptions for 2,954 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Injuries limited him to 10 games in 2024 in which he had 33 catches for 403 yards and one touchdown. His best season came in 2023, when he had 47 receptions for 668 yards and six touchdowns.

[theaardvark]

Man, this is a tough business.

I've always loved "Mr. Second Down", he's been a reliable and stalwart Bomber, with occasional flashes of brilliance, but more a blue collar in the muck guy.  No doubt O'Shea will miss his presence.

Roster bonus, injury recovery, acceptable replacement available, it is an imperfect storm for this very heartbreaking decision.

Both Woli and Streve are heart and soul guys, but injury issues and $SMS concerns make these business, not personal, decisions. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see this duo resurface somewhere, possibly together.

Big body Canadian receiver that made some clutch catches. Canadian receive depth a little depleted with Woli82 and Murphy gone. $110K for a Vet Canadian received didn't seem like it was crazy money.

Its not a $ issue alone.  Injury recovery, bonus due and Clercius stepping up so well all factored in.  Uninjured, and no Clercius, Woli plays in 2025 for us.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Big body Canadian receiver that made some clutch catches. Canadian receive depth a little depleted with Woli82 and Murphy gone. $110K for a Vet Canadian received didn't seem like it was crazy money.

Don't agree with this move at this time, should have kept Woli at least another year to go for the Grey Cup at home, not paying a $12k bonus is a joke. They're taking away one of Zach's key outlet and favourite weapons coming off a season in which he struggled to communicate with his receivers, seems like bad timing. 

Clercius has a bright future, he has good hands, runs good routes, and goes to where the play tells him, but that's not always where Zach needs him to go. Woli had a full understanding of the play on the field and had mind-meld with Zach. To understand the route tree as well as the QB and to read a D is a special skill only a few receivers achieve, like Dressler and Tasker. I think they should have kept him around at least till Zach retires, as his special crutch player.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Woli thank you

All around fantastic on and off the field.

Good luck moving forward.

[dd]

Another roster bonus casualty. I really don't like when teams do this, in fact, I wish they did away with this type of 'bonus' as it isn't a bonus, more of an incentive to get rid of the guy.

If Woli is healthy, I really hope he catches on with another team needing ratio help and a good reliable check down receiver who can block.

[blue_or_die]

Unfortunate, tough decision.

Thanks for everything, Woli. The fans won't forget you!

[ModAdmin]

Have to believe Drew was let go - not over a $12,000 bonus - but because he was deemed not healthy enough to play at his full potential in the coming season.  If, and I agree it is a big IF, that is true, why would the Bombers throw $12 out the window and potentially his 2025 salary?