Bombers extend quarterback Zach Collaros through 2026

[blueandgoldguy]

He has been average to slightly above average since mid-2023.  Until last season's west final he had never played a very good playoff game in his entire career with the Bombers.  The Grey Cup was yet another mediocre to bad performance from Zach which we have seen all too often - outplayed by the opposition QB time and again.  His TD - INT ratio was pretty poor last year as well.

It's clear his play has declined - noticeably less arm strength, very noticeable lower mobility (check out that 2019 game against Calgary where he scrambled before throwing a TD at the end of regular season and compare that to the present).

He has had a strong team around him pretty much his entire tenure here, although the strength and depth has declined the past few seasons.  He has also had the advantage of having among the best running backs in the game at his disposal pretty much his entire tenure here, lessening the pressure on him to throw and scramble for first downs.

Given this, it would be very disappointing if Walters did not negotiate a pay cut to at around 500,000 - 550,000.  Offhand, I remember Bo Levi Mitchell taking a significant paycut in Hamilton after his 2023 season.  Why couldn't Zach do the same for the Bombers this season to help the team out in a Grey Cup hosting year?  Is it because a portion of his salary is guaranteed (250,000 or so?) which doesn't allow the team to re-negotiate the total salary?  Was Walters too afraid to ask him for a paycut? Or was Zach not willing to do what was good for the team?

[Pete]

My recollection is ..........when Zac leaves a collapsing pocket, he always goes to his right.

That has to make defending easier.

And He's no spring chicken.

But He has certainly earned whatever he gets from the Bombers.

maybe so but the shortest route to cap problems is to pay for past performance vs what you think will be a reasonable anticipated future performance.

[TecnoGenius]

Given this, it would be very disappointing if Walters did not negotiate a pay cut to at around 500,000 - 550,000.  Offhand, I remember Bo Levi Mitchell taking a significant paycut in Hamilton after his 2023 season.

BLM has basically been hot garbage since we embarrassed him/them in the '19 WSF.  You can't compare top-of-his-game record-yardage-year 5-straight-GCs Zach to BLM.

As such I guarantee Zach got a contract the same or more than whatever he gets this year.  It may even be as high as $50k more than this year.  That's why I hope we are making BC-level use of MMM (TM).

[Sir Blue and Gold]

If it's not Collaros, what's your plan for 2026?

[TecnoGenius]

If it's not Collaros, what's your plan for 2026?

FA

[Blueforlife]

He has been average to slightly above average since mid-2023.  Until last season's west final he had never played a very good playoff game in his entire career with the Bombers.  The Grey Cup was yet another mediocre to bad performance from Zach which we have seen all too often - outplayed by the opposition QB time and again.  His TD - INT ratio was pretty poor last year as well. 

It's clear his play has declined - noticeably less arm strength, very noticeable lower mobility (check out that 2019 game against Calgary where he scrambled before throwing a TD at the end of regular season and compare that to the present).

He has had a strong team around him pretty much his entire tenure here, although the strength and depth has declined the past few seasons.  He has also had the advantage of having among the best running backs in the game at his disposal pretty much his entire tenure here, lessening the pressure on him to throw and scramble for first downs.

Given this, it would be very disappointing if Walters did not negotiate a pay cut to at around 500,000 - 550,000.  Offhand, I remember Bo Levi Mitchell taking a significant paycut in Hamilton after his 2023 season.  Why couldn't Zach do the same for the Bombers this season to help the team out in a Grey Cup hosting year?  Is it because a portion of his salary is guaranteed (250,000 or so?) which doesn't allow the team to re-negotiate the total salary?  Was Walters too afraid to ask him for a paycut? Or was Zach not willing to do what was good for the team?

Disagree with most, overstating the negative on Zach imo.  His numbers as a Bomber are exceptional.  Older, less mobile yes but he can still sling it just fine imo.  He will earn his salary if healthy.  He will help groom the next gen.  If the OL can start strong, so will Zach.

Terrible comparison with BLM, who went from hero to zero after injury trouble.  Zach will never be a zero. 

Zach has a lot of weapons this year, just needs to be protected and he will be a top 3 QB imo.  He will throw some ducks but who doesn't.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

FA

That's not a plan.

[TecnoGenius]

That's not a plan.

Worked for Willy, Nichols and then Zach!  (Well, if you count a trade the ostensibly-last game before FA as FA.  Call it "FA-ish".)

We would be a top destination for any top-3 QB who was up for a new contract.  We have never been shy about paying near-top dollar.  Who wouldn't want to become the next GC-attending Bomber franchise QB?  It's an easy sell.

The alternative "plan" would be to dev a future top-3 guy and hope he becomes that superhero precisely the moment Zach decides to retire.  We've sort of been playing that game for like 3 years now.  Dru could have been "it", but the timing was off.  Even if Wilson looks like the next Alexander this season, if Zach stays 1-2 more seasons then he's likely gonzo because you can't carry a $600k QB + a $400k next-years-guy.

Pretty much every team gets their main QB from FA.  It's ok to admit it.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

...literally zero of those guys were signed in free agency.

[Blueforlife]

My recollection is ..........when Zac leaves a collapsing pocket, he always goes to his right.

That has to make defending easier.

And He's no spring chicken.

But He has certainly earned whatever he gets from the Bombers.

More of a fall turkey at this point lol

[Jesse]

He has been average to slightly above average since mid-2023.  Until last season's west final he had never played a very good playoff game in his entire career with the Bombers.  The Grey Cup was yet another mediocre to bad performance from Zach which we have seen all too often - outplayed by the opposition QB time and again.  His TD - INT ratio was pretty poor last year as well.

It's clear his play has declined - noticeably less arm strength, very noticeable lower mobility (check out that 2019 game against Calgary where he scrambled before throwing a TD at the end of regular season and compare that to the present).

He has had a strong team around him pretty much his entire tenure here, although the strength and depth has declined the past few seasons.  He has also had the advantage of having among the best running backs in the game at his disposal pretty much his entire tenure here, lessening the pressure on him to throw and scramble for first downs.

Given this, it would be very disappointing if Walters did not negotiate a pay cut to at around 500,000 - 550,000.  Offhand, I remember Bo Levi Mitchell taking a significant paycut in Hamilton after his 2023 season.  Why couldn't Zach do the same for the Bombers this season to help the team out in a Grey Cup hosting year?  Is it because a portion of his salary is guaranteed (250,000 or so?) which doesn't allow the team to re-negotiate the total salary?  Was Walters too afraid to ask him for a paycut? Or was Zach not willing to do what was good for the team?

So, I think you may have been spoiled by Zach's MOP seasons. Looking around the league, Zach's performance hasn't been league average. He still deserves to be paid as a top half of the league QB and, over the last couple of years, that's in the 550k+ territory. With the salary cap going up, top QBs will easily clear 600k+. And that's just earning the same percentage of the cap as before. Maybe Zach takes a hit; but that is not how he, his agent, and the Bombers have negotiated in the past and I don't expect it now.

We clearly had a rough start to last year. There were umpteen different reasons for that. We were able to put it together and make another Grey Cup appearance. We made different roster building decisions going into this year and some of the rough patches we lived through last season with too many rookies will also help out this year.

Whatever Zach negotiated for 2026, it makes no difference on 2025. FA has come and gone, the only thing a pay cut helps is the Bombers bottom line, which doesn't help us on the field.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

So, I think you may have been spoiled by Zach's MOP seasons. Looking around the league, Zach's performance hasn't been league average. He still deserves to be paid as a top half of the league QB and, over the last couple of years, that's in the 550k+ territory. With the salary cap going up, top QBs will easily clear 600k+. And that's just earning the same percentage of the cap as before. Maybe Zach takes a hit; but that is not how he, his agent, and the Bombers have negotiated in the past and I don't expect it now.

We clearly had a rough start to last year. There were umpteen different reasons for that. We were able to put it together and make another Grey Cup appearance. We made different roster building decisions going into this year and some of the rough patches we lived through last season with too many rookies will also help out this year.

Whatever Zach negotiated for 2026, it makes no difference on 2025. FA has come and gone, the only thing a pay cut helps is the Bombers bottom line, which doesn't help us on the field.

I suspect Walters may have initiated the extension, no proof but as soon as the draft is over he likely begins to think about next year and what the team will look like. If you take Zach off the table, the only established vets that might be available next season are Maier, Fajardo, Arbuckle and MBT, all of which had to settle for second best coming into this season. 

[markf]

If it's not Collaros, what's your plan for 2026?

Streveler looked good in yesterday's game I thought.

He's been shortchanged. By the team, and the fans. You can see it in the discussion right here.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Streveler looked good in yesterday's game I thought.

He's been shortchanged. By the team, and the fans. You can see it in the discussion right here.

Strev. threw the ball well, but on second watch I noticed he didn't always choose the best targets, either throwing into tight coverage of multiple defenders or throwing the receiver into dangerous situations. Time will tell, but not convinced he reads the field very well, he needs to find more patience.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

...literally zero of those guys were signed in free agency.

I believe Willy was, technically his negotiating rights were acquired in a trade for Jade Etienne, but he was pursued and signed as a FA, after they were rejected by Zach and Henry Burris.