Blue Bombers roster - 2025-2026

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Transactions:

2026-05-17   WPG   Marks, Jihad   WR   A   The Citadel   ADD   Active Roster
2026-05-17   WPG   KIRTZ, Bryce   WR   A   Northwestern   DEL   Free Agent

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Blue Bombers transactions – May 18

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions.

Added to roster:
American defensive tackle Jonah Pace (6-5, 285, Iowa)
Global Punter Keegan Andrews (6-3, 250, UMass)

Released from roster:
American receiver Key'Shawn Smith

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/18/blue-bombers-transactions-may-18-2/

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign two, cut one
by 3Down Staff  May 18, 2026

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed American defensive lineman Jonah Pace and Global punter Keegan Andrews.

Pace finished his collegiate career at the University of Iowa in 2025, where he was named an All-Big Ten honourable mention. The six-foot-five, 285-pound defender recorded 19 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. The native of Marengo, Ill. previously played at Central Michigan, where he made a career-high 11 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2024.

Andrews was the team's second-round pick in the 2026 CFL Global Draft. The six-foot-three, 250-pound native of Werribee, Australia finished his collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts in 2025, where he punted 63 times for an average of 46.6 yards to be named first-team All-Conference and a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Blue Bombers have also released American receiver Key'Shawn Smith. The six-foot-one, 186-pound target finished his collegiate career at Southern Methodist University, where he recorded 58 receptions for 919 yards and eight touchdowns in 28 games over two seasons. Smith previously played at the University of Miami, where he made 48 catched for 662 yards and five touchdowns over 29 games.

https://3downnation.com/2026/05/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-two-cut-one/

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign DT Jonah Pace and Punter Keegan Andrews, release one
May 18, 2026 Michael Heilman

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed defensive tackle Jonah Pace and punter Keegan Andrews on Monday. They also released wide receiver Key'Shawn Smith.

Jonah Pace is six foot five and weighs 285 pounds. The 23-year-old from Marengo, Illinois, spent four seasons at Central Michigan University (2021-24) with 55 tackles (30 solos, 25 assists), 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick in 35 games for the Chippewas.

In 2024, he was named Fourth Team All-MAC by Phil Steele and an All-MAC Honorable Mention by the College Football Network after finishing the season with a career-high 34 tackles (19 solos, 15 assists), 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick in 12 games.

Then, he transferred to Iowa in 2025, where he was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after finishing the season with 19 tackles (8 solos, 11 assists), half a tackle for loss, and two pass breakups in 13 games for the Hawkeyes.

Keegan Andrews is six foot three and weighs 250 pounds. A native of Werribee, Australia, Andrews was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the second round (13th pick) of the 2026 CFL Global Draft.

Andrews began his collegiate career at MacKillop College Secondary School in Werribee, Melbourne, Australia. He then headed to Texas A&M, where he did not play for the Aggies.

Andrews transferred to Massachusetts in 2025, punting the ball 63 times for 2,934 yards (46.6 AVG), with a long of 66 yards, two touchbacks, 24 from inside the 20-yard line, and 19 from 50-plus yards in 10 games for the Minutemen. He was named First Team All-MAC and Second Team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

Key'Shawn Smith is six foot one and weighs 186 pounds. A native of San Diego, California, Smith signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on January 20, 2026.

The Las Vegas Raiders signed Smith as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2025. The Raiders released him on July 25, 2025. The Kansas City Chiefs signed Smith on August 1, 2025. In 2025, he made one catch for eight yards and two kick returns for 62 yards in three preseason games. The Chiefs released him on August 26, 2025.

Collegiately, Smith spent three seasons at Miami (FL) (2020-22) with 48 catches for 662 yards, five touchdowns, three carries for 14 yards, 22 kick returns for 662 yards, one touchdown, and one tackle (1 solo) in 29 games for the Hurricanes.

Then, he transferred to Southern Methodist University (2023-24) with 58 catches for 919 yards, eight touchdowns, two carries for one yard, eight kick returns for 142 yards, and two tackles (1 solo, 1 assist) in 28 games for the Mustangs.

https://www.bgmsportstrax.com/2026/05/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-dt-jonah-pace-and-punter-keegan-andrews-release-one/

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers rule Jovan Santos-Knox out for 2026 season
by 3Down Staff  May 18, 2026

Veteran linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox is not expected to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2026 after suffering a season-ending injury, in-house reporter Ed Tait reported on Monday.

"He was brought here for a reason — we had him here when he started and liked everything about him. He ends up not in our building, we watched him from afar and enjoyed the way he plays and the way he leads, especially," said O'Shea.

"I thought he was going to be a great fit for us this year and so did he. It was nice to have him back and so, yeah, he's crushed. He knew what he wanted to do this year and what he wanted to be a part of and that's been taken away from him."

The six-foot-one, 233-pound defender suffered a non-contact injury on the first day of training camp and had to be helped off the field by members of the medical staff, 3DownNation reported at the time. He had not seen the field since.

The 31-year-old signed with the Blue Bombers as a free agent in February. He spent the last three seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks, recording 209 total tackles, five quarterback sacks, and two interceptions over 42 regular-season games. In 2025, he was the team's nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

Santos-Knox started his CFL career with the Blue Bombers in 2017 and spent two years with the team, recording 136 defensive tackles, 20 special teams tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions over 34 regular-season games.

The native of Waterbury, Conn. signed with the Edmonton Elks as a free agent in 2019 but played only four regular-season games due to a foot injury. He opted out of his CFL contract amid the COVID-19 pandemic and signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2021, earning an All-East Division selection with the team in 2022.

In total, Santos-Knox has played 111 career regular-season CFL games and made 549 total tackles, 16 quarterback sacks, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles.

https://3downnation.com/2026/05/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-rule-jovan-santos-knox-out-for-2026-season/

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Transactions:

2026-05-18    WPG    Pace, Jonah    DL    A    Iowa    ADD    Active Roster
2026-05-18    WPG    SCHMEKEL, Tanner    DL    N    Regina    TRF TO SIX GAME INJURY    Six Game Injury
2026-05-18    WPG    ANDREWS, Keegan    P    G    Massachusetts    ADD    Active Roster

Derek Taylor @ DTonOB
May 19

From the CFL transaction wire: the Bombers have placed DT Tanner Schmekel on the 6-game injured list.

That bodes well for former Bison Collin Kornelson to play some good snaps early in the season.

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Blue Bombers transactions – May 19

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions.

Added to roster:
National defensive tackle Kaleb Mackie-McLeod (6-4, 275, Manitoba)
National receiver Kolby Hurford (5-11, 195, Alberta)
National receiver Jackson Tachinski (6-4, 215, Manitoba)

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/19/blue-bombers-transactions-may-18-3/

The Blue Bombers added three more Canadians to the roster today, including two Manitoba Bisons products in DT Kaleb Mackie-McLeod (6-4, 275), WR Jackson Tachinski (6-4, 215) and WR Kolby Hurford (5-11, 195, Alberta).

Mackie-McLeod participated in the 2025 East-West Bowl and appeared in 28 games as a Bison after playing at Grant Park High School. Tachinski — you can read about him in a separate story on the site — is the former Bisons QB who recently attended training camp with the Edmonton Elks as a receiver.

Hurford, of Redwater, AB, had 40 catches for 438 yards and two touchdowns in eight games for Alberta last year.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/19/taits-take-blue-bombers-training-camp-day-10/

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign two former Manitoba Bisons
by John Hodge  May 19, 2026

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made two local additions on Tuesday, announcing the signings of Jackson Tachinski and Kaleb Mackie-McLeod.

Tachinski went unselected in the 2025 CFL Draft but attended training camp with the Edmonton Elks, where he was converted from quarterback to receiver. He signed back with the team in December after finishing his collegiate career at the University of Manitoba.

The six-foot-four, 215-pound was a three-year starter for the Bisons at quarterback, throwing for 6,190 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. He also rushed 271 times for 1,867 yards and 28 scores.

The Winnipeg native was named the Canada West Player of the Year in 2024 after leading Manitoba to a 7-1 record. Earlier that year, he attended training camp with the Blue Bombers as part of the CFL quarterback internship program.

According to a press release, the team intends to play Tachinski at receiver.

Mackie-McLeod went unselected in the 2026 CFL Draft after a four-year collegiate career with the Bisons. He played 28 games with the team, recording 90 total tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles.

The six-foot-four, 283-pound defender attended the 2026 CFL Invitational Combine in Waterloo, Ont., where he recorded 15 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press and a 5.34-second forty-yard dash.

The Blue Bombers also signed Canadian receiver Kolby Hurford.

The five-foot-eleven, 193-pound target was a seventh-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft by the Edmonton Elks, though he returned to school for his final year of collegiate eligibility this past season.

The 24-year-old native of Redwater, Alta. played eight games at the University of Alberta in 2025, recording 40 catches for 438 yards and two touchdowns. In total, he caught 127 passes for 1,850 yards and 14 touchdowns over 42 games with the Golden Bears.

https://3downnation.com/2026/05/19/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-two-former-manitoba-bisons/

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Transactions:

2026-05-19   WPG   MACKIE-McLEOD, Kaleb   DL   N   Manitoba   ADD   Active Roster
2026-05-19   WPG   FLETCHER, Michael   DL   A   Appalachian State   DEL   Active Roster
2026-05-19   WPG   YOUNG, Arnold   DL   A   Montclair State   DEL   Free Agent
2026-05-19   WPG   TACHINSKI, Jackson   WR   N   Manitoba   ADD   Active Roster
2026-05-19   WPG   HURFORD, Kolby   WR   N   Alberta   ADD   Active Roster
2026-05-19   WPG   SMITH, Key'Shawn   WR   A   Southern Methodist   DEL   Active Roster

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers release defensive linemen Michael Fletcher and Arnold Young
May 19, 2026 Michael Heilman

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers released defensive linemen Michael Fletcher and Arnold Young on Tuesday, according to the CFL Transactions page.

Michael Fletcher is six foot six and weighs 275 pounds. The 25-year-old from Flint, Michigan, signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on February 6, 2026.

The New York Jets signed Fletcher as an undrafted free agent on May 16, 2025. In 2025, he made two tackles (2 solos) and one pass breakup in three preseason games.

Collegiately, Fletcher spent four seasons at Michigan State (2019-22) with 31 tackles (12 solos, 19 assists), four tackles for loss, three sacks, two pass breakups, and one blocked kick in 22 games for the Spartans. He was named a three-time Academic All-Big Ten.

Then, he transferred to Appalachian State (2023-24) with 40 tackles (18 solos, 22 assists), nine tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in 23 games for the Mountaineers.

In 2023, he had a career-high 21 tackles (9 solos, 12 assists), 4.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble in 13 games. In 2024, he made 19 tackles (9 solos, 10 assists), 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 10 games.

Arnold Young is six foot four and weighs 285 pounds. The 23-year-old from Mount Holly, New Jersey, signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on December 3, 2025.

Collegiately, Young spent two seasons at Sussex County Community College (2021-22) as an offensive lineman in 2021, and switched to defensive lineman in 2022 with eight tackles (4 solos, 4 assists), 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick in seven games for the Skylanders.

Then, he transferred to Montclair State University (2023-24) with 61 tackles (30 solos, 31 assists), 23.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries in 19 games for the Red Hawks. In 2024, he had a career-high 44 tackles (24 solos, 20 assists), 18.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and one fumble recovery in 10 games.

He was named First Team All-Region by D3Football.com, First Team All-NJAC, Fourth Team All-American by D3Football.com, Second Team All-American by the Associated Press, and was named the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, he was also named NJAC Honorable Mention in 2023. After his collegiate career ended, Young was a defensive lineman assistant coach at Montclair State University.

https://www.bgmsportstrax.com/2026/05/19/winnipeg-blue-bombers-release-defensive-linemen-michael-fletcher-and-arnold-young/

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Blue Bombers Transactions - May 20, 2026

WINNIPEG, MB., May 20, 2026 – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions.

Released from roster:
American defensive lineman Arnold Young
American defensive lineman Michael Fletcher

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers release two defenders
by 3Down Staff  May 20, 2026

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have released American defensive linemen Michael Fletcher and Arnold Young, the team announced on Wednesday.

Fletcher was a collegiate standout over two seasons at Appalachian State University where he made 40 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, nine sacks, two fumble recoveries, one pass knockdown, and one forced fumble.

The six-foot-six, 275-pound native of Flint, Mich. started his collegiate career at Michigan State University, where he notched 31 total tackles and three sacks over 21 games.

The 24-year-old attended training camp with the New York Jets in 2025 and made two tackles, one pass knockdown, and one quarterback hit during the preseason, though he was released upon its conclusion.

Young dominated the NCAA Division III ranks at Montclair State, where he was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-NJAC, and a second-team Division III All-American by the Associated Press in 2024.

The six-foot-four, 280-pound pass-rusher recorded 61 total tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 18 quarterback pressures, and two fumble recoveries over 19 games with the team. He served as an assistant defensive line coach with the program in 2025.

https://3downnation.com/2026/05/20/winnipeg-blue-bombers-release-two-defenders/

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Blue Bombers Training Camp - Day 11
May 20, 2026   Ed Tait

As per usual, most eyes will be on the play of the quarterbacks on Saturday and, specifically, who shines behind QB1 Zach Collaros. Elgersma, the big Canadian, has had a solid camp and both veteran Terry Wilson and Bryce Perkins have had their moments, too. Payton Thorne, the other QB in camp beside CFL QB Internship Program invitee Cole Anseeuw of the University of Manitoba, did not practise on Wednesday.

Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said the rotation of the QBs for Saturday will be determined in a meeting with offensive coordinator Tommy Condell Wednesday night and will also include a conversation with Collaros about how much time he'll need in the preseason to be ready for the opener.

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/20/blue-bombers-training-camp-day-11/

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Blue Bombers transactions – May 21

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the following transactions.

Transferred to suspended list:
American quarterback Payton Thorne

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/21/blue-bombers-transactions-may-21-2/

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48-Hour Primer - Preseason #1
May 21, 2026   Ed Tait

QB EXITS: The Blue Bombers did see their quarterback room shrink by one on Thursday with Payton Thorne being placed on the suspended list after he decided to leave the team.

Thorne, FYI, was at practice on Wednesday but did not participate.

"We had a great conversation this morning," said head coach Mike O'Shea. "He's a great kid. He's really smart. I'm sure he's got a future in football still, it's just this is what he had to do."

Asked if he was disappointed Thorne opted to leave, O'Shea added:

"Yeah. You're disappointed because you want to run an organization where nobody ever leaves, where they all want to stay all the time. There's that part.

"But I also am genuinely excited if somebody has things figured out enough that this is the decision they make because it's not an easy decision. And there are guys I disagree with when I say, 'I don't think you're doing the right thing.' But they're all individual conversations. You can't lump them all in together. Every year it happens and every year you navigate those conversations based on who the guy is and what he's saying.

"I don't think he's done with football yet."

https://www.bluebombers.com/2026/05/21/48-hour-primer-preseason-1/