2026 Rookie Training Camp

[Blueforlife]

Some really good info and opinions here, I tough but good spot to be in.  The trouble with pre season is that it does show a lot but its also such a different beast than regular.  We shall see how these next gen Qbs fair and will only know more once they get some meaningful live regular season reps.  I hope we are patient in developing our next QB.  Having Zach mentor you is a dream come true imo.

[kkc60]

Perkins or Thorne might but we don't usually do that with limited PR spots. Every other team has their own # 4 or # 5 that they have to deal with plus their neg list.

QB's cut after TC rarely land elsewhere unless they have som CFL experience. In the case of the Bombers that might be Wilson. OTOH, we might see our reserve list used as early insurance for Elgersma or Wilson.

It's depends on where they rank after TC and that's all guesswork at the moment. I guess the fate of Wilson decides the pecking order to some degree. He could end up anywhere from # 2 to released outright. I'm not dissing him but, if he isn't moving up then I suspect he's moving out.

i really think we need to start keeping a QB on the PR. Its the most important position on the team and you want your backup to the backup to the backup to be able to step in semi-comfidently

[kkc60]

That's about the size of it. Wilson needs to move up to # 2 or move out to a QB with greater potential. Obviously we don't know much about Perkins or Thorne. Neither may make the roster in any way for all we know at the moment.

Keeping Wilson just as the SY QB is not valuable enough to do that IMO. Can he show progression? Perhaps. TBD.

Wilson isn't even that good of a SY QB. Elgersma should have that job, Perkins is QB2. Thorne should be PR'd, but he won't be (foolishly the team doesn't seem to want to use a PR spot on a QB).

[Stats Junkie]

Blue Bombers had Chase Artopoeus on the practice roster as QB4 in 2025. I got the feeling that Eric Barriere was offered a PR spot in 2024 but he refused. At the end of the day, a player has to accept a spot on the PR.

[theaardvark]

Perkins has a lot more pro experience than Elgersma, but Elgersma has a lot more 3 down experience.  In his media time, he mentioned that down south, he had to forget his 3 down training, and now, he's back to what he is used to.

Does that give him a slight advantage starting out?  Maybe.  But Perkins is an exciting option.  He has a superbowl ring, he has a UFL MVP. And he is excited about the CFL, dis-illusioned by the UFL's present/future, looking to an established league and team here.

If these two can duke it out for QB2/QB3, bringing such different skillsets, and learning behind Collaros, we could be pretty set going forward.

The "Qb's through the years" graph that was posted makes a stark difference between 2010-2015 QB rooms, and the more recent ones.  I remember the hopes that we put into Goltz, Marve, Willy, Brink... with none of them fulfilling their promise.  I have a much different feeling about Perkins and Elgersma behind Matt.  And having a veteran OC to chart their games, and the stability of the organization around them, I like the future behind C.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Perkins has a lot more pro experience than Elgersma, but Elgersma has a lot more 3 down experience.  In his media time, he mentioned that down south, he had to forget his 3 down training, and now, he's back to what he is used to.

Does that give him a slight advantage starting out?  Maybe.  But Perkins is an exciting option.  He has a superbowl ring, he has a UFL MVP. And he is excited about the CFL, dis-illusioned by the UFL's present/future, looking to an established league and team here.

If these two can duke it out for QB2/QB3, bringing such different skillsets, and learning behind Collaros, we could be pretty set going forward.

The "Qb's through the years" graph that was posted makes a stark difference between 2010-2015 QB rooms, and the more recent ones.  I remember the hopes that we put into Goltz, Marve, Willy, Brink... with none of them fulfilling their promise.  I have a much different feeling about Perkins and Elgersma behind Matt.  And having a veteran OC to chart their games, and the stability of the organization around them, I like the future behind C.

For sure. There's room for both of them on the roster and realistically if Collaros goes down we probably are forced to platoon them anyway as neither will likely to ready to be a full time starter from week 1. I'm kinda writing off Terry Wilson at this point but who knows.

[theaardvark]

I really wanted Wilson to get more reps in live games over the last two years, especially knowing that Streveler was never to be the long term plan at QB1.

That said, Wilson never took the spot from Streveler, and there was a reason.  His time with the team has been OK, but he has no extra knowledge of the Condell system than Perkins or Elgersma, so that is not a factor.

Having established his play over 3 years gives us a good idea of ceiling.  QB2 or 3 needs as much ceiling as possible.  Perkins and Elgersma have not set their CFL ceiling.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I really wanted Wilson to get more reps in live games over the last two years, especially knowing that Streveler was never to be the long term plan at QB1.

That said, Wilson never took the spot from Streveler, and there was a reason.  His time with the team has been OK, but he has no extra knowledge of the Condell system than Perkins or Elgersma, so that is not a factor.

Having established his play over 3 years gives us a good idea of ceiling.  QB2 or 3 needs as much ceiling as possible.  Perkins and Elgersma have not set their CFL ceiling.

Fair to say Streveler was given the #2 job upon re-signing in 2024, his personality and popularity alone was enough to win the job.  For such a short career he made an huge impact, in the world of ticket sales it did not matter whether he was the most talented #2 QB or not, he was by far the most popular choice.

Terry Wilson is still mostly a blank slate, in the back of his mind he must sense he's at the crossroads, his chance is now or never.

[Stats Junkie]

Winnipeg Blue Bombers have posted pictures from rookie camp

https://www.bluebombers.com/rookie-camp-photo-gallery/

[BomberFan73]

After already about 5 years of these Gaudian caps, I think I'm starting to finally get used to them.

[Tecno]

For Wilson to be cut he has to be beaten out in 2 spots.

1. Someone has to show they can do SY at ~95%+ (possibly Elgersma?)

2. Someone has to show they can read a CFL D and execute the playbook and make completions (rookie camp whispers say this isn't Perkins)

#1 is the easier ask.  Often just being tough & twitchy (& big) is enough.  #2 usually only occurs later in season 2, or 3 or even 4.  Perkins almost certainly can't do it this quickly.  Elgersma may, if he's the next Rourke.

The fact he has to be beaten at both jobs to lose out leads me to bet he's not getting cut.

[Tecno]

For those who think we need to just move on to the future, you're not thinking of how MOS & KW are thinking when they are planning out possible/likely scenarios for the first 3 home games.

If Zach goes down and you trot out Elgersma or Perkins well before they are ready, and they Brohm out the place... MOS will get pilloried to the hilt on the 'OB with all the "vibrating" listeners.  Someone in leadership does not voluntarily put themselves in that position.

I'm no Wilson fan, and he's almost certainly never going to be better than Dom Davis.  But he didn't look horrible in the '24 GC (should have left him in).  He has a ton of time in the league as of now.  If he's going to blossom, the time is now.

And in terms of game theory, if Wilson comes in and stinks, fans will blame Wilson.  If Elgersma/Perkins come in and stink, fans will blame MOS.

[Jesse]

For those who think we need to just move on to the future, you're not thinking of how MOS & KW are thinking when they are planning out possible/likely scenarios for the first 3 home games.

If Zach goes down and you trot out Elgersma or Perkins well before they are ready, and they Brohm out the place... MOS will get pilloried to the hilt on the 'OB with all the "vibrating" listeners.  Someone in leadership does not voluntarily put themselves in that position.

I'm no Wilson fan, and he's almost certainly never going to be better than Dom Davis.  But he didn't look horrible in the '24 GC (should have left him in).  He has a ton of time in the league as of now.  If he's going to blossom, the time is now.

And in terms of game theory, if Wilson comes in and stinks, fans will blame Wilson.  If Elgersma/Perkins come in and stink, fans will blame MOS.

All that said, I think he would need to look significantly better than all the rookies coming in in order to beat them out. If the club didn't trust him last year when Zach was missing games left and right and Strev was a shell of his former self, why is that trust growing in the wake of multiple people brought in to stabilize the position?

[BomberFan73]

For Wilson to be cut he has to be beaten out in 2 spots.

1. Someone has to show they can do SY at ~95%+ (possibly Elgersma?)

2. Someone has to show they can read a CFL D and execute the playbook and make completions (rookie camp whispers say this isn't Perkins)

#1 is the easier ask.  Often just being tough & twitchy (& big) is enough.  #2 usually only occurs later in season 2, or 3 or even 4.  Perkins almost certainly can't do it this quickly.  Elgersma may, if he's the next Rourke.

The fact he has to be beaten at both jobs to lose out leads me to bet he's not getting cut.

But your whole premise is built around "if Zach gets hurt". If Zach gets hurt and will have to miss time, Wilson can easily be flown back. I really don't think any team out there would be circling his name if he's cut.
Now, if Wilson shows he's the better QB then by all means he should be kept.  I'm just saying we can't keep him because "if Zach goes down..."
What TC whispers have you heard about Perkins ability to make completions?

[theaardvark]

For Wilson to be cut he has to be beaten out in 2 spots.

1. Someone has to show they can do SY at ~95%+ (possibly Elgersma?)

2. Someone has to show they can read a CFL D and execute the playbook and make completions (rookie camp whispers say this isn't Perkins)

#1 is the easier ask.  Often just being tough & twitchy (& big) is enough.  #2 usually only occurs later in season 2, or 3 or even 4.  Perkins almost certainly can't do it this quickly.  Elgersma may, if he's the next Rourke.

The fact he has to be beaten at both jobs to lose out leads me to bet he's not getting cut.

For Wilson to not get cut, he has to have improved over previous seasons.

SY might actually be out of the QB conversation, I would not be surprised if DD73 doesn't end up running SY offence.  They have him doing everything else.

Perkins isn't here to read defences day one in a new league.  He's here because he has the tools and has shown the ability to compete at a top level, and has experience.  He could read UFL and NFL D, he will get a break on reading CFL D fully in week one.  But he will need to show he has the ability to understand the concepts Condell is using, and the way CFL D is deployed.  Reading that D instinctively is something that will take time, for sure, but he won't accomplish that on the PR or being cut.  His ceiling and his ability to progress early can be enough to surpass Wilson.

Elgersma is on the team, as QB2 or QB3.  His upside and passport are too tasty to let him just leave.

So hile there are 2 QB positions open, Wilson has to show that he's a leg up on Perkins if he wants to stay.