Official Game Day Thread - Saskatchewan @ Winnipeg, September 12, 2026

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Sure. I'm not sure how much Brown is due to earn next year. We probably got him relatively cheap from an SMS point of view due to signing bonus.

That will be a different issue in 2027 whether we have Collaros or not. Financially something has to give even within the salary structure for our QB's.

There will be some high SMS deletions next year beyond the QB position. That in itself won't justify the current structure.

Brown was traded for so his previous contract should still be active.

According to 3DN these are his terms.

9) Dru Brown, Ottawa Redblacks (A)

Hard money: $321,000
Maximum value: $387,000

Browns's 2026 compensation comes from a $150,000 signing bonus, $131,000 base salary, $15,000 in marketing money, $15,000 in housing, and a $10,000 travel allowance. He has an additional $66,000 available in playtime, statistical, all-star and award incentives.

Don't know the length of that deal but it seems like a reasonable price to pay for a starting QB who has not yet demonstrated he should remain so.  As a backup that's too much, so it may come down to re-negotiating a contract fair to both sides.

[bunker]

Brown was traded for so his previous contract should still be active.

According to 3DN these are his terms.

9) Dru Brown, Ottawa Redblacks (A)

Hard money: $321,000
Maximum value: $387,000

Browns's 2026 compensation comes from a $150,000 signing bonus, $131,000 base salary, $15,000 in marketing money, $15,000 in housing, and a $10,000 travel allowance. He has an additional $66,000 available in playtime, statistical, all-star and award incentives.

Don't know the length of that deal but it seems like a reasonable price to pay for a starting QB who has not yet demonstrated he should remain so.  As a backup that's too much, so it may come down to re-negotiating a contract fair to both sides.

He signed a one year extension in Jan 2025 to extend him for 2026. So looks like he will be a FA this offseason. I think we should re-sign him, but it should be incentive laden, and based on how he performs. There likely won't be too many openings for starting QBs next year, with the exception of Ottawa (Or Toronto depending on where Kelly signs, and Toronto may actually prefer Arbuckle to Dru) and Hamilton, depending on BLMs health. I think Taylor Powell is signed for next year in Edmonton, but there are some other QBs around who could potentially grow into starters, including Harrison Frost and Josh Love.

[TBURGESS]

LOL always the sour puss. Life must suck.

Actually, living in reality is a great life. You should try it sometime.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

He signed a one year extension in Jan 2025 to extend him for 2026. So looks like he will be a FA this offseason. I think we should re-sign him, but it should be incentive laden, and based on how he performs. There likely won't be too many openings for starting QBs next year, with the exception of Ottawa (Or Toronto depending on where Kelly signs, and Toronto may actually prefer Arbuckle to Dru) and Hamilton, depending on BLMs health. I think Taylor Powell is signed for next year in Edmonton, but there are some other QBs around who could potentially grow into starters, including Harrison Frost and Josh Love.

Feel sorry for Taylor Powell, he keeps ending up behind QB's that have rejuvenated their carers.  Fajardo mentioned he was considering retirement last off-season but that was probably a negotiating tactic to get a better deal out of Ed Hervey, I'd bet Cody is still playing 2 seasons from now especially if he continues to win.

[Blue In BC]

He signed a one year extension in Jan 2025 to extend him for 2026. So looks like he will be a FA this offseason. I think we should re-sign him, but it should be incentive laden, and based on how he performs. There likely won't be too many openings for starting QBs next year, with the exception of Ottawa (Or Toronto depending on where Kelly signs, and Toronto may actually prefer Arbuckle to Dru) and Hamilton, depending on BLMs health. I think Taylor Powell is signed for next year in Edmonton, but there are some other QBs around who could potentially grow into starters, including Harrison Frost and Josh Love.

I wasn't aware he was a potential free agent in 2027. I doubt we traded a 1st round pick to let him walk though. What they expect as a salary or his willingness to stay are questions at the moment.

That level of SMS does mean we're going to need to adjust somewhere within our roster.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I wasn't aware he was a potential free agent in 2027. I doubt we traded a 1st round pick to let him walk though. What they expect as a salary or his willingness to stay are questions at the moment.

That level of SMS does mean we're going to need to adjust somewhere within our roster.

Guess they'll have the choice of cutting Zach or Brady. 

[Blue In BC]

Guess they'll have the choice of cutting Zach or Brady. 

They may force Collaros to take another cut. There are other veterans which we expect may not be back in 2027: Bryant, Nichols, K. Wilson. Neufeld might retire.

Next year is next year but there will be planned reductions and some not within our control in free agency.

[Horseman]

It's been mentioned several times this season that he's prone to concussion related injuries. His long term health is at risk and he should consider retiring. Whether we have a good replacement is not the primary concern.

The organization pulling him out of games as precaution makes sense from a health point of view. From a football point of view, it makes less sense to have a player that is frequently pulled out of games and misses multiple games still on the roster.

Thanks for the memories but think of your family.

Yes, it is time for the WFC to look after Zach if he won't look after himself. This should be his last season with the WFC, if Zach can't see that and still wants to play, it won't be with the Bombers if they truly care about him.

[Pigskin]

They may force Collaros to take another cut. There are other veterans which we expect may not be back in 2027: Bryant, Nichols, K. Wilson. Neufeld might retire.

Next year is next year but there will be planned reductions and some not within our control in free agency.

Neuf will be back next season. 

[Tecno]

I wasn't aware he was a potential free agent in 2027. I doubt we traded a 1st round pick to let him walk though.

I knew that, and that's why I was so angry at the trade deal. We blew the wad for a half season insurance rental. No other team would ever make that trade, unless the dude they were getting was the next big thing like Rourke or Alexander.

And yes, it's pretty clear now that he's also kind of 2027 insurance if Zach quits or is too injury prone. He may not be the final qb choice, as we can still go after any FA stud that breaks loose; but he gives us a decent fallback position should we fail in FA.

The biggest problem is to get this benefit we will almost certainly give dru a deal before FA. Probably before Dec 31. So what if we pay dru AND also score the best qb in FA?

Another possibility is the 2027 plan is to platoon Zach and dru, with Zach taking a big pay cut to accommodate the decent payday dru will want. That would also come with the stipulation that 2027 is Zach's final year. And by platoon I mean Zach is number one but gets knocked out of many games. Kinda like now...

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I knew that, and that's why I was so angry at the trade deal. We blew the wad for a half season insurance rental. No other team would ever make that trade, unless the dude they were getting was the next big thing like Rourke or Alexander.

And yes, it's pretty clear now that he's also kind of 2027 insurance if Zach quits or is too injury prone. He may not be the final qb choice, as we can still go after any FA stud that breaks loose; but he gives us a decent fallback position should we fail in FA.

The biggest problem is to get this benefit we will almost certainly give dru a deal before FA. Probably before Dec 31. So what if we pay dru AND also score the best qb in FA?

Another possibility is the 2027 plan is to platoon Zach and dru, with Zach taking a big pay cut to accommodate the decent payday dru will want. That would also come with the stipulation that 2027 is Zach's final year. And by platoon I mean Zach is number one but gets knocked out of many games. Kinda like now...

Which QB's do you expect to pop loose in FA that don't have a specific landing spot in mind like Chad Kelly?  Maybe the Stamps will give up on V.A. but wouldn't want him in Wpg. anyway.

As for pay cuts and platooning for one more year of Zach, I don't think there's any reason to, this season was his last chance, he's been trending down for 2-3 years already.

[bunker]

I knew that, and that's why I was so angry at the trade deal. We blew the wad for a half season insurance rental. No other team would ever make that trade, unless the dude they were getting was the next big thing like Rourke or Alexander.

And yes, it's pretty clear now that he's also kind of 2027 insurance if Zach quits or is too injury prone. He may not be the final qb choice, as we can still go after any FA stud that breaks loose; but he gives us a decent fallback position should we fail in FA.

The biggest problem is to get this benefit we will almost certainly give dru a deal before FA. Probably before Dec 31. So what if we pay dru AND also score the best qb in FA?

Another possibility is the 2027 plan is to platoon Zach and dru, with Zach taking a big pay cut to accommodate the decent payday dru will want. That would also come with the stipulation that 2027 is Zach's final year. And by platoon I mean Zach is number one but gets knocked out of many games. Kinda like now...

I think Walters made the right move. QB is by far the most important position in the CFL. Zach is rapidly trending down, and knocked out of every second game. Dru is not the best QB in the league, or even in the top 3 IMO, but he's likely to be better than anything we can get, either to relieve an injured Zach this year, or to replace him next year. Rourke and Alexander aren't going anywhere. Neither is Fajardo, who may now be playing at a level that makes him the third best QB in the league, and is playing on a cup contender. VAJ will likely stay in Calgary, they have nothing better, and he's not terrible. Harris will stay in Sask til he retires. Kelly will be in TO or Ottawa next year, and I would not want him anyway. BLM may be back in Hamilton, health permitting. Powell is signed for another year. So who are we going to snag that's better than Dru? Elgersma may be eventually, but thats at least a couple of years off, and no guarantee. And given Dru's struggles in Ottawa, and more recently here, he won't command top dollar, which will leave us some cap room to hopefully improve the rest of the roster.

[bunker]

Neuf will be back next season. 

Agree. IMO his play is really is not showing his age yet, which is doubly amazing since when he first came here, I was close to writing him off as too injury prone to ever be of value. I can't believe how durable he is at his age.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Agree. IMO his play is really is not showing his age yet, which is doubly amazing since when he first came here, I was close to writing him off as too injury prone to ever be of value. I can't believe how durable he is at his age.

Without a doubt, Neuf is the leader of the O-line.

[Tecno]

Which QB's do you expect to pop loose in FA that don't have a specific landing spot in mind like Chad Kelly?  Maybe the Stamps will give up on V.A. but wouldn't want him in Wpg. anyway.

As for pay cuts and platooning for one more year of Zach, I don't think there's any reason to, this season was his last chance, he's been trending down for 2-3 years already.

a) Who knows what FA will bring.  Weird things sometimes happen.  Maybe the next big thing will emerge suddenly like Kelly did in his GC-relief win.  But ya, on paper things look slim right now.

b) If Zach is gone and Dru is our only guy, then it will be dark days in WPG for a few seasons.  We might go into a funk like EDM did for so many years.

It's a QB-driven league, as we've seen with how top teams go to total heck the instant they lose their #1.  Arbuckle winning that cup is an extreme aberration.  What's happened to HAM is more representative.