Big day for Blue Bombers Oliveira, Schoen sign new deals to stay in Winnipeg By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 2:07 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 Last Modified: 4:13 PM CST Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 Updates

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It was the kind of day that had the Winnipeg Blue Bombers faithful overjoyed and pinching themselves in disbelief, as the CFL club prevented both its hometown star and top receiver from bolting for greener pastures.

While the signings of running back Brady Oliveira and dynamic pass-catcher Dalton Schoen just hours apart sent a shockwave of excitement through the team’s fanbase, no one is more thrilled about the moves than Zach Collaros. The Bombers No. 1 quarterback and leader of the offence was hoping he’d have his two biggest weapons back this year, but with each player warranting a significant pay raise after stellar seasons in 2023, the likelihood that both would sign seemed slim.

Then Tuesday happened.

“Both of those guys are just so integral to the locker room,” Collaros told the Free Press. “Brady is one of the best, if not the best running back in the league, and the fact he holds a Canadian passport makes him even more valuable. As for Dalton, there are just so many good things I could say about him. I’m sure he was extremely coveted too, and I’m just over the moon he’s back.”

The Bombers opened the day by inking the 26-year-old Oliveira to a two-year deal that makes him the highest-paid running back in the league. While Oliveira was seeking $250,000 a year from the Bombers — while talking even higher numbers with other teams during this week’s legal tampering window — the Winnipeg product ultimately accepted slightly less, inking for $230,000 in 2024 and $240,000 in 2025.

“Both of those guys are just so integral to the locker room”–Zach Collaros

That’s a significant bump from around the $130,000 he made in 2023. Oliveira is scheduled to speak to reporters at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, with Schoen set to speak Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m.

Just hours later, Schoen put pen to paper on a one-year deal that pays him $230,000. Schoen, who led the CFL in receiving yards and touchdowns as a rookie in 2022 and paced the league again in scores last year, was expected to fetch as much as $300,000 — the going rate for top receivers.

Although Oliveira and Schoen both took less money, that doesn’t mean they were easy negotiations. Collaros said he was keeping an eye on things the last few weeks and when there wasn’t any positive developments in recent days, he started to fear the worst.

“I wasn’t feeling that great about it, to be honest. I kind of heard last night that it might be going on and then this morning it was inching closer and closer and so I was on pins and needles all morning,” said Collaros. “I’m kind of surprised things went this far, but when you have as much success as a team as we’ve had, and you have had players play so well and then they all go into a contract year, you figure it’s going to be tough to get them all back.”

Last season, Oliveira had one of the most impressive campaigns for a Canadian tailback in league history, combining for more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, including a league-high 1,534 rushing yards on the CFL’s most prolific attack. He led the league with 13 touchdowns, in what was his second as a starter.

“I was on pins and needles all morning”–Zach Collaros

A request for a boost in pay came as no surprise to the Bombers, especially after Oliveira had such a strong year, including winning the league’s most outstanding Canadian award and being the West Division nominee for most outstanding player. Those accolades only helped warrant a significant pay increase, and one that, for weeks, seemed like it wouldn’t be met in Winnipeg.

Talks of a new contract for Oliveira had been on and off for some time, but ramped up in recent days, with negotiations hitting a crescendo late Monday, just days before the official opening of free agency on Feb. 13. While the Bombers worked closely with his agent, Oliveira was also actively talking with the club despite being on a dog rescue mission in Bali, Indonesia.

Oliveira received plenty of attention from across the CFL. According to league sources, several teams showed interest, with B.C., Toronto, Calgary and Saskatchewan all linked to the bruising running back. While nothing was formally signed, sources said preliminary chats reached upwards of $270,000 per season.

A similar situation to Oliveira played out with Schoen, who was also getting significant interest from around the league. Ottawa, Hamilton and Montreal were among the clubs that reached out with serious interest. Throughout the process, though, Schoen made it known that Winnipeg was his ideal destination.

“Familiarity is a big thing. Continuity and being around people that you enjoy matters to a lot of people,” Collaros said when asked why he thought his teammates were willing to take less to stay in Winnipeg. “When it comes to dollars and cents, you have to weigh it against situations that you feel good in and I’m sure that weighed heavily on Brady and Dalton in making their deicisions.”

Players have between this past Sunday and Feb. 11 to talk with opposing teams — known formally as the CFL’s free-agent negotiation window — when they have the chance to sign a contract that would then be made official just prior to the market opening at 11 a.m. CT next Tuesday.

The Bombers have already lost a significant piece to the process, with right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick signing a two-year deal with the Riders that makes him the highest paid American offensive lineman in the league at $230,000 per season. Cornerback Demerio Houston, who led the CFL in interceptions last year, with seven, has also signed a two-year deal with the Calgary Stampeders.

Winnipeg has been busy, signing quarterback Chris Streveler, left tackle Stanley Bryant, defensive tackle Jake Thomas, defensive backs Nick and Noah Hallett, centre Chris Kolankowski, running back Johnny Augustine, receiver Drew Wolitarsky and linebacker Brian Cole.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton