Will Bombers continue to dominate CFL? Clean slate for everyone as 2024 campaign begins By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 6:29 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 6, 2024

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This article was published 06/06/2024 (791 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for lovers of the three-down game.

The 2024 CFL season gets underway Thursday night with a Grey Cup rematch between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes. It was the Alouettes who stunned the Bombers, 28-24, with a late touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the game, so you know that tilt is going to pack an extra punch.

The beauty of every season is although memories from last year linger, it’s a completely new slate for all nine clubs. The Alouettes are also a perfect example of it’s not always where you start that matters but how you finish, with Montreal knocking off the 16-2 Toronto Argonauts in the East final before downing the Bombers in the championship game.

As is the case every season, there’s plenty of roster turnover, with fan favourites leaving and joining new teams. Some clubs spent the offseason trying to retain as many players as possible, while others tore things down to the studs in hopes of future success.

It’s also a time for early projections and opinions, and what better way to bring back our weekly column, CFL Rundown, than giving a quick take on all nine teams. Should be an exciting year ahead, with football on every weekend through the fall.

1) How much longer can the Winnipeg Blue Bombers keep up their winning ways?

It’s a question that’s been asked around these parts the last couple years, and while the Bombers have managed to rise to their heady expectations, this season feels like the one they take a step back. Continuity has been key to Winnipeg’s success, so the fact they’ll have seven new starters this season puts them in unfamiliar territory. The Zach Collaros-led offence will remain prolific — the addition of Chris Streveler creates a nice security blanket — even with an O-line that has two new starters. I’m less confident about the defence, though, and that has nothing to do with Jordan Younger taking over for Richie Hall as the club’s DC. How will Willie Jefferson perform without Jackson Jeffcoat? How serious is the injury that has landed Adam Bighill on the six-game injured list? Safety Brandon Alexander, while back on the field this week, missed the entire training camp. Jamal Parker and Cameron Lawson are both injured and likely not to return this season. The lack of depth is also concerning.

2) Anyone else tired of hearing how much disrespect Vernon Adams Jr. apparently gets?

No one questions Adams skillset, but the greatest amount of respect comes from winning. While Adams has certainly thrown the lights out and collected wins in the regular season, he’s done little when the stage is biggest and the lights brightest. This has to be Adams’ year to shine and separate himself from the pack. He’s got weapons all around him, an O-line that can protect him, a defence that can keep him on the field and special teams, well, let’s hope they can improve on that front. The Lions have been nipping at the Bombers heels the last few years as the best club in the CFL, and with Vancouver hosting the Grey Cup in November, there’s no better time to make their presence felt than this season.

3) Are the Calgary Stampeders cursed?

The Calgary Stampeders were cursed last year when it came to injuries. The football gods haven’t been kind to them to start this year, either, as No. 1 receiver Malik Henry suffered a season-ending leg injury during training camp after being limited to three games in 2023. The Stampeders finished last year 6-12 and for them to improve on those numbers, they will need more out of QB Jake Maier, who could very well be replaced by Matthew Shiltz if he can’t get things going. With Henry out, expect another big year from Reggie Begelton, with RB Dedrick Mills also in line for a heavy workload each week. What I’ve heard the most from people around the league — and we certainly saw it in the preseason — is Calgary plans to play an extremely aggressive style of defence, with plenty of blitz packages. They’ll be tested early on this season, as the Stamps play the Bombers and Lions in four of their first six games.

4) The hype surrounding the Saskatchewan Roughriders

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the moves they made in the offseason. They got a new coach in Corey Mace, who has worked hard to improve the team’s culture and get them back to playing winning football after missing the playoffs the last two years. The Riders boosted their O-line with the addition of right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, and I’m particularly interested in seeing what A.J. Ouellette can do for a run game that finished eighth in 2023, averaging 84 yards a game. Linebacker Jameer Thurman is coming off a career year with Hamilton last season, adding to a defence that also includes the likes of Micah Johnson and Anthony Lanier. As much as Saskatchewan improved its roster, they are one bad hit against QB Trevor Harris away from the season circling down the drain. Harris played just five games last season before suffering a serious knee injury, and while I’m certainly not rooting for another setback, it’s hard to imagine that at 38 years old we’re going to see his best football.

5) Should Chris Jones be back for the final year of his contract?

It’s the third year with Chris Jones at the controls and if he can’t get his Edmonton Elks to the playoffs this season, there’s no way he should be back for the final year of his contract. The irony in all that is Jones likely only still has a job because of QB Tre Ford’s exciting play down the stretch in 2023. How did Jones repay Ford? By going out and signing McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was playing in the USFL last year. With the addition of dynamic returner Javon Leake, maybe this is the first season since 2015 Edmonton can register a return TD. I see an improvement from their identical 4-14 records the last two years, but, really, can it get any worse?

6) What’s up with the Toronto Argonauts?

The Toronto Argonauts might be the biggest question mark across the CFL. The league’s reigning MOP in QB Chad Kelly is out for at least half the season as he serves a suspension for sexual harassment and the brain behind their dominant defence in recent years is now head coach in Saskatchewan. Ryan Dinwiddie has led the Argos to a first-place finish in the East in each of his three years as the club’s bench boss, but he’ll have his hands full trying to get the best out of an offence that will be run by Cameron Dukes. If Toronto was in the West, they’d likely miss the playoffs. But, heck, they could still win the East.

7) What does QB Cody Fajardo have planned?

QB Cody Fajardo certainly silenced his critics — myself included — with a stellar playoff run that ended with him being named the Grey Cup’s MVP. What does he have planned for an encore in his second season with the Montreal Alouettes? Fajardo had 14 passing TDs last year during the regular season and he’ll be without his No. 1 target in Austin Mack, who jetted to the NFL after a stellar first year playing three-down ball. The defence should be solid and I’m a big fan of Jason Maas’ coaching style. I envision the Alouettes starting slow and finding their groove as the season moves along. Don’t underestimate the confidence that comes with winning the Grey Cup in a season no one picked you; that’s what kick started the Bombers glorious run.

8) Ticats add new voice, needed starting QB

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, after back-to-back 8-10 records, decided to shake things up by promoting Orlondo Steinauer to president of football operations, replacing him at head coach with Scott Milanovich. The Ticats needed a new voice, but their biggest need was finding a new starting QB. Bo Levi Mitchell has been handed the keys after an injury-riddled 2023 campaign limited him to six games. At 34, he’s no longer a threat with his legs and hasn’t been dangerous with his arm since 2018. It’s not like he’s got a bunch of weapons around him either, with RB James Butler and receiver Tim White the only proven stars on offence. The defence has been overhauled, creating a lot of moving pieces for DC Mark Washington to work with, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see some early growing pains. When I think more about it, 8-10 doesn’t sound all that bad.

9) Consistency for the Ottawa Redblacks

The Ottawa Redblacks finally feel they have some consistency at QB with the offseason signing of Dru Brown.

Brown has spent the last couple years working under Zach Collaros in Winnipeg and has earned his shot at running an offence. A lot of Ottawa’s success will depend on the play of an O-line that continues to grow together but hasn’t been sturdy enough to provide time and space for the most important position. Defence and special teams look solid. The Redblacks are a much healthier unit, and they should benefit from being in a weak East Division.

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton