Busy day of moves in Bomberland
Bombers release Kolankowski, re-sign Schmekel; Jackson signs with Stamps
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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have released their starting centre.
The club cut pending free agent Chris Kolankowski on Monday, allowing the 33-year-old to hit the open market early. He was slated to become a free agent on Feb. 10.
Kolankowski started every game over the last three seasons for the Bombers, and appeared in 73 contests — making 69 starts — overall since arriving in 2020. He won the 2021 Grey Cup with the Blue and Gold as a backup.
Kolankowski’s departure adds to the mystery around what the Bombers’ offensive line will look like next season. Tui Eli —the club’s sixth offensive lineman in 2025 — re-signed before the calendar flipped, while starting left guard Gabe Wallace and right tackle Kendall Randolph are already under contract, but the most veteran starters, Stanley Bryant and Patrick Neufeld, remain unsigned.
The Bombers also inked pending free agent Tanner Schmekel on Monday.
The 26-year-old interior defensive lineman will enter his fourth year with the club. Schmekel, a 6-1, 286-pounder has served as a depth and rotational option along the defensive front, dressing for 26 games since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 CFL draft out of the University of Regina.
In a season limited by injury, Schmekel logged two defensive tackles and one sack in four contests in 2025.
It was also confirmed Monday that Jarious Jackson will not return as a member of the Bombers’ coaching staff, as it was announced he was hired to serve as the quarterbacks coach of the Calgary Stampeders.
Jackson held the same position with the Bombers last season — a tenure that began with him missing all of training camp with an undisclosed personal matter — but his presence did not bear the fruits he or the club had hoped for, as Zach Collaros and backup Chris Streveler struggled mightily throughout the year while offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan did them no favours.
Jackson, a respected offensive mind, arrived in Winnipeg after serving as the interim head coach in Edmonton, where he was also a quarterbacks coach from 2014-15 and 2022-24. The 48-year-old has also mentored signal-callers for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2016-17), B.C. Lions (2013, 2018-19) and Toronto Argonauts (2021).
— with files from the Canadian Press
Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.
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Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.
Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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Updated on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 9:09 AM CST: Adds web headline, removes wire story briefs