Matt Smith/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Dalton Schoen has done nothing but been productive since entering the CFL.
The 27-year-old receiver has 2,663 receiving yards over two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on his way to being named an All-Star both times while also earning a Most Outstanding Rookie award in 2022.
Schoen is now scheduled to become a free agent on February 13 and will draw plenty of interest from teams if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Bombers by then.
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A big draw of potentially signing a receiver like Schoen is that he has already proved that he can be the focal point of an offence as explosive as Winnipeg’s was over the last two years. The Bombers were first in net offence in 2023 while finishing second in passing yards per game with Schoen leading the way with 1,222 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. That’s a year after the pass catcher registered 1,441 yards and 16 majors as a rookie.
Add Schoen to any receiver group in the league and you’ll immediately get dividends. The third-year receiver played alongside the likes of Kenny Lawler, Nic Demski, Greg Ellingson and Rasheed Bailey and was able to complement each of them with his unique skill set. Winnipeg would benefit from keeping their star wide receiver on board as they attempt to lead the league in first downs once more.
If the Overland Park, KS native decides to test the free agency waters, there are several teams who would make for an intriguing match. The first of them are the current champions Montreal Alouettes. With Austin Mack making the move south by signing with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, Schoen would be an ideal running mate for Grey Cup’s Most Valuable Canadian Tyson Philpot. Both of them are listed as six-foot-one, giving more than enough size for quarterback Cody Fajardo to move the chains and aim towards a second championship run.
Another pairing that could make sense would be Schoen with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Receiver Tim White is also set to become a free agent in February and should he leave the Black and Gold, Schoen would immediately make up for the loss of their No. 1 receiver. The former Most Outstanding Rookie is a bigger receiver than White, but could also serve as the focal point of the offence for quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
