MMQB: One question for each West team ahead of Free Agency

Pat Steinberg

CFL.ca

@Fan960Steinberg

It has been a rather busy week when it comes to CFL news, hey?

We’ve seen significant player movement since the first MMQB of 2025, which makes this week’s edition that much more fun to put together. Last week we asked one off-season question for each East Division team, some of which have since been answered. Now we’re doing the same for the five West Division squads.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS: HOW DO THEY ADDRESS THE PASS RUSH?

Calgary addressed their biggest off-season need early on when they acquired quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. from the BC Lions. By doing that, it opened the door for the Stamps to address other issues that contributed to their first non-playoff season in 19 years. And that starts with their pass rush.

Calgary finished with 32 sacks in 2024, the league’s second lowest total. After building a reputation over the last number years as one of the CFL’s most feared defensive fronts, it was an off-brand campaign for the Stampeders. And with new defensive coordinator Bob Slowik installed, Calgary has already gone to work.

The Stamps acquired defensive end Folarin Orimolade from Toronto in exchange for linebacker Cam Judge as part of a blockbuster trade late last week. By bringing Orimolade back, Calgary gets one of the league’s best rush ends with 16 sacks to his name over the last two seasons. With interior force Mike Rose already under contract for 2025, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Stampeders continue to augment up front.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS: HOW MUCH DO THEY RUN IT BACK?

If anyone thought Winnipeg’s defeat in the 111th Grey Cup, the team’s third straight championship loss, would send them in a drastically different direction, well, they’d be wrong. With the Bombers hosting this year’s Grey Cup, they’ve already begun the process of putting the band back together in search of a sixth consecutive appearance in the big game.

The latest long-time core member to get extended in Winnipeg is six-time All-CFL defensive end Willie Jefferson, who signed a one-year extension over the weekend. He joins Stanley Bryant, Patrick Neufeld, and Tony Jones amongst those to have their contracts extended by the Blue Bombers. And, with quarterback Zach Collaros and tailback Brady Oliveira already under contract, the reassembling of this Winnipeg core is starting to come together.

With free agency about a month away, though, there are still plenty of big names for the Bombers to make decisions on. Highlighting that list is breakout cornerback Tyrell Ford, fellow defensive back Evan Holm, linebacker Adam Bighill, and receiver Kenny Lawler. Winnipeg typically has to make a cap sacrifice or two every off-season, so we’ll how many more core members they’re able to bring back over the next few weeks.

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS: HOW DOES THE PASSING GAME EVOLVE?

After a largely successful second season with the team, quarterback Trevor Harris signed on for another year to help continue what the Riders started in 2024. On the offensive side of the ball, that means the continued progression of this young receiving core that made significant strides last season.

After a second straight season with more than 1,000 yards, it feels like Samuel Emilus is poised to explode in 2025. Harris and his quarterback understudies targeted Emilus 132 times last year, which was the third highest total in the league behind only Justin McInnis and Reggie Begelton. If that trend continues, and if Harris remains healthy, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Emilus build on his 1,064 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Shawn Bane and Kian Schaffer-Baker are both signed for the coming season, but it’s newcomer KeeSean Johnson I’m most intrigued about. The first year CFLer picked up a ton of steam as the season went along and reeled in 352 yards in his final four regular season appearances.

EDMONTON ELKS: IS JUSTIN RANKIN THE REAL DEAL?

Rankin burst onto the scene last season in a rather emphatic way.

In just 11 appearances starting in August, the first year running back racked up 765 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Rankin averaged 7.8 yards-per-carry in the process, which was by far the highest rate amongst starting tailbacks in 2024. It’s not a stretch to say he was a revelation in green and gold.

But opposing defences will be ready for Rankin in 2025, which is why I’m curious to see what year two has in store. Encouragingly, Edmonton extended fellow tailback Javon Leake late last month after transitioning him from a return role to a strictly offensive one midway through last year. If that’s the plan again this season, Leake should provide a nice change of pace for Rankin.

BC LIONS: HOW CAN THEY ENSURE NATHAN ROURKE IS SUCCESSFUL?

It’s no secret Rourke’s return to Canadian football didn’t go precisely as planned upon rejoining the Lions last August. Rourke threw four touchdowns against nine interceptions in his eight starts last season while completing 65.1 per cent of his passes. Those aren’t the numbers we’re accustomed to seeing from the 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian.

I’m quite confident Rourke will be a much different player in 2025 with a full off-season and training camp to prepare him as the day one starter. But that doesn’t mean the Lions shouldn’t do everything they can to help Rourke return to the electric pivot we know he can be.

BC already ticked one box when they acquired two-time All-CFL offensive tackle Dejon Allen from Toronto last week. It’s a huge add for the Lions, who allowed a league worst 43 sacks last season. The signing of physical running back James Butler is another nice addition, which leaves the fate of potential free agent receiver Justin McInnis as the team’s largest pending decision.

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