A new CFL season always brings a mixture of hope, hype and high expectations. But now, with rosters finalized, is when the real work begins.
The action starts with the Saskatchewan Roughriders hosting the Ottawa Redblacks as both teams try to get off to a great start in Week 1.
For some teams, there is renewed optimism with a fresh slate as each club has the belief that it can make it to the Grey Cup.
It’s easy to think a team is on its way up or a contender is at risk of getting jumped over in the standings based on the movement we see in the off-season.
But Grey Cup-contending teams usually take all 18 regular-season games to establish their identity. The rankings presented in Week 1 will likely see movement as the season goes along.
With that being said, here is where all nine CFL teams stand heading into Week 1, based on last season’s results and what they did in the off-season.
Just when it looked like the Blue Bombers were going to take a step back last season, they went from starting 0-4 to finishing first in the West division for a fourth straight year. Losing Kenny Lawler and Ontaria “Pokey” Wilson is a significant blow to Winnipeg’s offence, but the team still has most of its offensive core intact, led by quarterback Zach Collaros, receivers Dalton Schoen and Nic Demski, and top Canadian running back Brady Oliveira. Defensively, the Bombers still have one of the premier pass rushers in Willie Jefferson leading one of the top units in the league. It’s tough to bet against a team that has made five straight Grey Cup appearances, despite losing the last three.
Even without starting quarterback Chad Kelly under centre, the Argonauts put on an impressive showing against the Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup. They are expected to enter the season with backup Nick Arbuckle at QB as Kelly continues to recover from the leg injury he suffered in the East Final and have made it a point to retain a majority of their offence. While the Argos lost most of their starters on defence, they did keep the heartbeat of the unit, Wynton McManis, while finding ways to remain competitive despite roster turnover.
The Alouettes were one win away from going back to the Grey Cup, but couldn’t overcome six turnovers in the East final. Davis Alexander will now lead the offence after the team decided to move on from Cody Fajardo. Alexander will need to show what he can do as a full-time CFL starter, but he has a dynamic duo in receivers Tyson Philpot and Austin Mack to lean on. Defensively, this is an aggressive unit that will lean on veterans like Tyrice Beverette to keep the team in the hunt for another East division title.
4. Saskatchewan Roughriders
The first year under head coach Corey Mace was positive for Saskatchewan and the team is mostly intact heading into the season. The Roughriders do face a tough task with significant injuries to offensive linemen Sean McEwen and Philippe Gagnon. This will put more pressure on getting the run game going so that quarterback Trevor Harris isn’t taking unnecessary hits, but a leaner AJ Ouellette should be able to take on a bigger workload after missing 10 games last season. The continuity should also give the Roughriders an advantage early in the season, and the team made sure to shore up its quarterback depth behind Harris with Jake Maier and Tommy Stevens.
Dru Brown helped Ottawa get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018, but the team hopes its young quarterback can take another step. GM Shawn Burke added veterans Eugene Lewis and William Stanback to an already impressive offensive unit. Defensively, the team is hoping new defensive co-ordinator William Fields can help it reach its potential like he did with the Argos. Ottawa also needs to find a way to play better on the road if it wants to compete with the likes of Toronto and Montreal for the top spot in the division.
There was a lot of excitement about the Lions with the team hosting the Grey Cup in 2024, but they were not able to get to the championship game. B.C. brought Nathan Rourke back after he was unable to crack an NFL roster and will need him to get back to his 2022 form that saw him win Most Outstanding Canadian. New head coach Buck Pierce will have his work cut out for him with the competition in the West only getting tougher.
If there is a team that has the most boom or bust potential going into 2025, it is the Ticats. There is no doubt this team has the most explosive offence on paper with Lawler joining Tim White, Shemar Bridges and Kiondré Smith. However, it needs to show that it can get off to a better start to the season — and that means seeing a major improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
No team was busier in free agency than the Elks, who added Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith, Tyrell Ford, Royce Metchie and Kaion Julien-Grant. With new head coach Mark Kilam looking to usher in a new era, there is a lot of excitement in Edmonton, especially with Tre Ford having a clear-cut opportunity to be the starting quarterback. Still, while there’s a lot to like about what the Elks have done, they need to show what they can do on the field before we can confidently say that they are heading in the right direction.
The clock might be ticking for Dave Dickenson to get the Stampeders back on track after finishing last in the West with a 5-12-1 record, ending an impressive streak of 18 consecutive years reaching the post-season. Dickenson wasted no time making a big splash by acquiring Vernon Adams Jr. from the Lions. Still, there are a lot of question marks with Calgary’s defence and it feels like many teams have jumped over them in the division in terms of talent.