The Winnipeg Blue Bombers appear intent on having more competition at the quarterback position in 2025, but that didn’t stop Chris Streveler from signing a one-year extension with the team instead of pursuing free agency.
“I’m of the mindset that competition makes everyone better, so the more people we got in a room — the more guys we’ve got pushing each other to be better and bouncing ideas around — I love that in a room. I’ve been a professional quarterback for eight years. If I was nervous about competition or worried about having to compete, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I would have never made it out of year one,” Streveler told the media from his home in Arizona on Monday.
“This is the world we live in, it’s a dog-eat-dog world. You go out there, you compete, you earn what you get. There’s nothing handed to you. That’s always my mindset, so I’m excited about that. I’m excited to have more guys and fresh ideas in the room and build relationships with people. I’m big on building relationships and talking to other people and seeing what their process is like, so I’m excited to have a nice, full room of guys with experience and fresh ideas. It’s going to be exciting.”
Last year, Winnipeg didn’t seem interested in having a true competition behind incumbent starter Zach Collaros. Streveler, who was coming off a four-year stint in the NFL, was the only other quarterback with CFL experience in training camp. Raw rookies Terry Wilson and Eric Barriere were left to duke it out for the third-string job, which went to Wilson after Barriere was cut following a disastrous preseason debut.
The Blue Bombers currently have four quarterbacks with at least one year of experience under contract for 2025, including Collaros, Streveler, Wilson, and Jake Dolegala. Shea Patterson has also reportedly agreed to terms on a contract, which is expected to become official after CFL free agency gets underway on Tuesday.
Though it remains to be seen if all five passers make it to training camp, going from two experienced quarterbacks to five in the span of one year seems intentional.
Streveler started only one game in 2024, a 25-16 win over the Ottawa Redblacks. He finished the year with 343 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one interception, 87 carries, 272 rushing yards, and 10 rushing scores. He wasn’t often deployed in the type of running packages that allowed him to dominate for stints in 2019, however, which he attributed in part to a broken rib he suffered in his start against Ottawa.
Though he’s yet to spend a lot of time with new offensive coordinator Jason Hogan, Streveler seems encouraged by what he’s learned so far. After serving as Winnipeg’s running backs coach for the past three seasons, it seems fair to speculate that Hogan won’t shy away from running the ball, something the Blue Bombers arguably haven’t done enough in the playoffs over the past few years.
“I’m really excited about Hogan taking over. I’ve had some good conversations with him. He brings good energy and I know he has respect for who I am as a person and a player and a leader and what I can bring to a team, so I felt really, really excited about those conversations I had with him and that’s a big reason why I came back,” said Streveler.
“Had I not had those conversations with someone and felt excited, it would have probably been a different conversation, so I’m very excited about that. At the end of the day, it’s just about winning games. I know I can help the team win games, so whatever that looks like, whatever I can do to help us get Ws on the board, that’s all I care about at this stage of my career. It’s not about anything other than just trying to chase rings and win championships, so that’s what I coming back to help us do.”
The first challenge for the 30-year-old native of Crystal Lake, Ill. is finishing rehabilitation from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in the Banjo Bowl. Streveler tore his ACL, MCL, and partially tore his PCL after taking a low hit from defensive lineman Miles Brown and has used a variety of strategies to strengthen his knee since surgery, including a hyperbaric chamber, blood flow restriction, muscle stimulation, and physical therapy. He indicated that you wouldn’t know he was coming off a knee injury based on his current workouts and is hopeful that he’ll be back to 100 percent by May.
The six-foot-one, 216-pound passer, who acts as his own agent, indicated there were a “couple of other deals that were floated around” during the league’s recent negotiations window, though he ultimately wanted to be back in the only CFL city he’s ever called home.
“We all know the place that Winnipeg holds in my heart. I love these people. I love and respect the hell out of (head coach Mike O’Shea). That’s where my heart lies, but from a business standpoint, you’ve gotta have those conversations just to figure out, ‘OK, is this a good deal? Where do I sit in the league? What are opportunities looking like?’ I just needed to go have those conversations and take those as far as they’re willing to go,” he said.
“I’m personally extremely happy with the way things worked out, getting to come back to Winnipeg, a place where I know there’s a lot of love for me. I got a lot of love for the people in the city, and it’s going to be exciting.”
The dual-threat passer declined to indicate whether his new contract will pay him more, less, or around the same as last year — he earned a little over $120,000 in 2024 — saying only that the deal “makes sense” for him to continue playing. He also indicated his family, which includes his newborn daughter, Sunny, will move to Winnipeg for the season.
The team will look different in 2025, however, as award-winning linebacker Adam Bighill won’t be back, fan favourite Drew Wolitarsky was recently let go, and several key free agents are expected to sign elsewhere, including elite receiver Kenny Lawler, All-CFL defensive back Tyrell Ford, young defensive linemen Miles Fox, TyJuan Garbutt, and Celestin Haba, and All-West Division offensive lineman Liam Dobson.
The Blue Bombers have already been active in trying to plug some of those holes, signing receiver Dillon Mitchell following his release from Edmonton, defensive lineman James Vaughters after he was cut by Calgary, and linebacker Jonathan Jones, who was released by Toronto. Winnipeg has also agreed to contracts with Patterson, Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Jerreth Sterns, Montreal Alouettes receiver Reggie White Jr., University of Manitoba product Gavin Cobb, Canadian defensive back Josh Hagerty, and return specialist Peyton Logan.
Streveler called the team’s decision to release Wolitarsky “very disappointing,” though he understood that change was necessary after losing a third straight Grey Cup and that professional football is, at the end of the day, a business. Streveler and Wolitarsky played together at the University of Minnesota for three years prior to their days together in Winnipeg with the quarterback calling the receiver a “best friend” on the team.
Wolitarsky has already signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with Streveler indicating that they’re planning to do a jersey swap the first time they play against one another on Friday, Sept. 12 at the soon-to-be renamed Tim Hortons Field.
It remains to be seen what Streveler’s role will be in Winnipeg come the start of the regular season given the team’s changing roster and the installation of a new offensive coordinator. One thing is certain, however: he will embrace whatever competition he faces under centre come the start of training camp.
