The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost three decorated players during the CFL’s recent free-agent frenzy as each left for greener — that is to say, richer — pastures.
Star receiver Kenny Lawler and All-West Division offensive lineman Liam Dobson signed with Hamilton, while All-CFL cornerback Tyrell Ford moved on to Edmonton. According to longtime general manager Kyle Walters, there wasn’t much Winnipeg could do to keep any of them from leaving town as the team was simply priced out of the market.
Walters started negotiating with Lawler’s camp in December, though it doesn’t appear they ever got close to an agreement. Ferrell Elliott, Lawler’s agent, declined to discuss the specifics of the negotiation in a conversation with 3DownNation on Thursday but called Hamilton’s offer a “slam dunk” that stood out above all others.
“(Lawler’s price) was above what we thought and above what we could do. It was similar to last time (Lawler left Winnipeg when he signed with Edmonton in 2022). It was good for Kenny and his family — when you get that kind of contract offer, it’s hard to turn it down, that’s for sure,” said Walters.
“It was a difficult decision because Kenny’s an unbelievable football player and dynamic and great in the community and everything about him. But for that receiver room, I just wasn’t prepared to be able to do that for that amount of money.”
The Blue Bombers had a lopsided receiver room last season as Lawler, Dalton Schoen, and Nic Demski made top-tier money, which was offset by almost everyone else being on cheap contracts. One could argue the strategy didn’t pay off as Lawler and Schoen missed considerable time due to injury and most of the rookie Americans that were brought in — Keric Wheatfall, Josh Johnson, Kody Case, and Myron Mitchell — failed to make an impact. The only first-year receiver who played at a high level was Ontaria Wilson, who parlayed his success into a contract with the New York Jets.
Winnipeg is taking a more well-rounded approach this year as Schoen was brought back at a reduced price and veterans Dillon Mitchell, Jerreth Sterns, and Reggie White Jr. were signed to fill out the depth chart.
Mitchell will make $150,000 this year — barely half of what Lawler made in 2024 — while Sterns and White’s agreements are both cap-friendly. Sterns, who set records during his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, got pushed out of a deep receiver room in Saskatchewan, while White Jr. is looking to reinvigorate his career after suffering a devastating knee injury with the Alouettes in 2022.
Winnipeg’s receiving corps will likely have a lower ceiling in 2025 than it did a year ago — Lawler’s explosiveness is virtually impossible to replace — but its floor should be higher.
“We’ve got a group of guys in that receiving room that are hungry and ready to get back to where they were, to break out. It’ll be an interesting competition,” said Walters. “We’re excited. It’ll be a little different vibe in that receiver group, but it’s a dynamic group with a bunch of different skill sets and we anticipate it working out quite well for us.”
Walters admitted that re-signing Ford was always a long shot given that his twin brother, Tre, was anointed the franchise quarterback of the Edmonton Elks earlier this offseason. The All-CFL cornerback signed a two-year deal with the team that’s worth $236,000 per year, per sources, making him easily the highest-paid defensive back in the CFL. The contract was negotiated by Montreal-based agent Fred Weinrauch, who also represents Tre.
Walters felt he made a “fair offer” to All-West Division offensive lineman Liam Dobson, though he indicated things played out similarly to Lawler as the Tiger-Cats were simply able to make a much better offer.
Lawler and Dobson are two of seven former Blue Bombers to sign with the Tiger-Cats this offseason, joining receiver Drew Wolitarsky, defensive linemen TyJuan Garbutt, Owen Hubert, and Miles Fox, and linebacker Brian Cole. The connection between the two teams can be largely attributed to Ted Goveia, who was hired as Hamilton’s new general manager in December following a decade-long stint in Winnipeg.
The native of Burlington, Ont. denied making a concerted effort to sign players away from his former team when speaking to the media in Steeltown on Wednesday, saying he instead chose to target players who “are used to playing long into November, that get what it takes to win, and that will fit into our locker room.” Considering the Blue Bombers have made five straight Grey Cup appearances, it makes sense that many of the team’s pending free agents fit Goveia’s criteria.
Walters doesn’t believe players flocked to Hamilton because of any preexisting relationships with Goveia, instead suggesting it was the other way around.
“I think the familiarity Ted would have with some of the players from a scouting standpoint, there is a comfort level,” he said. “He obviously has an intimate working knowledge with the players in this organization that have been here so long, so I think it’s as much of Ted understood the players more so than other teams, and there was a comfort level for sure with the Bombers that have now joined the Ticats.”
The Blue Bombers have a handful of players who remain unsigned after hitting the open market, including longtime defensive back Brandon Alexander and running back Johnny Augustine. Walters didn’t rule out bringing any of them back, indicating most of them have been instructed to explore other opportunities for now. Two players who won’t be back are future Hall of Fame linebacker Adam Bighill, to whom the club has officially said goodbye, and fullback Bailey Feltmate, who retired to take a collegiate coaching job while also going back to school.
Walters also didn’t rule out making further free-agent signings now that the initial flurry is over, which means prices should come down. He indicated the team is looking over lists of players who are still available and which ones might be a good fit at “decent value.”
On the whole, Walters feels his team is deeper on defence, highlighting the additions of defensive end James Vaughters from Calgary and linebacker Jonathan Jones from Toronto. He also considers Schoen and Canadian defensive tackle Cameron Lawson to essentially be new additions this year since they played so little in 2024 due to season-ending knee injuries. He also called Peyton Logan an “interesting piece,” saying the former Stampeder should solidify the returner spot that was a revolving door last year.
“It was a different year. Rather than just going after and signing our high-end starters back and then filling out the rest with rookies, I think it’ll be a more competitive camp with guys that have played in the CFL. Time will tell. I do like our roster,” said Walters. “Whether we’re better or not, I guess we’ll see.”
