The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have set their roster for Saturday’s game against the B.C. Lions in Vancouver.
Brady Oliveira, the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player, has officially been moved to the one-game injured list with a shoulder injury. Matthew Peterson, who ripped off 130 yards and a touchdown as his in-game replacement last week, is listed as the starting running back on Saturday, though rookie Quinton Cooley has been promoted from the practice roster to dress in a backup role.
Cooley was a standout during the preseason, rushing 13 times for 92 yards and catching three passes for 45 in back-to-back matchups against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also proved to he a punishing lead blocker despite standing only five-foot-seven.
The 220-pound ball-carrier was twice named first-team All-Conference USA at Liberty University, an NCAA Division I program located in Lynchburg, Va. He ran for 2,655 yards and 29 touchdowns over 25 games with the Flames, averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
The Blue Bombers have also made a change along the offensive line, starting Gabe Wallace at left guard. The former second-round CFL draft pick out of the University at Buffalo dressed for 12 games as a rookie in 2024 but this will be his first career start. Micah Vanterpool, an American out of the University of Hawaii, started at left guard last week but has been moved to the one-game injured list as a healthy scratch.
With franchise quarterback Zach Collaros returning from his one-game suspension, rookie Chase Artopoeus has been moved to the practice roster. CFL teams can only carry three quarterbacks on the active roster on game days. Chris Streveler started in place of Collaros last week and led the Blue Bombers to a 34-20 win over B.C. at Princess Auto Stadium, throwing for 246 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Global linebacker Fabian Weitz will dress after being a healthy scratch last week. The 27-year-old native of Germany recorded one special teams tackle over seven games in 2024. The only other change to the active roster this week for Winnipeg is Laval Université product Ian Leroux coming on as the long snapper in place of Mike Benson, who has been moved to the one-game injured list.
The Blue Bombers currently have seven players on the one-game injured list, including Oliveira, running back Peyton Logan, receiver Dillon Mitchell, Vanterpool, defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel, linebacker Jonathan Jones, and Benson. Only three of those players — Oliveira, Logan, and Benson — are actually hurt. Teams are permitted to stash healthy players on the one-game injured list as their earnings still count against the salary cap.
Defensive lineman Jamal Woods, who was a healthy scratch last week, has been moved to the six-game injured list with a knee injury.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0) will visit the B.C. Lions (1-1) at BC Place Stadium on Saturday, June 21 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
