The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have Brady Oliveira back in the lineup when they visit the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday, as per the team’s official depth chart.
The CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Player rushed twice for 49 yards in Winnipeg’s season-opening win over the B.C. Lions but left the game in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury. Oliveira spent the last two games on the injured list as rookie running back Matthew Peterson started in his place.
Oliveira rushed for 1,353 yards, caught 57 passes for 476 yards, and scored four total touchdowns in 2024 to be voted the CFL’s top player. The 27-year-old native of Winnipeg, Man. has rushed for 4,366 yards, caught 127 passes for 1,284 yards, and scored 24 total touchdowns over 69 career regular-season games since being selected in the second round of the 2019 CFL Draft out of the University of North Dakota.
Peterson, a rookie out of the University of Alberta, will remain on the roster as Oliveira’s backup. The 24-year-old native of Brooks, Alta. has rushed 46 times for 237 yards and one touchdown this season and caught five passes for 19 yards.
Quinton Cooley, an American rookie out of Liberty University, has been moved to the practice roster. He dressed for two games while Oliveira was out, rushing 11 times for 62 yards and catching two passes for five yards.
The Blue Bombers have made one other change to their starting lineup, giving Micah Vanterpool the start at left guard. Gabe Wallace, a second-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft out of the University at Buffalo, started the last two games at left guard. He will dress on Thursday in a depth role. Vanterpool started the season-opener against B.C. but was a healthy scratch the past two weeks in order to get Cooley on the roster.
Winnipeg has also moved Global linebacker Fabian Weitz to the practice roster. The 27-year-old native of Germany has played nine regular-season CFL games, recording two special teams tackles.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (3-0) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (2-1) at McMahon Stadium on Thursday, July 3 with kickoff slated for 9:00 p.m. EDT. The weather forecast calls for a high of 28 degrees, clear skies, and minimal wind.
The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and on CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg and 770 CHQR in Calgary.
