Blue Bombers -- 2025/26 Offseason -- Discussion Thread

[Booch]

Just now, SpeedFlex27 said:

There is money left over for the cap season that has to be used up by December 31st that can be used towards next season. I'm thinking that what Walters is doing since he never spent to the cap this past season. We just don't know what the cap situation is from last season (2025).

Yeah...use 2025 for 2026 and be able to be a bigger spender in FA when you have some money for your higher priced Canadians and players paid with 2025 spare sheckles

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, wbbfan said:

that and i mean all the guys are guys you’d want back at none crazy deals. 

 

If we move on from 2 long in the tooth old boys club types I’ll be satisfied. If we bring back a kola or jake and actually relegate them to the bench it’ll be a miracle.  

If Jake comes back it means O'Shea talks a good game but the reality of it is he hasn't changed. Things will be as they always have been. 

[bigg jay]

https://3downnation.com/2025/12/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-expected-to-hire-tommy-condell-as-offensive-coordinator/

 

[Nolby]

52 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

https://3downnation.com/2025/12/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-expected-to-hire-tommy-condell-as-offensive-coordinator/

 

Heard his name for a long time, disnt follow him much, whats the break down of his offenses?

[Bomber_fanaddict]

7 minutes ago, Nolby said:

Heard his name for a long time, disnt follow him much, whats the break down of his offenses?

Most recently he was Hamiltons OC from 2019-23. They had good teams those years we just beat them in the GC. Currently Ottawas OC. They had a pretty bad year but was it players or coaching. Could do worse than Tommy. Willing to give him a year 😊

[Bigblue204]

14 minutes ago, Bomber_fanaddict said:

Most recently he was Hamiltons OC from 2019-23. They had good teams those years we just beat them in the GC. Currently Ottawas OC. They had a pretty bad year but was it players or coaching. Could do worse than Tommy. Willing to give him a year 😊

Even in Ottawa the offense put up some big yards. 

Will be interesting to see what he can do with Collaros. 

[bigg jay]

19 minutes ago, Nolby said:

Heard his name for a long time, disnt follow him much, whats the break down of his offenses?

His run with Ottawa was underwhelming but they are a perennial tire fire so not sure how much that falls on him

In 2025, Ottawa finished sixth in net offence, eighth in offensive points, and ninth in yards per play but was 2nd in offensive time of possession.  Long way to say his offense had plenty of opportunity but produced very little.

He does have history with Zach so maybe he can bring some old ZC out.

[Noeller]

I used to think TC was good but posters on here recently have made the case that he is, indeed, ****. That's unfortunate.... While this does feel like an obvious upgrade from Hogan, it also feels like the CFL Recycling Program in high gear...

[Bubba Zanetti]

Wow, didn’t realize he’d been around so long. He was the Bombers special teams coach under Reinbold in 1997.

[Super Duper Negatron]

36 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I used to think TC was good but posters on here recently have made the case that he is, indeed, ****. That's unfortunate.... While this does feel like an obvious upgrade from Hogan, it also feels like the CFL Recycling Program in high gear...

The good news for all of us is that even the so called experts on this board are wrong about stuff all the time!

[Brandon]

I'll take signing a guy with at least some proven success over a complete unknown like Hogan.    It can only get better then what we had last year.  

If we can get a proven receiver who doesn't necessarily have to be the #1 guy in free agency but someone who has at least been consistent and healthy that would be a good start.    

Unfortunately the albatross of a contract with Zach really will make or break the team.  He's a huge liability and has had 2 terrible seasons in a row.  I don't know how Condell can fix a guy with a shot arm who throws into triple coverage at the worst times.   

 

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, Nolby said:

Heard his name for a long time, disnt follow him much, whats the break down of his offenses?

A LaPo disciple. Dink & dunk everywhere. Not as many gadget plays as LaPo. Although he did gave Dru Brown throw the ball more than he usually did. Brady better tell him to feed him the ball. He doesn't run the ball much. That means JJ may not be back. 

10 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I'll take signing a guy with at least some proven success over a complete unknown like Hogan.    It can only get better then what we had last year.  

If we can get a proven receiver who doesn't necessarily have to be the #1 guy in free agency but someone who has at least been consistent and healthy that would be a good start.    

Unfortunately the albatross of a contract with Zach really will make or break the team.  He's a huge liability and has had 2 terrible seasons in a row.  I don't know how Condell can fix a guy with a shot arm who throws into triple coverage at the worst times.   

 

What qb out there right now that's available can we get to rid us of the albatross? 

[Brandon]

38 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

A LaPo disciple. Dink & dunk everywhere. Not as many gadget plays as LaPo. Although he did gave Dru Brown throw the ball more than he usually did. Brady better tell him to feed him the ball. He doesn't run the ball much. That means JJ may not be back. 

What qb out there right now that's available can we get to rid us of the albatross? 

MBT looked completely shot last season,  it's unfortunate because he could have been a decent interim starting QB. 

Dustin Crum

Matt Shiltz

Taylor Powell

Jake Maier

None that I'd want to commit long term with... but maybe good enough as a stop gap.    At this point it's a hope and a prayer that Zach can return to form.   I hope whoever our back up is... gets reps this season.  

[wbbfan]

3 hours ago, bigg jay said:

https://3downnation.com/2025/12/18/winnipeg-blue-bombers-expected-to-hire-tommy-condell-as-offensive-coordinator/

 

That’s a surprise to me. 

 

2 hours ago, bigg jay said:

His run with Ottawa was underwhelming but they are a perennial tire fire so not sure how much that falls on him

In 2025, Ottawa finished sixth in net offence, eighth in offensive points, and ninth in yards per play but was 2nd in offensive time of possession.  Long way to say his offense had plenty of opportunity but produced very little.

He does have history with Zach so maybe he can bring some old ZC out.

Most prominently Condell ran a lot of what june jones brought in previously in hamilton, but each year trimmed it back and found less success. 

His 13-15 stretch with zach in hamilton has to be the main reason for this move. Those were zachs good years in hamilton before the down fall. Still not great years for him, but very good. 

His semi recent offences have been allergic to the run game. BUT, he did run the riders in 06 with kenton keith tearing things up before going to the nfl. 

He had kerry joseph that year and was the pass game coach in ott the previous two years with him. 

So moderate offensive success with hank burris, kerry joseph, and zach. 

Also with backs like gable, keith and had solid success with guys like armstead, stanback and others. 

He struggled a lot over many years in two stints with masoli, mbt, franklin and a host of others. 

 

A good chunk of his years up here as a CO has been under hcs who are offensive guys. Trestman, kent austin, Danny barrett, joe paopao as well as running june jones offense. 

I don’t love this move. Hes basically hamiltons version of lapo. He was solid with dru brown but not great with out him. And really fell back on brown just going out and beating defences. Never saw great game planning, play call or adjustments. Didn’t see him deal with adversity well either. 

Edited 12 hours ago by wbbfan

[HardCoreBlue]

39 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

That’s a surprise to me. 

 

Most prominently Condell ran a lot of what june jones brought in previously in hamilton, but each year trimmed it back and found less success. 

His semi recent offences have been allergic to the run game. BUT, he did run the riders in 06 with kenton keith tearing things up before going to the nfl. 

He had kerry joseph that year and was the pass game coach in ott the previous two years with him. 

So moderate offensive success with hank burris, kerry joseph, 

Also with backs like gable, keith and had solid success with guys like armstead, stanback and others. 

He struggled a lot over many years in two stints with masoli, mbt, franklin and a host of others. 

 

A good chunk of his years up here as a CO has been under hcs who are offensive guys. Trestman, kent austin, Danny barrett, joe paopao as well as running june jones offense. 

I don’t love this move. Hes basically hamiltons version of lapo. He was solid with dru brown but not great with out him. And really fell back on brown just going out and beating defences. Never saw great game planning, play call or adjustments. Didn’t see him deal with adversity well either. 

All he has to do is have a great oline to work, a semi decent receiving core, feed the ball to BO to establish the run and have ZC spread the ball around short, mid and long range with some creativity to keep the D off balance. Easy peasy.

[SpeedFlex27]

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

MBT looked completely shot last season,  it's unfortunate because he could have been a decent interim starting QB. 

Dustin Crum

Matt Shiltz

Taylor Powell

Jake Maier

None that I'd want to commit long term with... but maybe good enough as a stop gap.    At this point it's a hope and a prayer that Zach can return to form.   I hope whoever our back up is... gets reps this season.  

Every name... 

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

That’s a surprise to me. 

 

Most prominently Condell ran a lot of what june jones brought in previously in hamilton, but each year trimmed it back and found less success. 

His 13-15 stretch with zach in hamilton has to be the main reason for this move. Those were zachs good years in hamilton before the down fall. Still not great years for him, but very good. 

His semi recent offences have been allergic to the run game. BUT, he did run the riders in 06 with kenton keith tearing things up before going to the nfl. 

He had kerry joseph that year and was the pass game coach in ott the previous two years with him. 

So moderate offensive success with hank burris, kerry joseph, and zach. 

Also with backs like gable, keith and had solid success with guys like armstead, stanback and others. 

He struggled a lot over many years in two stints with masoli, mbt, franklin and a host of others. 

 

A good chunk of his years up here as a CO has been under hcs who are offensive guys. Trestman, kent austin, Danny barrett, joe paopao as well as running june jones offense. 

I don’t love this move. Hes basically hamiltons version of lapo. He was solid with dru brown but not great with out him. And really fell back on brown just going out and beating defences. Never saw great game planning, play call or adjustments. Didn’t see him deal with adversity well either. 

It would be a great disappointment if they hired Condell because like you say, he's just a poor man's recycled version of Paul LaPolice. Condell will be under a lot of pressure to use Brady the team has committed the next three years to Brady & paid him $$$ to keep him here. Four or 5 touches just won't cut it. But historically, as far as the run game goes, he'd a terrible choice. So, we'll see. Also, not a fan of his dink & dunk offense. We might be better off just hiring LaPo again. However, if Hogan is gone then I'll applaud that. He was so bad.

I'd have liked to see Jarious Jackson given a chance at OC. he'd have been my choice. 

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

All he has to do is have a great oline to work, a semi decent receiving core, feed the ball to BO to establish the run and have ZC spread the ball around short, mid and long range with some creativity to keep the D off balance. Easy peasy.

So sayest thou.

[Captain Blue]

Condell is a pretty solid hire I think. He crafted some very good offenses in Hamilton previously. Clear upgrade at OC. 

[blue85gold]

1 minute ago, Captain Blue said:

Condell is a pretty solid hire I think. He crafted some very good offenses in Hamilton previously. Clear upgrade at OC. 

Agree. Whether he is great or not he's a huge upgrade on Hogan.  He'll at least have implemented a full CFL playbook. 

[wbbfan]

10 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

All he has to do is have a great oline to work, a semi decent receiving core, feed the ball to BO to establish the run and have ZC spread the ball around short, mid and long range with some creativity to keep the D off balance. Easy peasy.

It’ll be easy for him to out do hogan or bucks last year here. My concern is the ceiling might not be that much higher. 

23 minutes ago, blue85gold said:

Agree. Whether he is great or not he's a huge upgrade on Hogan.  He'll at least have implemented a full CFL playbook. 

and won’t have nothing developed in tc for the regular season lol 

[Booch]

anyway you slice it...an upgrade and we can only benefit from his hire...Hopefully he realizes he has a feature back to ride, as he tends to neglect the run and force the passing game, and based on BO comments I'm sure he would not have signed here yet...if at all if he didnt get some input and or re-assurance that Condell is gonna use him as the focal point of his offence...He was likely agreed as OC before BO...and Demski signed

[HardCoreBlue]

20 minutes ago, Booch said:

anyway you slice it...an upgrade and we can only benefit from his hire...Hopefully he realizes he has a feature back to ride, as he tends to neglect the run and force the passing game, and based on BO comments I'm sure he would not have signed here yet...if at all if he didnt get some input and or re-assurance that Condell is gonna use him as the focal point of his offence...He was likely agreed as OC before BO...and Demski signed

Although I was taught not to assume, I'm assuming he was informed of that in the interview process so there should be no confusion in the identity we want to set offensively. 

[blue85gold]

25 minutes ago, Booch said:

anyway you slice it...an upgrade and we can only benefit from his hire...Hopefully he realizes he has a feature back to ride, as he tends to neglect the run and force the passing game, and based on BO comments I'm sure he would not have signed here yet...if at all if he didnt get some input and or re-assurance that Condell is gonna use him as the focal point of his offence...He was likely agreed as OC before BO...and Demski signed

Can't discount that he knows Zach too. 

Hell maybe he'll bring Hardy with him as a bonus

[Booch]

16 minutes ago, blue85gold said:

Can't discount that he knows Zach too. 

Hell maybe he'll bring Hardy with him as a bonus

If we could land him at a nice price.....with Pokey...Demski...and whomever after that it would be a great situation....I could see him being a WR that ZC has a real good chemistry with and allow room for others to come free