Per 3downnation, these are our free agents ... basically everyone but Zach, Vaval, Peterson, Clercius, Randolph, Wallace, Pokey Wilson, MCI, Allen, T. Jones, and Leroux the longsnapper.  

Quarterback

Chris Streveler (A)

Running back

Brady Oliveira (N)

Receiver

Kody Case (A)
Nic Demski (N)
Dillon Mitchell (A)
Dalton Schoen (A)
Jerreth Sterns (A)
Keric Wheatfall (A)

OL

Stanley Bryant (A)
Tui Eli (N)
Chris Kolankowski (N)
Eric Lofton (A)
Patrick Neufeld (N)

Defensive line

Willie Jefferson (A)
Cameron Lawson (N)
Tanner Schmekel (N)
Jake Thomas (N)
James Vaughters (A)
Jamal Woods (A)

Linebacker

Tanner Cadwallader (N)
Shayne Gauthier (N)
Kyrie Wilson (A)

Defensive back

Terrell Bonds (A)
Michael Griffin II (A)
Nick Hallett (N)
Evan Holm (A)
Demerio Houston (A)
Redha Kramdi (N)
Enock Makonzo (N)
Deatrick Nichols (A)
Jamal Parker (A)

Specialist

Sergio Castillo (A)
Jamieson Sheahan (G)

Edited November 12, 2025Nov 12 by johnzo

58 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Well the depth also took a hit because as your vets and starters eat up more of your cap you don't have the same depth. 2019, 2021 those teams were deep as hell.

thats where u have to see past the present and realize/decide when to walk away from certain vets and starters and have already put time and into the successor's and not look backwards and pay mightily for declining older talent who command a bigger pay cheque....we failed in that regard in a huge way....we also failed in our rigidity in how we used ratio and missed out on a lot of ralent we could have went after, rather than just clinging to pieces that were on the wrong side of their best before date, but still commanded bigger bucks

53 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

So who should lose their job? Or is it their hands are tied, they have too many challenges attracting available players to play here, nothing they can do? Or what is the main struggle here?

the inferior player should regardless of their tenure here....or their nationality...or if it's one of Osh's love affairs...and if it's a saw off....the one who is younger and may have more upside within them...not the one who only has downside

48 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Okay fair statement so quality depth is out of the question cuz we need to eat our cap to get quality starters. Yes?

not necessarily....our draft strategy was nit the best approach either.

12 minutes ago, Booch said:

thats where u have to see past the present and realize/decide when to walk away from certain vets and starters and have already put time and into the successor's and not look backwards and pay mightily for declining older talent who command a bigger pay cheque....we failed in that regard in a huge way....we also failed in our rigidity in how we used ratio and missed out on a lot of ralent we could have went after, rather than just clinging to pieces that were on the wrong side of their best before date, but still commanded bigger bucks

the inferior player should regardless of their tenure here....or their nationality...or if it's one of Osh's love affairs...and if it's a saw off....the one who is younger and may have more upside within them...not the one who only has downside

not necessarily....our draft strategy was nit the best approach either.

I'm not talking about what players should lose their jobs, I'm talking about what scouting personale should lose their jobs by scouting inferior players or is it you can't hold them accountable because of things out of their control? I'm a bit confused here in what/who is accoutable for our depth inferiority. Combination of a whole slew of things?

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by HardCoreBlue

Honestly I think the root cause was hanging onto expensive guys too long and not moving on sooner. Helps balance how your cap is allocated and increase the overall competition.

Just my opinion anyway.

41 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly I think the root cause was hanging onto expensive guys too long and not moving on sooner. Helps balance how your cap is allocated and increase the overall competition.

Just my opinion anyway.

I think that is a big part of it. I also think we kept sitting on money for flexibility. Glad that is over and we are back to competing in free agency.

Our biggest problem last year IMO was that we lost both lines of scrimmage. And it was especially bad on offense because we had virtually zero game breaking receivers. How that came to be can be debated. But, I am glad they spent on both lines this off-season.

2 minutes ago, BBlink said:

Our biggest problem last year IMO was that we lost both lines of scrimmage. And it was especially bad on offense because we had virtually zero game breaking receivers. How that came to be can be debated. But, I am glad they spent on both lines this off-season.

I think the Ol still performed as we had Brady reach 1,100 yards rushing despite Hogan ignoring his rushing abilities at times. The upgrades we have are going to help. On D, it was the DL that was such an overall weakness. How it was allowed to deteriorate is something I'd like to know. You win championships with a dominant line. Not sure if I'm happy about playing a 3 man front. We'll see.

3 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly I think the root cause was hanging onto expensive guys too long and not moving on sooner. Helps balance how your cap is allocated and increase the overall competition.

Just my opinion anyway.

To me it looked like Walters got passive and did not challenge O'Shea on his player utilization, likely because O'Shea had accumulated an aura of infallibility, or maybe Walters just trusted him and gave him carte blanche. In his recent presser, Walters had a completely different tone to his statements than in previous pressers, and maybe he had a fireside chat with Miller.

3 hours ago, wbbfan said:

I think that is a big part of it. I also think we kept sitting on money for flexibility. Glad that is over and we are back to competing in free agency.

Its difficult to understand Walters' thinking in not going all-out for a Grey Cup game at home. Many fans and players will not have a second chance to see their team win The Game at home. It would have been legendary.

9 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

So who should lose their job? Or is it their hands are tied, they have too many challenges attracting available players to play here, nothing they can do? Or what is the main struggle here?

Walters & Osh should have both been let go when their contracts were up at the end of last season. They got a reprieve from Miller. Probably told to smarten up & actually do their jobs. Walters certainly took that to heart. Now, we'll see if Osh can get back to where he was in 2019.

15 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Honestly I think the root cause was hanging onto expensive guys too long and not moving on sooner. Helps balance how your cap is allocated and increase the overall competition.

Just my opinion anyway.

14 hours ago, wbbfan said:

I think that is a big part of it. I also think we kept sitting on money for flexibility. Glad that is over and we are back to competing in free agency.

yeah...was a major part, and we also never truly allowed guys to actually develop and show they had the chops.....rode our guys into stubby nibs with zero practical experience behind them

16 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

I'm not talking about what players should lose their jobs, I'm talking about what scouting personale should lose their jobs by scouting inferior players or is it you can't hold them accountable because of things out of their control? I'm a bit confused here in what/who is accoutable for our depth inferiority. Combination of a whole slew of things?

I not really of the opinion the scouting failed us for the most part.....more that Osh isnt a really good evaluator of talent and some thje things in his mind that he deems important, don't translate on the field or always are the best option skill/performance wise....History here shows when he is handed great talent/established talent in their prime he seems like a genius but when he has to at times sift thru it and inearth players handed to him or creaye solutions on the fly....big swing and a miss more often than a hit

Delete.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by SpeedFlex27

2 hours ago, Booch said:

yeah...was a major part, and we also never truly allowed guys to actually develop and show they had the chops.....rode our guys into stubby nibs with zero practical experience behind them

I not really of the opinion the scouting failed us for the most part.....more that Osh isnt a really good evaluator of talent and some thje things in his mind that he deems important, don't translate on the field or always are the best option skill/performance wise....History here shows when he is handed great talent/established talent in their prime he seems like a genius but when he has to at times sift thru it and inearth players handed to him or creaye solutions on the fly....big swing and a miss more often than a hit

He's been here since 2014 and won his first grey cup in 2019. Thinking he had something to do with that talent.

7 minutes ago, bryan35 said:

He's been here since 2014 and won his first grey cup in 2019. Thinking he had something to do with that talent.

That's not what Booch is saying... He is saying he doesn't know how to maximize the talent he already has. That he's played favourites with guys for many years who had no business being on the roster anymore. Like Koala & Thomas to name a few.

33 minutes ago, bryan35 said:

He's been here since 2014 and won his first grey cup in 2019. Thinking he had something to do with that talent.

Yeah he played the in prime talent Walter's plopped in his lap...top guys across the board in the league at many positions....bookend those 2 yrs with what we seen...not a lot of answers and success...People will say "hey...first pace finish....5 straight cups"...yaddda yadda...but when the chips were on the table we lost more than we won...and had zero answers for a lot of things leading up to the big games...and got out coached in all them...and really if not for a dumb Ticat decision in the second cup...we'd have lost 4 of the 5

Sure I can say he had a hand in it...But wasnt the sole reason tho....But can say he was one the key and main reasons tho for the successive failures yr over yr

This yr Walter's has woke up and again handed him the tools for a push to be first again...big question for 2026 is Osh gonna be a HC who utilizes it, or is he gonna be a HC like we seen the last 4 yrs and eff it up with dumb decisions?....time will tell

30 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

That's not what Booch is saying... He is saying he doesn't know how to maximize the talent he already has. That he's played favourites with guys for many years who had no business being on the roster anymore. Like Koala & Thomas to name a few.

Bingo...this will be a real test this yr as to what Osh has and is all about....We cant blame Walters this yr...he purged some dead weight that should have been yrs ago...signed the 2 best lineman on each side of ball...2 legit receivers....and our key FA that we couldnt afford to lose

Now it's up to Osh to assemble the best group based on talent...upside...usefulness outside of ST's....and not a team based on his personal opinion and bias....can he do it?

50 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

That's not what Booch is saying... He is saying he doesn't know how to maximize the talent he already has. That he's played favourites with guys for many years who had no business being on the roster anymore. Like Koala & Thomas to name a few.

Totally agree on those points but think he's had a significant say with the talent brought in over the years

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by bryan35

I talked to Neufeld, Sheahan and Cadwallader at Festival du Voyageur this weekend. Neufeld had an interesting comment--said the team looks a lot better than last year. He mentioned playing against Ceresna and lobbying hard to get him here.