Here’s some good news for football fans: the eight-week countdown to the beginning of training camp 2026 has officially started. Between now and then, we’ve got a couple significant dates to cross off the calendar.
First up is the CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness Canada, which goes March 27 to 29 in Edmonton. After that, it’s the 2026 CFL Draft on April 28, with the Global Draft set to take place the following day. Rookie camps open May 6 and main camp gets going on May 10.
As we really start to gear up for a brand-new campaign, we’re following up last week’s Monday Morning Quarterback where we highlighted one key decision for each West Division team. This week, we’re doing the same thing with the East Division.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Bo Levi Mitchell’s return
Like last week with Trevor Harris and Saskatchewan, the biggest decision for the Ticats this winter was somewhat out of their hands. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell had hinted about an uncertain future following Hamilton’s heartbreaking loss to the Alouettes in November’s Eastern Final. But after a few weeks of reflection, 36-year-old Mitchell chose to run it back, signing a two-year extension in mid-December.
It’s a huge win for the Tiger-Cats, who own the league’s longest current Grey Cup drought. Mitchell is coming off two resurgent seasons after some wondered if his time as an elite pivot had come to an end. Mitchell has been the league’s leading passer for two consecutive years, which included 5,296 yards and 36 touchdowns last season. Mitchell’s early decision to come back set Hamilton’s entire course for the rest of the off-season.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Hiring Ryan Dinwiddie
New head coach Ryan Dinwiddie arrives in Ottawa after five successful seasons leading the Toronto Argonauts (The Canadian Press)
After snapping a string of four straight seasons out of the playoffs in 2024, the REDBLACKS took a disappointing step back last year. Finishing 4-14, Ottawa felt it was time for a change and fired head coach Bob Dyce in late October. Less than two weeks later, the REDBLACKS shocked the league by hiring Ryan Dinwiddie out of Toronto as their new head coach and general manager.
It was quite the coup for Ottawa. In five seasons with the Argos, Dinwiddie established himself as one of the league’s most successful head coaches. Toronto reached the Eastern Final in each of Dinwiddie’s first four seasons at the helm, winning the Grey Cup twice during that span. Even with a 5-13 record in 2025, Dinwiddie makes the jump with a 0.593 career winning percentage and feels like the perfect guy to bring the REDBLACKS back to contention.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Taking a breath
Head coach Mike Miller takes over in Toronto as the Argonauts embrace a “reset, not regret” approach to the 2026 season (Thomas Skrlj/CFL.ca)
With the combination of last year’s disappointing campaign and the loss of Dinwiddie, the Argos were forced to reevaluate things. But instead of panicking after a down year amidst all that success, general manager Michael “Pinball” Clemons took a calm, measured approach this off-season. Toronto took their time and promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Miller to head coach and approached free agency in a calm, calculated manner.
“We say reset, not regret,” Clemons told CFL.ca at the CFL Winter Meetings in January. “So, we’re glad it happened. We had a very successful stint there, but now with the reset, we think we get a chance to recharge ourselves again.”
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
An early statement
After falling just short of winning the 112th Grey Cup in November, the Als were always going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch this winter. And with franchise quarterback Davis Alexander under contract through 2028, the big priority for Montreal was going to be keeping their core together. They wasted no time in starting that process by signing their two most important pending free agents just two weeks after their season ended.
The Alouettes made the league’s first big free agency news by signing offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage and receiver Tyson Philpot to multi-year extensions in early December. Lestage is coming off his first East Division All-CFL nod in 2025, while Philpot looks on the verge of a true superstar season. Getting both done so early was an important statement for Montreal.
