As the 2026 season approaches, CFL.ca has a new series making the case for every team as a contender to win the 113th Grey Cup, highlighting three reasons why each club has a path to the championship. The series is not intended to make predictions, but to showcase the strengths and potential routes for each team entering the new campaign.
OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS enter 2026 looking very different from the team that finished last in the CFL standings a year ago.
After a 4-14 campaign in 2025, the organization underwent a sweeping overhaul of both the roster and the coaching staff in hopes of ending a decade-long Grey Cup drought.
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1. RYAN DINWIDDIE’S VISION
Ryan Dinwiddie is getting ready for his first year as the Ottawa REDBLACKS head coach (Timothy Matwey/CFL.ca)
The biggest change in Ottawa starts at the top.
Ryan Dinwiddie takes over as both head coach and general manager, bringing a track record of immediate success. From 2021 to 2025 in Toronto, he posted a 51-35 record, turning a four-win team into a contender in his first season.
He inherits a similar situation in Ottawa and now has full control over the roster and its identity.
“We’re moving in the right direction in terms of effort, passion, work ethic, discipline,” said newly signed linebacker A.J. Allen during the CFL’s off-season content capture in April.
Along with Allen, Dinwiddie brought in 11 proven CFL players to help accelerate the turnaround, far and away the most by any team this off-season.
“They brought in some big-name guys that make big plays,” said Calgary receiver Jalen Philpot. “Match that with Ryan Dinwiddie’s offensive mindset, and they should be scary.”
The biggest beneficiary of Dinwiddie’s arrival is quarterback Dru Brown.
Brown threw for 2,389 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in nine starts in 2025, with injuries disrupting his rhythm. Despite those challenges, he flashed his upside in a 373-yard, five-touchdown performance against Dinwiddie’s Argos in Week 10, completing 84 per cent of his passes.
If Brown takes that next step under a coach known for developing quarterbacks, Dinwiddie’s impact could be just as immediate in the nation’s capital as it was in Toronto.
2. STACKED OFFENSIVE WEAPONS
Just Greg Bell doing Greg Bell things!#CFLGameday
📅: @Ticats vs. Argos LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, CTV
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/OJU02IHXe4— CFL (@CFL) October 4, 2025
Given Dinwiddie’s offensive background, it’s no surprise the REDBLACKS prioritized surrounding Brown with playmakers.
The REDBLACKS brought in Greg Bell, an every-down running back who piled up nearly 1,500 scrimmage yards in Hamilton last season. At receiver, Ottawa added Ayden Eberhardt, a fourth-year wideout who flashed in BC, and Andy Isabella, an NFL journeyman whose 4.31 speed adds a vertical threat.
They join an already established group that includes Eugene Lewis, Justin Hardy, Kalil Pimpleton and Keelan White, who recorded 482 receiving yards in his rookie season and could be poised for a breakout.
“I like Keelan White. He’s got sure hands, catches through contact, runs good routes,” said Allen.
On paper, it is one of the deepest collections of skill talent in the CFL. The key will be consistency at quarterback.
If Brown stays healthy, he will have all the weapons he needs to make Ottawa’s offence as dangerous as any in the CFL.
3. DEFENSIVE REINFORCEMENTS
A.J. ALlen signed as a free agent with the Ottawa REDBLACKS this off-season (CFL.ca)
While the offence added firepower, Ottawa made an even bigger investment on defence.
The REDBLACKS added five projected starters: defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado, linebackers Allen and Nyles Morgan, and defensive backs C.J. Reavis, and Demerio Houston. It’s a haul that blends experience with upside: none are over 30, and all are coming off productive seasons.
The unit needed a reset after Ottawa finished second-last in points allowed (29.8 per game) and last in turnovers forced (30) in 2025.
“We’re going to be able to adapt to change the fastest,” said Allen, who was central to the 112th Grey Cup champion Roughriders’ defence. “We’re going to communicate at a high level and show that our turnover is in our benefit.”
That adaptability will be key. With new pieces at every level, if they can come together quickly, Ottawa has the chance to become faster and more disruptive.
