With five preseason games already in the books, the countdown to the 2026 CFL season is almost over.
But before we get to the regular season, there’s still lots to dissect and talk about.
Here are five things we’ve learned throughout the preseason so far.
OTTAWA’S QBS ARE QUITE ALRIGHT
Heading into the 2026 season, Dru Brown is the starting quarterback for the REDBLACKS. He’s been their No. 1 guy, despite missing significant time because of injuries over the last few seasons.
So in Ottawa’s preseason opener, Brown was not thrust into action. Instead, it was the backups, Jake Maier, Bryson Barnes and Max Duggan, who stood behind centre, leading the REDBLACKS’ offence.
Maier and Barnes saw the majority of the action. Maier played in the first two quarters, connecting on 10 of 14 passes for 155 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Barnes saw action in quarters three and four, throwing for 109 yards and completing all eight passes he attempted, while also rushing in a touchdown. Duggan attempted seven passes, completing four of them for 20 yards.
With Brown leading the way, the REDBLACKS should feel secure in their quarterback room this season.
HAS HAMILTON FOUND THEIR RUNNING BACK?
One of the bigger storylines during training camp this year has been who will emerge as the starting running back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with Greg Bell moving on to Ottawa.
In Hamilton’s preseason game against Toronto on Saturday, Larry Rountree III firmly entered his name into the conversation. He also had the personality to match in his halftime interview with TSN’s Danielle Bain.
Rountree scored the Ticats’ lone touchdown of the game, a 46-yard scamper late in the first quarter. The former NFL Draft pick finished his debut with nine carries for 86 yards, averaging 9.6 yards per rush. Has he done enough to separate himself from the rest of the running backs on the roster?
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
A pair of 2026 CFL Canadian Draft picks made their mark on the weekend in their debuts. For young talent looking to crack the roster, preseason performances can potentially help move them up the depth chart.
Defensive back Ethan John, Toronto’s second-round pick, picked off Ticats quarterback Jake Dolegala in the fourth quarter. John also had a tackle on defence and on special teams. Linebacker Justin Pace, who was selected by the Edmonton Elks in the fourth round of this year’s draft, tallied his first CFL sack against the BC Lions. Pace also collected three tackles and a knockdown.
It wasn’t just draft picks making noise defensively, either.
Lions linebacker Ralen Goforth tallied a game-high seven tackles against Edmonton, while linebacker Jaylen Smith roamed around the Bombers defence against the Riders, racking up five tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss.
SOME ARE ALREADY IN MID-SEASON FORM
It may just be preseason, but wasn’t it great to see some of the CFL stars doing what they do best?
In the opening game of the 2026 preseason slate on Monday, May 18, the Stampeders hosted the Roughriders and immediately reminded their fans of what’s to come. Vernon Adams Jr. completed one of his signature big plays, a 70-yard major to Jalen Philpot. Something tells me we’re going to see quite a bit more of that connection heading into the summer months.
Both Zach Collaros and Trevor Harris started for the Bombers and Riders this past Saturday. Collaros opened the game with a drive down the field to set up a Brady Oliveira two-yard rushing touchdown. Harris said, I can do that too, and led his own drive down the field, where AJ Ouellette plunged in for his own two-yard score.
Both quarterbacks were done for the day after those drives, giving way to Canadian Taylor Elgersma and Bryce Perkins to get reps for Winnipeg and Jack Coan, Tommy Stevens and Brayden Schager to get time for Saskatchewan.
EDMONTON’S RECEIVING DEPTH STANDS OUT
Austin Mack signed with Edmonton this off-season, igniting excitement about him reuniting with quarterback Cody Fajardo. While Fajardo did play in the preseason game against BC, he wasn’t the one who passed Mack his first touchdown strike as an Elk. Instead, it was Taylor Powell who threw a 17-yard major to the receiver.
Along with Mack, the Elks used their preseason game to get a ton of pass-catchers into action, as 10 receivers and two running backs recorded at least one catch.
2026 CFL Canadian Draft pick Carter Kettyle hauled in two of the three passes thrown his way for 65 yards and a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown in his debut, averaging 32.5 yards per catch. Jalon Calhoun also scored a major for the Elks, connecting on two of three passes thrown in his direction. Joshua Cephus also turned heads, catching all five of his targets on the day for 36 yards.
