The beauty of every CFL training camp rests in the unblemished hope that abounds in every huddle and every locker room across the land.
The standings are 0-0. Every team is on equal footing. New playbooks look promising on paper. New faces feel like answers to old problems.
And then the opening whistle blasts and the games begin.
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BC LIONS | CAN THE BIG BOYS UP FRONT PROTECT NATHAN ROURKE’S BLIND SIDE?
Jarell Broxton left a massive hole on the BC offensive line this off-season by signing with Winnipeg.
The six-foot-five, 325-pound behemoth constantly steered defensive linemen to the inside, allowing Nathan Rourke the time and space to throw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions last season. Offensive linemen rarely generate headlines — unless they mess up — but Broxton’s impact can’t be understated.
Kory Woodruff has been getting the first look as his replacement, bouncing outside from his regular spot at guard. Woodruff says he sees Broxton as a big brother, and he credits the All-CFL lineman for teaching him over the last few years. But Woodruff, 26, says he’s ready to take the torch.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS | CAN THE STAMPS SUCCEED UNDER PRESSURE AS GREY CUP HOSTS?
Head coach/general manager Dave Dickenson is no stranger to the extra scrutiny that comes with hosting the Grey Cup, and Calgary is hungry for a return to the championship game for the first time since 2018.
True to their long-standing philosophy, the Stampeders held off on making big changes during the off-season in favour of sticking with the long-term game plan that features savvy veteran Vernon Adams Jr. at quarterback, bulldozer Dedrick Mills at tailback and the trio of Reggie Begelton, Jalen Philpot and Tevin Jones at receiver.
On defence, the Stamps are trying to fill the massive hole left by Jaylon Hutchings departing for the NFL. But overall, the 2026 Stampeders look much like the 2025 Stampeders, and Dickenson is banking on those players giving Calgary fans a chance to cheer on the Stamps at a hometown Grey Cup.
EDMONTON ELKS | CAN THE ELKS AVOID ANOTHER AWFUL START?
It doesn’t take a football guru to determine every team wants to start the season off right with confidence-building wins and valuable points in the standings (they count no matter when you earn them.) But the importance of a strong start is arguably highest in Edmonton with the Elks in Year 2 of the Mark Kilam era.
In his first season as head coach, Kilam’s Elks posted a 1-6 record through the first seven games, a slight improvement from Edmonton’s 0-7 record in 2024 and an abysmal 0-9 start in 2023.
From the outside, there’s plenty of reason for optimism for a team that last qualified for the playoffs in 2019. Quarterback Cody Fajardo is dependable, accurate and a proven winner with two Grey Cup titles on his resume. Tailback Justin Rankin is a top-flight threat on the ground. The addition of sackmaster Malik Carney from Saskatchewan should aid the defence. But the Elks need to pull it all together and win before the back-to-school sales start this summer.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS | CAN SASKATCHEWAN AVOID THE CUSTOMARY GREY CUP HANGOVER?
Let’s face it. A Grey Cup championship is a big deal for any team. But in football-mad Saskatchewan, a Grey Cup title means endless free drinks, autograph signings and public adulation — along with an unspoken (or spoken) demand to do it all over again.
It’s up to reigning CFL Coach of the Year Corey Mace to steer his club away from the possible letdown and train their focus on the task at hand. Most of the big names are back on offence for a shot at another title, including quarterback Trevor Harris, running back AJ Ouellette and tackle Jermarcus Hardrick. On defence, the picture is fuzzier due to the departures of key cogs such as Malik Carney, Habakkuk Baldonado and A.J. Allen.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS | CAN WINNIPEG DEFY FATHER TIME?
Head coach Mike O’Shea openly balks at anyone who suggests the Blue Bombers field too many players beyond their best-before dates, including quarterback Zach Collaros (37), left tackle Stanley Bryant (40) and defensive end Willie Jefferson (35).
The Bombers made five straight Grey Cup appearances for a reason before failing to advance in 2025, and O’Shea believes their championship window is still open. General manager Kyle Walters was aggressive in free agency, with his biggest splash coming with the signing of offensive tackle Jarell Broxton from BC to help protect Collaros and open holes for running back Brady Oliveira. Speedy receiver Tim White is another key addition, moving over from Hamilton.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS: CAN HAMILTON FINALLY TURN PROMISE INTO PAYOFF?
The Tiger-Cats finished the 2025 season in heartbreaking fashion on a walk-off field goal by Montreal with no time left on the clock in the Eastern Final.
The Tiger-Cats last hoisted the Grey Cup in 1999, and there’s every reason to believe this could be the year for the long-suffering Steeltown faithful — they’ve heard this refrain many times before.
Bo Levi Mitchell is back at quarterback. Standout receiver Kenny Lawler signed a contract extension through 2028. Linebacker Wynton McManis, a three-time Grey Cup champion, left the archrival Toronto Argonauts to join defensive end Julian Howsare and co. in Hamilton. Optimism abounds in Hamilton, but they need to close the deal.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES: IS DAVIS ALEXANDER TRULY HEALTHY?
No one can doubt Davis Alexander’s ability to play through pain. After all, he very nearly willed the Alouettes to the Grey Cup while playing with a gnarly hamstring last season.
Alexander, 27, declared himself 100 per cent healthy on the first day of training camp, but he only lasted 15 minutes in the first preseason game before leaving for precautionary reasons with an apparent injury to his right knee.
Alexander brings a swagger and a confidence to the point the Alouettes clearly believe they can win any game with him on the field. Without him, it’s up to backup Dustin Crum to get the ball into the hands of his receivers and hold the line.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS | CAN RYAN DINWIDDIE TURN THE TIDE?
It’s officially the Ryan Dinwiddie show in Ottawa this year after the CFL’s Coach of the Year in 2023 left the familiar confines of Toronto to become head coach and general manager in the nation’s capital.
Dinwiddie wasted no time in retooling his roster by luring explosive running back Greg Bell from Hamilton, along with linebacker A.J. Allen and defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado from Saskatchewan. Receiver Eugene Lewis is a standout and it will be Jake Maier at quarterback for Dinwiddie’s new-look lineup.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS | CAN THE ARGOS SILENCE THE NAYSAYERS?
If adversity builds championship teams, the Argos might very well be hoisting the Grey Cup come Nov. 15 in Calgary. During the CFL’s content capture in April, players anonymously ranked the strongest teams – not including their own – heading into the 2026 season. The Argos ranked ninth. With a new head coach in Mike Miller at the helm, the Argos don’t play their first regular season home game until Week 10 due to the World Cup in Toronto.
Chad Kelly — no stranger himself to challenging circumstances — is back as the starting quarterback for the Argos after missing all of last year recovering from a nasty leg injury he suffered during the 2024 Eastern Final. Kelly was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023, so a return to form could mean big things for a team that some have counted out before the opening snap.
