Extensive player turnover was supposed to be a thing of the past in Edmonton, but it certainly hasn’t looked that way this offseason.
The Elks may have had the fewest pending free agents of any CFL franchise with 18, but just six of them will be back in Green and Gold in 2026. Add in the trade of linebacker Nyles Morgan and the release of left tackle Martez Ivey, and 14 prominent faces from last year’s team won’t be returning.
In their place are eight notable free agent additions — a new crop of talent that general manager Ed Hervey insists is the last blast of the pressure washer needed to purge the grime of the Chris Jones era.
The playoffs are his expectation for year two of this regime, though that is a monumental ask in a crowded West Division. Even so, it is hard to argue that a compelling roster hasn’t been compiled in Edmonton.
That starts on the defensive side of the ball, where coordinator J.C. Sherritt’s unit will be expected to get off to a much faster start than they did a year ago. As the team found its footing down the stretch, they believe they uncovered several young budding stars, and as a result, the lineup was only tweaked.
That tweak’s name is Malik Carney, who arrives from Saskatchewan with a hefty new contract and an elite pass-rushing pedigree. Though he’s never produced jaw-dropping sack totals, the 30-year-old is a consistent pressure generator who should help Edmonton improve on their abysmal 24 sack total from last year.
The Elks did retain a couple of their high-priced underperforming linemen in Brandon Barlow and Robbie Smith, which should facilitate a deep rotation off the edge with Carney and the blossoming Noah Taylor receiving top billing. Jake Ceresna is gone after an injury-plagued campaign, but the team will get a healthy Noah Curtis back in the lineup, which provides a massive boost to Canadian depth. Though not yet officially under contract, top 2025 CFL Draft prospect Darien Newell should help similarly once he is eligible to sign after his PED ban.
Forcing the departure of Morgan was the presence of three budding young linebackers in 2024 Most Outstanding Rookie Nick Anderson, former first overall CFL Draft pick Joel Dublanko, and second-year American Brock Mogensen. That trio could be deployed in a number of ways, but expect all of them to get meaningful minutes. I’d give Dublanko the edge to start as a Canadian option, but the Elks have plenty of ratio flexibility and could go in a variety of different directions.
The secondary is equally youthful, with cornerback J.J. Ross and strong-side linebacker Kenneth Logan Jr. looking like exceptional young prospects. Ratio breaker Tyrell Ford, and halfbacks Kobe Williams and Kordell Jackson are all proven commodities. Chelen Garnes has proven he can hold down the fort at safety while Royce Metchie continues to work back from injury.
Substantially more has changed on the offensive side of the ball, particularly in the receiving corps. The Elks have bet big on the ability of Austin Mack to return to his 2023 form and shake off the flash-in-the-pan label, while Joe Robustelli joins as a high upside addition from the Riders. O.J. Hiliare’s late-season performance bodes well for his opportunity as a full-time starter, while Kaion Julien-Grant holds firm as the top Canadian target with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. gone. Zach Mathis and Brendan O’Leary-Orange will battle for the final ratio spot.
Up front, there are equally positive shifts on what has become a very pricey offensive line. The arrival of Coulter Woodmansey as the highest-paid blocker in the league should allow Carter O’Donnell, last season’s NFL saviour, to kick out to right tackle and replace Brett Boyko, strengthening both spots immensely. On the left side, free agent additions Brendan Bordner and Jordan Murray will battle for supremacy as they did in Hamilton, though promising prospect Greg Eiland also offers some intrigue.
In the backfield, there are no questions. Cody Fajardo is the undisputed man under centre, with Taylor Powell arriving in town as a reliable backup option. Justin Rankin gives the team a workhorse back with home-run potential, while returner Javon Leake is as lethal a change of pace options as you’ll find in the league. The retirement of fullback Tanner Green arguably leaves the biggest hole on the roster, but the team invested a high draft pick in Skyler Griffith last season with the understanding that he would miss the entire year. You have to imagine he is the heir apparent.
While not every position on the Elks’ depth chart fills you with unbridled confidence, there are no outright question marks and very few areas of obvious competition. The new-look Green and Gold are more talented and deeper than they were last season, though they may not be able to maintain the second half of that equation for very long. A cursory run of the numbers shows that Edmonton doesn’t have much salary cap wiggle room, and you wonder if some of the high-priced projected backups, like Boyko, will survive training camp.
Even if they don’t, there are reasons to be excited about a team with a burgeoning young defence, a reinvigorated offence, and quality Canadian talent. The question is whether it will be enough to leapfrog established contenders in the playoff race.
Edmonton Elks 2026 offseason overview
Added
OL Brendan Bordner (A)
DL Malik Carney (A)
REC Austin Mack (A)
OL Jordan Murray (A)
REC Brendan O’Leary-Orange (N)
QB Taylor Powell (A)
REC Joe Robustelli (A)
OL Coulter Woodmansey (N)
Re-signed (* indicates practice roster player)
REC Ayir Asante (A)*
DL Brandon Barlow (A)
DL Francis Bemiy (N)
QB Cody Fajardo (A)
REC Justin McGriff (A)*
DL Gavin Meyer (A)*
FB Jacob Plamondon (N)
DL Noah Taylor (A)
DB Kobe Williams (A)
QB Zach Zebrowski (A)*
Not retained
LB Michael Brodrique (N) — Ottawa Redblacks
DB Devodric Bynum (A) — Calgary Stampeders
DL Jake Ceresna (A) — Winnipeg Blue Bombers
REC Steven Dunbar Jr. (A) — retired
REC Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (N) — Hamilton Tiger-Cats
P Cody Grace (G) — retired
FB Tanner Green (N) — retired
OL Martez Ivey (A) — Ottawa Redblacks (released)
DL Jonathan Kongbo (N) — Toronto Argonauts
OL Gregor MacKellar (N) — Ottawa Redblacks
REC Tyson Middlemost (N) — Hamilton Tiger-Cats
LB Nyles Morgan (A) — Ottawa Redblacks (via trade)
LB Josiah Schakel (N) — retired
REC Arkell Smith (A) — free agent
