Winnipeg Blue Bombers to start rookie centre Tyler Elsbury against Calgary

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have listed Tyler Elsbury as their starting centre against the Calgary Stampeders for their regular-season debut on Friday night. The team issued its official depth chart on Thursday morning.

The University of Iowa product made the team’s practice roster out of training camp last year but left the squad in mid-July to attend to a personal matter. He rejoined the club in December and made the active roster after training camp.

The 24-year-old native of Byron, Ill. will start over veteran Tui Eli, who reportedly gained weight this offseason to move from tight end to centre. Last year’s starting centre, Chris Kolankowski, was released in January and has since signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The Blue Bombers will have two other inexperienced players in the starting lineup against the Stampeders, both of whom are on the defensive side of the ball.

Kydran Jenkins, a 23-year-old out of Purdue University, played the team’s regular-season finale in 2025 and recorded one tackle and one sack. The six-foot, 270-pound defender has won the starting job opposite Willie Jefferson, though newcomer De’Shaan Dixon will also dress in a depth role.

Major Williams will start at boundary cornerback, filling a spot that was a revolving door last year. The Carson-Newman University product had a stint on Winnipeg’s practice roster late last season and returned for 2026, beating out Warren Burrell and Ridge Texada for the starting job.

Other rookies who have cracked the roster in depth roles include backup quarterbacks Taylor Elgersma and Bryce Perkins, first-round draft pick Nuer Gatkuoth, second-round draft pick Dante Daniels, and mid-round draft picks Brody Clark and Ethan Stuart.

Five of Winnipeg’s big-name free-agent additions will be in the starting lineup, including receivers Tim White and Tommy Nield, offensive tackle Jarell Broxton, defensive tackle Jake Ceresna, and field-side cornerback Jonathan Moxey.

White played only one series in the preseason but caught three passes for 57 yards from Zach Collaros, leading to a touchdown from Brady Oliveira against Saskatchewan.

The team has also shifted a few veteran players, flip-flopping Tony Jones to weak-side linebacker and Kyrie Wilson to middle linebacker. Redha Kramdi has moved from strong-side linebacker to safety, with Michael Griffin II filling Kramdi’s old spot.

Off the field, the Blue Bombers have placed Canadian offensive lineman Ethan Vibert on the reserve roster, a new designation for 2026. The Regina native was a third-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft out of South Dakota State University and spent his entire rookie year on the practice roster.

Six players have also hit the six-game injured list, including Canadian receiver Kevens Clercius, American offensive lineman Micah Vanterpool, Canadian defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel, Canadian linebacker Lane Novak, American linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, American defensive back Cam Allen, and Canadian defensive back Ethan Ball.

Santos-Knox has already been ruled out for the year due to an injury he suffered on the first day of training camp.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-0) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (0-0) at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 5 with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Blue Bombers are coming off an East Semi-Final loss to the Montreal Alouettes, while the Stampeders lost last year’s West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.

The weather forecast in Calgary calls for a high of 20 degrees and a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 680 CJOB in Winnipeg and 770 CHQR in Calgary.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

John Hodge is a longtime Canadian football reporter, insider, and podcaster for 3DownNation. Based in Winnipeg, Hodge is also a freelance television and radio broadcaster and curling reporter for Rock Channel.