Veteran quarterback Zach Collaros has agreed to a restructured contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, which saves the team $50,000 in salary cap space for the 2026 season, per sources.
Collaros received two separate $100,000 offseason bonuses as scheduled on January 1 and January 15. Under his old deal, he would have earned an additional $400,000 in base salary, bringing his total earnings to an even $600,000.
However, Collaros’ new contract will now pay him $300,000 in base salary. That came with a $50,000 signing bonus, maxing out at $550,000 in hard money. The 13-year veteran remains the CFL’s third-highest-paid QB behind Nathan Rourke at $684,000 and Chad Kelly at $625,000 for the upcoming campaign.
The 37-year-old did not add any additional years to his contract with Winnipeg, which is set to expire following the 2026 season. He recently indicated it could be his final year playing professional football.
Collaros completed 72.5 percent of his passes for 3,048 yards with 17 touchdowns against 16 interceptions last year. He rushed 18 times for 130 yards, 7.2 per carry, with one major. He started 13 regular-season games, producing a 6-7 win-loss record as the Blue and Gold went 10-8 and earned a crossover playoff spot in the East Division.
Through 171 games — 143 starts — the six-foot-one, 218-pound QB has compiled an 89-54 win-loss record while completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 35,983 yards — 15th all-time — with 216 touchdowns against 117 interceptions. He’s also carried the football 261 times for 1,453 yards, 5.6 per carry, with 11 touchdowns.
The Steubenville, Ohio native has won three Grey Cups, two as a starter, led the CFL in passing yards three times, earned two Most Outstanding Player awards and been named a league all-star twice. He has started 77 games for the Blue Bombers, throwing for 19,165 yards with 126 touchdowns against 66 interceptions.
Winnipeg was active in CFL free agency, signing receivers Tommy Nield and Tim White, offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, and defensive back Jonathan Moxey. The team had a few departures, including receiver Keric Wheatfall (Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and defensive lineman James Vaughters (Saskatchewan Roughriders). While Jake Thomas, the team’s longest-tenured player, retired to become the Blue and Gold’s defensive line coach.
The Bombers hold the fourth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. ET. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on Sunday, May 10. Winnipeg plays the team’s first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, May 23 and first regular-season game against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday, June 5.
In 2025, the Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
