The Winnipeg Blue Bombers head to McMahon Stadium on Friday night carrying a full offseason of anticipation, a roster loaded with high-profile free agent additions, and one quarterback who has been waiting all year to play a complete football game. If the mood coming out of Thursday's press conferences is any indication, this team is locked in — and hungry.
Collaros: Nerves, Fire, and a Point to Always Prove
Zach Collaros has been here before. Multiple Grey Cups, a Hall of Fame resume already in progress, and still — the night before Week 1, the butterflies show up just like clockwork.
"You're always anxious before you get on the field. Just want to get the first hit out of the way and then you're kind of locked into the game. That buildup is something that I'll probably miss someday. It's not fun, but I will miss it." — Zach Collaros
He played exactly one drive in the preseason. One. So Friday night in Calgary isn't just the start of a new season for Collaros — it's the first real football he's played since last November. The contrast from a year ago, when injury uncertainty clouded his entire early season, isn't lost on him either.
"Definitely a much better feeling going into this one. Exciting. Obviously the nerves are there, as they always are the day before a game, just excited to get out there and take to the field what we've practiced the last month or so." — Zach Collaros
When asked if he has anything to prove this year, Collaros didn't flinch. "I always feel like I have something to prove. Always." No asterisk. No qualifier. That's just who he is.
The New Pieces That Could Make Winnipeg Dangerous
The Blue Bombers didn't sit still in the offseason. They went out and got players. Tim White — five straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons — arrives from Hamilton to pair with the electric Pokey Wilson in what could be a genuinely scary receiving corps.
"Pokey, in a short time being here, he's been really explosive. When the ball's in the air, you're very confident that he's gonna go up and make a play on it no matter where it's thrown. When the football is in his hands, he can really create with it." — Zach Collaros
Up front, Stanley Bryant — who Collaros called flat out "the greatest to ever do this" — lines up alongside free agent addition Jarrell Broxton. Then there's Tyler Elsbury making his first CFL start at center. Collaros didn't even blink about it: "He had a great training camp, a great week of practice, and he's got a really good group around him. We have total faith in him."
Head coach Mike O'Shea echoed that confidence in the new faces across the roster. "The guys we added in free agency, we know they're pretty consistent throughout their careers and they play at a very high level. Consistently. So we're all looking forward to that — and so are they."
Ceresna Ready to Roll After a Long Wait
On the other side of the ball, defensive end Jake Ceresna is probably the most eager man in the building. He went down with an injury on Labor Day last season and has been watching ever since. He didn't suit up for either preseason game, which some might flag as a concern — Ceresna isn't buying it.
"I don't really think it's a thing. I think I got enough football under my belt. I felt like I had some great practices at camp, so I just feel ready to go." — Jake Ceresna
Ceresna spent his first full camp learning Jordan Younger's defensive system, and he sounds genuinely bought in — not just saying the right things. "He just puts you in positions to succeed and just lets his playmakers make plays. I kind of see it the same way how I go about it in my brain." That alignment between coordinator and player matters.
"Last season I got hurt on Labor Day, so it's been a little bit for me. It's been kind of an extended offseason and I'm ready to roll." — Jake Ceresna
There's been a lot of noise about Winnipeg's free agent haul — Ceresna, Broxton, White — and he knows the spotlight that comes with it. But he's keeping it simple. "I don't think there's any pressure. I'm just ready to make an impact and do what I can to help the team."
Respect for Calgary — But No Fear
The Stampeders finished last year with a defense that gave Winnipeg fits, and nobody in the Bombers' locker room is pretending otherwise. Collaros credited Calgary's ability to generate pressure and the way coordinator Lola mixes his packages to keep offenses guessing. "Their consistency. They're very talented. They really do a great job of getting after the passer. It's a challenge."
O'Shea, in his own way, agreed — while also putting some of the blame squarely on his own team. Asked what made Calgary so hard to play against last year, his first answer was two words: "Us." He walked it back slightly with a grin, but the point stands. "There was a couple of games we played against them where we made a lot of mistakes too."
Ceresna zeroed in on Calgary's ground game as the first priority. Running back Patrick Mills led the league in rushing last year, and Ceresna was blunt about what that means defensively. "He's just really good at everything. Athletic, explosive. Always falls forward. It's going to be a tall task for us and we just got to look to stop the run."
The Ceiling on This Team
O'Shea isn't a man who deals in bulletin board material or sweeping proclamations. "I think we're a good football team on paper right now," is about as far as he'll go. He wants to see how the group handles the grind of a full season before handing out any labels.
Ceresna was more willing to go there. "I think we could be a great team. We got to put in the effort, put in the work, and execute the game plan. But I think we have great potential." He also lit up when talking about who he's excited to finally share a field with — naming Willie Jefferson, Tony Jones, and then pointing across to the offensive side of the ball where he spent years trying to beat Collaros and Brady Oliveira. "Going up against those guys for years, I know what great competitors they are. So I'm just excited that we're sharing the same colors now."
Friday night in Calgary is the first real test. For Collaros, it's a chance to play chess after a month of practice. For Ceresna, it's the end of a very long wait. For O'Shea, it's just Week 1 — nothing more, nothing less. But with this roster? There's a lot of reason to watch.
Watch the Full Videos
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Zach Collaros | June 4
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Coach O'Shea | June 4
Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Jake Ceresna | June 4