4 things to watch in the CFL preseason

Matthew Cauz

CFL.ca

@mcauz56

The start of the CFL preseason always finds a way to sneak up on me.

I should never be surprised, the 2025 schedule is readily available, yet every year I do a double take.

We are just a couple days from Vernon Adams Jr.’s new team the Calgary Stampeders taking on Vernon Adams Jr.’s old team the BC Lions.

I understand preseason football in any league can be a bit of a slog, really you can say that about all sports, but you don’t need to dig that deep to find a wealth of CFL storylines to keep you hooked between this Monday till the end of May.

Let me throw out four simple reasons why you have to watch.

YOU WILL ACTUALLY GET TO SEE THE QUARTERBACKS PLAY!

I know what you’re saying, Matt you fool, the preseason is that special time of year when the starting quarterback gets to hangout on the sideline and never even pick up his helmet.

I understand that sentiment, but go back and look at the first week of the preseason. You will find so many examples of starters getting meaningful minutes.

Last year even saw the older quarterbacks play deep into the first half. Trevor Harris had nine pass attempts in that first week, Bo Levi Mitchell threw the ball 16 times while McLeod Bethel-Thompson finished with 25 pass attempts! What was going on in Edmonton last year? I kinda miss Chris Jones.

So, for people wondering how Davis Alexander will conduct himself as the undisputed leader of the Montreal Alouettes or how Vernon Adams Jr. looks in the red and white Calgary Stampeders uniform, then the preseason is for you.

You’re lying if you say you don’t have an interest in Tre Ford or what about Nathan Rourke looking to be better than the passer who came back to the league with much fanfare but finished with nine interceptions compared to only four touchdowns.

TYSON PHILPOT IS BACK

I wasn’t sure if we would see Tyson Philpot in May but then I saw this quote from Alouettes head coach Jason Maas: “I think he had the last surgery he needed to correct or to pull out whatever needed to be pulled out of his foot there. Now he’s on the mend and the expectation is he’s going to be ready for training camp full go.”

You’re telling me we get the CFL’s best receiver for the first half of 2024 back on the field?

Before the foot injury, Tyson was on a 1,500-yard pace. He is entering his fourth year and is just 24 years old. His best football years are ahead of him.

Love to get see a preview of what’s to come in Montreal’s first game against the Ottawa REDBLACKS.

ROOKIES!

We’ve seen them in college, watched them run, jump and lift at the CFL Combine but now is the first time to really get a look underneath the hood to see if their selection was justified.

Starting at the top with wide receiver Damien Alford, the Calgary Stampeders first overall selection. Damien is the biggest receiver on the team at six-foot-six and was a deep threat during his Syracuse days, and “he looks the part. A big man that can run,” according to head coach Dave Dickenson.

The biggest question for the Toronto Argonauts is who will step in on the defensive line after the team lost so many All-CFLers from Jake Ceresna to Folarin Orimolade. Université de Montréal’s Jeremiah Ojo made back-to-back, first-team All-Canadian selections finishing with 14.5 sacks in 24 regular-season games. Ojo has the speed (4.59 forty-yard dash) needed to flourish at the rush end position. I don’t expect him to be a day one starter, but can he develop into a spot, situational rusher as the season progresses?

Getting out of the first round, the Saskatchewan Roughriders taking Western’s offensive linemen Erik Andersen in the second made sense after all the injuries they went through all over the line in 2024. The two-time, First-Team All-Canadian did plenty of winning during his collegiate days, starting 40 games at left tackle. Now let’s see how he handles going one-on-one with Willie Jefferson and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive line.

A WINNIPEG WELLNESS CHECK

I’m fascinated about how this team looks to start the year.

There is no shame losing in the Grey Cup, making it to the final game of the year is an achievement, but losing three Cups in a row can take a toll on any organization.

We know Kyle Walters and Mike O’Shea are all in for another championship push, why else would they have signed Stanley Bryant and Patrick Neufeld to one-year contract extensions?

Remember how shocking it was to see the Bombers stumble out of the gates to start the year in 2024? They got blown out by Montreal at home in Week 1 in their supposed revenge game and eventually started the year 2-6.

The team’s vaunted pass rush was nowhere to be seen, Zach Collaros played his worst stretch of football as a Bomber and who can forget Alexander Hollins constantly beating Evan Holm and the Winnipeg secondary for 215 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3.

I didn’t recognize that team for the first two months, I’m wondering what version we see during their back-to-back contests against the Riders in the preseason.

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