Hardrick thanks Bombers for officially joining Winnipeg Roughriders – Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg's Blue Bombers did most of the heavy lifting before CFL free agency opened on Tuesday.

It was a very quiet day for the blue and gold, with general manager Kyle Walters and his staff not making a single move. It was a predictable day of inactivity for the Bombers, who have locked up half of their 35 pending free agents in recent weeks and months.

Running back Brady Oliveira, receiver Dalton Schoen, offensive linemen Stanley Bryant, Patrick Neufeld and Chris Kolankowski, as well as defensive end Willie Jefferson, among others, have signed deals. Including players under contract through 2024 — linebacker Zach Collaros, middle linebacker Adam Bighill, defensive backs Diatrick Nichols and Evan Holm, and receiver Nick Demski, to name a few — the Bombers have 18 of 24 players. returned from November's Gray Cup game.

While the Bombers are happy with their current roster, that doesn't mean they didn't take a few hits once the market officially opened.

The biggest loss is the departure of Jermarcus Hardrick at right tackle. In his rookie season, named Western Division MVP, Hardrick signed a two-year contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders that will pay him $235,000 a year, the highest salary of any All-American lineman in the CFL.

“Winnipeg will forever be special to me, I raised my family there,” Hardrick wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to the Winnipeg community and fans for their support from day 1 until now. I miss that voice and I love it very much.”

Hardrick isn't the only player not returning from last year, as left tackle Jeff Gray was not offered an extension and remains unsigned. The Winnipeg native is expected to be replaced by in-house talent with Liam Dobson and Tui Ely stepping up their roles.

Demerio Houston signed a two-year deal with the Calgary Stampeders that will pay him a total of $275,000. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Ricky Walker, who reportedly agreed to a deal with the Stamps during last week's trade window, has since opted out of his contract, making him a free agent.

“I just wanted to say I'm excited for this new journey,” Houston said in a video posted on X, the CFL's official Twitter account. “I'm ready to get to work. Big things await in 2024.”

When the Bombers recently signed Chris Streveler to a one-year deal, the writing was on Dakota Prukop's wall. Prukop, who established himself as an excellent shortstop QB, has since signed with the BC Lions.

Earlier in the day, veteran linebacker Jesse Briggs announced his retirement from football at the age of 33, joining defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat and linebacker Mike Miller as players who have decided to hang up. Miller will return to the Bombers as the club's special teams coordinator.

Briggs' loss will be felt even more on special teams, where Miller has been a key contributor the past few years. To make matters worse, the Bombers saw Kerfalla Exume and Tiadrick Hansen, two other key contributors on special teams, sign with the Toronto Argonauts.

It was felt that the Bombers would sign Sergio Castillo before the deadline, although talks with the kicker are ongoing.

Other players who are pending free agents and are not currently under contract for this season include receivers Rasheed Bailey and Brendan O'Leary-Orange, Greg McCray, running backs Winston Rose and Alden Darby, punt returner Janarion Grant and linebacker Malik Clements.

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Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

After several injuries playing hockey that included broken wrists, hands and jaws; medial collateral ligament tears in both knees; and with a collapsed lung, Jeff felt his interest in sports was better off the ice and in the classroom.

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