Winnipeg Blue Bombers make big splash with 4 signings to open free agency

After not making the Grey Cup for the first time in six years, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers dove deep into the free agent pool.

They officially signed four more players on Tuesday in offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, receiver Tommy Nield, linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox, and cornerback Jonathan Moxey. That’s after already inking star defensive tackle Jake Ceresna on Friday.

The Bombers’ biggest signing (literally) is tackle Jarell Broxton. The six-foot-three, 320-pound tackle earned his first all-CFL honour last season. He started 18 regular-season and playoff games at left tackle for the Lions last season.

Broxton’s signing raises the question of who will start at left tackle this season. Stanley Bryant has been the starter there for the last 10 seasons. Broxton has started five games at left guard in his CFL career. And he played right guard in his two years at Baylor University a decade ago.

Interestingly, the Bombers first signed Broxton in February of 2020. After the cancellation of the 2020 season, he would sign with the BC Lions in 2021.

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The 26-year-old Nield is an intriguing signing for the Bombers. He played in 13 regular-season games for the Riders last season, catching 42 passes for 535 yards and five touchdowns. All of those numbers were career highs. He added the game-winning touchdown in the Western Semifinal.

Nield’s added intrigue comes because he’s played in the slot for the last three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders. If the Bombers choose to start him alongside Nic Demski and Kevens Clercius, that could allow the Bombers to use three American offensive linemen — something they flirted with last season.

The signing of Moxey signals another change for the Bombers. Moxey has played six seasons in the CFL with the Stampeders and Ticats. The 30-year-old has eight career interceptions in 82 games.

Should Moxey start this season, he’ll be the most experienced player to start at cornerback for the Bombers since at least 2016. The Bombers have preferred rookies and first-contract players at corner. In 2025, they began the season with Terrell Bonds and Marquise Bridges at corner — two second-year players. Moxey is entering his seventh CFL season.

Santos-Knox returns to the team where he started his CFL career. He spent two seasons in Winnipeg in 2017-2018 before making stops with the Edmonton Elks, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Redblacks. He was the Most Outstanding Defensive Player for Ottawa in 2025.

Ceresna is a two-time all-CFL player and a Grey Cup champion in 2024. The 31-year-old tied for 2nd in the CFL in sacks in 2023 (12). He had 10 sacks in 12 games the year before, and eight for the Argos in 2024.

Listed at six-foot-four, 295 pounds, Ceresna has shown the ability to rush the passer from both the defensive interior and the edge, giving the Bombers defence great flexibility in how to deploy him.

The 31-year-old missed seven games last season with a knee injury.

Ceresna’s signing marks a change in personnel strategy for the Bombers. Since 2021, every American defensive tackle they’ve started has been on his rookie contract or had less than three years’ experience. Ceresna is entering his eighth season and is likely to be the highest-paid American defensive tackle in the league.

The Bombers also lost three players in free agency, with defensive back Demerio Houston joining the Redblacks, Jerreth Sterns is now with the Montreal Alouettes, while offensive lineman Eric Lofton is now a member of the Ticats.

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