CFL Beat: East Division Preview

Another year, another set of team previews! As per usual, this week features the four East Division teams, while next week features the five teams of the West Division. If you’d like to study up before making your picks in this year’s [DFO] CFL Pick ‘Em Pool, I highly recommending reading onwards! If you have yet to join, please click the link below in order to register. I look forward to having you in the competition!

https://www.officepooljunkie.com/join.php?Pool=NFA9D4OXO6C2U0A1&Pass=57duHwincjTS

In league news this week:

• The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced that LB Jovan Santos-Knox, a key free agent acquisition this past offseason, will unfortunately miss all of the 2026 season due to a non-contact knee injury suffered on Day 1 of training camp. That’s a real shame – he was an integral part of the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ defence over the past three seasons and was poised to be a significant contributor for the Bombers this year.
• The Montreal Alouettes are switching French-language radio broadcasters this season, with 99.5 Montreal FM taking over duties from longtime hosts 98.5 Montreal. While 99.5 FM is not directly owned by Als majority owner Pierre-Karl Peladeau, the parent company, Leclerc Communications, is an extremely close affiilate of French media conglomerate Quebecor… this manages to circumvent the monopoly rules that the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission has on companies owning newspapers, TV and radio stations all within the same market. I have no doubt that with TV broadcasting rights for the league coming up for renewal at the end of 2026, Quebecor will be making a significant push to acquire the French-language TV rights of the team its majority owner also owns.
• Former CFL running back Andrew Harris, a five-time All-Star, four-time Grey Cup champion, three-time league rushing leader, two-time Grey Cup MVP, and one-time Most Outstanding Canadian, is being inducted into the Order of Manitoba in July, in recognition of both his contributions to Canadian football and especially in his time as a member of his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers – a very fitting recognition.
• Lost in the shuffle of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps threatening relocation from BC Place due to an “untenable” lease agreement with the city of Vancouver and province of BC, the Lions are poised to announce a renewed lease with the stadium’s Crown corporation managing its events and maintenance within the next few weeks. The Lions will be away from their home until the end of July this year due to the FIFA World Cup matches scheduled over the next couple of months, and will be making their temporary home in Kelowna, BC at the Apple Bowl, which will feature lots of temporary seating in order to accomodate larger crowds for their two home games in the Okanagan Valley.

And now, onto the main event.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Founded: 1950 (the Hamilton Tigers, est. 1869, and Hamilton Wildcats, est. 1941, merged to create the current franchise)

Home Stadium: Hamilton Stadium, Hamilton, ON (24,000)

Grey Cups: 8 (1953, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1986, 1999)

2025 Record: 11-7, won East Division; lost in East final to MTL

GM: Vacant

Head Coach: Scott Milanovich

Starting QB: Bo Levi Mitchell

Famous Alumni:

• Angelo Mosca, DT (won 5 Grey Cups, was a pro wrestler in the WWF known as both King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules; famously got in a fight with BC Lions QB Joe Kapp over a hit in the 1963 Grey Cup, where he hit him several times with his cane… check out the video here!)
• Matt Dunigan, QB (2-time Grey Cup champion and current studio analyst for Canadian sports network TSN)
• Bernie Faloney, QB (3-time Grey Cup champion who chose the CFL over the San Francisco 49ers in 1954 because the Canadian dollar was worth more… kind of a shocker!)
• Darren Flutie, WR (yes, he’s Doug’s brother – but he’s also a two-time Grey Cup champ, 3x All-Star, and CFL Hall of Famer!)

Fun Facts: The Ti-Cats’ stadium, formerly named Tim Hortons Field after the quintessential Canadian coffee joint which is headquartered in Hamilton, is affectionately nicknamed the Donut Box by many; for whatever reason, there seems to be a major wind tunnel effect, and the field, which replaced the ancient Ivor Wynne Stadium back in 2014, is hellish for kickers. The Ti-Cats were also formerly owned by insane Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s, who claimed at one point he was losing “a million dollars a year” on the team despite their on-field success. The Ti-Cats are the only CFL team to ever beat an NFL team, when they topped the Buffalo Bills on August 8, 1961. Every year, the Ti-Cats and archrival Argos play the Labour Day Classic at Hamilton’s home stadium, with the home side sporting a 36-15-1 advantage all-time in the series.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: After a disappointing end to the season – a loss in the East Final to Montreal after a successful regular season featuring a surprise division title – the Tiger-Cats now find themselves not only having to think about the season immediately ahead of them, but their future as well. QB Bo Levi Mitchell has sparked a series of miniature Aaron Rodgers-esque “will he or won’t he” discussions about retirement in the last couple of years, but his recent play suggests that, surprisingly, he likely still has a bit of good football left to give. At any rate, he’s back for another swing at a title, hoping to break the Tabbies’ auspicious streak of 27 years between championships, though with the Alouettes favoured to win the division and the REDBLACKS seemingly on the upswing, they may have a difficult road to travel to get there. Most importantly, while Mitchell goes into 2026 as the team’s clear-cut QB1, the front office has started to plan ahead by bringing in longtime Edmonton Elk Tre Ford to be Mitchell’s new backup following the departure of Taylor Powell. Ford certainly showed flashes of brilliance in his time in Edmonton, especially when escaping the pocket and using his legs to move the chains, but I think he has much to learn still about being a true starting QB in the CFL and Mitchell might be the perfect guy to mentor him to eventually take over the reins in a season or two. The Ti-Cats will certainly miss the presence of WR Tim White as Bo Levi Mitchell’s security blanket, as well as the reliable gains of RB Greg Bell, but their defence will hopefully take a step forward by bringing in longtime Argo Wynton McManis to be their signal-caller; he’s been a dominant force for Toronto and immediately becomes the team’s best defensive player.

Key Additions: LB Wynton McManis, WR Kurleigh Gittens Jr, OL Trevor Reid, QB Tre Ford, WR Keric Wheatfall, DL Charbel Dabire

Key Subtractions: WR Tim White, DL Casey Sayles, LB Devin Veresuk, OL Coulter Woodmansey, RB Greg Bell, DB DaShaun Amos

2026 Record Prediction: 10-8

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Founded: 1996 (Original franchise 1946-1987)

Home Stadium: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, McGill University, Montreal, QC (25,012)

Grey Cups: 5 (1995 as the Baltimore Stallions, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2023) (Original franchise won 4 – 1949, 1970, 1974, 1977)

2025 Record: 10-8, second in East Division; lost Grey Cup to SSK

GM: Danny Maciocia

Head Coach: Jason Maas

Starting QB: Davis Alexander

Famous Alumni: 

• Anthony Calvillo, QB (all-time CFL passing yards leader – 79,816)
• Mike Pringle, RB (all-time CFL rushing yards leader – 16,425 on 2960 carries, averaging 5.6 YPC)
• Marv Levy (former CFL and NFL HC for KC and Buffalo, who won two Grey Cups in 1974 and ’77 for the Alouettes)
• Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, WR

Fun Facts: Percival Molson Stadium is the only one in the CFL that doesn’t contain perfectly square endzones due to a running track surrounding the field. Nobody seems to care, funny enough. The Als’ 2009 Grey Cup win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders ( which saw them win on a last-second field goal, their second attempt after Saskatchewan had successfully blocked the first one, but were penalized for too many men) is considered one of the greatest CFL championship games in the history of the league. The current franchise relocated from Baltimore in 1996, after the Stallions captured the 1995 Grey Cup, the only American team to ever do so.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: The Als overcame a significant hamstring injury to starting QB Davis Alexander, which kept him out of the team’s lineup for over half the season, en route to winning the East Division and making an appearance in the Grey Cup game, where Alexander unfortunately re-injured that same hamstring and couldn’t lead his team to a title. Montreal is the favourite to repeat as division champs again this year – Alexander has only lost a single game in his career as a CFL starter – last year’s title game – so the hopes are high that they’ll be back and favoured to win another title again very soon. There’s been a bit of roster turnover – the team lost a number of key receivers, particular star Auston Mack, and also saw longtime Canadian DB Marc-Antoine Dequoy call it a career as well. That said, the core of the team will remain consistent from last season to this year, and if Alexander stays healthy, watch out. This team is absolutely lethal and should unquestionably be considered as one of the Grey Cup favourites for the year ahead.

Key Additions: LB Micah Awe, WR Jerreth Sterns, QB Dustin Crum, WR Devonte Dedmon, LB Jonathan Sutherland, OL Sage Doxtater, WR Alex Hollins

Key Subtractions: DB Marc Antoine-Dequoy, WR Austin Mack, LB Darnell Sankey, DB Dionté Ruffin, WR James Letcher Jr, WR Charleston Rambo, QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson

2026 Record Prediction: 12-6

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Founded: 2013 (Original Rough Riders franchise lasted 1876-1996; Renegades 2002-2005)

Home Stadium: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, ON (24,500)

Grey Cups: 1 (2016) (9 as the Rough Riders – 1925, 1926, 1940, 1951, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1976)

2025 Record: 9-8-1, third in East Division; lost in East semifinal to Toronto

GM: Ryan Dinwiddie

Head Coach: Ryan Dinwiddie

Starting QB: Dru Brown

Famous Alumni: 

• Russ Jackson, QB ( 3-time Most Outstanding Player, 4-time Most Outstanding Canadian, 6-time All-Star, one of the greatest QBs in the history of the game)
• Tony Gabriel, TE (scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1976 Grey Cup)
• Rohan Marley, LB (the bastard son of Bob Marley, was also married to singer Lauryn Hill)
• Dexter Manley, LB (he of the lifetime NFL ban for cocaine problems)
• Henry Burris, QB (former NFL QB for Chicago and CFL Hall of Famer; 3x Grey Cup champion, including for Ottawa in 2016)

Fun Facts: if you say the name “Glieberman” in an Ottawa sports bar, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get punched by some pudgy, middle-aged white guy. The financial mismanagement of this father & son team killed not only the historic Rough Riders in ’96, but the 2000s expansion Renegades as well. Complete idiots. (I am still hurt by the loss of the Rough Riders.) Fans in the stands also constantly talk shit about each other – “North Side Sucks!” and “South Side Sucks!” have been staples for decades at home games. Also, the team insists on spelling REDBLACKS in all capitals, and I still have no idea why. But I respect the commitment to the bit.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: After yet another abysmal losing season – their fourth in the past five years – the REDBLACKS finally found the courage to do what had to be done with their coaching staff, and they cleaned house. Bob Dyce was shown the door, and replacing him as the bench boss is Ryan Dinwiddie – a significant, significant upgrade as both a leader of men and as a tactician. Dinwiddie, who won two Grey Cups in Toronto in 2022 and 2024 as their head coach, was lured to Ottawa in part because he was also hired into the GM position – a significant portfolio upgrade over his role with the Argos. Not only is he deeply involved in the player personnel side of things now in addition to coaching the team, he’ll also be the OC and will call the plays too. That’s a lot of hats for one guy to wear – but if anyone can pull it off successfully, it’s him. Attracting such a bright coaching light to Ottawa is a sign that the team is serious about trying to get things right after so many years of floundering under poor personnel decisions and even worse strategizing. His star power as a coach in the league also allowed the REDBLACKS to be serious players in free agency, attracting a number of top talents eager to play for him and the newly revamped roster. Ottawa heads into this season with a revamped D-line and LB corps, as well as a new lead rusher in Greg Bell and some upgrades to the middle of the O-line. While I won’t be able to watch this team from Cheapskate’s Hill anymore due to construction on the new hockey arena adjacent to the stadium, I will still be watching this team with great interest this year – they look poised and ready to right a lot of wrongs of years past.

Key Additions: RB Greg Bell, LB AJ Allen, LB Nyles Morgan, DB CJ Reavis, DB Demerio Houston, WR Ayden Eberhardt

Key Subtractions: LB Adarius Pickett, WR Devonte Dedmon, QB Dustin Crum, LB Jovan Santos-Knox, RB William Stanback, K Lewis Ward

2026 Record Prediction: 10-8

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Founded: 1873

Home Stadium: BMO Field, Toronto, ON (25,000 for Canadian football crowds)

Grey Cups: 19 (1914, 1921, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2024)

2025 Record: 5-13, third in East Division; missed playoffs due to WPG crossing over

GM: Michael “Pinball” Clemons

Head Coach: Mike Miller

Starting QB: Chad Kelly

Famous Alumni:

• Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, RB (largest contract in CFL history and MOP of the 1991 Grey Cup, one of the most exciting ever)
• Ricky Williams, RB (scampered north when the NFL suspended him for weed in 2006. Gave no fucks about it.)
• Michael “Pinball” Clemons, RB (won 4 Grey Cups with the Argos and holds the CFL record for most all-purpose yards with 25,396; current GM of the team)
• Damon Allen, QB (retired at age 44 in 2008, holds the record for combined passing and rushing yards in the CFL, with 84,301 total yards)
• Doug Flutie, QB (6-time CFL MOP and QB for the NFL Bears, Patriots, Bills and Chargers)

Fun Facts: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall owned the Argos in the early ’90s; they also offered a CFL-record contract to Rocket Ismail ($18.2 million over four years – an absolutely unheard-of amount which has not come close to being equalled – QBs, which make the most money on average of all players in the league today, typically have contracts between $400-700,000 at the most. The Argos have won the most Grey Cups of any CFL franchise, with 19 titles in 112 seasons of existence.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: The Argos go into the 2026 season with a brand new head coach – Mike Miller, the team’s former QB coach – and a healthy Sex Pest Chad Kelly ready to return to his job as the starting quarterback, 18 months removed from breaking his leg in the 2024 East Final and missing all of last season after complications arose in recovery. While Miller has an extensive coaching resume, including in college, the NFL and the CFL – he’s never been a head coach until now and heads into the year as an unknown quantity. While learning from an offensive guru Ryan Dinwiddie for the last four seasons certainly has its merits, it still feels like Toronto is probably likely to regress further as an organization. Last year they finished 5-13 – a disastrous season by all accounts – and missed the playoffs due to getting leapfrogged by Winnipeg, who had a crossover berth secured due to a better record. As such, I’m not sure how they could regress much further; in theory a healthy Chad Kelly is an upgrade at QB over Nick Arbuckle, but again, he hasn’t taken game snaps in a year and a half. How long does a guy need to get back in the rhythm of things after that much time away? It just seems to me like the Argos simply don’t have the horses to compete with their other three Eastern rivals -particularly when you also factor in that the team is going to have to play 12 total games away from its regular home stadium this year rather than just 9, due to the World Cup of Soccer being hosted at BMO Field through June and July. I think this may unfortunately be a season of reckoning for fans of the Double Blue, though good teams find a way to battle through adversity.

Key Additions: OL Dakoda Shepley, LB Adarius Pickett, DL Dewayne Hendrix, DB DaShaun Amos, DB Robert Priester, DL Ralph Holley

Key Subtractions: LB Wynton McManis, DL Derek Parish, WR DaVaris Daniels, WR Dejon Brissett, OL Sage Doxtater, DB Darrius Bratton

2026 Record Prediction: 7-11

That’s all for now! Thanks for reading up to this point – see you back here next week at the exact same time.