Winnipeg Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters has some job security after recently signing a three-year contract extension, but he’s going to have a busy off-season as they re-tool after a disappointing campaign.
Speaking publicly for the first time since inking the new deal, Walters called last season a letdown, admitting they took a step back. Walters said the club is at a turning point and while he’s not sure if he’d call it a rebuild, he said they need a reset after a 10-8 season that saw them get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.
“It was disappointing,” said Walters. “And it was a step backwards. Organizationally we have to accept the fact that it wasn’t as good as it needed to be this year.
“A 10-win season and making the playoffs is okay but the thing that jumps out for me is we didn’t beat a Trevor Harris led team. When Vernon (Adams) played we didn’t, Davis Alexander we didn’t beat.
“Hopefully we look back and say this was a good turning point for the organization that we’re able to now realize we had a good run. And no arguing we took a step back and now let’s reset and get back.”
Walters said the club is entering a new phase after the end of their five-year run to the Grey Cup game. But he doesn’t think the sky is falling and believes they still have a good core of players.
“It’s easier to do with one-year contracts to be able to make a quick change for your roster more so than other leagues where once in … that situation you’re in, it takes a while to get out of it. What we need to do now is sit down and take a deep breath and get all the decision-making pieces organized.”
Walters and Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea have worked side by side for the last 12 years now and Walters said their working relationship has come a long way since they both joined the team in 2013.
“Every discussion no longer has to be a yelling match of points getting across to each other,” he said. “We’re able to discuss our issues and plans. We went out and had a good lunch right after all this was sorted out and said this is an exciting time for us, a new chapter in this of where we’re at, and I think we’re ready for the challenge.”
Walters addressed several topics during a nearly 30-minute session at the podium. He confirmed assistant general manager Danny McManus will be staying with the blue and gold next season and they won’t try and renegotiate Zach Collaros’ big money contract after a tough 2025 campaign.
Walters added they want to get the injury report on receiver Dalton Schoen before they consider re-signing him after he played just eight games over the last two injury plagued seasons. And they have every intention of trying to re-sign running back Brady Oliveira after Oliveira said he wants to get what he deserves after taking a hometown discount on his last contract.
“Brady is an outstanding player,” said Walters. “A big part of our community and do we want him back? 100 per cent. And now it’s a matter of what does that look like and the process will start, and it probably won’t be quick, but we want Brady back.”