2022 Winnipeg Blue Bombers season explained

The 2022 Winnipeg Blue Bombers season was the 64th season for the team in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and their 89th season overall. The Blue Bombers entered the season as the two-time defending Grey Cup champions after winning both the 107th and 108th Grey Cup games. The team qualified for the playoffs following their 12th game of the season after defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic on September 4, 2022.^[1] The team then clinched first place in the division in week 18 following their victory over the Edmonton Elks on October 8, 2022.^[2] The Blue Bombers reached the 109th Grey Cup, but were not able to perform the three-peat and lost to the Toronto Argonauts 24–23.

The 2022 CFL season was the eighth season under head coach Mike O'Shea and the eighth full season under general manager Kyle Walters.^[3]

Offseason

Players lost

Position	! scope="col" style=";"	Player	! scope="col" style=";"	Tag	! scope="col" style=";"	2022 Team	Date
RB	Andrew Harris	Released	Toronto Argonauts	February 8
WR	Darvin Adams	Released	Ottawa Redblacks	February 8
WR	Kenny Lawler	Released	Edmonton Elks	February 8
DT	Steven Richardson	Released	BC Lions	February 8
LB	Tobi Antigha	Released	Edmonton Elks	February 8
CB	Mike Jones	Released	Montreal Alouettes	February 8
K	Sergio Castillo	Released	Edmonton Elks	February 9
OL	Drew Desjarlais	Released	New England Patriots	January 27
LB	Jonathan Kongbo	Released	Denver Broncos	February 13
CB	Dee Alford	Released	Atlanta Falcons	February 8
OL	Asotui Eli	UFA	Free Agent	February 8
CB	Josh Miller	UFA	Free Agent	February 20
CB	Josh Johnson	UFA	Free Agent	February 25
LB	Kevin Brown II	UFA	Free Agent	February 20
QB	Sean McGuire	UFA	Retired	February 25
K	Tyler Crapigna	UFA	Retired	February 25

CFL Global Draft

The 2022 CFL Global Draft took place on May 3, 2022.^[4] With the format being a snake draft, the Blue Bombers selected sixth in the odd-numbered rounds and fourth in the even-numbered rounds.^[5]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	University/Club Team	Nationality
1	6				Australia
2	13				France
3	24				Australia

CFL National Draft

The 2022 CFL Draft took place on May 3, 2022.^[6] The Blue Bombers were scheduled to have the last selection in each of the eight rounds of the draft after winning the Grey Cup in the previous season.^[7] However, the team had two fewer selection after acquiring Cameron Lawson from the Montreal Alouettes in a trade for a first-round pick and Sergio Castillo from the BC Lions for a third-round pick.^{[8] [9]}

Round	Pick	Player	Position	University Team	Hometown
2	13				Niagara Falls, ON
4	38				Winnipeg, MB
5	47				Montreal, QC
6	56				Saint-Jérôme, QC
7	65				Gatineau, QC
8	74				Amherstview, ON

Preseason

Schedule

Week	Game	Date	Kickoff	Opponent	Results	TV	Venue	Attendance	Summary
Score	Record
A	1	Fri, May 27	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Edmonton Elks	L 20–30	0–1	None	IG Field	20,518	Recap
B	2	Tues, May 31	7:30 p.m. CDT	at Saskatchewan Roughriders	W 25–16	1–1	TSN	Mosaic Stadium	N/A	Recap

^{[10] [11] [12]}

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Game	Date	Kickoff	Opponent	Results	TV	Venue	Attendance	Summary
Score	Record
1	1	Fri, June 10	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Ottawa Redblacks	W 19–17	1–0	TSN	IG Field	26,002	Recap
2	2	Fri, June 17	6:30 p.m. CDT	at Ottawa Redblacks	W 19–12	2–0	TSN/RDS/ESPN2	TD Place Stadium	22,185	Recap
3	3	Fri, June 24	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats	W 26–12	3–0	TSN/ESPN2	IG Field	23,600	Recap
4	4	Mon, July 4	6:30 p.m. CDT	at Toronto Argonauts	W 23–22	4–0	TSN/RDS	BMO Field	9,806	Recap
5	5	Sat, July 9	6:00 p.m. CDT	at BC Lions	W 43–22	5–0	TSN/ESPNews	BC Place	17,603	Recap
6	6	Fri, July 15	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Calgary Stampeders	W 26–19	6–0	TSN/RDS	IG Field	29,746	Recap
7	7	Fri, July 22	8:00 p.m. CDT	at Edmonton Elks	W 24–10	7–0	TSN/ESPN2	Commonwealth Stadium	22,716	Recap
8	8	Sat, July 30	6:00 p.m. CDT	at Calgary Stampeders	W 35–28	8–0	TSN/RDS/ESPN2	McMahon Stadium	25,147	Recap
9	9	Thu, Aug 4	6:30 p.m. CDT	at Montreal Alouettes	W 35–20	9–0	TSN/RDS	Molson Stadium	17,093	Recap
10	10	Thu, Aug 11	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Montreal Alouettes	L 17–20	9–1	TSN/RDS	IG Field	31,053	Recap
11	Bye
12	11	Thu, Aug 25	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. Calgary Stampeders	W 31–29	10–1	TSN	IG Field	30,062	Recap
13	12	Sun, Sept 4	5:00 p.m. CDT	at Saskatchewan Roughriders	W 20–18	11–1	TSN	Mosaic Stadium	33,350	Recap
14	13	Sat, Sept 10	4:00 p.m. CDT	vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders	W 54–20	12–1	TSN/RDS2	IG Field	33,234	Recap
15	14	Sat, Sept 17	3:00 p.m. CDT	at Hamilton Tiger-Cats	L 31–48	12–2	TSN/RDS	Tim Hortons Field	22,288	Recap
16	Bye
17	15	Fri, Sept 30	7:00 p.m. CDT	vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders	W 31–13	13–2	TSN/RDS2	IG Field	33,224	Recap
18	16	Sat, Oct 8	6:00 p.m. CDT	vs. Edmonton Elks	W 48–11	14–2	TSN/RDS	IG Field	27,159	Recap
19	17	Sat, Oct 15	9:00 p.m. CDT	at BC Lions	L 32–40	14–3	TSN	BC Place	24,280	Recap
20	Bye
21	18	Fri, Oct 28	7:30 p.m. CDT	vs. BC Lions	W 24–9	15–3	TSN	IG Field	23,685	Recap

^{[10] [13]}

Post-season

Schedule

Game	Date	Kickoff	Opponent	Results	TV	Venue	Attendance	Summary
Score	Record
West Semi-Final	Bye
West Final	Sun, Nov 13	3:30 p.m. CST	vs. BC Lions	W 28–20	1–0	TSN/RDS/ESPNews	IG Field	30,319	Recap
109th Grey Cup	Sun, Nov 20	5:00 p.m. CST	Toronto Argonauts	L 23–24	1–1	TSN/RDS/ESPN2	Mosaic Stadium	33,350	Recap

^[10]

Team

Roster

Winnipeg Blue Bombers roster

	Quarterbacks Receivers * Running backs Fullbacks/Tight ends *		Offensive linemen * Defensive linemen		Linebackers * Defensive backs * * * Special teams LS KR/WR K				1-Game Injured DB DL DB LB OL DB DB 6-Game Injured WR DB RB * OL LB		Practice squad DB WR DB * WR DB * OL RB/SB * WR K DB * DL OL Suspended P
Italics indicate American player • Bold indicates Global player • 46 Roster, 12 Injured, 12 Practice, 1 Suspended, 15 Rookies* Roster updated 2022-11-20 • Depth chart • Transactions • More CFL rosters

Coaching staff

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bombers clinch playoffs with win over Riders in LD Classic . . September 4, 2022.
2. Web site: Edmonton Elks vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers . . October 8, 2022.
3. Web site: Canadian Mafia sticking together . . December 13, 2019.
4. News: CFL aligns Global Draft date w/ CFL Draft on May 3 . . February 24, 2022.
5. News: 2022 Global Draft Tracker . . April 6, 2022.
6. Web site: CFL Scouting Bureau: Bull, Richards, Sow headline fall edition . . September 1, 2021.
7. Web site: Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats . . December 12, 2021.
8. News: Winnipeg acquires kicker Castillo in trade with Lions . . October 19, 2021.
9. News: Bombers, Als swing draft day trade . . May 3, 2022.
10. Web site: 2022 Winnipeg Blue Bombers Schedule . . December 18, 2021.
11. Web site: 2022 CFL on TSN Broadcast Schedule . . May 4, 2022.
12. Web site: Nos Émissions . . French . May 4, 2022.
13. Web site: Horaire . . French . July 4, 2022.