It’s finally here. Welcome to training camp 2026!

The long off-season is finally behind us, and we’ve got a lot to catch up on. Free agency gave us all kinds of exciting player movement, which means we’ve got plenty of big names in new places.

And now, with training camps ready to open around the league on Sunday, here’s what you need to know ahead of a brand-new season.

RELATED » Get ready for the 2026 season with insights, analysis and more » Football in the air as rookie camps begin across the CFL » Buy tickets for the 2026 season » Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Biggest off-season storyline: Running it back

There wasn’t really any other choice to be made after the Riders went wire-to-wire as the CFL’s best team in 2025. Now the defending Grey Cup champions for the first time in more than a decade, Saskatchewan rightfully has their eyes on more hardware.

Starting with quarterback and Grey Cup MVP Trevor Harris in early December, the Roughriders went right to work in retaining a large portion of their core. Whether extended or already under contract, key pieces Tevaughn Campbell, Jermarcus Hardrick, Jameer Thurman, Samuel Emilus, Rolan Milligan Jr., and AJ Ouellette are all back for 2026. And with Corey Mace back for year three as head coach, why wouldn’t Saskatchewan try to run it back?

New face to watch: Josh Woods, linebacker

Coming off a title win, the Riders weren’t going to be able to retain everyone. One cap casualty was linebacker AJ Allen, who signed in Ottawa after leading the team in defensive tackles last season. Enter Josh Woods, however, who signed in early February after being released in BC. A perfect fit to slide into Allen’s vacated spot on the weak side, Woods recorded 62 defensive tackles and one sack in 14 appearances last year.

Flying under the radar: Caleb Sanders, defensive tackle

Caleb Sanders is one of the players who has quietly emerged in two seasons under Mace, a former defensive lineman himself. Last year saw Sanders record 13 defensive tackles and two sacks while establishing himself as a key part of Saskatchewan’s defensive front. In the process, he finished the season ranked as the league’s number two interior lineman by Pro Football Focus.

Biggest off-season storyline: Davis Alexander’s arrival

It raised eyebrows last winter when the Als announced their intention to make Davis Alexander their number one quarterback, despite how strong Cody Fajardo had been the prior two seasons. But Montreal knew what they had in Alexander, and it didn’t take long for the rest of the league to figure it out too.

Despite being slowed by a hamstring injury at times, Alexander was unbeaten in seven regular season starts for the Alouettes while throwing for 2,024 yards and 10 touchdowns against just three interceptions. He then put together three great playoff starts, including a valiant effort in a Grey Cup loss. There’s no uncertainty surrounding Alexander anymore.

New face to watch: Dustin Crum, quarterback

Looking for stability in the backup role, Montreal zeroed in on Dustin Crum in free agency. Despite being just 27, Crum has the right reps and experience for the job with 20 starts under his belt over the last three seasons in Ottawa. Crum also gives the Als intriguing short yardage options, as he tied for the league lead with 11 rushing touchdowns last season.

Flying under the radar: Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, linebacker

Geoffrey Cantin-Arku’s emergence over the last two years hasn’t just been impressive, but it also allowed the Alouettes to part ways with Darnell Sankey over the winter. A 2024........

© CFL