CFL Week4: Ottawa Shakes Up QB Room
REDBLACKS GM/HC Ryan Dinwiddie added two new quarterbacks this week, as the team attempts to snap their losing streak.
An exhilarating Week 4 is on tap for the CFL, featuring four key matchups in four consecutive days. The league announced their Week 3 Players of the Week as follows: Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell (285 yards; 5 touchdowns), Edmonton Elks running back Justin Rankin (230 total yards; 2 touchdowns) and Toronto Argonauts wide receiver Kevin Mital (8 catches; 178 yards).
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This week in CFL action, the Edmonton Elks (2-0) look to start the season with three straight wins for the first time since 2017, as they travel to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-1) at 8:30pm eastern time on Thursday night. Elks running back Justin Rankin continues to be a one man gang, as his bruising style led to 179 rushing yards, including 126 of his yards after contact.
On Friday night, winners of the last two Grey Cups will face off, as the Toronto Argonauts (1-1) visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-0). Controversial Argos quarterback Chad Kelly (pic: CFL) had his second straight 400-yard passing game last week, tossing four touchdowns but also had four interceptions.
Two teams in search of their first victory will meet on Saturday, as the Calgary Stampeders (0-2) travel to the BC Lions (0-2). Calgary running back Dedrick Mills, who registered a career-high 1,409 rushing yards last season, has picked up right where he left off, gaining 215 yards through the first two games.
Considered a Grey Cup contender, BC has fallen in a hole early and made a roster move this week in an attempt to jolt the offense. Veteran Canadien wideout Hergy Mayala has returned to the Lions for his third stint with the team. The eighth overall pick of the 2019 CFL Draft by the Stampeders, Mayala has registered 151 catches, for 1,916 yards and 12 touchdowns in 68 career games.
The weekend slate wraps up on Sunday, with the Ottawa REDBLACKS (0-2) traveling to the Montreal Alouettes (2-1) at 7:00pm eastern time. Montreal quarterback Davis Alexander (13-1) was dealt his first regular season loss as a starter last week. The CFL passing leader has accumulated 1,133 passing yards and five touchdowns (no interceptions) through the first three games.
Meanwhile, new Ottawa general manager/head coach Ryan Dinwiddie (pic: CFL) is under scrutiny, as the team attempts to avoid dropping their third straight game. Last week, the REDBLACKS committed six turnovers. Poor quarterback play has also contributed to their slow start, as Dinwiddie made the decision to start Jake Maeir over Dru Brown, which has not gone according to plan thus far.
In an unexpected turn of events, Brown was shipped to Winnipeg earlier this week, along with a second-round draft pick next year, while Ottawa received a first-round pick and a conditional pick in 2028. In a corresponding move, the REDBLACKS inked journeyman signal-caller McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who has appeared in 105 CFL games during his career.
Ottawa also signed former Middle Tennessee signal-caller Nick Vattiato for added depth and released quarterback Max Duggan. At this stage of his career, Duggan remains more of a threat with his legs, than his arm, while Vattiato is a pocket-passer type with a big arm who can test the opposition downfield.
The quarterback makeshift could signal that even Dinwiddie is having angst starting Maier long-term. It would not be surprising to see Bethel-Thompson under center sooner, rather than later should Maeir continue to struggle.
There are plenty of intriguing CFL storylines early in the year. All Access Football will continue to provide updates throughout the season. Keep it locked for EVERYTHING pigskin and catch all the CFL games for free on CFL+.
CFL TWEET OF THE WEEK: @DRAFTJM13 [EX-CFL EXECUTIVE]
CFL NEWS & NOTES
In other league news, the CFL has announced that the 112th Grey Cup and 2025 Grey Cup Festival generated more than $93 million in economic activity across Canada, according to an independent economic impact assessment conducted by Sport Tourism Canada (STC). The week-long celebration ran November 10–16, 2025 in Winnipeg, culminating in the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25–17 at Princess Auto Stadium.
“The numbers confirm what we already knew — Winnipeg delivered one of the best Grey Cup Festivals in the history of this league,” said Wade Miller, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Football Club. “Over $93 million in economic activity, over 28,000 out of town visitors, and a fan experience rated 4.5 out of 5 — that’s a Winnipeg result. The benefits reached hotels, restaurants, retailers, and tourism partners throughout the city. This city and province showed Canada what it means to host. Thank you to the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, Tourism Winnipeg, our corporate partners, committee members, volunteers, staff, and the CFL fans who made this a Grey Cup to remember.”
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