As the 2025 season approaches, CFL.ca is here to catch you up with the 5 Things To Know series. Each article will look at key storylines facing each team this season, while examining off-season movement and where your team might stand in 2025.
Exciting time for BC Lions. Although two CFL sites are projecting the Lions to finish 8th, I have high expectations. Allen and Broxton will provide renewed protection for QB and RB. Betts helms respectable D but only time will tell if it is enough to win games. The D-backs are improved from last year’s dismal showing, but how much improvement will it be? Receiving corps looks solid. Eberhardt is the key; if he realizes the potential shown last year, Lions should be in good shape. But the biggest diff might be at coach. A personal QB hero, it’s great to have a fighter in charge. The biggest worry is the lack of a quality returner. We saw how Grant infused the Argos with a winning glow. And then there’s Rourke. Was 2022 a fluke? Is he the latest Jonathon Jennings? He no longer has Burnham to throw to. But I have faith. With Buck in charge and Rourke re-inspired to reestablish himself as the CFL’s premier QB, he might just regain his 2022 shape. If he does, watch out CFL. The Lions could still be the CFL story of 2025.
I do like the way the Lions are shaping up this year. The time is now to make a move upwards - 12 of their expected 24 starters on O & D are 30 & over.
IT’s BUCK’s TIME
Pierce has got to be more innovative with his offence. You can go back to the LaPo/Pierce era as OC & the one constant is that the Bombers every year were tops or top 2 in carries. The offence ran through Harris & Oliveira. Last year only Wilson & Demski had more targets. Shades of Andrew.
AN AERIAL ASSAULT…AGAIN
Butler is a good get if he can play the full season. BUT the Lions identity is with the passing game. When you have McInnis 6’4", Cottoy 6’5" starting, with a healthy Lenius 6’5" & add in an occasional touch of John 6’7", the formula is there for massive mismatches in their favour. If I were Buck, I would be sending a message to their nemesis in Manitoba where the DB’s are good BUT Nichols, Parker & Bonds are all 5’9", 5’8". 
It’s a very scary, big group of receivers & Hatcher is a big boy too.
I’m quite excited to see how it plays out in Vancouver this year.
Lots happening in that litter box. They’ve been busy little kitties this off season.
BC is in a rut
2025 is really going to hinge on if Rourke can find his 2022 form. Icing Vernon Adams really killed them last year, he has to prove he’s worth the investment. This team will go as he goes IMO.
So Rourke goes, so the Leos go.
I’m pretty sure Rourke will be much improved over last season. His joining the Lions when he did last season was bad all way round. He wasn’t ready to resume being the star he had been. His presence on the team caused upheaval and a schism among his teammates. Lions are also playing the price for going way over the cap, though that’s not entirely on Rourke.
Are the Leos top three in the West? Bombers are still the champs until they are not. Sask is still on the upswing and the most likely club to dethrone Blue atop the CFL West. Did any club change more than EE? How long until we know if all those old faces in a new place will make EE great again? Stamps are still a mess and have the basement locked up, but if VA has an axe to grind with his ex-team, Cal might not be the free square on the Bingo card for Vancouver.
BC has elite players but too many holes for me to feel totally confident about them. Rourke is the real deal, and that receiving core could be scary again. But How solid is the o line? A young QB needs a good o line and running game to rely on. I’m not convinced with their D.
My ideal would be Sask, BC, Edm, and both Winnipeg and Calgary fighting for basement status. I like Bc unless it’s against my riders. I hope they light it up this year.
In the way too early rankings, I see it as SK, Edm, BC, Wpg, Cal. I’ve picked BC & Wpg top 2 the past 3 years but I haven’t seen too many positive changes on the Bombers & they’ve been on a downward trend win-wise in the regular season & GC for 3 years now. BC?? I’m a little torn on them.
The Riders probably should have finished 1st last year & look to take the next step. The Elks?? Hard to ignore the CDN talent they stacked up or the # of GC rings with their starters on board now. PFF ranked their OL tops last year & that Argo DL now playing there is one of the best in the league at getting after the QB. Biggest questions for me in BC & Edm is their QB’s BUT they have veterans in place behind them.
Still have to see how the final rosters look in June. But it sure looks like a changing of the guard in the West.
All good points on Edmonton except that if you look at sask last year there’s a few setbacks due to rookie coaching. Edm is going to experience that too. They’ll be much improved but I think not ahead of Sask or BC despite the crazy talent they have.
Time will tell. Either way, a guaranteed 1st place for SK 
Yeah I bet youd like that. Dream on
Yeah, obviously I’d like that, that’s what I said in my post!! Here, let me say it again because it’s so awesome “my ideal would be Calgary fighting Winnipeg for the basement”.
Well my dream is to see Cal, BC, Edm fight it out and Sask, Win to battle for basement, oh wait! Thats no dream, Ive seen it a dozen times
Yep, Unfortunately. To the dismay of the majority of fans in the cfl. But the ten stampeder fans sure had a good run did’t they?
yawn, shitty stadium and falling fan support (FYI so do Riders) , got any new material you are boring me
Very true. But BOTH the Elks & Lions have rookie HC’s & only the Lions have a HC who does double duty as OC. So IMO there is no advantage to either team on that front. I do think they are quite evenly matched.
In any case, it’s all conjecture at this point. It’s interesting that both of us seem to see the West play out pretty much the same.
You’re right I wasn’t thinking about bc having a new coach. That’s does add a wrench into my thinking
Smart guys!
Nothing new, just stating the obvious. You must not be talking riders stadium. And riders smaller attendance is still the envy of any team but Winnipeg.
Not sure I would go that far. Lowest attended Rider game in 2024 was: