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.
Elks could win the West or finish dead last. It all depends on if all these different players form a cohesive unit and when. Then there is Ford. Is he ready to be a highly-effective full-time QB ? It’s his time, can he make the most of his opportunity?
My sense is that the Elks will grind inconsistently through the first half of the season before becoming a pretty good club in the fall. I have no doubt they’ll make the playoffs, and if they go on a late-season heater, could have a deep playoff run.
Biggest threat to the Elks is Regina. They are ready to dominate the West.
I expect the Elks will be the most entertaining club this season, so their games will be must-watch for all CFL fans.
My feeling is they’ll take less time to gel than expected. They brought in a lot of players who have played together. They have a completely intact DL which was the most disruptive in the league last year, leading in sacks. Early in the season D’s are generally ahead of Offence.
BUT it’s very hard to handicap any games the 1st few weeks. Does having the 1st week bye hurt the Bombers or help them? Who knows? Upsets are not unusual. I have to agree that the Elks will be must-see this year - probably the team I am most interested in seeing how it unfolds.
I really don’t think anyone will dominate the West. I don’t think there is too much separating the top 4 clubs. I can’t see the Stamps, even with Adams, being in the mix.
True, a lot of the new Elks are vets who have played together, but a new team, new teammates, new systems, new coaches and a rookie head coach suggests this team won’t explode out f the gate.
Hervey is not known for his patience, so will he resist the urge to tamper if the team scuffs along during the summer? He should but will he? Somebody ought to put a sign in his office reminding him that “patience is a virtue.”
I think the newbies will eventually settle in and the team will be pretty good. I am less certain about Ford. Absolutely, it is his time to shine, but will he? If the team is erratic during the first half of the season, Ford rightly or wrongly will take a lot of the criticism. How will the youngster deal with it? This will be his first time as an Elk where he won’t be brought in to salvage a terrible season. He is being tasked with making it a banner season. How will he respond to the added responsibility and pressure?
As I see the West, I expect an even better team in Regina, but it comes with the caveat that Harris stays mostly healthy. You know he’ll miss some games with hurts. Can shaky Jake steer the them to wins in his absence?
Winnipeg is still the top dog in the West until they aren’t. I don’t think they’ll fall off the cliff in '25, only that they will be surpassed by Regina.
I see the Elks finishing in second or third, by far the most improved team in the CFL.
Even if Rourke returns to all-star form, do the Lions have the talent to surpass the Rides, Bombers and Elks? I’m not seeing it.
Good news for Stamp fans. The team will win more games in '25 than last season. The bad news is another last-place finish. How long will it take ownership to finally move on from Dickey? He’s a spent and negative force. Cal will win the ward for the team that has the biggest need for a new direction.
Oh you can bet he’ll be tampering. Probably not with his lineup, but with other teams players and agents for sure. 