QB Brown takes on former team as Blue Bombers set to visit winless Redblacks

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown (4) hands off to Brady Oliveira (20) during second half CFL football action against the Toronto Argonauts in Winnipeg on Friday, July 10, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

OTTAWA — Dru Brown doesn’t need any extra motivation when he takes on the Ottawa Redblacks Sunday night. But an opportunity for a little validation will present itself.

Demoted during training camp before even taking a snap for the Redblacks, Brown returns to the nation’s capital as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ (3-2) starting quarterback. Zach Collaros was placed on the six-game injured list Friday.

Brown could hand the Redblacks (0-5) their sixth straight loss as they continue to seek their first win of the season.

Not looking to provide the Redblacks with any bulletin board material Brown said “I wasn’t maybe what they wanted, and that’s OK.”

A fierce competitor, you can guarantee Brown will want to be at his best against his former teammates.

“I get a chance to go out there and have fun and fly around and do my best to compete,” said Brown. “It’s Ottawa this week, it was Toronto last week. You know, I don’t even know who we have after this to be honest with you.

“But any chance I get to go out there and play, I’m not necessarily trying to prove anyone wrong. Just to me, the game is too complex and too hard to have emotional attachment to these games.”

Jake Maier was given the starter’s job over Brown and will get the start Sunday for Ottawa. Maier understands comparisons will be made between the two QBs but says he can’t afford to get caught up in that side of things.

“I totally get it, but my hands are full with what they do defensively, they’re a great defence,” he said. “They’ve been a great defence for six years now, it seems like. So, best of luck to (Dru) tomorrow and I’m sure I’ll catch up with him after.”

After five games, Maier is 123-for-184 for 1372 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was picked off four times last week in Edmonton. He knows the fan base is frustrated and he wants nothing more than to help turn things around.

“You can’t live in the past anymore. You can’t dwell on that stuff and you can’t feed into all the noise,” Maier said. “Our objective tomorrow is to find some joy as a team, compete our tail off and let the results fall where they may.”

Ottawa would benefit from getting its run game going. After four games, Greg Bell has just 36 carries for 133 yards. Head coach and general manager Ryan Diwiddie says getting Bell going will be a focus Sunday.

“We’ve got to play to Greg’s strengths,” said Dinwiddie. “So, we’re going to try some different run schemes that you know we did early in the year, and then we kind of gave up on it. We’ve got to find an identity in our run game.”

Things won’t get any easier for the Redblacks who will be without middle linebacker Nyles Morgan, who leads the league with 38 defensive tackles. Morgan broke his hand during the first quarter of last week’s 40-17 loss to the Elks. Ottawa will also be without lineman Habakkuk Baldonado and starting cornerback Adrian Frye.

“For us it’s next man up mentality,” said defensive back Alonzo Addae. “Injuries happen and the players who are filling in for the guys who are injured just have to be on the same page in terms of communication.”

BLUE BOMBERS (3-2) AT REDBLACKS (0-5)

CONSISTENCY IS KEY: Winnipeg LB Tony Jones has had at least six defensive plays in every game.

SNAP IT: The Redblacks are 0-3 at TD Place this season and have lost their last six at home dating back to last season.

BRIGHT SPOT: Kalil Pimpleton leads the league in kickoff return yards at 642 after five games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press