CFL East preview: Kelly appears to carry Argos again to contender standing

The CFL’s East Division has been an enchanting battleground outlined by redemption tales, unblemished potential, and veteran resilience beneath centre.

After watching the Montreal Alouettes attain two Grey Cup finals in three seasons, the remainder of the division has its arms full making an attempt to finish their run of success.

Each staff within the division has playoff aspirations, and their success relies upon largely on how their quarterbacks carry out.

No staff understands that greater than Toronto. Quarterback Chad Kelly is on a mission to recapture his dominant 2023 Most Outstanding Player kind after lacking your entire 2025 marketing campaign to get better from a critical leg harm. His return serves because the emotional and structural basis for Toronto, who need to transfer previous a 5-13 season final yr after profitable the Grey Cup in 2024.

For Kelly, getting himself again to taking part in at an elite stage is barely part of the battle. The path for the 32-year-old and the Argos again to the highest of the East will run straight by means of a gauntlet of confirmed pivots.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are leaning closely into the rarest asset within the East: veteran stability. Two-time MOP Bo Levi Mitchell stays locked in on serving to his staff finish their Grey Cup drought.

The Alouettes might be seeking to trip the momentum from Davis Alexander’s nice season, which was sadly disrupted by a nagging hamstring harm. It caught as much as him in a multi-interception Grey Cup loss, giving him all of the motivation to make staying on the sphere a giant objective.

Then there’s the wild card within the nation’s capital. An enormous teaching shakeup noticed former Argos head coach Ryan Dinwiddie transfer to Ottawa. In his first act accountable for the Redblacks, Dinwiddie introduced in veteran Jake Maier on a one-year deal and finally named him the starter for the season opener.

Here’s a deeper have a look at the East this yr, with groups listed so as of predicted end:

1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Last season: 11-7, first in East, misplaced to Montreal within the East Final.
Head coach: Scott Milanovich (coming into third season).

The pulse on the Tiger-Cats

A heartbreaking 19-16 walk-off loss to the Montreal Alouettes within the East Final lower the Tiger-Cats’ promising 2025 season quick.

Heading into 2026, Milanovich’s squad boasts continuity, however it continues to hold the heavy burden of the CFL’s longest lively championship drought, having not gained since 1999.

The defence misplaced Casey Sayles to B.C. and defensive again DaShaun Amos to Toronto, however nonetheless has veteran defensive finish Julian Howsare. The American was a one-man wrecking crew final season, incomes East Division Top Defensive Player honours with a career-high 13 sacks.

Hamilton’ secured’s huge addition was prying veteran linebacker Wynton McManis away from the Argos to switch NFL-bound Devin Veresuk.

On offence, the Ticats’ aerial recreation stays potent. Bo Levi Mitchell, 36, is again beneath centre after main the league with 5,296 passing yards and 36 touchdowns. Bringing in wideout Kenny Lawler performed a giant half in Mitchell’s manufacturing after posting a monstrous 1,443-yard, 14-touchdown marketing campaign, which led to him touchdown a profitable three-year extension.

The staff added to its Canadian depth with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. becoming a member of Lawler, Kiondre Smith and Shemar Bridges. Expect this offence to be powerful to include, even with star working again Greg Bell leaping ship to Ottawa.

One burning query: Can Hamilton generate a dependable move rush exterior of Howsare?

CFL groups will do what they’ll to attenuate their opponents’ most efficient gamers, particularly Howsare, who expects to see loads of further consideration as he appears to interrupt by means of double groups. Defensive co-ordinator Brent Monson will look to Philip Ossai and Miles Fox to step up in pass-rush conditions.

2. Montreal Alouettes
Last season: 10-8, second in East, misplaced to Saskatchewan in Grey Cup.
Head coach: Jason Maas (coming into fourth season with Montreal).

The pulse on the Alouettes

Montreal did not make flashy strikes within the low season as basic supervisor Danny Maciocia targeted on sustaining a cohesive roster, which earned its sixth-straight playoff look.

With Austin Mack gone, Tyler Snead, Tyson Philpot, Alexander Hollins and Jerreth Sterns proceed to carry dependability for Alexander.

An enormous speaking level all low season and coaching camp has been the well being of Alexander, who could not shake a hamstring harm that restricted Montreal’s greatest participant in some ways. Alexander mentioned he’s in good well being, however he might want to show that he can maintain up for a complete common season.

Defensively, the Alouettes stay a pressure, with Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund coming off an 11-sack season, whereas linebackers Tyrice Beverette (83 tackles, seven sacks), Geoffrey Cantin-Arku and new free-agent pickup Micah Awe will patrol the center of the sphere after Darnell Sankey’s departure.

One burning query: Will continuity be sufficient to get again to Grey Cup?

The Alouettes proved final season that they’ve a staff able to going all the best way, however they did lose two key gamers who set the tone in some ways, in Sankey and Marc-Antoine Dequoy. Maas may also must hope that he can preserve his greatest gamers wholesome and on the sphere as a result of the dropoff when their second choices have been in was noticeable.

3. Toronto Argonauts
Last season: 5-13, third in East, missed playoffs.
Head coach: Mike Miller (first season as CFL head coach).

The pulse on the Argonauts

It’s by no means a boring low season in Toronto, this time following a complete organizational facelift. With Dinwiddie leaving for Ottawa, the Boatmen promoted quarterbacks coach Mike Miller to the massive chair to stabilize the franchise.

The staff is banking on Kelly’s well being and relationship with Miller to get again into rivalry. While veteran Nick Arbuckle proved to be able to stepping up throughout Kelly’s absence final yr, Toronto’s dismal 5-13 document highlighted a determined want for defensive reinforcements.

The entrance workplace determined to carry again some acquainted faces with Adarius Pickett, Dewayne Hendrix, Ralph Holley and DaShaun Amos.

Another focus for the Argos was getting the offensive line again to its dominant kind and having a extra dependable speeding assault. The staff introduced in Dakoda Shepley after the Canadian spent the final six seasons within the NFL and a brand new working again room with Qualan Jones, Isaiah Smith and Samuel Hicks.

One burning query: Can Argos discover stability after turbulent season?

The Argos are going to be navigating some early challenges with a transfer to Guelph, Ont., in the course of the FIFA World Cup and having to spend so much of time on the street. There might be questions on whether or not the defence can compete with some powerful offences within the division, and the way the staff will reply to the brand new path beneath Miller.

4. Ottawa Redblacks
Last season: 4-14, fourth in East, missed playoffs.
Head coach: Ryan Dinwiddie (first season with Ottawa).

The pulse on the Redblacks

After taking a giant step backward in 2025, the Redblacks determined to make a daring transfer and rent Dinwiddie away from the Argos with the twin basic supervisor and head teaching title.

It did not take lengthy for the brand new coach to go away his mark, naming newly acquired veteran Jake Maier the beginning quarterback for the 2026 season opener over Dru Brown. Initially, it seemed like Dinwiddie’s foremost objective was to assist Brown take the subsequent step, however it seems that is on maintain.

Maier will look to ascertain chemistry with receivers Eugene Lewis and newcomer Ayden Eberhardt. On the opposite aspect of the ball, the Redblacks added championship pedigree by signing key linebacker AJ Allen from Saskatchewan to spearhead a disciplined, hard-nosed defence.

One burning query: Will Maier reward Dinwiddie’s belief?

After shedding out on his beginning job in Calgary, Maier spent 2025 as a backup to Trevor Harris in Saskatchewan. Considering Dinwiddie’s monitor document with quarterbacks relationship to his time with the Stampeders, will probably be attention-grabbing to see if he can get Maier to offer the manufacturing wanted to get his staff out of the CFL basement.