The Canadian Football League off-season is never short on drama, and the 2026 edition is proving no different. With retirements, roster shake-ups, and a carousel of coaching changes, fans across the country are left with more questions than answers as teams prepare for another shot at the Grey Cup. In the midst of all this, the Edmonton Elks are facing a particularly poignant transition, as homegrown linebacker Josiah Schakel has called time on his CFL career at just 26 years old.
Schakel’s retirement, confirmed on January 13, 2026, marks the end of a journey that began with dreams in Sherwood Park, Alberta, and led him through 46 regular-season games across stints with the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks. “Playing in the CFL was a dream I had from when I was a child watching the Eskimos play. Luckily I’ve been able to live out that dream over the past four years. I want to thank the Edmonton Elks organization for giving me the opportunity to play for them for the past three seasons,” Schakel wrote in a heartfelt statement to 3DownNation. “I am also grateful for the friendships and connections I have made through my time playing. It was a difficult decision to retire but I knew it was the right time for me and my growing family. Football will always be a part of my life and I’m looking forward to giving back to the sport in my community.”
Schakel’s stats may not leap off the page—just two defensive tackles and 29 special teams tackles in his CFL career—but his presence on the field and in the locker room was felt deeply. After being drafted in the second round by Calgary in 2022, dressing for seven games as a rookie, and then being released the following year, Schakel found new life with the Elks as a free agent in 2023. Over three seasons in Edmonton, he played 15 games in 2025, recording one defensive tackle and eight special teams tackles. He entered the off-season as a pending free agent, but chose to step away from professional football instead.
Before his CFL days, Schakel was a force with the University of Alberta Golden Bears, where he won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2021 as the nation’s top defensive player in U Sports football. His university career was nothing short of remarkable: 194 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, six pass knockdowns, five forced fumbles, and one interception over 33 games. That pedigree made him a coveted draft pick and a player to watch in the professional ranks.
Schakel’s retirement comes at a time when the Edmonton Elks are already wrestling with their identity and future. The 2025 season was, to put it mildly, a rollercoaster. The Elks finished fifth in the West Division with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year. The team’s fortunes shifted mid-season with a change at quarterback: Cody Fajardo took over for the final 13 games, posting a 6-7 record and throwing for 3,408 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Tre Ford started the first five, going 1-4 with 984 passing yards, five touchdowns, and three picks.
The Elks’ struggles weren’t limited to the quarterback position. Statistically, they ranked ninth in both net offence and net defence, though they managed a respectable fifth in turnover differential at plus-four. Justin Rankin led the ground attack with 1,013 rushing yards, Kaion Julien-Grant paced the receivers with 820 yards, and Joel Dublanko—who the team ultimately chose over Nyles Morgan at linebacker—topped the tackling charts with 80. Yet, none of it was enough to snap the playoff drought, and fan attendance reflected the malaise, dropping 7.1 percent to an average of 19,050 per game.
As the Elks look ahead to 2026, uncertainty looms large. The off-season has been rife with questions about leadership on both sides of the ball. With Schakel’s departure and the trade of linebacker Nyles Morgan to Ottawa, head coach Mark Kilam has placed his faith in Joel Dublanko to quarterback the defence. But will this gamble pay off, especially if star defensive tackle Jake Ceresna doesn’t return? CFL.ca’s recent analysis summed it up: “The quarterback is the most impactful player on the field, but a year from now there will be judgments made about whether the Elks’ defence profited or went into debt with its choice of defensive leader, especially if defensive tackle Jake Ceresna does not return.”
The Elks aren’t alone in their off-season soul-searching. Across the league, teams are grappling with defining questions. The BC Lions are banking on Nathan Rourke, who’s entering his prime and looking to build on a stellar 2025. The Calgary Stampeders, after missing the playoffs and then reloading, are trying to figure out how to become true Grey Cup contenders under Dave Dickenson’s full control. The Saskatchewan Roughriders, fresh off a Grey Cup win, are tasked with keeping the championship glow alive as heavy hitters like Jameer Thurman and Trevor Harris re-sign. Winnipeg faces tough roster decisions with veterans like Willie Jefferson and Zach Collaros, while Hamilton must replace defensive stalwarts and integrate new offensive coordinator Jarryd Baines.
Ottawa Redblacks, meanwhile, have been busy reshaping their linebacker corps. Less than a month after acquiring Nyles Morgan from Edmonton, they mutually parted ways with veteran Adarius Pickett, who immediately drew interest from four teams. Pickett’s release, despite his impressive tally of 164 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions over two seasons, signals a shift as Ottawa’s head coach and GM Ryan Dinwiddie contemplates a new defensive scheme. “Maybe we’ll be more of a three-down linebacker team with a three-down front,” Dinwiddie mused. The Redblacks also have Jovan Santos-Knox and Frankie Griffin hitting free agency, keeping the door open for further moves.
Other notable moves around the league include the BC Lions signing defensive lineman Casey Sayles to a two-year deal, Hamilton’s Chris Kolankowski joining after his release from Winnipeg, and former Tiger-Cats linebacker Devin Veresuk heading to the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. Saskatchewan’s kicker Brett Lauther, despite a dip in form, remains with the Roughriders for now, pending a hefty roster bonus. In Toronto, negotiations are ongoing to keep linebacker Wynton McManis in Double Blue, with GM Mike Clemons optimistic: “He’s a guy we’ve been in negotiations with for quite a while. Hopefully, we’ll get something done with him sooner than later.”
For the Edmonton Elks, Schakel’s retirement is more than just a roster move—it’s a moment of reflection. As the CFL’s winter meetings heat up and every team faces its own existential questions, the Elks must find new leaders and new hope. Whether the defence thrives under Dublanko, whether the offence finds its rhythm, or whether the fans return in greater numbers, one thing is certain: the off-season intrigue is just getting started.
With so much change and so many unanswered questions, the 2026 CFL season promises to be as unpredictable as ever. One chapter closes with Josiah Schakel’s retirement, but the next for Edmonton—and the league as a whole—is wide open.
