Brown back with Blue and Gold

Dru Brown has left the doghouse in Ottawa and is on his way back to Winnipeg.

The Blue Bombers announced Tuesday evening that they have acquired the 29-year-old quarterback and a second-round pick in the 2027 CFL Draft (previously traded by Winnipeg to Ottawa to move up three spots in this year’s draft to pick tight end Dante Daniels) from the Ottawa Redblacks, in exchange for Winnipeg’s first-round selection in 2027 and a second-round selection in 2028 (conditional).

The conditional pick will become a first if Brown re-signs with the Bombers for 2027 and plays a certain amount that season.

Brown broke into the CFL with the Bombers in 2021 and appeared in 38 games across three seasons where he completed 102-of-153 attempts for 1,484 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He started three games in that stretch and went 2-1.

With Brown ready to take the next step in his career and the Bombers solidified at pivot with Zach Collaros, the club sent his negotiating rights to Ottawa on Jan. 18, 2024.

In his first full season as a starter, Brown went 8-6 while throwing for 3,959 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He regressed in 2025 with injuries limiting him to 11 games and had 2,389 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Ottawa hired Ryan Dinwiddie to be their new head coach/general manager this off-season, and he brought in veteran quarterback Jake Maier and named him the starter.

The timing of the move may seem shocking for the Redblacks considering Maier has been the most underwhelming starter in the league through two games, but clearly Dinwiddie doesn’t view Brown as the quarterback of the future and this deal allows Ottawa to obtain assets for a player who was likely going to walk in the off-season. After the trade was announced, it was reported that Ottawa is signing 37-year-old quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who won a Grey Cup in Toronto with Dinwiddie in 2022.

For the Bombers, adding Brown to the mix gives them a proven backup they can rely on if Collaros misses any time this season. Rookie quarterback Taylor Elgersma is currently No. 2 on the depth chart and third-string Bryce Perkins is a CFL newcomer.

Collaros, who turns 38 in August, missed four games due to inury in 2025.

The Bombers (1-1) host the Edmonton Elks (2-0) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

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