‘Let’s continue to build’: B.C. Lions look to continue growth as training camp opens

VANCOUVER — There were ample lessons for the B.C. Lions to learn under rookie head coach Buck Pierce last season.

Now, with Pierce and his staff heading into their sophomore campaign, the team wants to use that knowledge to take another step in its journey to a Grey Cup title.

“Last year, they were kind of getting to know personnel, we were trying to learn the play book,” Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke said of the squad’s growth.

“Now we know what our strengths are, let’s continue to build on those things. We know what our weaknesses are, let’s improve on those things. I think we have a much better direction going into this training camp and I’m excited to see what that looks like.”

The Lions open camp Sunday in Kamloops, B.C.

B.C. was a solid squad under Pierce in 2025, finishing the regular season with an 11-7 record before falling to eventual Grey Cup champions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West final.

They led the league in net offence (7,743 yards), points (559) and touchdowns (59), but also gave up the third-most points (499) of any CFL team.

There’s a lot to build on heading into 2026, said Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden.

“I think there’s going to be less thinking and just more reacting and playing,” he said. “So everybody who’s been in this system already for a year, that’s going to be an advantage.”

Much of last year’s roster remains in tact.

Over the off-season, Rourke signed an extension that will keep him with the club through 2028, while running back James Butler re-upped on a two-year deal and offensive lineman Dejon Allen inked a one-year pact.

The Lions added American linebacker Darnell Sankey, who spent last season with the Montreal Alouettes and former Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive lineman Casey Sayles, additions that Rigmaiden said make the team tougher to play against.

“I feel like we always want to stay true to what we think are pillars of our philosophy and winning inside out is something we want to do,” he said. “So adding those guys, getting more physical, getting stronger and then adding leaders is something we always want to do.”

B.C. will be without American receiver Ayden Eberhardt, who joined the Ottawa Redblacks in free agency after amassing a career-best 863 yards with four TDs last season.

The team also lost veteran offensive lineman Jarell Broxton to the WinnipegBlue Bombers.

“We lost Jarell last year which, I’m not going to lie, that’s a big piece,” said Canadian o-lineman Michael Couture. “But I’m very confident with the guys that we have that we’re going to be just fine.”

Couture and his teammates will once again be looking to protect Rourke, who’s coming off a campaign where he was named both the CFL’s top Canadian and its most-outstanding player.

Rourke, who turns 28 on May 28, tallied 5,290 passing yards with 31 touchdowns, and added 10 rushing majors himself.

But the 16 interceptions he gave up still play on his mind, Rigmaiden said.

“If you talk to him, he’s talked about taking care of the ball a little bit more. He’s got such high standards and expectations for himself, he’s always going to make that higher than I’ll ever be,” he said.

“I think he’s pretty dang good already. But him being a goal-setting type of guy and him wanting to always be at his absolute peak, he’s going to set that bar very, very high.”

One of the QB’s top targets last season was Keon Hatcher Sr. The American receiver totalled 1,688 yards with 611 yards after catch and nine touchdowns. Four of the TDs came in B.C.’s last three regular-season outings.

Asked whether he could hit the 2,000-yard mark this year, Hatcher said it’s possible after a solid off-season where he worked hard on his explosiveness and strength.

“But that work starts now,” Hatcher said. “Just gotta lock in. I believe in myself. I believe it’s obtainable. But just got to go work and go prove it.”

As the team heads to training camp, the focus is simply on making it further than they did last season, he added.

“Expectations are always high,” Hatcher said. “But we’ve been in this system for a year, so when we get to camp, the ball’s dropping and it’s rolling. There’s not really much of a learning curve. It’s just get back to where you were at and let’s be better. And just go to work and build off what we had last year.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press