B.C. Lions training camp opens in Kamloops as Buck Pierce begins second season
B.C. Lions open 2026 training camp in Kamloops as Buck Pierce enters Year 2; Nathan Rourke returns under contract amid roster tweaks and reinforcements.
The B.C. Lions opened their 2026 training camp in Kamloops on Sunday, May 10, 2026, beginning a push to build on an 11-7 2025 regular season and a West Division final appearance. The B.C. Lions training camp will focus on sharpening a high-powered offense while addressing defensive vulnerabilities that surfaced last year. Head coach Buck Pierce returns for his sophomore season with the aim of converting last year’s lessons into a deeper playoff run.
Camp starts in Kamloops with returning core
The team convened in Kamloops to begin on-field work and install early-game plans under familiar coaching voices. Most of last season’s roster remains intact, providing continuity that general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said should reduce the mental load in practice. Players and coaches emphasized that the shared experience from 2025 allows the group to react faster and spend more time refining details than relearning systems.
Coaching continuity under Buck Pierce
Buck Pierce, in his second year as the Lions’ head coach, said the staff learned significant lessons about personnel and play-calling last season. Pierce’s approach this year centers on reinforcing strengths and systematically correcting weaknesses identified during the 2025 campaign. Staff stability, Rigmaiden noted, now gives younger players clearer expectations and established veterans a platform to lead.
Key contract moves and roster additions
Off-season moves kept the offensive backbone intact, highlighted by Nathan Rourke’s contract extension that ties the quarterback to the club through 2028. Running back James Butler signed a two-year extension and offensive lineman Dejon Allen agreed to a one-year deal, preserving continuity in the offense. The Lions bolstered their front seven by adding American linebacker Darnell Sankey and defensive lineman Casey Sayles, moves Rigmaiden described as adding physicality and leadership.
Notable departures and depth questions
The Lions also lost contributors in free agency, including receiver Ayden Eberhardt, who signed with Ottawa after a 2025 season that produced a career-best 863 yards and four touchdowns. Veteran offensive lineman Jarell Broxton departed for Winnipeg, leaving a gap that veterans like Michael Couture said the existing group can fill. Management framed the departures as manageable when balanced against the team’s returning starters and new additions.
Offensive firepower and Rourke’s targets
B.C. led the CFL in net offense (7,743 yards), points (559) and touchdowns (59) in 2025, and much of that production is expected to return. Quarterback Nathan Rourke — the CFL’s top Canadian and most outstanding player last season — threw for 5,290 yards and 31 touchdowns while adding 10 rushing scores. Rourke and receivers such as Keon Hatcher Sr., who posted 1,688 receiving yards and nine TDs in 2025, enter camp with high individual targets; Hatcher indicated a 2,000-yard season is an attainable goal with dedicated off-season work.
Defensive priorities and adjustments
Despite offensive dominance, the Lions allowed 499 points last year, the third-most in the league, and the defense will be a focal point in Kamloops. New additions Sankey and Sayles are intended to add toughness and presence up front, a priority Rigmaiden described as “winning inside out.” Coaches plan to emphasize tackling, situational awareness, and red-zone defense in early drills to reduce big-play susceptibility.
Focus and objectives for the 2026 season
Leadership from Rourke and veteran linemen is expected to shorten the learning curve as the season approaches, with the club setting clear benchmarks for ball security and situational football. Rourke has publicly prioritized reducing turnovers after throwing 16 interceptions in 2025, and the coaching staff has set ball protection as a measurable offseason objective. The overarching aim remains straightforward: advance further in the postseason than the West final exit a year ago and challenge for the Grey Cup.
The Lions enter camp carrying both optimism and urgency, leaning on an explosive offense and added defensive pieces while attempting to tighten weaknesses that cost points last season.
