TORONTO — In what’s shaping up to be one of the deepest free agent classes in recent memory, a Canadian passport can go a long way in spiking a player’s value.
Five of the top six players on CFL.ca’s top 30 free agents list are nationals while, no coincidence, more than a third of the players on the list in total are from Canada.
It’s understood that Canadian content is key to building a team geared towards long-term success, and with an abundance of national talent in this free agent class it’s obvious that all eyes will be on the potential ratio-breakers.
Whether it’s one of two star national running backs available or three-headed monster at defensive line, wherever this year’s top nationals sign will be the key to success in free agency. With that, we rank the top 10 national players on track to become free agents on Feb. 9:
1. Andrew Harris
A national player of Harris’s calibre at the running back position is a rarity in the CFL and after the retirement of Jon Cornish this off-season, Harris is one of the last of his kind currently in the league.
The Winnipeg native will turn 29 in training camp and is coming off a successful season in which he placed second in the league in yards from scrimmage, making him a potential centerpiece for whatever offence can land him.
When you think of ratio-changers, Harris has to be one of the first players coming to mind – an elite-calibre talent at a position typically occupied by an American who has game-changing ability. This is why Harris ranks number one on our list.
2. Ted Laurent
Laurent isn’t just one of the best national defensive linemen in the CFL, he’s arguably the best defensive lineman in the CFL period. The stats last year don’t entirely reflect Laurent’s contribution to the Ticats’ elite defence after recording only three sacks in 16 games – well off his nine sacks in 13 games total of 2014.
But don’t let the numbers fool you, Laurent dominates every game on the field. The 6-foot-1, 303-pound defensive tackle fills a lot of space on the D-line and is effective stopping the run, meanwhile even when he isn’t getting sacks he’s still putting opposing quarterbacks in a panic.
The 28-year-old wouldn’t just be an upgrade to a team’s defensive line, he’d be a game-changer, not just for the D-line but for that entire defence – just like in Hamilton upon his arrival in 2014.
3. Justin Capicciotti
One of the least talked about big names in free agency so far, Justin Capicciotti will be in high demand come Feb. 9. He’s entering free agency at the perfect time, coming off a 12-sack season at a prime age of 26 years old.
Capicciotti is a premier CFL defensive end, logging 23 sacks over two seasons while helping the REDBLACKS lead the league in sacks in 2015. Why is he a ratio-buster, though? Eight pass rushers had double-digit sacks last year but only two, including Capicciotti, are nationals.
Jamaal Westerman was the only national more productive last year while no national has been more productive the last two years.
4. Cleyon Laing
After a breakout season in 2015, Cleyon Laing has reportedly drawn interest from NFL teams south of the border. If he does land with a CFL team next season, however, one team could be getting a defensive cornerstone for the foreseeable future.
Laing has earned a reputation throughout three CFL seasons for his aggressive, hard-nosed style, while last year he added eight sacks and a pair of fumbles in 16 games. The 25-year-old Edmonton native is exactly the type of player opponents hate playing against, which also happens to be the type of player every team is looking for.
It’s hard to imagine a player of Laing’s talent and potential ranking third among national defensive linemen available, but that’s how strong this year’s pending free agent class is.
5. Courtney Stephen
(Extended: 2/8/2016)
There was so much debate involving the first five players on this list that you could probably switch them in any order and few people would argue — or everyone would argue whatever happens.
Courtney Stephen has grown into his own as a shutdown cornerback in the CFL, a position not often occupied by nationals. The 26-year-old has improved every season and still has room to grow after playing on one of the league’s truly elite defences for three seasons.
Stephen recorded four of his six career interceptions last season alone and is becoming a top-notch playmaker at the position.
6. Josh Bourke
Josh Bourke could be higher on this list if only because of position scarcity. At a position where nationals loom largest, Bourke is one of only a couple of national offensive linemen that really pop out in this year’s pending free agent class – and boy, does Bourke’s name pop out.
The 33-year-old has been a fixture at the left tackle position since 2008, protecting his quarterback’s blindside for eight seasons. He’s a seven-time East Division All-Star and two-time CFL All-Star on top of twice being named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Lineman.
With such a high priority placed on national offensive linemen, Bourke should have the attention of every CFL team, including the one he’s played for almost the last decade.
7. Jerome Messam (Extended: 2/8/2016)
Overshadowed by another elite national running back in Andrew Harris, Jerome Messam could pack a serious punch as the feature back on any offence in the CFL. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound back is more than just a downhill runner, last year leading the CFL in yards from scrimmage thanks to his 497 receiving yards on 53 catches with the Stampeders and Roughriders.
Messam is a contender to win the rushing title every year and is the definition of a ratio-breaker, providing elite-level production at a high-skill position.
8. Corey Watman
Corey Watman has become exactly the type of player the Riders envisioned when they selected him fourth overall in the 2013 CFL Draft, and now the 26-year-old comes in as the second-ranked pending free agent offensive lineman.
Finding Canadian talent on the O-line is important and in such a deep free agent class this year, it’s the one area that could be difficult to fill. Bourke and Watman are two high-end options but a drop-off in talent occurs after those two.
For a national lineman just hitting his prime that can play multiple positions, including centre, Watman will be in high demand should he hit the free agent wire on Feb. 9.
9. Jermaine Gabriel
Despite being limited by injuries in 2015, Jermaine Gabriel put in a strong third CFL season with 51 tackles in 12 games (a career-high 4.3 tackles per game) to go with two forced fumbles. He’s still on the fence as an elite CFL defender, but at 25 years old has a high ceiling and a bright future.
Gabriel is far and away the number one safety in free agency and is no doubt a ratio-changer for any defence lucky enough to add him to its secondary.
10. Chris Getzlaf
It was a difficult choice between Chris Getzlaf and Shamawd Chambers, two national receivers that should get plenty of attention should they hit the open market, but we give the nod to the veteran. Injuries have plagued the former 1,000-yard receiver the last two years as Getzlaf has just 993 receiving yards and five touchdowns over his last 23 games.
Yet when Getzlaf plays, he’s productive and you don’t have to go back far to remember a receiver that eclipsed 800 yards four straight seasons and reached the 1,000-yard plateau twice in three years from 2011 through 2013. The 33-year-old still has plenty to offer for a team looking to add some Canadian content to its receiving corps.