Checking Down: The off-season arrives

TORONTO — With Ottawa’s Grey Cup win now in the rear view mirror, expect plenty of action in the coming weeks as the CFL off-season gets under way.

What are the latest rumblings from around the league? More in the latest Checking Down:

Jump to team:

BC LIONS

Will Solomon Elimimian hit the free agent market this off-season? (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)

– Ryan Phillips doesn’t know where he’ll play in 2017 but he knows if it’s anywhere, it’ll be as a member of the Lions (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province).

– Despite his season ending on a sour note, Jonathon Jennings has only just scratched the surface of his potential according to Offensive Coordinator Khari Jones (BCLions.com).

– While Bryan Burnham, Alex Bazzie and Mic’hael Brooks are big names among Lions free agents, none are bigger than Solomon Elimimian (Ed Willes, Vancouver Province).

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

James Franklin is under contract through 2017 but will he remain an Eskimo? (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

– James Franklin has reached out to former Eskimos great Warren Moon for some advice on his CFL future.

– Mike Reilly’s injured non-throwing side might have affected his legs more than anything when the Esks fell in the Eastern Final (Gerry Moddejonge, Edmonton Journal).

– Justin Sorensen has signed a two-year contract extension through 2018.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

– The Stampeders don’t regret the call to go away from Bo Levi Mitchell and Jerome Messam on a key second down play — just the result (Eric Francis, Calgary Herald).

– Marquay McDaniel, Charleston Hughes, Derek Dennis, Rob Maver and Rene Paredes are among Stampeders due to become free agents in February (Daniel Austin, Calgary Herald).

– While the Stamps came up short in heartbreaking fashion, Renee Hill, mother of Mylan Hicks, refused to let the result ruin being in the Grey Cup (Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun).

– Mitchell says he isn’t second-guessing the call second-down call late in the Grey Cup — he just wishes he got the opportunity (Rob Longley, Edmonton Journal).

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Chris Jones continues to make adjustments to his roster as the off-season kicks off (Matt Smith/CFL.ca)

– The Riders have added another quarterback to their roster as Bryan Bennett along with three others have joined the team.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Kyle Walters and the Bombers got a jump on their off-season on Wednesday (CFL.ca)

– The Bombers have added free agent receiver and international Kieren Duncan, a 5-foot-10 pass-catcher out of Colorado State Pueblo (BlueBombers.com).

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Orlondo Steinauer’s name will continue to be a hot topic as long as he’s without a contract (Ticats.ca).

– Speculation continues to surround pending free agent and coach Orlondo Steinauer, who some suspect could end up coaching the Argos in 2017 (Drew Edwards, The Hamilton Spectator).

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Argos GM Jim Barker looks on during the 2016 CFL Combine (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

– A decision on the futures of Scott Milanovich and Jim Barker could be a ways off as the Argos are focused on structure rather than personnel (Gary Lawless, TSN).

– Could Orlondo Steinauer and Tommy Condell reunite in Double Blue next season? Speculation is rampant in and around Hamilton and Toronto (Drew Edwards, The Hamilton Spectator).

– The Argos have signed Shawn Lemon through the 2018 season, the team confirmed on Thursday.

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

– Despite Henry Burris’ memorable Grey Cup performance, Trevor Harris is in line to start in 2017 the way his contract is set up (Brent Wallace, TSN).

– Trevor Harris says he’s excited to become a franchise quarterback and the plan all along was for him to start in 2017 (TSN).

– The REDBLACKS have reportedly signed kicker Sean Decloux, who was added to their negotiation list after going undrafted in 2016 (Justin Dunk, 3 Down Nation).

– OSEG President Jeff Hunt says he is excited to turn Lansdowne into Grey Cup central next year (Tim Baines, Ottawa Citizen).

– An estimated 40,000 fans took in the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ Grey Cup parade on Tuesday in Ottawa.

– Pending free agent receiver Chris Williams is focused on his recovery from the knee injury that ended his 2016 season (Don Brennan, Ottawa Sun).

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Will Jacques Chapdelaine have the interim tag removed from his duties? (MontrealAlouettes.com)

– REDBLACKS assistant GM Brock Sunderland may have met with the Als on Wednesday and appears to have a shot at the vacant GM position (Herb Zurkowsky, Montreal Gazette)

– While Sunderland’s name has been in the news, Ottawa’s personnel man doesn’t want to take the focus away from the REDBLACKS’ Grey Cup win (Gord Holder, Ottawa Citizen).