The Canadian Press
TORONTO — The free agent list is out and we now know who’s without a contract heading into 2017.
That list of players will undoubtedly shrink before free agency officially starts on Feb. 14 as GMs assess their situation and begin to check off some of their key off-season boxes.
Yet if last year was any indication, plenty of star players will be free to find a new match come Valentine’s Day.
For now, we look at some of those we expect to stay put:
Greg Ellingson
REC | OTT
The defending Grey Cup Champs have a ton of players with expiring contracts — key core players that had an important role in winning the East and eventually winning the big game. Still, while General Manager Marcel Desjardins has some tough decisions to make, Ellingson shouldn’t be one of them. One of three 1,000-yard receivers without a contract beyond 2016, the 27-year-old needs to be locked up.
Antoine Pruneau
S | OTT
After some substantial losses last off-season, more change is in store for Rick Campbell and Mark Nelson’s Grey Cup-winning defence. Pruneau was benched at one point in the season but enjoyed a nice resurgence after moving back to safety and a reunion would benefit both sides this off-season. Most teams are already settled at the safety position and it’s hard to see Ottawa letting the former fourth overall pick slip away.
Lirim Hajrullahu
K | TOR
Hajrullahu is due for a pay raise in 2017 and the Argos will probably oblige. The national kicker/punter returned to his 2014 form in his first year for the Boatmen, who didn’t suffer in the kicking game despite losing Swayze Waters to the NFL. There are a lot of free agent kickers on the list this year but don’t expect much movement.
Brandon Whitaker
RB | TOR
Despite being 31, Whitaker put up the second-best rushing total of his career and his first 1,000-yard season since 2011 when he rushed for almost 1,400 as a member of the Alouettes. This one isn’t such a given considering Whitaker’s age and possibility of Scott Milanovich not returning in 2017, but it’s still hard to envision Whitaker playing anywhere other than Toronto come June.
Mike Daly
DB | HAM
A true special teams ace, Daly has carved out his niche with the Ticats and the Ticats most definitely need him. Orlondo Steinauer could be on his way out in Hamilton if he gets a head coaching job elsewhere, but Jeff Reinebold and Kent Austin aren’t going anywhere and probably neither is Daly.
Andy Fantuz
REC | HAM
Fantuz had 101 catches, a single-season franchise record, before suffering a devastating season-ending injury. He turns 33 this week but should have plenty left in the tank and the Ticats will need him. There’s no known reason the Chatham, Ont. native would leave the comfortable confines of Hamilton.
Jeff Keeping
OL | WPG
Keeping was a key off-season addition for the Bombers but his first season in Blue and Gold ended before it could even really get started — in pre-season with a devastating injury. The Bombers’ O-line had a nice bounce back season and should return mostly intact next year (only Stanley Bryant is a free agent) while Keeping’s return would add some much-needed national depth at the position.
Justin Medlock
K | WPG
The most accurate kicker in CFL history, Medlock was all the Bombers hoped for and more when they went out and paid for one of the league’s most impactful special teams players. The strong-legged Medlock made the difference in close games and, after moving around almost annually throughout his professional football career, may now have a permanent CFL home.
Matt Nichols
QB | WPG
On one hand, the Bombers ought to be wary of giving Nichols a big pay day on a longer-term contract after his breakout year came in his fifth season at age 29. On the other, it’s hard to imagine Kyle Walters letting a fast-emerging pivot slip away in his prime years. There’s some risk associated with whichever way the Bombers go but we can’t see Nichols being one and done in the ‘Peg. It’ll be a matter of ‘when and for how much’, not ‘if’.
Otha Foster
DB | SSK
Signed by the Riders last year, Foster notched career highs in tackles (71) and sacks (3) as he joined Chris Jones in Riderville. While Foster seems to thrive under Jones, Jones has a chance to establish the biggest thing that was lacking for the Green and White early in 2016: continuity. Foster should be back as the Riders’ defence looks to build on this year’s late-season success.
Corvey Irvin
DL | SSK
Irvin notched 27 tackles and five sacks in his first year under Jones — not bad for an interior defensive lineman. He’s 32 next season but the 6-foot-2, 295-pound tackle is a key veteran cog on Jones’ defence at a position that’s critical for success. Just remember what Almondo Sewell did for Jones in Edmonton; the Riders’ coach and GM needs Irvin for similar purposes.
Dan Federkeil
OL | CGY
The Stamps face a ton of questions on both sides of the ball but especially on the O-line, where three starters — two tackles and a centre — are slated for free agency. Derek Dennis could try his luck down south after an award-winning year while Pierre Lavertu could get a similar opportunity. For Federkeil, a life long Stampeder, we don’t envision the 33-year-old signing anywhere else.
Charleston Hughes
DE | CGY
Sticking with the Stampeders, one thing we know about John Hufnagel as a general manager is he’s not afraid to say no when it comes to aging players demanding high salaries. Does Charleston Hughes fit in that boat? At 32, Hughes likely gets paid this off-season for his work in the past, including 2016 when he led the league in sacks; not for what he’ll do over the next few years. Still, with double digit sacks in four of his last five seasons, the nine-year Stampeder might be an exception. He’s certainly shown no sign of aging.
John Ojo
DB | EDM
Ojo might have been an NFL shoe-in this off-season if not for a devastating season-ending injury in camp. Now, his best bet might be to follow the path of fellow teammate John White, who suffered a similar injury the previous year only to return this season to his previous form. With so many changes in the last year and another potential loss in Patrick Watkins, the Eskimos need Ojo in thier backfield while a return makes sense for the player as well.
Sean Whyte
K | EDM
Easily the most consistent kicker in the CFL this season, there’s no reason for Whyte to leave Edmonton. The 31-year-old converted on 45 of his 48 field goal tries (a career-high 93.8 per cent) and appears to be simply getting better with age. There are plenty of kickers scheduled to hit the market but Eskimos fans shouldn’t worry too much.
