Montreal Alouettes
TORONTO — With an unprecedented amount of free agents in 2017, the first wave of free agency on Valentine’s Day had no shortage of exciting moves around the league with teams choosing new matches and keeping some familiar faces.
Last season’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Derek Dennis, found himself a new home in Saskatchewan while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats bolstered their secondary by adding Grey Cup Champion Abdul Kanneh and re-signing Emanuel Davis.
With that and much more happening around the league on the first day of free agency, here’s a look what what each team has done so far:
Jump to team:
BC | Calgary | Edmonton | Saskatchewan | Winnipeg | Hamilton | Toronto | Ottawa | Montreal |
BC LIONS
In short: The Lions did a lot of their work in the last few hours before the deadline, retaining a list of veterans on defence, most importantly, DL Mic’hael Brooks. Focusing on their own protected the nucleus of the defence from free agency and may have set them up for some depth signings in the days following.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Mic’hael Brooks | DL | Re-Signed (02/14/17) | — |
Marco Iannuzzi | WR | Re-Signed (02/14/17) | — |
Ronnie Yell | DB | Re-Signed (02/14/17) | — |
Tony Burnett | LB | Signed (02/14/17) | WPG |
Chris Williams | WR | Signed (02/15/17) | OTT |
Dequin Evans | DL | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
Matt Bucknor | DB | Signed (02/16/17) | CGY |
DeQuin Evans | DE | Signed (02/16/17) | MTL |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Ryan Phillips | DB | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
Jabar Westerman | DL | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
In short: Kendial Lawrence returns to try and re-ignite his career in the place he made a name for himself as he returns to the Esks. GM Ed Hervey made a pair of additional signings to help solidify his Canadian talent but for the most part, stayed away from the sweepstakes involving big-name free agents.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Alexandre Dupuis | FB | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Kendial Lawrence | RB | Signed (02/14/17) | HAM |
Andrew Lue | DB | Signed (02/14/17) | SSK |
Phillip Hunt | DE | Re-signed (02/15/17) | — |
Travon Van | RB | Signed (02/16/17) | OTT |
Aston Whiteside | DE | Signed (02/16/17) | OTT |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Aaron Milton | RB | Signed (02/15/17) | SSK |
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
In short: The Stampeders did what they always do — stayed the course. The wanted to ensure they maintained two veterans on each side of the ball and refused to pay over market value to retain Derek Dennis. There is enough talent on a team that ran away with the West Division to allow GM John Hufnagel to remain patient.
Additions:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Micah Johnson | DL | Extended (02/14/17) | — |
Marquay McDaniel | WR | Extended (02/14/17) | — |
Beau Landry | LB | Signed (02/15/17) | HAM |
Mitchell Gale | QB | Signed (02/15/17) | SSK |
Anthony Woodson | RB | Signed (02/17/17) | HAM |
Dan Federkeil | OL | Re-Signed (02/17/02) | — |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Adam Berger | DB | Signed (02/14/17) (Unconfirmed) | OTT |
Derek Dennis | OL | Signed (02/14/17) | SSK |
Matt Bucknor | DB | Signed (02/16/17) | BC |
Glenn Love | LB | Signed (02/21/17) | SSK |
Bakari Grant | WR | Signed (02/21/17) | SSK |
Zach Minter | DL | Signed (02/21/17) | SSK |
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
In short: Chris Jones once again made one of the biggest signings of the first day of free agency, bringing in last year’s Most Outstanding Lineman, Derek Dennis, from the Stampeders; the left tackle just the latest addition to an offence that is being re-tooled in Saskatchewan.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Derek Dennis | OL | Signed (02/14/17) | CGY |
Marc-Olivier Brouillette | LB | Signed with SSK (02/15/17) | MTL |
Chad Owens | WR | Signed (02/15/17) | HAM |
Aaron Milton | RB | Signed (02/15/17) | EDM |
Ryan White | OL | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
Cameron Marshall | RB | Signed (02/16/17) | NFL |
Glenn Love | LB | Signed (02/21/17) | CGY |
Bakari Grant | WR | Signed (02/21/17) | CGY |
Zach Minter | DL | Signed (02/21/17) | CGY |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Andrew Lue | DB | Signed (02/14/17) | EDM |
Jeff Fuller | WR | Signed (02/16/17) | TOR |
Matt Webster | DB | Signed (02/17/17) | TOR |
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
In short: The Bombers were significantly less busy than this day last year but they did solidify the interior of their defensive line, signing Drake Nevis who spent last year with the Tiger-Cats. Khalil Bass is now on his way to Ottawa, leaving a hole at linebacker though.
Additions:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Matt Coates | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | HAM |
Drake Nevis | DL | Signed (02/14/17) | HAM |
Sam Hurl | LB | Re-Signed (02/14/17) | — |
Dan LeFevour | QB | Signed (02/16/17) | TOR |
Clarence Denmark | WR | Signed (02/17/17) | — |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Khalil Bass | LB | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
James Tuck | FB | Signed (02/15/17) | TOR |
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
In short: Hamilton was willing to let a few pieces depart as long as they focused on bolstering their secondary. They did just that. First, they inked arguably the league’s best cover DB in Abdul Kanneh from Ottawa and then complemented by bringing Emanuel Davis and his five interceptions last season back into the mix.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Abdul Kanneh | DB | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
Emmanuel Davis | DB | Re-Signed (02/14/17) | — |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Matt Coates | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | WPG |
Kendial Lawrence | RB | Signed (02/14/17) | EDM |
Jeff Mathews | QB | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Drake Nevis | DL | Signed (02/14/17) | WPG |
Ron Omara | LB | Signed (02/14/17) (Unconfirmed) | OTT |
Chad Owens | WR | Signed (02/15/17) | SSK |
Jacory Harris | QB | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
Beau Landry | LB | Signed (02/15/17) | CGY |
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
In short: The Argos remained relatively quiet despite rumours they were after Dennis and WR Ernest Jackson. They added another arm under centre in Jeff Mathews and a hard-hitting linebacker by reportedly taking Winston Venable off the Alouettes’ roster.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Jeffrey Finley | DL | Signed (02/14/17) | MTL |
Jeff Mathews | QB | Signed (02/14/17) | HAM |
Winston Venable | LB | Signed (02/15/17) | MTL |
James Tuck | FB | Signed (02/15/17) | WPG |
Jeff Fuller | WR | Signed (02/16/17) | SSK |
Matt Webster | DB | Signed (02/17/17) | SSK |
Matt Black | DB | Re-signed (02/17/17) | — |
Johnny Sears Jr. | DB | Signed (02/17/17) | HAM |
Khalil Paden | WR | Signed (02/21/17) | OTT |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
AJ Jefferson | CB | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
Kenny Shaw | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
Diontae Spencer | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
Alexandre Dupuis | FB | Signed (02/14/17) | EDM |
Dan LeFevour | QB | Signed (02/16/17) | WPG |
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
In short: The REDBLACKS went all-out once again on Day 1, taking three impact players off Toronto’s roster and adding a game-changing linebacker in Khalil Bass. Doing so made Dumaso Munoz expendable as he was released later in the day according to reports.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
AJ Jefferson | CB | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Kenny Shaw | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Diontae Spencer | WR | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Ron Omara | LB | Signed (02/14/17) (Unconfirmed) | HAM |
Khalil Bass | LB | Signed (02/14/17) | OTT |
Adam Berger | DB | Signed (02/14/17) (Unconfirmed) | CGY |
Drew Tate | QB | Traded (02/21/17) | CGY |
Scott Macdonell | WR | Re-signed (02/22/17) | — |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Kienan Lafrance | RB | Signed (02/14/17) | SSK |
Abdul Kanneh | DB | Signed (02/14/17) | HAM |
Domaso Munoz | LB | Released (02/14/17) (Unconfirmed) | – |
Chris Williams | WR | Signed (02/15/17) | BC |
Ernest Jackson | WR | Signed (02/16/17) | MTL |
Travon Van | RB | Signed (02/16/17) | EDM |
Aston Whiteside | DE | Signed (02/16/17) | EDM |
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
In short: The Alouettes were the not very active, retaining just Nicolas Boulay and letting Winston Venable walk. Time will tell if they make a significant mark on this free agent period.
Additions/Re-Signings:
Player | Position | Transaction | Former Team |
Nicholas Boulay | LB | Extended (02/14/17) | — |
Boris Bede | K | Re-signed (02/14/17) | — |
Jacory Harris | QB | Signed (02/15/17) | HAM |
Jabar Westerman | DT | Signed (02/15/17) | BC |
Daryl Townsend | DB | Re-signed (02/15/17) (Unconfirmed) | — |
Ernest Jackson | REC | Signed (02/16/17) | OTT |
Michael Klassen | DL | Re-signed (02/16/17) | — |
Don Oramaisonwu | DL | Signed (02/16/17) | EDM |
Brandon Rutley | RB | Re-signed (02/20/17) | — |
Jovon Johnson | DB | Re-signed (02/20/17) | — |
Departures:
Player | Position | Transaction | New Team |
Jeffrey Finley | DL | Signed (02/14/17) | TOR |
Winston Venable | LB | Signed (02/15/17) | TOR |
Marco-Olivier Brouillette | LB | Signed (02/15/17) | SSK |
Ryan White | OL | Signed (02/15/17) | SSK |
DeQuin Evans | DL | Signed (02/15/17) | BC |