Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
TORONTO — We are quickly closing in on one of the most highly-anticipated dates on the CFL calendar.
Free agency arrives Feb. 13, and the 160 or so contracts set to expire signal plenty of movement on the way.
While some of those players will sign extensions, it’s not too early to release our annual list of the top 30 pending free agents.
The ranking was determined by a panel of CFL.ca staff and analysts, taking into account age, production, national status and position scarcity. It assumes players are testing free agency and avoids taking into account NFL potential, the possibility of retirement or the odds of signing a contract extension.
Finally, note that the players listed are only those whose contract will expire on Feb. 13, not those who have been released.
Without further delay, here are CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents:
*Indicates national status.
30
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THE LOW DOWN The REDBLACKS’ middle linebacker had 94 tackles in 2017 as part of a career year in the nation’s capital. Taylor Reed is a steady veteran presence on defence, although his position isn’t always prosperous for Americans. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 30 TEAM – 3 POS — 4 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 94 SACKS – 4 |
29
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THE LOW DOWN Ronnie Yell played all 18 games for the Lions in 2017, drawing the difficult matchups each time out as the team’s starting boundary corner. In a rough year for the team, Yell was a bright spot. He’s a solid cover man just entering his prime at age 26. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 29 TEAM – 3 POS — 9 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 64 INT – 3 |
28
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THE LOW DOWN Ciante Evans has emerged as a regular on the Stamps’ impressive secondary, last year making 53 tackles to go with a career-best five interceptions. The arrow is pointing up for the 25-year-old, who may have his sights set on the NFL. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 28 TEAM – 7 POS — 8 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 13 INT – 3 FF – 3 |
27
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THE LOW DOWN Maurice Leggett‘s spot on the list is higher if not for a late-2017 injury. Health questions aside, Leggett is one of the CFL’s top playmakers on defence, with 16 interceptions, six forced fumbles and four touchdowns in his four-year career. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 27 TEAM – 4 POS — 7 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 13 INT – 3 FF – 3 |
26
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THE LOW DOWN Chandler Fenner was one of the CFL’s biggest breakout stars in 2017, racking up 76 tackles on defence and another 27 on special teams. He found his home as a SAM linebacker in an up-and-down year for the Lions. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 26 TEAM – 2 POS — 6 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 76 ST TKL – 27 |
25
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THE LOW DOWN On the one hand, Jerome Messam is a bruising 255-pound running back with a national passport that can dominate a football game. On the other, he’ll be 33 when camp opens, and his 4.7 average last year was his worst since 2013. He’s one of free agency’s true wildcards. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 25 TEAM – 6 POS — 3 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 17 RUSH YDS – 1,016 TD – 9 |
24
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THE LOW DOWN Health, not ability, will be the question for Travis Lulay in free agency. The veteran tore his ACL last year and has since dealt with some setbacks, leaving his status for 2018 unknown. He might be the most coveted quarterback on the market — if he can play. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 24 TEAM – 1 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 11 YDS – 1,693 TD:INT – 9:7 |
23
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THE LOW DOWN A second season-ending injury has put a question mark over the head of John White going into free agency. When he ruptured his Achilles in 2015, White re-joined the Eskimos a year later, only to become one of the CFL’s premier backs. Can he return to that form? |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 23 TEAM – 3 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 2 RUSH YDS – 112 TD – 1 |
22
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THE LOW DOWN Ese Mrabure might be the most underrated player in free agency this year. The 25-year-old can play inside or out on the defensive line, and would be a starter for just about any team. A trip to the open market could prove prosperous for the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Laurier grad. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 22 TEAM – 2 POS — 4 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 16 TKL – 17 SACKS – 2 |
21
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THE LOW DOWN There is less than a handful of players in the CFL that can score any time they touch the ball. Roy Finch is one of them, whether it’s from the backfield, on a swing pass or on special teams. The 26-year-old has a type of explosiveness that is rare. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 21 TEAM – 5 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 13 RET YDS – 2,151 TD – 3 |
20
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THE LOW DOWN Despite only playing 12 games, DeVier Posey had six catches of 30 yards or more in 2017 — not including his 100-yard touchdown in the 105th Grey Cup. Posey’s speed can challenge a defence vertically and open up space underneath. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 20 TEAM – 5 POS — 5 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 12 REC YDS – 744 TD – 7 |
19
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THE LOW DOWN The veteran Jamar Wall was a big part of the CFL’s best secondary last season, which allowed only 254.6 passing yards per game. It’s hard to picture a more reliable defensive back, especially considering he hasn’t missed a game since 2013. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 19 TEAM – 4 POS — 5 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 55 INT – 2 |
18
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THE LOW DOWN Luke Tasker put his injuries behind him in 2017, playing all 18 games while recording 1,167 yards and seven touchdowns — his most productive professional season. The 27-year-old is as reliable a receiver as you’ll find. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 18 TEAM – 3 POS — 4 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 REC – 104 REC YDS – 1,167 |
17
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THE LOW DOWN Jamaal Westerman had seven sacks in 11 games before a season-ending injury last year, proving he can still regularly get to the quarterback. There will be plenty of interest in one of the CFL’s top ratio-breakers should he hit the market. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 17 TEAM – 3 POS — 4 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 11 TKL – 21 SACKS – 7 |
16
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THE LOW DOWN The sample size is a little small, but Ja’Gared Davis has shown glimpses of being a dominant pass rusher opposite Charleston Hughes. The 27-year-old has 16 sacks, five forced fumbles and a pick-six in 28 career games. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 16 TEAM – 3 POS — 3 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 10 TKL – 32 SACKS – 9 |
15
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THE LOW DOWN Players like Adam Konar helped the Esks overcome an historic injury bug in 2017. The Canadian linebacker averaged nearly five tackles per game, a pace of 88 over the span of an 18-game season. He’s young, too — just 24. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 15 TEAM – 2 POS — 3 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 12 TKL – 59 SACKS – 1 |
14
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THE LOW DOWN A surprise cut in camp last year, Bear Woods had a 90-tackle season for the Argos while helping them capture the 105th Grey Cup. He just turned 31 but should have some good football left in him. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 14 TEAM – 4 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 17 TKL – 90 SACKS – 2 |
13
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THE LOW DOWN An American passport might prevent Travis Bond from getting top dollar come February, which could make him a coup for whoever ends up landing him. Bond is physically dominant at 6-foot-6, 356 pounds and should have the ability to swing to tackle. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 13 TEAM – 2 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 16 STARTS – 16 |
12
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THE LOW DOWN Mitchell White might be the CFL’s best pure cover corner, helping the Argos shed 10 passing yards per game off their total after joining the defence mid-season. You can put him on an island and feel good about it. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 12 TEAM – 3 POS — 4 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 6 TKL – 11 INT – 3 |
11
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THE LOW DOWN After a sensational rookie season, injuries limited DaVaris Daniels to 13 games and 743 yards for the Stamps in 2017. Still, if he doesn’t go to the NFL, teams will see value in the highly-talented just-turned-25-year-old. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 11 TEAM – 2 POS — 3 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 13 REC – 47 REC YDS – 743 |
10
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THE LOW DOWN Tommie Campbell needed only two seasons to emerge as one of the CFL’s most dominant boundary corners. The 6-foot-3 defensive back not only draws the tough matchups week in and week out, he welcomes them with confidence. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 10 TEAM – 1 POS — 3 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 17 TKL – 37 INT – 2 |
9
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THE LOW DOWN Two words: High motor. Aaron Grymes made a noticeable difference when he came to the Eskimos’ defence late last season. In six games, the speedster recorded 30 tackles (5 per game on average), and the best is that he’s just entering his prime at age 26. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 9 TEAM – 1 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 6 TKL – 30 FF– 1 |
8
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THE LOW DOWN On a list loaded with defensive backs, T.J. Heath gets the distinction of top spot among his peers. The 30-year-old remains one of the league’s premier defensive playmakers, picking off 12 passes in his first two seasons in the league. Quarterbacks beware. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 8 TEAM – 1 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 64 INT – 5 |
7
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THE LOW DOWN The last team to wonder about S.J. Green’s age (he turns 33 in June) let him go for a sixth round pick. That was a bargain for the Argos, who got the second-most productive receiver in the CFL in 2017. Green would be a massive addition for any offence. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 7 TEAM – 2 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 REC – 104 REC YDS – 1,462 |
6
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THE LOW DOWN With Cleyon Laing off the market, there are only two interior defensive linemen on this list — and there’s a lot of distance between Ted Laurent and Ese Mrabure (22). One of just a few elite defensive tackles with a Canadian passport, Laurent is the true definition of a ratio-breaker. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 6 TEAM – 2 POS — 2 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 12 TKL – 13 SACKS – 4 |
5
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THE LOW DOWN It’s almost certain that Ricky Ray will either retire or return to the Argos. Still, he’s a pending free agent by definition, and if he does hit the market in February, he has franchise-altering potential in 2018. The 38-year-old silenced his critics last year. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 5 TEAM – 1 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 17 YDS – 5,546 TD:INT – 28:11 |
4
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THE LOW DOWN The Ticats’ run defence was among the best in the CFL by the end of the season, allowing 86.1 yards per game. Larry Dean was a big part of that. The middle linebacker, who turns 30 in August, helped shut down some of the CFL’s top running backs. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 4 TEAM – 1 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 96 FF – 3 |
3
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THE LOW DOWN One could make a strong argument that Alex Mateas is the top pending free agent. The former first overall pick had his breakout year in 2017, making all 18 starts at either guard or centre on an injury-ravaged O-line. The kicker is he’s only 26. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 3 TEAM – 2 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 STARTS – 18 |
2
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THE LOW DOWN Chris Jones says his star defensive end isn’t going anywhere, but if Willie Jefferson does find himself a free agent, a long lineup of suitors will be at his door. The 26-year-old was a powerful force on a Riders’ defence that usually only rushes three. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 2 TEAM – 1 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 TKL – 45 SACKS – 8 |
1
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THE LOW DOWN Diontae Spencer‘s record-breaking 496-yard game was a true display of what the diminutive 5-foot-8 receiver is capable of. Spencer’s speed (he was once clocked at 4.24 in the 40 in college) can change an offence, and he’s just now mastering the three-down game. |
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| FA RANKINGS OVR – 1 TEAM – 1 POS — 1 |
2017 BY THE #’S GP – 18 REC – 71 REC YDS – 922 |
