Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
TORONTO — As Feb. 12 approaches, many of the top pending free agents remain without a contract.
The 2019 free agent list is not only long but also boasts elite talent at varying positions, from a franchise quarterback to a game-changing defensive end.
With CFL.ca’s annual top 30 free agent list coming out on Monday, the debate starts at the top: Who is the most coveted pending free agent?
There are plenty of factors to consider, from age and passport to position scarcity. Then there’s the ratio. The importance of impact nationals can’t be overstated, and there are a few heading in the direction of free agency, from Edmonton’s Kwaku Boateng to Winnipeg’s Matthias Goossen.
All else aside, any discussion about the top free agents should start with Eskimos pivot and former MOP Mike Reilly. It’s not often a franchise quarterback at the height of his career tests free agency, and Reilly could do just that. As it stands, Reilly would be an obvious target for seven of nine CFL teams, as only Hamilton and Winnipeg have their starters solidified for 2019.
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With Chris Jones out, could Willie Jefferson take a closer look at free agency in February? (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
While Bo Levi Mitchell continues to test NFL waters, another high-end pivot has a chance to reach free agency: Trevor Harris. The REDBLACKS’ quarterback took a new step last season, starting the first Grey Cup of his career. Harris has become one of the league’s most prolific passers, as we saw when he threw a playoff record six touchdown passes in the Eastern Final.
For the teams that aren’t so quarterback-needy, there are plenty of impact players that could alter a team’s chances of winning a championship.
Micah Johnson, Willie Jefferson and Delvin Breaux are elite defensive players, all arguably at the top of their position.
Johnson has helped the Stampeders own the CFL’s top defence virtually every season, snuffing out opposing running backs while piling up double digit sacks year in and year out.
While many had assumed Jefferson would be back in Saskatchewan, the departure of Chris Jones could change things. No defensive end has dominated over the last few years like No. 7 in green and white, though Stamps up-and-comer Ja’Gared Davis wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.
Breaux is widely considered the CFL’s top shutdown defensive back. He only has one interception next to his name in 39 games, but there’s a reason — quarterbacks tend to stay away from the former New Orleans Saints defensive back, whose impact in the passing game is unmatched among fellow DBs.
For teams hoping to upgrade on offence, Brandon Banks and Derel Walker remain available less than a month before free agency. Banks was on pace for more than 1,800 yards last year before getting hurt, while Walker has 4,208 receiver yards in 49 career games — an average of 85.9 yards per game.
In Winnipeg, the Bombers’ offensive line has been a pillar of their success the last three seasons — and a big part of that could be available as Sukh Chungh and Matthias Goossen are both pending free agency.
And finally, Kwaku Boateng‘s name also deserves consideration. Boateng is one of the CFL’s true ratio-breakers, racking up sacks at a position rarely occupied by a Canadian player. You’d be hard pressed to find one other impact edge rusher with a Canadian passport in 2019.
The list of pending free agents is longer than ever, but who stands out the most? Let the debate begin.
