FA Most Wanted: A reliable set of hands

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — If you didn’t know Kurleigh Gittens Jr.‘s name heading into last season, there’s no doubt that you know who he is now.

Gittens Jr. was one of the best to play at the receiver position in 2022, Canadian or otherwise. He was McLeod Bethel-Thompson‘s favourite target, leading Toronto with 116 passes thrown his way, as he quickly became a reliable set of hands that the Argos pivot trusted on their way to winning the 109th Grey Cup last November.

The 25-year-old was also named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Canadian thanks to his excellent performance.

With an expiring contract in hand, the five-foot-11, 191-pound pass-catcher was ranked No. 10 on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list. If he does hit free agency, there should be plenty of suitors for the elite receiver who also brings ratio flexibility where ever he may land.

After spending two seasons with the Argos working hard to become the No. 1 option, Gittens Jr. made his mark in his third year. He finished the season sixth in the league in receiving yards (1,101) and fifth in receptions (81). His career-best campaign also featured five touchdowns to go along with 483 YAC yards and an average of 13.6 yards per catch.

Gittens Jr. was drafted by the Argonauts in the third round, 23rd overall, of the 2019 CFL Draft. He didn’t see much action on the team’s offence that season, suiting up in 13 games and only recording one catch for 10 yards.

Things changed in 2021, however. He played in 13 games in the shortened CFL season due to the pandemic, but this time he found himself with a bigger workload. He hauled in 50 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns in his second season donning the double blue.

With the free agent market set to open at noon ET on Feb. 14, Gittens Jr. remains one of the high-end Argos players that doesn’t have a new deal done yet. General manager Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons told CFL.ca’s Don Landry at the CFL winter meetings in Kananaskis, Alberta in January that his team is looking to solidify their core ahead of the market opening. Will Gittens Jr. be part of that core? It remains to be see with just under two weeks left until free agency.

Gittens Jr. is just starting to tap into his potential and the sky is the limit for the Wilfrid Laurier product. His talents will provide an instant boost to any offence, whether it’s with Toronto as they look to repeat as Grey Cup Champions or he hits the free agent market and signs with a new squad.

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