Cauz: The top free agent signings from 2023

Matthew Cauz

CFL.ca

@mcauz56

This is the week that it feels like everybody is back to work. All post-Christmas vacations are over, kids are back at school, and traffic has returned to it’s soul crushing levels.

Unfortunately for all you die hard CFL fans, we are still just under a month away from the dizzy, roller coaster, franchise-altering start to the opening of Free Agency.

While we have a moment, let’s look back at the biggest free agent signings of 2023. Who were the players that made the biggest impact with their new teams?

Reciever Kyran Moore to the Edmonton Elks

To kick things off, let’s have a pre-appetizer drink with a player who may not be the biggest star in the league, but was a significant contributor to the Edmonton passing attack. Moore was second on the team in both receiving yards and touchdowns. He obviously made enough of an impression with Chris Jones who signed the receiver to a one-year contract extension last week.

Linebacker Micah Awe (Calgary) and Linebacker Jameer Thurman (Hamilton)

Next up is the appetizer course where we have a pair of linebackers to satisfy all tastes.

Both Jameer Thurman in Hamilton and Micah Awe in Calgary led their respective teams in tackles while both also setting career-highs in that category as well. Thurman also set a personal high in sacks (five) while pilfering two passes as well. The aptly named Awe went to even greater heights by breaking Alex Singleton’s record for single season tackles with 140. The man was everywhere contributing with two sacks and three interceptions garnering his first CFL All-Star nod.

Defensive Lineman Shawn Lemon to the Montreal Alouettes

Shawn Lemon collected nine sacks, two interceptions, 26 tackles, a touchdown, and a forced fumble in 13 games (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

On to the fish dish where (sorry) the Alouettes waited a long time to finally reel in (really sorry) the pass rusher they needed to elevate their defence.

It’s been asked many times but what was Lemon doing still available in late July? An even bigger question; aren’t you supposed to slow down at age 35? The man had nine sacks in 13 games and scored his first-ever touchdown against Ottawa. The future Hall-of-Famer was equally productive in the post-season sacking both Chad Kelly and Zach Collaros.

Defensive Lineman Casey Sayles and Running Back James Butler to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Let’s call this the meat and potato dish as the Tiger-Cats’ additions elevated the level of physicality on both lines of scrimmage.

I’ll be honest, the Sayles signing late last February didn’t register with me as much as it should have. I blame all the talent on the Winipeg Blue Bombers defensive line that it obscured just how productive Sayles was during his two seasons with the Bombers. Fair to say that he won’t be sneaking up on anyone after his 50 tackle, seven sack season that earned him a CFL All-Star selection.

On the other side of the ball Butler lived up to all expectations he set with the BC Lions in 2022 with the kind of season that wins most people their fantasy leagues. Butler led all East Division running backs with 1,116 rushing yards and finished with a career-high 1,643 total yards and eight touchdowns.

Defensive Lineman Folarin Orimolade and Defensive Back/Linebacker/wherever he wants to be Adarius Pickett to the Toronto Argonauts

After an excellent 2023 season, Adarius Pickett was nominated as the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

The effect these two defenders had on the Argonauts defence cannot be overstated, and that is saying something because of all the talent Toronto possessed on that side of the ball last season. The Argonauts finished the year second in both offensive points allowed and in yards allowed per play. No team was better at stopping the run, creating turnovers, or sacking the quarterback than this crew.

Instead of designating a specific part of a meal, I’m going to say Orimolade and Pickett are a high-end, Bellagio Casino all-you-can-eat-buffet. Folarin had double digit sacks, was a force against the run, made the CFL East Division All-Star team and he gets second billing for this column only because of the year Pickett had.

The East Division nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player was the Anton Chigurh (‘No Country for Old Men’) of the CFL. He would just appear out of no where and the result was less than ideal for the ball carrier. No defence was more fun to watch than the Double Blue and it would not have been possible without these free agent additions.

Quarterback Cody Fajardo to the Montreal Alouettes

Fajardo is the perfectly made grilled cheese sandwich. It’s not the fanciest meal, it won’t blow you away if you see it on a menu, but it will make you happy every time. What a year for the Montreal quarterback who went form being benched in Saskatchewan to helping Montreal win their first Grey Cup in 13 years.

Other players on this list had greater individual seasons but in the biggest game of the year against the best defence in the league, Fajardo delivered with 290 yards, three touchdowns and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

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