Peter McCabe/CFL.ca
TORONTO — If Tim White decides to explore the waters of free agency, he’ll immediately draw the interest of most teams in the CFL.
That’s because the veteran wide receiver has been nothing but productive the last two years, finishing fourth in receiving yards in 2022 with 1,265 and first in 2023 with 1,269 as the central piece of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats passing offence.
The 29-year-old also found the end zone 18 times over the course of his three years in Hamilton, tallying 3,308 receiving yards. He’ll likely be a sought-after free agent if he doesn’t sign an extension by February 13.
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The Montreal Alouettes made it a priority to stop White in the Eastern Semi-Final in 2023, keeping him to only three receiving yards. That’s because in the 2022 Eastern Semi-Final, the two-time All-Star went off for 142 yards on eight catches with quarterbacks Dane Evans and Matthew Shiltz splitting time under centre.
White has been making plays since his Arizona State days, finishing with 1,346 receiving yards and 10 majors in two seasons with the Sun Devils. He also showcased his playmaking ability in the return game by compiling 3,381 all-purpose yards, an average of 135.2 per game. The veteran brought that versatility to the CFL, tallying 376 yards and a major as a kickoff returner with the Tabbies.
The pass catcher was productive despite constant change at the quarterback position in Hamilton, showing he can a dominant playmaker regardless of who’s throwing him the ball. If he returns to Hamilton he’ll again be the centre piece of the passing offence led by Bo Levi Mitchell who recently restructured his contract with the Tiger-Cats.
A team that could use the services of White in case he decides to test the waters is Montreal. With the departure of Austin Mack to the Atlanta Falcons, the Als could use another veteran receiver to pair with Tyson Philpot and Kaion Julien-Grant to help support Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo.
Another option could be the Edmonton Elks, who recently signed quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, and would benefit from adding White to a room with Eugene Lewis and Kyran Moore, creating a potent passing offence to complement what was a league-best rushing attack in 2023.
Regardless of the colors of his uniform, bank on White making highlight reel catches across Canada in 2024.
