Cauz: 5 perfect Free Agency matches after Day 1

Matthew Cauz

CFL.ca

@mcauz56

Valentine’s Day is one of the more emotionally tricky days in the calendar, kind of like the start of CFL Free Agency.

For some, it’s a fun excuse to celebrate, have a slightly nicer meal for a Wednesday and crack that nice bottle of wine that you normally wouldn’t open mid week. For others, this date is viewed as a “Hallmark Holiday.”

I understand both points of view and if I can be serious for a moment, for those who feel that the 14th can be difficult, I hope you can find a proper slice of positive.

As for Free Agency, this is a day for many CFL fanbases to swoon over who is coming to town (Ottawa with Adarius Pickett), to feel relieved about who is staying (Winnipeg with Brady Oliveira and Dalton Schoen) or to feel a wee bit sports heart broken (Toronto is extra double blue right now).

With today being Valentine’s Day and all phases of the 2024 Free Agency period are open, let’s take a look at some of the more compelling new matches made in gridiron heaven.

One quick note, all the players I’m discussing made news on Tuesday with their free agency decisions so players such as AJ Ouellette will not be included as we knew about his move to Saskatchewan last week.

A FOREIGN AFFAIR: MATHIEU BETTS AND THE DETROIT LIONS

Full disclaimer: Obviously all good and decent CFL fans wish nothing but the best for the 2023 Most Outstanding Defensive Player. May Betts have a long and fruitful career in the NFL filled with well-earned contracts and Super Bowl glory.

But as this is the time of year where emotions can get the best of us, am I not allowed to hope we get at least one more year of his individual brilliance?

His dominance of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive line in the BC Lions Week 2’s 30-6 win is one of the highlights of this past year. Betts has a chance to be the most impactful CFL export to hit the NFL since another former BC Lion, Cameron Wake. Those are massive cleats to fill since Wake was a five-time Pro-Bowler who finished his career with just over a 100 career sacks.

This is a perfect fit for the Lions, who were the league’s feel-good story but also finished 27th in passing yards allowed.

A POSITIVE ‘LOVE’ TRIANGLE IN CALGARY

Matthew Shiltz signed a deal with the Stampeders on the opening day of free agency (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

Don’t worry, this won’t be a cringey/creepy analysis of the Calgary Stampeders upgrading their quarterback room by signing former Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Matthew Shiltz.

A successful Calgary team will need a strong relationship between their starting quarterback (Jake Maier), the backup (Shiltz) and the former Grey Cup MVP quarterback who happens to be the head coach, Dave Dickenson.

Shiltz at the age of 31 with 78 games played is the perfect veteran passer to backup Maier or step in when need be. The history of Grey Cup champions is filled with successful quarterback tandems from Ottawa in 2016 (Henry Burris and Trevor Harris), Winnipeg in 2019 (Zach Collaros and Chris Streveler) and Toronto in 2022 (McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Chad Kelly).

Calgary’s possible return to prominence will require these three individuals to be on the same page lifting each other up when required. The fascinating dynamic is that you have two quarterbacks a half a decade apart in age both trying to prove they can be the clear-cut leader of a football team.

THE BOUNCE-BACK RELATIONSHIP IN TORONTO

Defensive back Tunde Adeleke and the Toronto Argonauts need each other. Toronto is looking to rebound from the loss of Adarius Pickett while the two-time All-Star is looking for a return to form after injuries limited him to 10 games, his fewest total in his career.

I don’t view this as a rebound relationship for either side but rather a chance for two lost souls to find love again. Every team is looking for productive National players who can move the needle in the secondary while Adeleke will benefit from playing behind a talented defensive line. If Tunde can stay healthy, I fully expect him to set a career-high in interceptions.

THE OBVIOUS COUPLING IN SASKATCHEWAN

After three seasons in black and gold, Malik Carney is heading to Saskatchewan (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

We focused so much on the revolving door at quarterback for the Roughriders after the Trevor Harris injury that we (excluding Regina residents) may have forgotten the team was last in both points and yards allowed.

Like a bad romantic comedy where you know in the opening minutes how the movie will end, the addition of former Hamilton defenders, linebacker Jameer Thurman and defensive end Malik Carney, were moves you could see a mile coming.

If new head coach Corey Mace is going to attempt to build something similar to the defensive unit he had in Toronto, he will need high-level athletes on all three levels. Thurman is a tackling machine who has missed less than a handful of games in his five-year career while Carney has accumulated 12 sacks in his last two years while setting a new career-high in tackles last season.

PICKING UP THE PIECES IN STYLE IN VANCOUVER

You cannot replace what Mathieu Betts has meant for the BC Lions defence these past two years, full stop.

However, give Lions co-general manager Neil McEvoy credit for bringing in one of the better pass rushers available in Pete Robertson, who has 16 quarterback takedowns in his last two seasons. As an added bonus, Vernon Adams Jr. should be thrilled as Robertson collected a sack in each of the three games he faced off against the Lions last year.

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