Cauz: Dustin Crum among 9 underrated pending free agents

Matthew Cauz

CFL.ca

@mcauz56

Has everyone woken from their 111th Grey Cup slumber? I want to thank the Calgary Stampeders and the BC Lions for the blockbuster Vernon Adams Jr. trade for kicking off the off-season in style. What better way to focus our attention to 2025 than with some good old fashioned quarterback intrigue! Now that we all have moved past the Toronto Argonauts victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, we can jump into the deep pool of content that is the 2025 Free Agency.

It’s always fun to look at the Top-30 free agents to be, a meticulous list put together by the finest minds at CFL.ca. As I do not possess the “finest” of minds I wanted to go in a different direction and highlight nine players who fall more into the “underrated” category of pending free agents. The only rule for my list is they had to be players that did not make the Top-30 cut and for the most part are individuals who missed out on making the latest All-CFL teams.

Cauz says that DB Kabion Ento is one of the keys to the Alouettes defence (Geoff Robins/CFL.ca)

KABION ENTO | CB | MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Okay I’m already breaking one of my made-up rules by throwing the Montreal Alouettes, 2024 All-CFL cornerback on this list. Of all the players he least falls into the underrated category. This pick is more of a personal protest as I believe Ento should have been included in the above list of 30 free agents. I understand his interception total is low, but his two picks speak to how wise CFL quarterbacks were in avoiding the second-year pro. Ento made a name for himself in the 2023 Eastern Final and has been one of the key parts to Montreal’s two run year as the league’s scariest defence. Some team needs to throw a three-year contract at Ento (if he doesn’t stay in Montreal), who is only 28 years old and has many years left of making life miserable for receivers ahead of him.

WR Jaelon Acklin is one of Cauz’ underrated pending free agents (James Paddle-Grant/CFL.ca)

JAELON ACKLIN | WR | OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Acklin was overshadowed by Justin Hardy and Dominique Rhymes but offers a two-time East Division All-CFL who has been super durable throughout his career. The REDBLACKS have gone through plenty of turmoil at the quarterback position over the past three seasons but that has not slowed down Acklin who has managed to accumulate 2,800 receiving yards since the start of 2022. The last time we saw the Ottawa receiver he was putting up 70 yards and a touchdown in that playoff loss to the Argonauts.

DUSTIN CRUM | QB | OTTAWA REDBLACKS

This is my most stubborn pick for this list. I understand the limitations Crum has as a passer. I don’t care, I am a fan of his game. Crum feels like an overqualified backup quarterback who would provide excellent depth for any team. Am I biased because I just can’t shake his crazy fourth quarter comeback, 31-28 OT win over Winnipeg in 2023 out of my head? Perhaps. Crum is still one of the most dangerous scrambling quarterbacks in the CFL who has put up 16 rushing touchdowns in his first two years in the league. The man is fun, he can be dangerous to his opponent and to his own team, but I believe there is a place for him in the CFL.

OL Isiah Cage is one of the reasons for the Argonauts offensive line success, says Cauz (Peter McCabe/CFL.ca)

ISIAH CAGE | OT | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Who couldn’t use a massive (six-foot-five, 312 pounds) left tackle to protect their passer? Cage is one of the reasons why the Argonauts are currently on a three-year run of having the best offensive line in football. In 2023 he was part of an offensive line that allowed a league low 19 sacks and this past year you could find his name multiple times on the Pro Football Focus Honour Roll. Look at the makeup of any Grey Cup winning team and you will most likely find an elite level talent on the left side of the line.

DL Robbie Smith has been a consistent force for the Argonauts defensive line, says CFLc.a’s Matthew Cauz (Bailey McLean/CFL.ca)

ROBBIE SMITH | DL | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Living in Toronto I’m drawn to the athlete whose production actually goes up in the playoffs. Maybe it’s a result of watching the local hockey team but I’m always impressed with the athlete who can perform at an even higher level once the stakes are raised. Smith will forever be remembered for blocking a potential Grey Cup winning field goal for the Bombers two season ago. This past Grey Cup run by Toronto saw Smith record a sack in each of the team’s playoff games. Did I mention that the 27-years old National player has 12 sacks in his last two years in Toronto and has been a picture of health the last three seasons as well?

Pending free agent DL Julian Howsare has 32 sacks with both Hamilton and Calgary (Stampeders.com)

JULIAN HOWSARE | DL | CALGARY STAMPEDERS

Staying on the defensive line this former East Division All-CFL (2022) has been a consistent pass rusher for the last half decade. Despite constantly engaging in battle with bigger offensive tackles, Howsare has only missed 10 games and has put up 32 sacks for both Hamilton and Calgary. Any smart general manager can find a place for a veteran pass rusher like Howsare.

DL Pete Robertson has shown dominance in the past and would make a good free agency addition, says Cauz (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

PETE ROBERTSON | DL | BC LIONS

We finish off this hat trick of defensive linemen with a man who burst on the scene as a rookie in 2021 but took a step back, production wise, this last year. Robertson had five sacks in his last seven games of 2021 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and then exploded for seven more in Saskatchewan’s first four games of 2022. For Robertson sacks are like grapes because they come in bunches. Yes, I hate that joke as well. The four-year edge rusher had 21 sacks and six forced fumbles during his three-year run with the Roughriders. Last year with the Lions his numbers dropped as a foot injury limited him to 12 games. We’ve seen him dominate in the past; Robertson feels like one of those savvy signings just waiting to happen.

OL Peter Godber offers a calm, stabilizing presence in the middle of the OL, says Cauz (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)

PETER GODBER | OL | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

What I love about Godber is he brings this calm stabilizing presence to the middle of the offensive line. In recent interviews the Saskatchewan centre has spoken about just how many different coaches he has played for from head coach all the way to offensive line coach. Throw in all the injuries the team went through on the offensive line in 2024, and Godber has rarely had the advantage of stability. Despite all the turnover Peter has just put his head down, worked with whoever was around him and won far more individual battles than he lost.

National LB Adam Auclair had three interceptions and a sack in 2024 for the Roughriders (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)

ADAM AUCLAIR | LB | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Let finish this list off with one other member from the Roughriders. Auclair has averaged just under 50 tackles in his last three years while adding three sacks, four interceptions and a forced fumble from his linebacker position. He checks a lot of boxes as a National linebacker who is still a couple years away from hitting 30.

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