January 20, 2025

MMQB: 3 teams that have made big splashes this winter

Jamie Douglas/CFL.ca

We’re still weeks away from 2025 free agency and it already feels like we’ve had an entire off-season’s worth of news.

From high profile releases and subsequent signings to a few blockbuster trades, the leadup to the 2025 season has been awesome thus far. And with signing season still to come next month, it feels like we’re just getting started.

As everyone tries to take a step forward this season and keep up with the demands of a cyclical league, here are three teams who have already made massive strides in doing just that.

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CALGARY STAMPEDERS: CHANGE IS GOOD

 

After 18 straight years in the playoffs, being on the outside looking in last season has forced some reflection for the Stamps. And that’s not a bad thing. Calgary’s run of postseason appearances was the envy of the league and something to be proud of.

But all good things come to and end. And the Stampeders are making sure a return to excellence happens in short order.

Calgary made the first big move of the off-season when they acquired quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. from the BC Lions in November. In landing the biggest prize of the winter, the Stamps instantly addressed their biggest need the last couple seasons.

“Vernon, in my opinion, when he’s going is as good as anybody,” head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson told CFL.ca’s Vicki Hall last week. “I’ve always wanted to work with Vernon, and I think he’s going to be a positive influence on our team.”

Adams is a bona fide CFL superstar and instantly transforms the team in so many ways. And, by completing one of the biggest trades in franchise history, the addition of Adams also sends a clear signal to the rest of the league: excellence is still the standard in Calgary.

The Stamps traded for defensive lineman Folarin Orimolade this off-season (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

Adams also prides himself on being one of the CFL’s “top recruiters”, which means the overhaul of this offence doesn’t feel complete. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see the Stampeders land a big-name free agent playmaker or two.

But offence isn’t the only thing Dickenson has addressed this winter. Coming off an uncharacteristic 2024 where the team finished second last with 32 sacks, the Stamps acquired star defensive end Folarin Orimolade from Toronto in exchange for linebacker Cameron Judge.

“We felt we needed to get a different type of pass rusher,” Dickenson said of Orimolade, who Calgary extended through 2026 last week. “We missed him when he left, we weren’t really able to replace that production.”

Dickenson and the Stampeders are conditioned to competing for division titles and Grey Cups. As such, two straight seasons under .500 isn’t going to cut it when the standard in Calgary is that high.

When you think of it like that, what we’ve seen from the Stamps this off-season probably shouldn’t come as a surprise.

BC LIONS: SETTING NATHAN ROURKE UP FOR SUCCESS

 

The Lions allowed too many sacks last season. In fact, they finished last overall by allowing 43, or an average of more than two per game. For a BC team that has invested heavily in Rourke at quarterback for the next few seasons, upgrading the offensive line had to be a priority this off-season.

And new general manager Ryan Rigmaiden wasted no time in making that a reality.

The Lions made one of the biggest additions of the winter earlier this month when they acquired two-time All-CFL tackle Dejon Allen from Toronto in exchange for linebacker Ryder Varga and a second-round pick in 2026. I’m not sure there are many better ways to upgrade a team’s biggest area of need.

BC brought in 2023 Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Dejon Allen via trade with the Argos (Andrew Lahodynskyj/CFL.ca)

In Allen, BC is getting one of the league’s most consistently high-level linemen who has nothing but hardware to show for his four years with the Argonauts. On top of his two All-CFL nods, Allen took home the 2023 Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award and is now a two-time Grey Cup champion.

Yes, Rourke struggled for a good chunk of his return to the CFL last season. But with the benefit of a full training camp, and now the addition of the one of the league’s best tackles, things are trending in the right direction.

With former quarterback Buck Pierce installed as BC’s new head coach, I don’t think anyone will be surprised to see Rourke return to the lofty heights he attained in 2022.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS: NO RESTING ON LAURELS

Toronto received National LB Cameron Judge as part of the trade for Orimolade (Dave Chidley/CFL.ca)

The Argos didn’t enter this off-season wanting to move on from key members of their 111th Grey Cup winning squad. But general manager Michael “Pinball” Clemons and head coach Ryan Dinwiddie understand the realities of a salary cap world. And those realities are even harsher with sustained success like Toronto has enjoyed over the last four seasons.

Moving on from the likes of Allen and Orimolade wasn’t easy. Instead, it was the cost of doing business.

“It’s just a salary cap thing,” Dinwiddie told CFL.ca from head coach and general manager meetings last week. “You know, (Orimolade) was one of our better players, obviously one of our leaders. He came into our organization (and) made us a lot better.

“He obviously deserves the money he needs to make. We weren’t going to be able to work out a deal and we figured it was the best to get something for him. I know he’s happy to go back to Calgary and Judge is happy to be with us.”

With a wide array of core players set to be free agents in February, Toronto’s decision makers knew they had a few tough cap sacrifices on their hands. In 12 appearances last year, Orimolade racked up six sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. And Allen, well, we already detailed his impressive resume in Double Blue.

 

These deals weren’t easy ones to make. But the Argonauts know pragmatic roster management is the key to reloading for another title run. They took a similar approach last winter after their historic 16-2 regular season, which means this script isn’t a surprising one.

“Dejon, same thing, was great for us,” Dinwiddie admitted. “But it was a chance for us to get a solid Canadian in and lose some salary to go pay some of these other players.”

National linebacker Varga excels in special teams and could see the field more often as Dinwiddie hinted at a different positional package this season. Judge, on the other hand, is one of the most versatile linebackers in the league with an ability to fly to the football and drop into coverage when needed.

With two targeted players joining the fold, and more cap flexibility to attack their list of pending free agents, it feels like Toronto’s reload for another championship is very much underway.

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