Happy New Year, friends!
With 2025 here, we’re just over a month away from the opening of free agency with plenty still to be figured out with all nine teams. Many of our CFL.ca top 30 free agents have yet to sign extensions as teams starts chipping away at their lists.
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So, in this week’s Monday Morning Quarterback, our first of a new year, we’re focusing on the lead up to free agency with one question for each CFL team.
Let’s start with the East Division.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES: WHO DO THEY SURROUND DAVIS ALEXANDER WITH?
The Als made their biggest off-season decision in late November when they signed quarterback Alexander to a three-year extension. Montreal sent incumbent starter Cody Fajardo to Edmonton a few weeks later, officially signalling a new era for the 2023 Grey Cup champs.
But as that new era begins, it’ll be important for the Alouettes to surround Alexander with the right personnel to make his transition to a full-time starter as seamless as possible. And, even with a few decisions to make in free agency, Montreal is well on their way to making that happen.
I like the group the Als are bringing back for 2025. Tailback Walter Fletcher was extended in late December to continue the impressive progress he made last season. The same is true for quarterback Caleb Evans, giving Montreal a solid backup option if Alexander misses time.
And the Alouettes had a solid group of players already under contract for the coming season. That includes the likes of Austin Mack, Tyson Philpot, Cole Spieker, and Charleston Rambo at receiver to go along with East Division All-CFL left tackle Nick Callender.
I wonder if Montreal looks to address the rest of their offensive line, though. The Als allowed 40 sacks in 2024, which is a number they’d like to reduce with Alexander at the helm for the first time. 2016 first-round pick Philippe Gagnon is a pending free agent at guard, while Montreal mainstay Kristian Matte announced his retirement in early December. If there’s an area we could see a splash in free agency, it might be up front.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS: HOW MANY PENDING FREE AGENTS ARE RETAINED?
Yes, I understand this seems like a very generic question you could ask about any team. But it’s particularly relevant for the defending Grey Cup champions. With two titles in three years, Toronto could face many of the same difficult decisions the Bombers have had to tackle in recent years. Winning championships also leads to big pay raises, which means certain cap sacrifices have to be made.
Furthermore, let’s not forget how pragmatic the Argos were a year ago when they let multiple core pieces walk in free agency in favour of other options, many of them internal. And with a decisive Grey Cup win as validation, general manager Pinball Clemons has set an important precedent when it comes to negotiating with pending free agents.
Toronto has yet to start dwindling their impressive list of players holding expiring contracts that includes Grey Cup hero Nick Arbuckle, tailback Ka’Deem Carey, and return dynamo Janarion Grant. Defensively, the likes of Jake Ceresna, Wynton McManis, DaShaun Amos, Robbie Smith, and Robert Priester are all in need of new contracts.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS: CAN THEY IMPROVE THEIR GROUND GAME?
The REDBLACKS took significant steps in 2024, which resulted in the team’s first playoff appearance since 2018. Offensively, though, most of those strides were in the passing game led by Dru Brown’s impressive first season under centre and stellar years receiving from Justin Hardy and Dominque Rhymes.
One area where Ottawa could stand to improve from last season, though, is the run game. The REDBLACKS finished last in 2024 by averaging 83.7 rushing yards per game and battled with consistency issues throughout. At different times, Ryquell Armstead, Khalan Laborn, and even Bralon Addison sat on top of Ottawa’s running back depth chart.
I’m curious if the REDBLACKS take a dive into the free agent pool if Carey or William Stanback aren’t brought back in Toronto or BC, respectively. Both are included in our top 30 list of pending free agents while Dedrick Mills, James Butler, and Johnny Augustine are also set for free agency next month.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS: HOW DO THEY SHORE THINGS UP DEFENSIVELY?
There were plenty of positive signs from Hamilton’s 2024 season, starting with the resurgence of quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and the league’s No. 1 passing offence. But after building a reputation as one of the CFL’s staunchest defences over the last five or ten years, the Ticats weren’t at that level in 2024.
Hamilton ranked near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories from interceptions to sacks, net yards, points against, and more. As such, the Tiger-Cats could be well served with a few targeted additions in free agency.
Even accounting for the numerous extensions we’ll see in the next six weeks, we’ll still be talking about all kinds of impact defensive players hitting the market in February. A couple key additions to augment core pieces like Casey Sayles, Kyle Wilson, and Jamal Peters could go a long way.