TORONTO — If Justin McInnis decides to dip his toes into the free agency open waters next month, there’s no doubt he’ll have plenty of suitors looking his way.
McInnis was listed as the No. 2 player on CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents list and for good reason.
The 28-year-old led the CFL in receiving yards in 2024, reeling in 1,469 to go along with seven touchdowns and earned his first-ever All-CFL selection. His big play skills, and his big six-foot-five frame, were also on full display, leading the CFL in catches over 30 yards with 10. McInnis also led the league in targets (137) and was tied for second in receptions (92).
If he doesn’t sign an extension by February 11, the Canadian will be a sought-after free agent for any team looking to upgrade their receiving corps.
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McInnis started the season hot, finding early chemistry with then Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., hauling in 780 yards in his first seven games, including three of his five 100+ yards of the season. His best game was in Week 6 against the Riders, the team he played for in 2019, 2021, and 2022, where his sticky hands caught all 14 passes thrown his direction for a season-high 243 yards.
He’s proven his ability to dominate a game and now he has a choice to make. McInnis can stay in BC where he enjoyed his two best seasons in the CFL in 2023 and 2024 and try to build on the momentum from last season with the Lions after the team lost to the Riders in the Western Semi-Final.
Or he could choose to look elsewhere at any of the other eight CFL teams.
Does he follow Adams Jr. to the Stampeders to build on the chemistry they had with each other in black and orange? Or does he jump to the East Division, becoming the newest target for Dru Brown or Bo Levi Mitchell? Perhaps he’ll decide to go to Toronto or Montreal, or even back to Saskatchewan for a second stint with the team that drafted him in 2019.
Could it be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers? The Bombers tallied just 23 passes of over 30 yards, third least in the CFL. McInnis had 10 catches over 30 yards himself last season, potentially sparking general manager Kyle Walters’ interest if Winnipeg is looking for more big plays through the air in 2025 to compliment their second-highest big plays on the ground mark (13).
Regardless of the colours of his uniform when the season kicks off in June, you can bank on him hauling in plenty of passes across Canada in 2025.