[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
Marshall Ferguson CFL.ca @TSN_Marsh Free agency in the Canadian Football League is all about making the big splash, or so it seems. There are always big fish out there available for the taking, and as the winter goes on without the announcement of an extension, those big names crawl closer and closer to availability. Some, like Eugene Lewis, already knew they were looking for a new home. Others wanted to test the market until they found the right fit. RELATED » MMQB: Favourite West Division free agency moves so far » 5 impactful free agency signings » A team-by-team look at 2025 CFL Free Agency » 6 free agency matches made in heaven » Who’s Still Available?: 2025 free agent tracker » More 2025 Free Agency news and notes » Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates » Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel At the end of it all, rosters get shaken, rocked, and rolled right down to their core as marquee names try on new threads. However, when a team is standing on the Grey Cup stage being awarded the game’s top prize, it’s often the secondary market that can be cited as a reason for success. Let’s look past the Kenny Lawler ‘s and the Eugene Lewis’ of the CFL’s winter dance for now and find some under the radar signings which could have a lasting impact. JEREMIAH MASOLI | QUARTERBACK | BC LIONS Jeremiah Masoli is by no way, shape or form an irrelevant or unknown player. Everybody who loves this game gets what he can bring on the field, but his veteran presence and ability to identify ways a passing game can improve with a swath of knowledge will be meaningful to Nathan Rourke’s first full season back North. ROYCE METCHIE | DEFENSIVE BACK | EDMONTON ELKS PICKED. OFF. Royce Metchie snags it for the @TorontoArgos ! #CFLGameDay : LIVE on TSN 📲: Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/My2Bu2bDru — CFL (@CFL) August 4, 2024 The defensive line in Edmonton is tantalizing, but someone has to be in control of the back end so the two can work effectively together. Royce Metchie is one of the game’s best communicators and has worked with several of the players who will lineup in front of him while creating what I believe will be the CFL’s best Canadian defensive back duo with newly acquired Tyrell Ford. FRASER SOPIK | LINEBACKER | CALGARY STAMPEDERS Fraser Sopik (No. 32) returns to Calgary, the team where he was drafted in the 2018 CFL Draft (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca) Back to where it all began, Fraser Sopik had a solid start to his career in Calgary ripping around on special teams, but last year in Toronto he proved to be a very effective every down player and I’ve seen some metrics on team tackling percentage that would surprise many fans. Calgary is getting a bigger value with this move than it appears at first glance. TOMMY STEVENS | QUARTERBACK | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS Tommy Stevens will take hits off of Trevor Harris and provide the security blanket to the security blanket (Jake Maier), giving the Riders a potentially punishing change of pace in the running game. This transaction has huge upside with low risk written all over it. PEYTON LOGAN | RETURNER/RUNNING BACK | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS With Lucky Whitehead retiring, the Bombers needed to add some lightning to their MOP Thunder in Brady Oliveira. Peyton Logan fills that role perfectly and likely won’t end up with massive year end totals, but he will have an impact and give Winnipeg more variety in unique personnel packages that I hope they employ. TYJUAN GARBBUTT & MILES FOX | DEFENSIVE LINEMEN | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS The Winnipeg to Hamilton pipeline was predictable and real, but new general manager Ted Goveia wasn’t just snatching players from his old employer, he was chasing guys who are young, rising stars. Both TyJuan Garbutt and Miles Fox have that feeling as future game-changing pass rushers who fit seamlessly into a new home. TUNDE ADELEKE | DEFENSIVE BACK | OTTAWA REDBLACKS Tunde Adeleke heads to Ottawa after spending the 2024 season with the Toronto Argonauts (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca) The REDBLACKS’ secondary got ripped to shreds down the stretch last year with the playoff loss at Toronto being the clearest of the knockout punches. They needed to add depth at more than just free safety and Tunde Adeleke will give new defensive coordinator William Fields plenty to work with as the now veteran can play a multitude of roles in moments of need. CYRILLE HOGAN-SAINDON | OFFENSIVE LINEMAN | MONTREAL ALOUETTES Cyrille Hogan-Saindon became a free agent and signed with the Montreal Alouettes earlier this month (Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca) With a young quarterback and a star running back, you know Montreal is going to want to own the line of scrimmage and time of possession. Cyrille Hogan-Saindon played admirably as centre in Ottawa since being drafted and now returns home to Quebec where he could, and should, form a bash brothers like duo alongside left guard Pier-Olivier Lestage. BRUNO LABELLE | FULLBACK/TIGHT END | TORONTO ARGONAUTS Much like Saskatchewan with quarterback Tommy Stevens , this upgrade in physicality and mindset works perfectly for the next evolution of the Argos offence as they brought in Kevin Brown from Edmonton to handle the rock with Ka’Deem Carey ready to run it back from his first season in Double Blue. Not since Declan Cross have Toronto had a true big body tweener to threaten defences quite like Bruno Labelle. Get all the top stories from across the league delivered to your inbox.
