OUT OF THE TUNNEL: CFL FREE AGENT ALL-STAR TEAM!

BY: RODPEDERSEN.COM STAFF

The rollercoaster of the 2019 season now makes way for the madness of the CFL offseason.  The 2020 free agency merry-go-round begins now with teams trying to re-sign their players before hitting free agency in February.

The CFL is a tough league for its fans. Once you become attached to a player and may have bought his jersey or shirt to show your pride, it’s a 50-50 proposition that you will be able to wear that jersey to the stadium the next season.

There are numerous all-stars that could become potential free agents come February and if there wasn’t a salary cap, one could build one heck of a team.

Saying that, here is the second annual Out of the Tunnel CFL free agency all-star team.

Here is the list of 24 starters on offence and defence (we left the specialists off the list, our choice). One change from last year, we kept the players 30-and-under but it doesn’t really work in the modern CFL with all-star performances from so many 30 year old players this year.

For a little twist and because money is no object, we have eight Canadians for roster flexibility instead of the mandatory seven.

*denotes Canadian

Quarterback

Jeremiah Masoli (Ham)

The current crop of quarterbacks isn’t the star-studded line-up of last year’s list but there is a solid group names like Chris Streveler, Zach Collaros, Macleod Bethel-Thompson and Masoli.

We give the nod to Masoli because he was on an all-star pace before getting hurt in late July. In just six games he had 1,576 yards passing and nine touchdowns after coming off a 2018 that saw Masoli throw for over 5,000-yards and 28 touchdowns.

Running Back

William Stanback (Mtl)

There are a few other names that are available to carry the rock like 1,000-yard rusher C.J. Gable, Terry Williams, Brandon Rutley and Tyrell Sutton but William Stanback leads the way. 

Stanback was an East Division and CFL all-star with 1,048 yards rushing and 329 yards receiving in just 14 games. He will be just 26-year-old when the season begins so he should see a nice paycheque coming.

Receivers

Derel Walker (Tor)

Bralon Addison (Ham)

Shaq Evans (Ssk)

Reggie Begelton (Cgy)

Shaq Johnson (BC)*

If you want add a 1,000 yard receiver to your lineup there are eight potential free agents that hit that mark in 2019 (miraculously the Toronto Argonauts had three).

We threw in age to help out on this one with all five receivers being under 30 before the 2020 season begins.

Derel Walker had yet another 1,000 yard season in just 15 games in 2019 it was the third time he has done this in his short but spectacular career.

Shaq Evans led a solid Saskatchewan Roughriders reciving core with career highs in yards (1,334) and touchdowns (five) and was named a West Division and league all-star for the first time in his career.

Two other divisional and league all-stars are also available as Bralon Addison of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Reggie Begelton of the Calgary Stampeders had career seasons. Begelton was third in the CFL in receiving with 1,444 yards while Addison had 1,236 yards in his first full CFL season.

Shaq Johnson of the B.C. Lions is the top available Canadian receiver. The 26-year-old had his best career season with 597 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns.

Offensive Line

Tackles – Derek Dennis (Cgy)/Ryker Matthews (Ham)

Guards – Nolan McMillan (Ott)*/Tyler Holmes (Tor)*

Centre – Dan Clark (Ssk)*

Tackles Ryker Matthews and Derek Dennis were divisional all-stars as was guard Nolan McMillan. McMillan and Matthews are both under 30-years-old while Dennis just turned 31.

The other guard spot will go to the Argonauts’ Tyler Holmes who has started 111 of 112 games in his CFL career.

Finally Dan Clark, who had a miraculous season going from recovering from a car accident right before training camp to being named to his first ever divisional and league all-star teams.

Defensive Line

Tackles – Cleyon Laing (Tor)*/Dylan Wynn (Ham)

End – Willie Jefferson (Wpg)/ Ja’Gared Davis (Ham)

If Willie Jefferson gets there, he will be the most sought-after free agent come February. He is the league’s top defensive player and now has a second Grey Cup ring on his finger.

Ja’Gared Davis was an East Division all-star and was second in the CFL with 13 sacks. Cleyon Laing was also an East Division all-star and he had seven sacks from his tackle position. Dylan Wynn had the best season of his young CFL career as the 26-year-old had 11 sacks and 44 tackles which was good enough for him to garner league and divisional all-star honours.

Linebackers

Derrick Moncrief (Ssk)

Cam Judge (Ssk)*

Henoc Muamba (Mtl)*

Here’s where we will add the extra Canadian as two of the top linebackers in the CFL are Canadian.

Henoc Muamba is no stranger to being named an all-star. He picked up his fourth divisional all-star nod (with three different teams) and second CFL all-star nod.

Cam Judge may have been the break-out defensive player of 2019. He had 63 defensive tackles as well as five sacks and a pair of interceptions. Judge also collected another 12 special teams tackles.

Derrick Moncrief was Mr. Everything for the Roughriders in 2019. He was named both a divisional and league all-star with three interceptions, four sacks and 69 defensive tackles.

Also available are Simoni Lawrence (Ham), Solomon Elimimian (Ssk) and Larry Dean (Edm).

Defensive Backs

Corner – Gary Peters (BC)/Winston Rose (Wpg)

Half – Richard Leonard (Ham)/Marcus Sales (Wpg)

Safety – Mike Edem (Ssk)*

Rose and Leonard were all league and divisional all-stars while Sales and Edem picked up a West Division all-star nods. Rose led the CFL with nine interceptions.

Peters had an all-star type season with four interceptions to go along with his 11 knockdowns.

We will go with Mike Edem at safety over Tunde Adeleke (Ham) who was named both a league and divisional all-star but Edem may have been the better defender and is better on special teams.

There are a couple of great halfbacks also available in DaShaun Amos (Cgy) and Ed Gainey (Ssk).

We have four players returning members of the Out of the Tunnel free-agent all-stars: Derel Walker, Willie Jefferson, Dylan Wynn and Winston Rose.

(RODPEDERSEN.COM STAFF)