CFL Free Agent Market “Opens” Tuesday

The free-agent period officially begins Tuesday at 12:01 p.m. ET but that will be somewhat anticlimactic following the CFL’s busy open-window period. Teams had from Feb. 2 until Sunday to make offers to all pending free agents.

Ottawa Redblacks GM Shawn Burke, was certainly active. Last week, he reportedly agreed to deals in principle with defensive backs Tre Roberson, Amari Henderson, Nafees Lyon, Robert Priester and Canadian Tunde Adeleke along with quarterback Matt Shiltz and receiver Eugene Lewis, to name a few.

Priester was slated to become a free agent Tuesday but signed a one-year deal with Ottawa on Monday after being released by the Toronto Argonauts.

Also this off-season, Burke signed quarterback Dru Brown, receiver Justin Hardy, defensive linemen Lorenzo Mauldin IV and Bryce Carter and linebackers Adarius Pickett and Jovan Santos-Knox, and others, to extensions. He also added veteran running back William Stanback (free agent) and acquired Canadian running back Daniel Adeboboye and American defensive back Craig James in separate trades with Toronto.

The CFL implemented the free-agent window in 2020. It was done to curb tampering while allowing potential free agents to get a clearer idea of where they stand within the marketplace.

“We’re thankful for having it (free-agent window) because I think it’s important for both players and organizations to communicate more in depth than being placed under, ‘OK, it’s free agency at 12:01 p.m. and we’ve got to decide now,'” Burke said. “It allows you to go through your process and make more informed decisions.

“You’re not always going to be 100 per cent with your decisions … but it allows you to have more information to hopefully make a better one.”

Lewis, a three-time 1,000-yard receiver and the East Division’s outstanding player in 2022, would also fill a need for Ottawa with the retirement of American Jaelon Acklin and departure of Dominique Rhymes (released, now with Calgary). Lewis enters the ’25 season needing touchdown catches in his first two games to tie Hall of Famer Terry Evanshen’s CFL mark for consecutive matches with a TD grab (10).

One player Burke won’t be re-signing is veteran quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Burke and Masoli go back to their days with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2013-19, 2021) and Burke brought Masoli to Ottawa before the 2022 season.

However, injuries limited Masoli to just 17 appearances (eight starts) with Ottawa. The 36-year-old is slated to become a free agent Tuesday.

“I had a very tough conversation with Jeremiah because of our relationship,” Burke said. “I definitely think he wants to play still and is pursuing that, absolutely.”

Masoli headlines a list of CFL veteran free agents who may be attractive to teams looking for a quick fix. The list includes DL Dylan Wynn, QB Dominique Davis, RB Jamal Morrow, RB Kadeem Carey, QB Cameron Dukes, LB Adam Bighill, WR/KR Lucky Whitehead and DL Anthony Lanier.

The CFL free-agent window closed at noon ET on Sunday. Pending free agents then received an exclusive 48-hour negotiating period with the teams they remain under contract with.

Teams have until 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday to make an offer to their own free agents. The players will then have until noon ET to accept any proposal that’s been made to them.

Should a player decide against accepting any, he’ll become a free agent at 12:01 p.m. ET on Tuesday and eligible to sign with the team of his choice. All prior offers that were made will be withdrawn.

(Canadian Press)