DAY 1 CFL FREE AGENCY ROUND-UP

Jeremy O’Day opened CFL free agency with a huge bang.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager signed seven players Tuesday. Included was running back A.J. Ouellette, who ran for over 1,000 yards last season with the Toronto Argonauts after helping them win the 2022 Grey Cup.

Ouellette, who signed a two-year deal, certainly addresses a need. Last season, Saskatchewan (6-12) boasted the league’s second-worst ground game (84.4 yards per game) in missing the playoffs for a second straight year.

To help with that, Saskatchewan also signed tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, the West Division’s top lineman last season with Winnipeg. O’Day also looked to shore up new head coach Corey Mace’s defence by adding defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper, linebacker Jameer Thurman, defensive lineman Malik Carney and Canadian twin linebackers Justin and Jordan Herdman-Reed.

Many of Tuesday’s moves were expected as teams secured agreements in principle with pending free agents last week during the CFL’s negotiation window. However, one that wasn’t finalized was the Calgary Stampeders’ agreement with American defensive lineman Ricky Walker.

The B.C. Lions lost Canadian defensive lineman Mathieu Betts. The CFL’s 2023 top defensive player opted to sign with the NFL’s Detroit Lions upon becoming a free agent.

Calgary signed four players, including all-star cornerback Demerio Houston to a two-year deal. Houston had a CFL best seven interceptions and 10 defensive take-aways last season with Winnipeg.

The Stampeders also added quarterback Matt Shiltz and offensive lineman Trevon Tate — both Americans — and Canadian linebacker Micah Teitz.

The Grey Cup-champion Montreal Alouettes secured deals with four players — defensive linemen Derek Wiggan and Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, running back Sean Thomas Erlington and receiver Tevin Jones. Wiggan, Adeyemi-Berglund and Erlington are Canadians while Jones is an American.

Wiggan and Adeyemi-Berglund come to Montreal following seven and three seasons, respectively, in Calgary. Erlington returns to his hometown following six seasons with Hamilton, having played at the University of Montreal under head coach Danny Maciocia, currently the Alouettes GM.

Other moves include:

— Edmonton signed American kick-returner Javon Leake, the CFL’s top special-teams player last season with Toronto.

— B.C. signed American quarterback Dakota Prukop and Canadian receiver Jake Harty to one-year deals. Prukop fills a need as veteran backup Dane Evans retired following the 2023 season.

— Toronto signed defensive backs Tunde Adeleke, Kerfalla Exume and Quincy Mauger, linebacker Fraser Sopik and fullback Albert Awachie. All but Mauger are Canadian. The Argos also added global defensive lineman Thiadric Hansen, who spent the last four years with Winnipeg, earning two Grey Cup rings.

(Canadian Press)