Stamps to bypass big free agent signings

Hufnagel satisfied with ability to lock up core group

A busy Monday means Tuesday promises to be quiet around McMahon Stadium.

With the Calgary Stampeders signing receiver Marquay McDaniel and defensive lineman Micah Johnson Monday, the team heads into the CFL’s free agency window with most of their key pieces locked up for next season.

Yes, there are still a few big names testing the waters, but after coming to terms with 13 of the team’s potential free agents before the window even opened, Stamps president and GM John Hufnagel has ensured a level of stability and continuity heading into next year.

“I’m pleased with the off-season so far,” Hufnagel said Monday. “I think we’ve been able to sign a lot of our key, core players and so that doesn’t leave me a whole lot of money left in my pocket, but that’s what you have to do.

“I’m pleased and we’ll just have to see what else is out there and what we can afford.”

Hufnagel’s wheeling and dealing allowed the Stamps to re-sign more of their potential free agents than any other CFL team up to this point — including the likes of Charleston Hughes, Rob Maver, Quinn Smith and Cordarro Law — so while other teams scramble to add pieces on the first day of free agency, the Calgary front office isn’t expected to get too heavily involved.

“I would think we’ll probably be more active on Day 2 than Day 1,” Hufnagel said.

With little room left to spend under the CFL’s salary cap, the Stampeders will likely wave goodbye to a couple of high profile players.

First among them is receiver Bakari Grant. Hufnagel said he had to choose between Grant and McDaniel, and informed Grant’s agent there would be no further negotiations.

Derek Dennis, last season’s CFL Most Outstanding Lineman, also appears headed elsewhere.

“I don’t think he’s interested in signing at this time, I think he’s going to play the market,” Hufnagel said.

Hufnagel said he wasn’t sure whether offensive lineman Dan Federkeil had decided to continue playing pro football, so that likely remains a wait-and-see situation.

Running back Rob Cote and linebacker Glenn Love will also explore the market, although Hufnagel sounded more optimistic about the possibility of seeing both players in red and white next season than he did about Dennis.

“I’d like to have Rob back, I’ve had a few meetings with Rob,” Hufnagel said. “Rob understands the situation and I understand his situation and hopefully at the end of the week we can get together again and come to an amicable conclusion.”

That was a sentiment Hufnagel echoed about Love, who spent much of last year on special teams but showed flashes of serious game-changing potential at the end of the year.

“He’s exploring something,” Hufnagel said of Love. “He’s not pencilled in as a starter for us and he has the ability to be a starter in this league. So we’ll just see what’s out there and be a little patient.”