Quarterbacks pick their spots
Reilly returning to Vancouver, Harris going to Edmonton, Mitchell staying in Calgary
The B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos have new marquee quarterbacks, while the Calgary Stampeders are keeping their star pivot.
On a wild first day of CFL free agency, the Lions announced the signing of quarterback Mike Reilly to a four-year, $2.9-million deal (average annual value $725,000) shortly after the market opened at noon EST on Tuesday. Reilly was the CFL’S highest-paid player last year at ove
But following Reilly’s departure, Edmonton GM Brock Sunderland went on the offensive. The Eskimos GM added quarterback Trevor Harris, receiver Greg Ellingson and offensive lineman Sirvincent Rogers, all of the East Divisionchampion Ottawa Redblacks.
Just under four hours into free agency, Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell agreed to a four-year extension with Calgary - financial terms were not disclosed. Mitchell was the CFL’S most outstanding player last year, leading the Stamps to the Grey Cup.
Reilly, meanwhile, returns to the place where he started his CFL career in 2010.
“It’s an amazing feeling for me, my wife and our extended families to know I am back with the Lions,” Reilly said in a statement. “I am grateful for my time in Edmonton and it will always hold a very special place in my heart, but the opportunity to rejoin (GM) Ed (Hervey) and return to Vancouver to be part of what he is building was too good to pass up at this point in my career.”
Almost as stunning as the contract value was that the exact figures were even divulged. Traditionally, CFL contracts do not contain monetary details.
Hervey didn’t stop after inking Reilly. The Lions agreed to terms Canadian offensive lineman Sukh Chungh, who spent the previous four seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Canadian receiver Lemar Durant, the former Stampeder who was the top Canadian in last year’s Grey Cup game.
Harris, 32, is coming off the best season of his CFL career. He completed 431-of-615 passes for 5,116 yards and 22 TDS. He had a league playoff-record six touchdown strikes in the East Division final before the Redblacks lost 27-16 to Calgary in the Grey Cup game.
“I’m excited to join the city of Champions and Edmonton Eskimos led by Brock Sunderland and (head coach) Jason Maas,” Harris said after inking a twoyear deal. “I’m very blessed to have their belief and I’m excited to get to work and start our pursuit to the Grey Cup with my teammates.”
Mitchell is a two-time CFL most outstanding player, a twotime Grey Cup MVP and is the winningest QB in league history with a career record of 69-15-2.
“It’s great to have Bo back for four more years,” Stampeders president/gm John Hufnagel said in a statement. “He had lots of options out there and I’m pleased he’s made this commitment to the Stampeders and that he’s chosen to continue building on his already impressive legacy in Calgary.”
Sunderland had a busy day. He also added former Hamilton Tiger-cats linebackers Don Unamba and Larry Dean, the East Division’s top defensive player last year, linebacker Jovan Santos-knox, formerly of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, ex-stampeders receiver Davaris Daniels, the CFL’S rookie of the year in 2016, and former Lions defensive back Anthony Orange, a CFL all-star last year.
Ottawa also lost running back William Powell, a 1,000-yard rusher the past two seasons, to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Reilly, 34, was the most coveted player on the open market. He hasn’t missed a game the past three seasons with the Eskimos and passed for over 5,500 yards in each one. After guiding Edmonton to a Grey Cup title in 2015, Reilly was the league’s most outstanding player in 2017 and has thrown a combined 88 TD passes over that span.
But the six-foot-three, 230pound Reilly is a dual threat, having rushed for a combined 1,311 yards on 319 carries (4.2yard average) and 34 TDS the past three seasons.
“This is a historic day for our organization and for fans of the B.C. Lions,” said Hervey. “Acquiring one of the CFL’S elite quarterbacks is an extremely rare opportunity and we’re thrilled to welcome Mike home to the Lions.”
Other moves after free agency started on Tuesday included:
- The Montreal Alouettes signing longtime defensive end John Bowman to a two-year deal. The 36-year-old is the Alouettes’ career sack leader. The Alouettes also signed Can- adian fullback Christophe Normand (last year with Edmonton) and Canadian offensive lineman Spencer Wilson (last year with Calgary).
- The Tiger-cats inked Canadian receiver Brian Jones, who split last year between the Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts, and Canadian defensive back Tunde Adeleke, previously of Calgary.
- The Roughriders came to terms with three-time CFL allstar defensive lineman Micah Johnson, previously of Calgary, and former B.C. linebacker Dyshawn Davis on one-year deals.
- The Blue Bombers re-signed Canadian receiver Nic Demski to a two-year deal. The Winnipeg native finished third in rushing and receiving yardage for the Bombers last year. The Bombers then added two-time all-star defensive end Willie Jefferson, previously of Saskatchewan.