CFL free agency set to be a true arms race
Pool of 190-plus players up for grabs includes three top quarterbacks
Jeremy O’Day’s first foray into CFL free agency as a general manager promises to be a unique one.
As of Friday, more than 190 players were scheduled to hit the open market at noon Tuesday. That number could change with teams signing prospective free agents before the deadline, but starting quarterbacks Mike Reilly, Bo Levi Mitchell and Trevor Harris are expected to headline a deep talent pool.
With only one quarterback on Saskatchewan’s roster, it’s a position of priority for O’Day, who was named the Roughriders’ vice-president of football operations/GM last month.
“It will be interesting to see if everyone makes it to free agency,” O’Day said. “If they do, it’s really going to add a different dynamic because I don’t think there’s been (a year) like it with the amount of franchise quarterbacks going to free agency.” Toronto Argonauts GM Jim Popp can’t remember seeing so many players poised to hit the open market.
“By sheer numbers, yes, it’s different. There’s a lot of people waiting and wondering what’s going on.”
There are many reasons for the abundance of free agents:
Veterans signing one-year deals and trying to cash in following a solid campaign.
The uncertainty regarding the 2019 salary cap. That figure was $5.2 million last year but the current CBA is scheduled to expire in May.
The CFL not allowing players who sign contracts this off-season to collect signing bonuses until after a new CBA is ratified.
More options outside the CFL. The eight-team American Alliance of Football began play Saturday, while the rejuvenated XFL has started preparing for its 2020 reincarnation. The AAF’s standard player contract covers three years and $250,000 (U.S.) — $70,000, $80,000 and $100,000 — in base salaries with a chance to earn more with bonuses.
The end result is an abundance of available talent that gives GMs many options to fix whatever ails their teams. And in the CFL, the quickest fix often comes at quarterback.
Reilly was the league’s highest-paid player last year, at more than $500,000 with the Edmonton Eskimos, but he’s expected to set a new benchmark (around $700,000) in free agency. The 34-year-old hasn’t missed a game the past three years and thrown for more than 5,500 yards each season. After guiding Edmonton to a Grey Cup title in 2016, he was the CFL’s top player the following season.
Reilly’s timing to hit free agency couldn’t be better. Only Hamilton (Jeremiah Masoli) and Winnipeg (Matt Nichols) have established starters under contract.
Reilly will help determine what Mitchell and Harris can command on the open market. But it will be a challenge signing free agents while not knowing what the salary cap will be.
“You don’t want undershoot it and miss out on players, but you don’t want to overshoot it and be in cap violation,” O’Day said.
“It’s unique but we dealt with that five years ago (when the last CBA was expiring).”
Mitchell, 28, has led Calgary to two Grey Cups (2014, 2018) and been named the CFL’s top player twice (2016, ’18) since becoming the starter in 2014. He is 69-15-2 as a starter and, at age 28, is in his prime. He worked out for seven NFL clubs this off-season but has not signed a contract.
Harris, 32, enjoyed his best CFL season last year, setting career highs in pass attempts (615), completions (431) and passing yards (5,116) while leading Ottawa to a Grey Cup berth.
“There’s obviously the big three who’re getting all of the attention,” O’Day said. “But ... there’s a lot of guys who’ve been starters in our league and been very good players.”
That second group includes Zach Collaros. who was with Saskatchewan last year, and B.C. quarterbacks Travis Lulay and Jonathon Jennings.
There is plenty of talent at other positions, including receivers Derel Walker and Greg Ellingson, defensive linemen Micah Johnson, Willie Jefferson, Shawn Lemon and Odell Willis, and offensive linemen SirVincent Rogers and Sukh Chungh.
O’Day said fit is as important as talent when deciding which free agents to pursue.
“It’s a situation where you have to choose them and they have to choose you,” he said. “Ultimately it’s a two-way street.”