Explosive receiver Tim White has a lot of leverage in contract negotiations with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and he’s using it to try to become one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the CFL.
Per league sources, the five-foot-10, 185-pound playmaker has asked for $240,000 from any team looking to secure his services for the 2023 season. With former running mate Steven Dunbar Jr. agreeing to terms with the Edmonton Elks, the Ticats need a No. 1 target for franchise quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and White is the best in-house option by far.
“There are guys in this locker room that catch the football that I want in this locker room,” Mitchell said. “I got to watch firsthand Tim make those two catches at the end of the game to beat us last year.”
The veteran quarterback was referencing Hamilton’s Week 19 win at McMahon Stadium in 2022 which occurred while Mitchell was still a member of the Stampeders. White made a 42-yard catch in coverage with 30 seconds left in the game and, on the next play, hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass for the Ticats to earn a 35-32 victory.
The 28-year-old consistently made big plays this past season, becoming a household name across the country. White caught 94 passes for 1,265 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games, earning CFL all-star status while leading the three-down league in receptions and targets (145), ranking fourth in yards and tied for fifth in touchdown catches.
The Santa Clarita, Calif. native led the Ticats in receptions (56) and yards (774) during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season while scoring two touchdowns. His performance garnered him an East Division all-star nod after finishing sixth in the league in receiving yards during the truncated campaign.
White has Olympian-level athleticism and would provide Mitchell and creative-minded offensive coordinator Tommy Condell with a bonafide top target in 2023. As it stands, he remains eligible to sign with the highest bidder in the CFL.
