The market for CFL receivers has exploded over the past few seasons but the men responsible for covering them have benefitted little from that shift in the league’s financial landscape. However, that doesn’t mean players in the secondary can’t be well-compensated, as these 20 defensive backs exemplify.
Over the next week, 3DownNation will be unveiling the CFL’s highest-paid players at each positional group. We’ve already published the quarterbacks, running backs and fullbacks, receivers, offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker lists. Tomorrow we’ll be wrapping up with the specialists.
“Hard money” is a slang term used to refer to any portion of a contract that is paid even if a player is hurt. This includes salary, a signing bonus, housing money, workout bonuses, travel allowances, off-season roster bonuses, and report-and-pass bonuses.
Any additional portions of the contract — often referred to as “playtime” — are outlined in part or in full in the paragraph accompanying each player. These bonuses are often tied to how much a player sees the field, their yardage production, scoring touchdowns, being named an all-star or winning a league award.
Please note that “N” denotes national players (ie. Canadians) and “A” denotes American players.
1) Tunde Adeleke, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (N)
Hard money: $168,500
Maximum value: $186,500
Salaries for Canadian safeties can inflated but Adeleke is an elite athlete regardless of position. The 27-year-old is scheduled to collect $20,000 for reporting to training camp and will earn an extra $500 for every game he plays at least 51 percent of the defensive snaps, along with incentives of $1,000 for leading the division in interceptions and $2,000 for leading the league. He can also collect standard bonuses of $1,000 for a divisional all-star selection, $2,000 for a CFL all-star selection, and $3,000 for winning a major league award.
2) Royce Metchie, Toronto Argonauts (N)
Hard money: $155,000
Maximum value: $155,000
While it might pale in comparison to his younger brother’s rookie deal in the NFL, the elder Metchie is well-compensated for his role in the Grey Cup champion’s secondary. The 26-year-old safety collected a $35,000 signing bonus when he agreed to a two-year extension this offseason and has the entirety of his deal in hard money.
3) Marcus Sayles, B.C. Lions (A)
Hard money: $140,000
Maximum value: $157,000
Sayles received a $30,000 offseason bonus on February 1 and will take home an additional $10,000 after playing his first snap of next season. The 28-year-old halfback can earn $2,000 for leading the league in interceptions, $2,000 for repeating as a CFL all-star, and $3,000 for winning a Most Outstanding Player award.
4) T.J. Lee, B.C. Lions (A)
Hard money: $137,000
Maximum value: $154,000
The Lions’ longest serving player re-upped for two more years this offseason, collecting a $30,000 signing bonus. The 32-year-old halfback will get a $10,000 pay bump if he plays 51 percent or more of the defensive snaps and can receive $1,000 for leading the team in interceptions, along with standard all-star and award incentives of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000.
5) Monshadrik Hunter, Ottawa Redblacks (A)
Hard money: $128,800
Maximum value: $137,800
The man they call “Money” earns his name with a spot in the top five, inking a new deal in Ottawa that included a $25,000 signing bonus. The 27-year-old cornerback will receive $1,000 if he leads the division in interceptions and $2,000 if he leads the league, with further incentives of $1,000 for being a divisional all-star, $2,000 for being a CFL all-star, and $3,000 for winning a league award.
6) Nick Marshall, Saskatchewan Roughriders (A)
Hard money: $125,000
Maximum value: $132,000
Marshall has come a long way from his days as a college QB and is now regarded as an top-tier cornerback. The 30-year-old’s new contract included a $25,000 signing bonus that can be applied to the 2022 salary cap if the Riders choose, as well as incentives of $1,500 for a divisional all-star nod, $2,500 for a CFL all-star selection, and $3,000 for a major award win.
7) DaShaun Amos, Toronto Argonauts (A)
Hard money: $125,000
Maximum value: $125,000
Much like his Grey Cup-winning teammate Royce Metchie, Amos’ two-year extension in Toronto is all hard money. The 28-year-old halfback received a $15,000 signing bonus in February, with the rest of his deal made up of salary, housing, travel and marketing money.
8) Garry Peters, B.C. Lions (A)
Hard money: $123,200
Maximum value: $136,200
Peters was finally named a CFL all-star in 2022 and his two-year extension in B.C. reflects his status as a lockdown cornerback, including $30,000 signing bonus. The 31-year-old will receive another $5,000 following his first game on the active roster, as well as incentives of $5,000 for repeating as a league all-star and $3,000 for winning a major award.
9) Tre Roberson, Calgary Stampeders (A)
Hard money: $121,000
Maximum value: $136,000
After missing most of last season with injury, Roberson is expected to be healthy for training camp. The 30-year-old cornerback will receive $500 for every game he plays more than half of the defensive snaps and can expect standard incentives of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 in the event of an all-star selection or award win.
10) Jonathan Moxey, Calgary Stampeders (A)
Hard money: $121,000
Maximum value: $132,500
Moxey filled the void left by Roberson’s injury last year and proved to be equally valuable to the Stamps, inking a two-year extension in January that included a $35,000 signing bonus. The 28-year-old cornerback will collect $4,000 for his first game on the active roster and has a number of performance incentives, including $1,000 each for a divisional all-star selection or team award nomination, $2,000 each for a CFL all-star selection or major award win, $1,000 for leading the team in interceptions and $1,500 for leading the league.
11) Wesley Sutton, Montreal Alouettes (A)
Hard money: $120,000
Maximum value: $126,500
Sutton endured some struggles early in 2022 but battled through to become an East Division all-star, cashing in with a $20,000 signing bonus on his second CFL contract. The 27-year-old halfback can earn $1,000 for a second divisional all-star selection, $1,500 for becoming a divisional award finalist, and $2,000 each for a CFL all-star selection or league award win.
12) Rolan Milligan, Saskatchewan Roughriders (A)
Hard money: $117,500
Maximum value: $125,500
A bright spot in a dark Riders’ season, Milligan’s productivity at halfback was rewarded with a two-year extension and a $20,000 signing bonus. The 28-year-old can earn standard all-star and award incentives of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000, along with $1,000 each for leading the team in special teams tackles or interceptions.
13) Aaron Grymes, Edmonton Elks (A)
Hard money: $115,000
Maximum value: $123,000
After missing all of 2022 with a torn ACL, Grymes renegotiated his contract in January in exchange for a $35,000 signing bonus. The 32-year-old halfback will receive another $278 for every game he plays, as well as $1,000 for a divisional all-star selection and $2,000 for CFL all-star honours.
14) Scott Hutter, Edmonton Elks (N)
Hard money: $106,000
Maximum value: $121,000
Hutter seized the Elks starting safety job in his third CFL season and earned a two-year extension. The 25-year-old collected a $20,000 offseason bonus in January and will be paid an additional $500 for every game he plays at least 51 percent of the defensive snaps, plus standard bonuses of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 for all-star selections and major awards.
15) Richard Leonard, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (A)
Hard money: $103,000
Maximum value: $110,000
After earning his third career East Division all-star selection in 2022, Leonard returns as the most veteran American in a young Ticats’ secondary. The 31-year-old halfback notched 64 tackles and four interceptions last season, his highest totals since his rookie year in 2017.
16) Ciante Evans, Montreal Alouettes (A)
Hard money: $101,800
Maximum value: $107,800
After two years in Hamilton, Evans returned to the Alouettes in free agency, though he did not receive a signing bonus to do so. The 30-year-old cornerback can earn incentives of $1,000 for a divisional all-star selection, $2,000 for a CFL all-star selection, and $3,000 for winning a Most Outstanding Player award.
17) Brandon Alexander, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (A)
Hard money: $101,000
Maximum value: $101,000
After recovering from an injury suffered in the 108th Grey Cup, Alexander was able to return to his safety spot for the final five games of 2022 and the playoff run. The 29-year-old quietly re-did his contract in February in exchange for a $17,200 signing bonus, making it entirely hard money.
18) Cariel Brooks, Ottawa Redblacks (A)
Hard money: $98,500
Maximum value: $109,000
Brooks’ release by the Tiger-Cats surprised many fans this offseason but he landed on his feet in Ottawa with a $5,000 signing bonus for his troubles. The 31-year-old halfback will get another $1,500 for playing in 14 games, $1,000 for leading the division in interceptions, and $2,000 for leading the league, as well as standard all-star and award bonuses of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000.
19) Brandin Dandridge, Ottawa Redblacks (A)
Hard money: $98,000
Maximum value: $107,000
Dandridge returned from the NFL to play the last six games of 2022 with the Redblacks and received a $7,500 signing bonus to extend his tenure. The 26-year-old cornerback has potential bonuses of $1,000 for leading the division in interceptions, $2,000 for leading the league, $1,000 for a divisional all-star selection, $2,000 for a CFL all-star nod, and $3,000 for a major award win.
20) Jumal Rolle, Montreal Alouettes (A)
Hard money: $97,800
Maximum value: $121,800
Rolle has been an East Division all-star each of the last two seasons but will need to stay healthy to earn a significant amount of his money after joining the Alouettes, with a payout of $1,000 tied to every game he plays at least 51 percent of the defensive snaps. The 32-year-old cornerback also has standard incentives in his contract of $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 for all-star selections and award wins.
