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11:59 p.m. EST — Well, it would appear this year’s free agent frenzy is officially over. Please join us again next year and stay tuned to 3DownNation for all that’s still to come later this week.
8:18 p.m. EST — The B.C. Lions have made a splash, inking former Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defensive end Pete Robertson. The 31-year-old should help take some of the sting out of losing Mathieu Betts to the NFL.
7:58 p.m. EST — The Ticats have confirmed the signing of Canadian receiver Luther Hakunvanhu, which was reported earlier by 3DownNation.
7:27 p.m. EST — We appear to have reached an early evening lull. Your correspondent will use this as an opportunity to stretch and drink some water and, if you’ve been following along for 12 hours now, suggests you do the same.
7:12 p.m. EST — The communications team in Hamilton has finally woken up! The Tiger-Cats have officially confirmed the signing of Jamal Peters, who was dominant at cornerback with the Argonauts this past season. It seems fair to speculate that the team will confirm other signings shortly, including Brandon Barlow and Dewayne Hendrix.
6:58 p.m. EST — JC Abbott reports that the Ottawa Redblacks have signed American offensive lineman Phillip Norman, who spent five seasons with the B.C. Lions. The 28-year-old did not see any action in 2023 after collapsing at practice early in the season.
6:41 p.m. EST — John Hodge reports that the Ottawa Redblacks have signed American linebacker Silas Stewart, who spent the past three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders.
6:25 p.m. EST — Hamilton has signed Canadian receiver Luther Hakunavanhu away from the Calgary Stampeders, according to 3DownNation reporter John Hodge. The deal includes almost $250,000 in hard money over two years.
6:12 p.m. EST — Regina native Evan Johnson has signed a one-year deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, according to 3DownNation reporter John Hodge.
5:59 p.m. EST — Three-time all-star defensive tackle Dylan Wynn has been spotted at the Montreal airport, according to Justin Dunk. Could he be signing with the Alouettes?
5:53 p.m. EST — Legendary CFL quarterback Ken Ploen has passed away at the age of 88, the Blue Bombers have announced. The four-time Grey Cup champion was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
5:51 p.m. EST — Quincy Mauger has a new home as he’s signed with the Argonauts following his release from B.C. The 28-year-old has lots of starting experience at safety and strong-side linebacker.
5:45 p.m. EST — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed an American fullback named Clint Ratkovich, who has no previous CFL experience.
5:32 p.m. EST — The Calgary Stampeders have signed running back Jamal Morrow away from the Saskatchewan Roughriders, according to 3DownNation reporter Justin Dunk.
5:29 p.m. EST — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed Canadian fullback James Tuck, according to 3DownNation reporter John Hodge. The 33-year-old won his first Grey Cup as a member of the Montreal Alouettes this past season.
5:18 p.m. EST — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the only club that’s yet to acquire a player who was on a different CFL team’s roster in 2023. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are leading the way with seven.
5:09 p.m. EST — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats remain extremely quiet, having only confirmed the re-signing of receiver Terry Godwin II so far. The club reportedly agreed to terms with three big-name defensive players during the recent communications window — Brandon Barlow, Dewayne Hendrix, and Jamal Peters — but has not yet made the signings official.
5:02 p.m. EST — Our top two pending free agents, receiver Tim White and defensive lineman A.C. Leonard, are both still without deals. As per 3DownNation’s John Hodge, there doesn’t appear to be anything imminent on Leonard.
4:55 p.m. EST — Andrew Harris plans to keep supporting former teammate and friend A.J. Ouellette even after he signed with the Riders, commenting “Can’t believe I’m gonna be buying a Sask jersey” on Instagram. The pair won a Grey Cup together sharing the backfield in Toronto in 2022.
4:46 p.m. EST — The Toronto Argonauts have signed Global defensive lineman Thiadric Hansen following a four-year run with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The native of Germany has recorded 19 defensive tackles, 21 special teams tackles, four sacks, and three forced fumbles over 46 career games.
4:30 p.m. EST — 3DownNation contributor Ryan Ballantine says Calgary Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson heard from Bo Levi Mitchell after the Stamps agreed to terms with quarterback Matthew Shiltz and had “good things” to say. Mitchell and Shiltz were teammates this past season in Hamilton.
4:21 p.m. EST — Free agency started over four hours ago and only three of 3DownNation’s top 50 players have signed. Clearly, there’s a lot of talent still available.
4:12 p.m. EST — A press conference has been called for Mathieu Betts to discuss his decision to sign with the Detroit Lions. Expect a column from 3DownNation in the early afternoon on Wednesday.
3:50 p.m. EST — The Riders have cleaned off their list of reported signees, confirming the addition of American linebacker Jameer Thurman. Maybe he can finally earn some all-star recognition in the CFL’s most important market.
3:37 p.m. EST — The Toronto Argonauts have made another solid depth addition, inking long-time Saskatchewan Roughriders fullback Alberta Awachie. He and 2023 draft pick Spencer Nichols should be able to play a tight end role for the team.
3:35 p.m. EST — Alouettes’ general manager Danny Maciocia revealed during his free agency press conference that he attempted to trade for Riders receiver Tevin Jones last season. He finally has his man for 2024.
3:20 p.m. EST — Wonder Twins unite! Canadian linebackers Justin and Jordan Herdman-Reed are together again, as the latter has joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the same time as his brother re-signed.
3:10 p.m. EST — It isn’t easy being a veteran American pass rusher these days. Shawn Oakman, Dylan Wynn, Almondo Sewell, A.C. Leonard, Ja’Gared Davis and Woody Baron are all unsigned as we head into hour three.
2:58 p.m. EST — Justin Dunk is reporting that multiple teams are interested in former Riders running back Jamal Morrow. Safe to say he will not be back in Saskatchewan.
2:50 p.m. EST — Hamilton has confirmed what 3Down knew two days ago: Terry Godwin will be back in their receiving corps. The waiting game for Tim White continues.
2:42 p.m. EST — The Alouettes continue to bulk up the defensive line, confirming the addition of veteran Canadian defensive tackle Derek Wiggan. Could that signal a ratio change?
2:41 p.m. EST — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have confirmed the addition of American defensive end Malik Carney. The underrated pass rusher will likely replace Pete Robertson coming off the edge.
2:39 p.m. EST — The Argonauts have finally confirmed the addition of Canadian defensive back Tunde Adeleke, but also added linebacker Fraser Sopik. That’s a big bump of homegrown talent for the Boatmen.
2:29 p.m. EST — We’ve hit a bit of a lull in the action, so make sure you check out our updated free agency tracker for a complete overview of everything your team has done.
1:58 p.m. EST — The Montreal Alouettes have confirmed the addition of Canadian defensive end Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund. That should take some of the sting off of losing rookie Lwal Uguak to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but I’d still recommend an ice pack and some Polysporin.
1:46 p.m. EST — Yoshi is back in Green! The Riders have confirmed the signing of all-star right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick, causing a sigh of relief across Regina. After previously playing for the team in 2015, the veteran Bomber trudges back across the prairies to solve all of Saskatchewan’s protection issues.
1:44 p.m. EST — No more sneak problems in Vancouver! John Hodge has confirmed the signing of third-string QB Dakota Prukop with the B.C. Lions.
1:33 p.m. EST — After scoring their first return touchdown in eons at the end of the regular season, the Edmonton Elks are bound to have a lot more after confirming the addition of Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Javon Leake.
1:29 p.m. EST — The Montreal Alouettes have officially signed American receiver Tevin Jones. The former Rider showed some flashes in Saskatchewan, but he has huge shoes to fill with the departure of Austin Mack to the NFL.
1:23 p.m. EST — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have officially signed American cornerback Jalon Edwards-Cooper, filling the void left when Nic Marshall was arrested in November.
1:17 p.m. EST — Veteran Canadian receiver Jake Harty is headed to the B.C. Lions, according to Justin Dunk. Every bit of depth matters with Justin McInnis and Jevon Cottoy both expected to start next year.
1:10 p.m. EST — The Stampeders have confirmed the signing of homegrown linebacker Micah Teitz, but you already knew that because J.C. Abbott had the goods last night.
1:07 p.m. EST — The Montreal Alouettes have added versatile Canadian running back Sean Thomas-Erlington. With William Stanback gone, does that mean Jeshrun Antwi has more of a shot at the starting job than we thought?
1:04 p.m. EST — It doesn’t mean anything until Justin Dunk has the goods and 3DownNation’s ace reporter is confirming that Tunde Adeleke is headed up the QEW to the Toronto Argonauts.
12:54 p.m. EST — IT’S OFFICIAL!!! A.J. Ouellette is headed to Saskatchewan and just instantly became everyone’s favourite Rider.
12:49 p.m. EST — More official word out of Calgary, as they confirm the addition of offensive tackle Trevon Tate. That should help beef up their offensive line.
12:44 p.m. EST — The B.C. Lions have a new short-yardage QB, as Farhan Lalji is reporting that they are adding Dakota Prukop from Winnipeg. Jake Dolegala and Taylor Cornelius are still on the board.
12:40 p.m. EST — One player who won’t be going to Calgary for the moment: defensive tackle Ricky Walker. Despite agreeing to terms with the Stampeders during the negotiation window, John Hodge is now reporting that he is holding off on signing as he mulls his future.
12:32 p.m. EST — And another one! The usually quiet Stampeders have confirmed the addition of quarterback Matthew Shiltz. Jake Maier, you officially have some competition.
12:22 p.m. EST — Houston, we have an announcement! The Stampeders are the first to make an official move, confirming the signing of CFL interception leader Demerio Houston. There could be a lot of picks in that Calgary secondary next year.
12:19 p.m. EST — It appears that veteran Canadian linebacker Jesse Briggs has retired. The McGill product had a career we can all envy.
12:16 p.m. EST — The Argos are beefing up their special teams with the signing of Canadian defensive back Kerfalla Exume, according to Justin Dunk. The 29-year-old has 63 career special teams tackles in 64 career games.
12:10 p.m. EST — All focus is north of the border today but a hearty congratulations to the four Canadian prospects invited to the 2024 NFL Combine. It should be another historic year for Canadian talent in both pro leagues.
12:05 p.m. EST — And the biggest fish in free agency is off the market! Canadian defensive end Mathieu Betts is headed to the Lions — the Detroit Lions, that is. According to our own Justin Dunk, the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player will get his NFL shot at 29 years old.
12:01 p.m. EST — If you need a refresher on everything that has happened to this point, check out our full free agency tracker right here.
12:00 p.m. EST — GOOOOO!!!!!
11:59 a.m. EST — We…
11:58 a.m. EST — Here…
11:26 a.m. EST — Quit with the teasing! The Saskatchewan Roughriders have now shared a screengrab of A.J. Ouellette following them. Seems like a match made in marketing heaven.
11:22 a.m. EST — For once, there appears to be a free agency backlog amongst starting calibre Canadian offensive linemen. Landon Rice, Ryan Sceviour, Geoff Gray, Sean Jamieson, Evan Johnson, Kyle Saxelid and Hunter Steward are just some of the names available.
11:10 a.m. EST — TSN’s Farhan Lalji is reporting that Canadian safety Tunde Adeleke might be on his way to the Toronto Argonauts. The Double Blue already have a high-priced Canadian safety in Royce Metchie but have an opening at strong-side linebacker after losing Adarius Pickett. Could that be a spot for the versatile defender?
11:00 a.m. EST — The start of free agency is officially one hour away!
10:48 a.m. EST — The top quarterbacks available — Dru Brown, Chris Streveler, and Matthew Shiltz — are already accounted for, but Jake Dolegala and Taylor Cornelius are both available. The B.C. Lions have said they want to add a backup with CFL experience following the retirement of Dane Evans. Will they add Dolegala or Cornelius?
10:33 a.m. EST — Emmanuel Arceneaux is openly campaigning for his next contract on social media, making it appear unlikely that he’ll be back with the Edmonton Elks. The 36-year-old made 28 catches for 346 yards over 12 games this past season.
10:19 a.m. EST — Ottawa Redblacks’ general manager Shawn Burke spoke to TSN 1200 earlier today and called today a “wrap-up day” for the Redblacks as they’ve already added quarterback Dru Brown, receiver Dominique Rhymes, offensive lineman Dariusz Bladek, and strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett. He said the team is “open for business” but doesn’t expect them to be “too busy.”
10:16 a.m. EST — The Montreal Alouettes have called a press conference for 3:00 p.m. EST, only three hours after free agency gets underway. It seems fair to speculate that the defending Grey Cup champions don’t expect to be very busy today.
10:11 a.m. EST — In non-free agency news, Historica Canada released a new Heritage Minute about Normie Kwong, the four-time Grey Cup champion and West Division all-star who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta before passing away in 2016 at 86. It’s the first CFL video the organization has produced.
10:00 a.m. EST — We are officially two hours away from the start of free agency! Don’t forget to check out our free agency tracker and top 50 free agent list while you’re waiting for the action to get underway.
9:55 a.m. EST — Pending free agent linebacker Simoni Lawrence took to social media late last night to post, “Always love they can feel that.” Has the five-time East Division all-star played his final game in Steeltown?
9:41 a.m. EST — A.J. Ouellette has now shared Saskatchewan’s hype video on social media with the caption, “The Thunder, for I am not afraid of the storm — I am the storm.” This guy is clearly going to be a star in Riderville.
9:28 a.m. EST — 3DownNation’s John Hodge expects pending free agent kicker Sergio Castillo to remain with the Blue Bombers. The only logical landing spot outside of Winnipeg would be Montreal, though the Alouettes already paid David Côté a $10,500 off-season roster bonus earlier this month.
9:12 a.m. EST — The Riders have released an awesome hype video featuring Thor’s hammer cast in green light. This would appear to be official confirmation that all-star running back A.J. Ouellette will be signing with the team after agreeing to terms last week.
8:58 a.m. EST — The deepest position in free agency appears to be along the defensive line with three ranked in the top six and five in the top 17. 3DownNation’s John Hodge believes A.C. Leonard will most likely return to Edmonton on a one-year deal, though a move to the East Division isn’t out of the question.
8:35 a.m. EST — Your correspondent needs to take the dog for a quick walk around the block. Here’s hoping nothing crazy happens until he gets back.
8:31 a.m. EST — 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk reports that Tim White is “holding firm” on his $300,000 asking price in free agency, which would make him the second-highest-paid receiver in the CFL behind Eugene Lewis. He’s 3DownNation’s No. 1 pending free agent.
8:22 a.m. EST — Three-time all-star defensive tackle Dylan Wynn has said farewell to Hamilton on his Instagram page after four seasons with the Tiger-Cats. Where will he end up today?
8:00 a.m. EST — 3DownNation has unveiled its top 50 pending free agents! This list doesn’t include players who have recently re-signed with their clubs, agreed to terms with a new team, or retired — it’s only the top players who are actually available.
7:52 a.m. EST — Coffee. Coffee. So much coffee.
7:46 a.m. EST — Don’t forget to check out the 3DownNation free agency tracker. We’ve got every extension, signing, retirement, and release listed from each club, making it a handy one-stop shop for any transactions you may have missed or forgotten about.
7:40 a.m. EST — There are plenty of talented players set to hit the open market later today, but some are already available after being released in recent days. RB Shannon Brooks (Edmonton), REC Nate Behar (Ottawa), REC Jake Wieneke (Saskatchewan), DL Woody Baron (B.C.), DL Almondo Sewell (Montreal), and DB Quincy Mauger (B.C.) should all receive at least some level of interest from teams around the league.
7:30 a.m. EST — Pending free agents were able to negotiate with teams across the league during last week’s “legal tampering” window and several agreements were reached, though they can’t be officially signed until free agency gets underway at 12:00 p.m. EST.
Players with agreements reportedly in place include QB Matthew Shiltz (Calgary), RB A.J. Ouellette (Saskatchewan), REC Tevin Jones (Montreal), OL Jermarcus Hardrick (Saskatchewan), OL Trevon Tate (Calgary), DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (Montreal), DL Brandon Barlow (Hamilton), DL Malik Carney (Saskatchewan), DL Dewayne Hendrix (Hamilton), DL Ricky Walker (Calgary), DL Derek Wiggan (Montreal), LB Adam Auclair (Saskatchewan), LB Jameer Thurman (Saskatchewan), DB Jalon Edwards-Cooper (Saskatchewan), DB Demerio Houston (Calgary), DB Jamal Peters (Hamilton), KR Javon Leake (Edmonton).
A few signings have been made official since players were released by their former clubs, allowing them to ink deals with new teams. These include RB Ante Milanovic-Litre (Hamilton), RB William Stanback (B.C.), LB Micah Teitz (Calgary), SAM Adarius Pickett (Ottawa), and K Boris Bede (Edmonton).
Welcome to the 3DownNation 2024 CFL free agency live blog!
We will be around all day to provide the latest news, insight, analysis, and rumours surrounding CFL free agency. We’ve done many live blogs in the past and we’re excited you’ve chosen to join us for this year’s edition. There’s lots of fun to be had over the next 12-plus hours, so let’s get rocking.
