2026 CFL free agent rankings: specialists

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders.

It’s time to rank the CFL’s top pending specialists ahead of free agency.

This is a thin class, especially if you are looking for a kicker. However, there are a couple of award-winning returners in the backhalf of their careers who are headed for the market.

The league’s free agency communications window, often referred to as the legal tampering window, will be open from Feb. 1-8. During this time, all pending free agents will be allowed to negotiate with teams across the CFL without restrictions.

Some players will agree to terms on contracts with new teams during this time, though they can’t be signed until free agency officially gets underway on Feb. 10.

3DownNation has already ranked this year’s pending free-agent quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs. Check back later today for our updated top 50 list.

These rankings were made based on feedback from 3DownNation contributors as well as CFL personnel people, who were granted anonymity.

Please note that “N” denotes National players (ie. Canadians), “A” denotes American players, and “G” denotes Global players.

Kickers/Punter

1) Richie Leone, Ottawa Redblacks (A)

The easiest ranking we’ve made to date, Leone is the last remaining kicker or punter available. Age is no limitation for the 33-year-old at his position, and his five-time All-CFL resume speaks for itself, but his passport makes him a vestige of a bygone era. When Global punters are so cheap and plentiful, paying top dollar for an American who finished last in net punting last year will be a tough sell.

Long snappers

1) Jorgen Hus, Saskatchewan Roughriders (N)

After 13 professional seasons, Hus finally got a championship ring with his hometown team in 2025. The 36-year-old is still at the top of his game as one of the league’s best snappers, but has openly contemplated retirement this offseason. If he does want to return, it would be difficult to imagine him trading in his Rider colours.

2) Kyle Nelson, B.C. Lions (N)

The 39-year-old has had as good a career as you can possibly have at the professional level, including 12 years in the NFL. However, there have been questions about Nelson’s consistency over the past two years in B.C., and his time in the league might be drawing to a close. With over $6.5 million in career earnings, he should be just fine either way.

3) Aaron Crawford, Free Agent (N)

Crawford was given an early release by the Stampeders in large part due to concerns that he’ll never fully recover from the knee injury that ended his 2025 campaign. If it is the end, the 39-year-old has had a career to be proud of, with 166 games played and time spent with five franchises.

Returners

1) Mario Alford, Saskatchewan Roughriders (A)

The soon-to-be 34-year-old Alford was all but condemned to the scrap heap entering the 2025 season, with critics questioning whether the 2022 Most Outstanding Special Teams Player could still be effective at his age. That proved to be an ice-cold take, as the West Virginia product came out of the gates with his hair on fire and set a new career-high with an average of 28.3 yards on kickoff returns, adding a game-winning touchdown along the way. Though a midseason injury limited him to 11 games and slowed his pace slightly, the Riders might not have been champions without his electric skillset.

2) Janarion Grant, Toronto Argonauts (A)

One year after winning Most Outstanding Special Teams Player with a four-touchdown campaign, Grant saw his production drop amidst a difficult year for the Argos. The 32-year-old scored just one major, while averaging 12.8 yards per punt and 22.9 yards per kickoff. Even if those were down from 14.8 and 24.4 in 2024, the diminutive speedster can’t be counted out as he continues to climb up the all-time return touchdowns list.

3) James Letcher Jr., Montreal Alouettes (A)

The Alouettes had concerns regarding Letcher’s consistency and reliability during his time in the job, leading to him being benched late in the 2025 season. However, in a returner class that skews old, he brings plenty of upside as a 26-year-old. In 30 games, the Washburn product has averaged 13.7 yards per punt return and 24.0 yards per kickoff, while adding five total touchdowns.

4) Lawrence Woods III, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (A)

Though he has flashed at times with a couple of majors, Woods probably isn’t the guy you want to anoint as your primary returner at this point. However, the 31-year-old is unique as a defensive player who can handle the job, which provides a certain degree of roster flexibility with him as an insurance policy.