Quarterbacks:
The starting quarterback situations should stay the same across most rosters in 2016, with Darian Durant, Drew Willy, Ricky Ray and the Ticats own Zach Collaros slated to re-assume their starting roles in 2016, injury permitting. That being said, there may be a few that change, thanks to a couple of well-recognized pivots being poised to hit the free agency market.
The Ticats have just one quarterback set to become a free agent; Mitchell Gale, who joined the team for their playoff run in 2015, will become a free agent on February 9th. Earlier in the off-season the team locked up Jeremiah Masoli, who was the starter on that playoff run.
Travis Lulay (BC): Thanks to a late-season surge behind youngster Jonathon Jennings, BC appears to be headed in the direction of change in the backfield, making Lulay the most well-known quarterback available in CFL free agency. Just four active quarterbacks have more starts under their belt than Lulay (65), and just two QBs (with at least 15 starts) have a higher win percentage than the current member of the Lions.
Trevor Harris (TOR): Harris, much like Zach Collaros in 2014, is coming off of a season in which he effectively spelled off Ricky Ray. With just 17 starts under his belt, Harris doesn’t possess the same level of experience that Travis Lulay does, but he’s proven that he has the skill set to start in the CFL and he appears ready to find a home where he can do that in a permanent capacity.
Others available: Dan LeFevour (MTL), Thomas Demarco (OTT), Mitchell Gale (TOR/HAM), Keith Price (SSK)
Running backs:
Teams in the market for Canadian running backs should be pleased with this season’s crop of potential free agent backs. The CFL’s top two leaders in yards from scrimmage, Andrew Harris (1,523) and Jerome Messam (1,503), are set to become available to the highest bidder on February 9. The two Canadian stars are joined by a talented crop of backs from around the league, including three others who ranked in the Top 30 in yards from scrimmage in 2015.
The Ticats backfield does not appear to be facing any major shakeups. CJ Gable, Michael Ford and Anthony Woodson are all under contract for 2016, while Mossis Madu and Ray Holley will both face free agency.
Andrew Harris (BC): Harris is coming off of his second 1,000-yard rushing season in the CFL, and his third straight full campaign (2014 was cut short by injury) with seven rushing touchdowns. The Canadian back has been a serious threat in the passing game since entering the league as well, chipping in at least 500 receiving yards and two touchdowns across each of the last four seasons.
Jerome Messam (SSK/CGY): Messam finished with just 20 less yards from scrimmage than Harris, despite playing in one fewer game. The six-year CFL vet has seen stays in BC, Edmonton, Montreal, Saskatchewan and most recently Calgary, and it looks as though the 2011 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian will at least entertain offers from other clubs on Tuesday.
Jeremiah Johnson (OTT): Johnson was on his way to putting up a strong season in 2015 prior to be struck by the injury bug. The Oregon grad finished the season with 715 total yards, despite playing in just 10 games. Johnson’s nose for the end zone —he scored nine times in 10 games in 2015— should be attractive to someone around the league.
Chris Rainey (BC): After deciding to let Andrew Harris go to free agency, the Lions are facing the possibility of another back testing the waters as well. Rainey has just 18 career carries in two CFL seasons, but he’s proven his worth on special teams, racking up nearly 1,500 yards in just nine games.
Brandon Whitaker (TOR): As a rusher, Whitaker ranked fourth in the league last season behind the league’s three 1,000-yard rushers. The seven-year CFL veteran proved that he hasn’t lost a step at age 30, racking up 1,000 total yards for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
Others available: Carl Volny (MTL), Brendan Gillanders (TOR), Curtis Steele (TOR), Cameron Marshall (WPG), Chevon Walker (OTT/WPG), Kendial Lawrence (EDM), Chad Simpson (EDM), John White (EDM), Pascal Lochard (BC)
Receivers:
A number of intriguing receivers are prepared to hit free agency on Tuesday. All 12 of the league’s 1,000-yard receivers from 2015 have either re-upped with their own team or signed an NFL deal (Rogers, Sinkfield), but a number of the second-tier receivers, as well as a number of well-established veterans, could be headed elsewhere this off-season.
The Ticats have three receivers set to hit the market on the 9th, as Andy Fantuz, Bakari Grant and Giovanni Aprile will all see their contracts expire. Fantuz spent the last four seasons in the Black and Gold, averaging 734.5 yards and four touchdown grabs per year in 54 total games. Grant, who returned to the Ticats on a one-year deal last season, played in 10 games in 2015, chipping in 492 receiving yards and four TDs. Aprile appeared in 13 games last season for the Ticats, starting in two of them.
Nick Moore (WPG): Moore had his second-best statistical season in the CFL last year, racking up one yard shy of 900 and four touchdowns. The slotback set a career-high in receptions (76), despite missing a few games with injuries, and he could provide a number of teams with another weapon in the slot.
Ryan Smith (SSK): Smith finished 2015 just shy of 1,000 yards, while also showing an ability to make the difficult catches; of the top 20 receivers in yardage, Smith ranked fifth in reception percentage (69.4%). The Riders passing game would look much different without both Weston Dressler and Ryan Smith lining up in the slot.
Jeff Fuller (CGY): The Stampeders could be looking at a much different receiving core in 2016 as well; after releasing Eric Rogers to pursue an NFL opportunity, the club will see Fuller reach free agency as well. Fuller set career-highs in receptions (47), receiving yards (619) and games played (13) last season, but he has shown some untapped potential in flashes throughout his three-year CFL tenure.
Shamawd Chambers (EDM): Chambers is one of the biggest Canadian names on the market in this off-season, coming off of a Grey Cup performance in which he received honours as the game’s Most Outstanding Canadian. Prior to missing almost the entirety of the 2015 season, Chambers had averaged just over 400 yards and 36 receptions per season since his rookie campaign in 2012.
Kenny Stafford (EDM): Stafford broke out last year and will enter the market fresh off of a nine-touchdown season in Edmonton. His 732 receiving yards and 47 yards were significant jumps from his two previous seasons with the Alouettes and Stampeders.
Others available: Sam Giguere (MTL), Mardy Gilyard (MTL), Fred Stamps (MTL), Natey Adjey (TOR), Chad Owens (TOR), Dave Stala (TOR), Chris Getzlaf (SSK), Jamel Richardson (SSK)
