Landry's 5 takeaways from Free Agency so far

It’s true that, officially, the free agency period doesn’t open until February 10.

However, in the CFL’s off-season world there has already been a lot of traffic so far, with re-uppings, releases and subsequent signings being plentiful.

With that in mind, here are five takeaways from free agency (so far).

ONE NEEDS TO KEEP ONE’S ‘NOTIFICATIONS’ SETTINGS ACTIVE

It used to be, not so long ago, that it was pretty rare to see a pending free agent being outright released by his team far ahead of the February window opening.

I remember way back in 2014 when the Toronto Argonauts released pending free agent quarterback Zach Collaros a few days ahead of free agency and that was seen as quite the novel move.

Now, teams are ready to clear their decks earlier when it comes to pending free agents and, sometimes, extraordinary players become available well ahead of time.

So you’d better be on your toes.

Montreal released star middle linebacker Darnell Sankey way back on December 11. Merry Christmas, BC Lions.

Ottawa turned SAM Adarius Pickett loose on January 13 and the Argos had the three-time East Division All-CFLer under contract within three days.

And with CFL teams creating more free agents by releasing some under-contract players they don’t see in their 2026 picture (returner/running back Peyton Logan and defensive lineman DeWayne Hendrix, both subsequently signed by Toronto, come to mind, as do receivers Austin Mack and Tim White), you need to be on the look-out for some pre-doorcrasher specials.

Free agency, for some, starts well ahead of the February opening.

Just ask the Lions who added not only Sankey, but also signed surprise free agent defensive lineman Casey Sayles, released by Hamilton on January 8.

THE SHELVES AREN’T EXACTLY BARE. BUT THAT BIG TICKET ITEM YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IS NOW HARDER TO FIND

Brady Oliveira was CFL.ca’s No. 1 pending free agent and signed an extension with Winnipeg in December (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

On CFL.ca’s list of top 30 pending free agents, you’ll see that nine of the top 10 possibles are off the market (make it all of them if the Saskatchewan Roughriders get a deal done with linebacker A.J. Allen, which they have not as of the writing of this).

Eight of them have signed extensions with their 2025 team while another — the above-mentioned Sankey — was locked down by the BC Lions after his release by the Alouettes.

Teams looking to cause seismic waves by luring superstars away from other clubs have been denied access to the likes of Brady Oliveira, Bo Levi Mitchell, Samuel Emilus, Tevaughn Campbell, Brandon Revenberg, Jermarcus Hardrick, Julian Howsare, and Nic Demski.

All staying put.

RETENTION, THY NAME IS BLUE BOMBERS

As of the submission of these takeaways, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lead the extension signing parade, in quantity, with 17 incumbents so far deciding to return to the ‘Peg rather than make it to free agency.

Leading that brigade are running back Brady Oliveira, receiver Nic Demski and lineman Stanley Bryant on the offence, with defensive end Willie Jefferson, defensive backs Evan Holm and Deatrick Nichols as well as SAM Redha Kramdi headlining the other side of the ball.

And the ever-reliable Sergio Castillo, who kicks it.

If you like consistency of roster, the Blue Bombers are in your camp.

So, too, are the defending champs.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have 14 extensions to their credit so far, including quarterback Trevor Harris, receivers Samuel Emilus and Kian Schaffer-Baker, defensive back Tevaughn Campbell and last year’s CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Jermarcus Hardrick.

The bid for a repeat has pillars in place.

THEY TOOK SOME BODY BLOWS BUT IT APPEARS THEY’VE GOT THEIR FEET SOLIDLY UNDER THEM

Pity the Calgary Stampeders, a team that traditionally, relentlessly, recruits talent so very well.

Too well, in some ways.

Continually picked at by other CFL teams in free agency over the years, the Stamps have often replaced their established but departing stars with players who quickly make names for themselves as emerging ones.

This off-season, the Stampeders had to wave goodbye to to a trio of young players they would absolutely have loved to keep in the line-up.

NFL deals for receiver Damien Alford, defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings and linebacker Jacob Roberts must have left the Stampeders’ brass reeling.

Since then? General manager & head coach Dave Dickenson bounced back strongly by signing star defensive end Clarence Hicks to a three-year contract.

Then the Stampeders extended SAM Derrick Moncrief, too.

And prior to the losses listed above, Dickenson and the Stamps extended running back Dedrick Mills (1,409 rushing yards to lead the CFL last season), so if the team is bloodied a bit by losses so far, they do appear to be unbowed.

IT’S GEOFFREY’S TIME

STUFFED!

Geoffrey Cantin-Arku gets in for the sack! #CFLGameDay
🗓️: @MTLAlouettes vs. Elks LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS
🇺🇸: CBSSN⁣
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/gymhlGa0Oz

— CFL (@CFL) June 20, 2025

Revealed in this off-season’s moves so far:

The Montreal Alouettes really like Geoffrey Cantin-Arku. A lot.

How else would they feel comfortable enough to give an early release to Darnell Sankey, who’d been a spiritual and physical leader at the heart of the Montreal defence since signing with the team in September of 2023?

In two and a third seasons, Sankey was what you’d call an active participant in that Montreal defence, compiling 239 tackles in 41 regular season starts, including 101 last year.

Cantin-Arku has impressed greatly whenever he’s been given the limited playing time he’s gotten the last two seasons, and now the Als will turn to him to capably fill the middle linebacker position for the upcoming season.

“We think the time is right to turn it over to him,” said Montreal general manager Danny Maciocia.

BONUS TAKEAWAY: A reminder of just how cruel the fates of pro football can be.

All Micah Awe did for the BC Lions last season was lead the league in defensive plays (122).

And yet, he got a release notice when Sankey became available.

Landry’s 5 takeaways from Free Agency so far

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