The CFL’s Free Agency Communication Window opened over the weekend and the first 24 hours were a frenzy of reports on who is going where.
The Communication Window is always an indication of a) who has the money to spend and b) who has the spots to fill.
If a team isn’t as busy as others, it’s more often than not because they’ve done the work to build their team already by signing their own pending free agents to extensions or feel comfortable with the depth they’ve built.
2026 CFL FREE AGENCY
» CFL.ca’s top 30 pending free agents
» Where every CFL team stands ahead of Free Agency
» More 2026 Free Agency news and analysis
» What you missed from the first day of the Free Agency Communication Window
If a team is busy, they clearly haven’t spent money on their own pending free agents and want upgrades at current positions.
Here’s a look at where everyone is sitting ahead of when free agency opens next Tuesday.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
A.J. Allen says not today!
Saskatchewan snags their second interception of the quarter!#CFLGameDay
🗓️: @sskroughriders vs. REDBLACKS LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS
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— CFL (@CFL) October 4, 2025
The Roughriders knew coming in that they were going to be picked at after winning a championship. They had several players due for raises after a great season, but they can’t afford to give them all a raise.
They locked up nearly their entire starting offence from the 112th Grey Cup team and only added previously released return man/receiver James Letcher Jr. from Montreal.
On defence was where the holes needed to be filled as a trio of All-CFL calibre players (A.J. Allen, C.J. Reavis and Malik Carney) are reportedly heading out the door.
The Riders only had one player reportedly agree to terms in the Communication Window and that is defensive end James Vaughters. General Manager Jeremy O’Day’s other defensive signing was Josh Woods, who was released from his deal in BC back in December.
While there might be some nervous fans in Rider Nation, the team did show off great depth last season on their way to a Grey Cup and the team has faith in the next-man-up attitude to fill some of the holes left open.
BC LIONS
The BC Lions did even less than the Roughriders through the first few days of the Communication Window. Like their West Division rival, the Lions tried to do more work in locking up players to extensions rather than digging deep in free agency.
The Lions’ biggest off-season move comes with adding more years to the end of quarterback Nathan Rourke’s deal. That now allows the Lions to plan for the future and they don’t have to do a lot of work to spend top dollar for free agents.
The Lions roster is built to win and while the team is reportedly losing one of the best offensive linemen in the league in Jarell Broxton, they have signed Grey Cup champion Isiah Cage to try to fill that void.
EDMONTON ELKS
Malik Carney halts the Winnipeg drive! @oktire #LDWeekend
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— CFL (@CFL) August 31, 2025
Now we get to one of the teams that needed to fill holes and had the money to do it.
Ed Hervey focussed on the offensive and defensive lines with a major deal reportedly done with Grey Cup champion Malik Carney out of Saskatchewan. Carney was exceptional last season in Saskatchewan, creating havoc off the edge for opposing quarterbacks, and the Elks need more disruption off the defensive line to make a move up the standings.
You’ll note Hervey’s moves have a Tiger-Cat theme, as Hervey was there when five of his potential signings played in Hamilton, including Carney.
Also reportedly agreeing to terms in the reunion of Tiger-Cats in Edmonton are offensive lineman Jordan Murray, Coulter Woodmansey, receiver Brendon O’Leary-Orange and quarterback Taylor Powell.
The latter, Powell, is a signing I’ll be keeping an eye on. I really believed Powell was ready to become a starter before the Tiger-Cats went out and signed Bo Levi Mitchell. The young quarterback is a great addition to the quarterback room behind Cody Fajardo with an eye on the future in Edmonton.
The other reported signing is receiver Joe Robustelli from the Roughriders. Robustelli impressed and improved throughout the last two seasons in Saskatchewan in a depth role in Regina.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
The Calgary Stampeders are once again in their traditional quieter philosophy in free agency after being a little bit more aggressive last season.
The Stampeders didn’t lose any potential free agents as of yet, but did reportedly agree to terms with quality Canadian receiver Dejon Brissett, who is coming off a career year in Toronto.
The other reported signing is that of defensive back Devodric Bynum. Bynum was only able to play in the first five games of 2025 but had a great start to his CFL career with five interceptions in 2024. He’s a versatile player who could help upgrade the Stampeders defence.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
After being at the top of the league for the last few seasons, the Bombers haven’t had to be too active at this time of year.
Usually the time is spent signing their players to extensions and allowing everyone else to spend the money. Not so much this time. After a frustrating year, the Bombers are looking to return to their spot at the top of the West Division by spending some cash.
The Communication Window has reports of plenty of incoming talent; offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, receiver Tommy Nield, defensive back Jonathan Moxey, and defensive lineman Jake Ceresna.
And don’t forget about grabbing Tim White from Hamilton after his release to again bolster the receiving corps.
I’ll be honest, I can’t remember the last time Kyle Walters has been this active at this time of year. Probably back when they were adding Willie Jefferson, Nic Demski and Andrew Harris to build what would become the standard of the CFL.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
In Toronto, it’s the first off-season with a revamped front office that will try to go to work. The biggest piece was the repatriation of Adarius Pickett to the Argonauts back in January. That will go a long way to replacing All-CFLer Wynton McManis in the linebacking corps.
Robert Priester and DaShaun Amos are also likely returning to the Argonauts from reported deals in the Communication Window.
Clearly the attention was on the defensive side of the ball with the only other reported deal to get agreed upon for the Argonauts was with pass rusher Jonathan Kongbo.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
It was fairly quiet for Danny Maciocia and the reigning East Division champions. Sure there was the news of signing Devonte Dedmon ahead of the Free Agency Communication Window opening and the biggest news was likely the retirement of Marc-Antoine Dequoy.
But as for any reported deals, it was backup quarterback Dustin Crum and receiver Jerreth Sterns that have agreed to terms with Montreal. Crum could be a crucial piece for the Alouettes if Davis Alexander still has injury issues in 2025 but they’re hoping that won’t be the case.
Sterns adds a bit of depth after the Alouettes moved on from Austin Mack, who landed in Edmonton.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke is clearly the executive on the hottest seat.
He’s now changed head coaches and if they can’t win with Ryan Dinwiddie moving in, the heat will get hotter on him.
So… spend.
And spend Burke is.
How did the Communication Window go this far?
Potentially incoming are running back Greg Bell, linebacker Brian Cole Jr., coverage linebacker/defensive back C.J. Reavis, linebacker A.J. Allen, defensive end Habakkuk Baldonado, defensive back Demerio Houston, linebacker Michael Brodrique, quarterback Jake Maier and receiver Ayden Eberhardt.
I might have missed someone. I apologize, but it was a whirlwind of a few days for those REDBLACKS fans who want to see this team out of the basement.
The biggest moves come in the form of Grey Cup champions A.J. Allen and C.J. Reavis from the Roughriders. Those two were massive for Corey Mace’s defence. Both are just entering their prime with a lot more to give.
On offence, running back Greg Bell is an exceptional talent that can do so much for Dinwiddie’s offence.
Again, however, this is just an indication of how many holes were necessary to fill. It’ll be tough to bring it all together in year one but there is definitely not a lack of talent making its way to Ottawa.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
In Hamilton comes another team that was pretty darn good last season that did their work by extending key players rather than needing to spend in free agency, but the one major move just happened.
Pending free agent Wynton McManis is moving down the QEW to Hamilton from Toronto. That is a massive move for the Tiger-Cats defence!
The other major move came with Tre Ford’s addition to the quarterback room after his release in Edmonton.
As for the Communication Window, it was more depth moves with reported deals with receiver Tyson Middlemost, defensive lineman Kene Onyeka, and offensive lineman Eric Lofton.