How do you define a sneaky good CFL Free Agency signing?
Is it the player who fits a need you didn’t see coming? The athlete who upgraded your roster in a way that surprised the fan base and perhaps the incumbent starter? The addition who won’t cause a team-wide turnaround NOW, but has the potential to be a game changer in the near future?
There are plenty of ways to view the potential of a signing, here are my favourite sneaky good signings for each CFL team.
2026 CFL FREE AGENCY
» CFL Free Agent Tracker: Follow every move here
» Which team made the biggest splash in Free Agency?
» A team-by-team look at 2026 CFL Free Agency
» 5 impactful free agency signings so far
» More 2026 Free Agency news and analysis
BC LIONS | QUARTERBACK NATHAN ROURKE EXTENSION
Amidst all the news of other teams making splashy signings during the CFL Free Agency Negotiation Window, the BC Lions went about their business signing much of their core pieces from last season to extensions. The impressive part, aside from securing their returning players who were pending free agents, is extending quarterback and reigning Most Outstanding Player Nathan Rourke.
Did we think he was going anywhere soon? No. It’s the security of having that box checked that will attract other free agents, which creates the sneaky success of the transaction.
EDMONTON ELKS | QUARTERBACK TAYLOR POWELL
Speaking of quarterbacks, if the Elks can protect Cody Fajardo I think they’re in line to have a bounce back season with Mark Kilam’s leadership as the driving on-field force.
Waiting in the wings, and extremely ready to secure their future, is Taylor Powell, who is as good a developmental quarterback in the current CFL landscape as any and is ready to jump in on a moment’s notice.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS | RUNNING BACK DEONTA MCMAHON
MCMAHON’S GOT THE MOVES!#CFLGameday
📅: Lions vs. @TorontoArgos LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, CTV
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/ibeegfByb6
— CFL (@CFL) August 23, 2025
Dedrick Mills signed an extension and will do the majority of the heavy lifting, but Calgary has always found a way to feed their second back in creative ways. Deonta McMahon’s fit in that role is ideal based on his 2025 in Toronto, when he was healthy.
He won’t have major overall production numbers if Mills is healthy, but his production per touch should be amongst the better end of the scale.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS | LINEBACKER JOSH WOODS
Darnell Sankey jumped into BC and the Lions went away from both Micah Awe and Josh Woods.
I have always respected Woods’ game and knack for flying to the football, which the Roughriders leadership clearly saw as well as they snatched up his services in short order to add depth and top end talent in a single move.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS | RECEIVER TOMMY NIELD
Growing, developing, and improving are all words that come to mind with Tommy Nield’s CFL journey as of late.
Many will reference the crucial Western Final catch against BC, but Nield has made the most of every opportunity he’s been given in Toronto and Regina. Now we’ll see where that takes him in Winnipeg.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS | RECEIVER SHEMAR BRIDGES
Kenny Lawler is back, Tim White is not.
The Tiger-Cats under-utilized Bridges last year due to an embarrassment of options for Bo Levi Mitchell, and Bridges likely could have landed as a second or third option for most teams around the league.
He chose to come back to Hamilton and continue his progression alongside Lawler and Kiondré Smith. It was the right call and his production should thrive as a result.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS | DEFENSIVE LINEMAN JONATHAN KONGBO
On a rep-to-rep basis, Jonathan Kongbo has the ability to be one of the CFL’s most effective pass rushers and Toronto is cooking up a defensive front worthy of making noise at all three levels.
The variety of ways Kongbo affects the opposing quarterback will likely lead to a career-high output of pressures for him this season, especially if the re-formed back end can create some coverage sacks.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS | DEFENSIVE LINEMAN HABAKKUK BALDONADO
Habakkuk Baldonado said not today! 🗣️🤌#CFLKickoff
🗓️: REDBLACKS vs. Roughriders LIVE NOW
🇨🇦: TSN, RDS2
🇺🇸: CBSSN
🌎: CFL+ pic.twitter.com/BcWepVhEZi
— CFL (@CFL) June 6, 2025
Long, rangey and full of energy, Habakkuk Baldonado can do it all and feels like he hasn’t even displayed his full skillset. Hopefully he finds that in Ottawa with a group that needed some fresh energy and a different means of getting home.
Adding Dylan Wynn on the inside should help as well, but looping Adarius Pickett around both will make a mess in a hurry for quarterbacks who will be worried about the name brand notoriety of others before realizing it was Baldonado who made the sack.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES | QUARTERBACK DUSTIN CRUM
Short yardage solution, yes, but Dustin Crum is more than that.
If Davis Alexander has to miss any time, the Alouettes cannot be a lifeless franchise held prisoner by one player’s hamstring as it felt in 2025. Als fans don’t want to see Crum playing right now, but if they do, the result should feel more positive than past efforts from passers in a fill-in role.