While there are still some potential impact free agents still remaining on the market, the dust has mostly settled on this year’s CFL free agent frenzy. And when looking at the landscape of the East Division, there seems to be much more parity than there was two weeks ago.

Redblacks general manager Ryan Dinwiddie made a huge splash in his first free agency while steering the ship in the nation’s capital, both sides of the QEW rivalry have retooled, and the reigning Eastern champions largely stayed the course.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at each team’s free agency moves.

Ottawa Redblacks

Notable additions: QB Jake Maier, LB A.J. Allen, NKL C.J. Reavis, DE Habakkuk Baldonado, RB Greg Bell, WR Ayden Eberhardt, DT Dylan Wynn, DB Demerio Houston, LB Michael Brodrique, LB Brian Cole II, OL Martez Ivey

Notable subtractions: NKL Adarius Pickett, LB Jovan Santos-Knox, QB Dustin Crum, WR/KR DeVonte Dedmon, DE Kene Onyeka, NKL Robert Priester, LB Dawson Pierre

Notable unsigned free agents: QB Tyrie Adams, RB William Stanback, WR Bralon Addison, OL Jacob Ruby, LB Jonathan Jones, LB Frankie Griffin, LB Davion Taylor, DB Deandre Lamont, DB Justin Howell

The biggest spending in all of free agency came via the Redblacks, as Dinwiddie made a ton of moves to improve the roster on both sides of the ball.

The team added multiple impact players at all three levels defensively, with linebacker A.J. Allen, corner Demerio Houston, and defensive tackle Dylan Wynn headlining the group. On offence, back Greg Bell and receiver Ayden Eberhardt will help add to the dynamism of Ottawa’s offence.

Since 2019, the team has had one playoff appearance – in which they allowed 58 points and lost by 20 – and have put up a dismal 27-76-1 record. After this free-agent haul, things could change as early as next season in the nation’s capital as the Dinwiddie era has officially started.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Notable additions: QB Tre Ford, LB Wynton McManis, WR Keric Wheatfall, WR Kurleigh Gittens Jr., WR/KR Mario Alford, OL Trevor Reid, OL Chris Kolankowski, OL Eric Lofton, DE Kene Onyeka

Notable subtractions: DB DaShaun Amos, DB Jonathan Moxey, RB Greg Bell, OL Coulter Woodmansey, OL Brendan Bordner, OL Jordan Murray, WR Tim White, WR Brendan O’Leary-Orange, QB Taylor Powell

Notable unsigned free agents: LB Trevor Hoyte, DB Lawrence Woods, DB Siriman Bagayogo, DB Patrick Burke Jr.

After falling short in last year’s Eastern Final, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ league-longest Grey Cup drought extended yet another year. The latest loss marked the team’s fourth straight playoff squander, as the team is also 0-4 in the big dance since their championship win all the way back in 1999.

After extending franchise pivot Bo Levi Mitchell for two more years earlier in the off-season, the window to win is now, and the team did a solid job of retooling, especially offensively. Hamilton brought in receivers Wheatfall and Gittens Jr. while also adding Trevor Reid at tackle after a stint in the NFL.

Defensively, the team added another difference maker in Wynton McManis, which they desperately needed, while there’s a few fascinating young American defensive backs on the roster who will be competing for the spots vacated by Amos and Moxey.

The team will have to iron out the running back position and who will start at a couple of defensive back spots, but overall it’s a solid haul as Hamilton generally got younger, while also adding an impact player on defence.

Toronto Argonauts

Notable additions: NKL Adarius Pickett, DT Ralph Holley, DT DeWayne Hendrix, DB DaShaun Amos, OL Dakoda Shepley, RB/KR Peyton Logan, DE Jonathan Kongbo, NKL Robert Priester

Notable subtractions: LB Wynton McManis, WR Dejon Brissett, NKL Branden Dozier,

Notable unsigned free agents: WR DaVaris Daniels, OL Dylan Giffen, DT Anthony Lanier II, DT J-Min Pelley, DE Bryan Cox Jr.

After losing an abundance of talent over the past three off-seasons via free agency, the Argonauts went out and brought five players with previous winning experience wearing the double blue back after a disappointing 2025 season.

The band getting back together started all the way back in November, when the team welcomed defensive lineman Ralph Holley back after a stint in the NFL. The team then added defenders Adarius Pickett and DeWayne Hendrix after they were released by the Ottawa Redblacks and BC Lions, respectively, before re-adding DB’s DaShaun Amos and Robert Priester in the actual free agency period.

McManis and Canadian receiver Dejon Brissett are big losses on both sides of the ball, but with young players ready to step up at both of those positions and the rest of the roster healthy, including quarterback Chad Kelly, the team appears ready to slingshot back to the top of the East Division.

Montreal Alouettes

Notable additions: QB Dustin Crum, WR/KR DeVonte Dedmon, WR Jerreth Sterns, OL Braydon Noll, S/NKL Jonathan Sutherland

Notable subtractions: DT Dylan Wynn, LB Darnell Sankey, DB Marc-Antoine Dequoy, DB Dionte Ruffin, DB Scott Hutter, WR/KR James Letcher Jr.

Notable unsigned free agents: QB Shea Patterson, QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, RB Sean Thomas Erlington, WR Charleston Rambo, OL Landon Rice, DE Shawn Lemon, DB Ciante Evans

Overall, it was a pretty quiet free agency period for the defending East champion Alouettes, as their work was largely done by re-signing their own guys leading up to the February period.

The biggest storyline came from Canadian safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy’s somewhat unexpected retirement, though as with their other veteran defensive losses in Sankey and Wynn, Montreal has the internal talent to replace.

The addition of former 2023 fifth-overall pick Jonathan Sutherland only added to the surplus of young Canadians the Alouettes possess ready to step up in place of Dequoy, joining Arthur Hamlin and Nate Beauchemin.

At linebacker, the team extended Canadian Geoff Cantin-Arku through 2027 to presumably take over in the middle from Sankey, while numerous young Americans will compete for a starting spot along the interior of the defensive line.

The goal this free-agency period for general manager Danny Maciocia and the Alouettes was to retain as much talent as possible and add along the fringes, that’s largely been achieved.