It’s the Christmas season and that means shopping, so with the CFL free agent list officially released earlier this week, now seems like the perfect time to go shopping for some new players for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
A couple of things before we start. Yes, I am aware that many of the 227 free agents will re-sign with their current team before they hit the market in February. I also decided to only look at players that were not Tiger-Cats last year. You won’t find Terrence Toliver or Chad Owens on this list. With that out of the way, here is my shopping list.
Secondary help
The Ticats secondary was ravaged by injury — just one player, Emanual Davis, started in Week 1 and was still in the starting lineup by the end of the season — and poor play in 2016, so one of the top priorities for the Ticats is to shore up the back end. A couple of veteran players the team should look at are Jovon Johnson and Mitchell White.
Having a veteran presence would have done wonders for the Ticats last year and that is what Johnson provides. as well as still being a more than capable DB. White, as we saw in Ottawa’s run to the Grey Cup, is as good as any corner in the league and may have been Ottawa’s best by the end of the year. Either player would be a great addition to the Ticats secondary.
Canadian talent
Hamilton’s Canadian talent is pretty good, but it could take a hit this offseason. Andy Fantuz is a free agent and will likely miss the entire 2017 season with a torn ACL, and depth guys like Beau Landry and Mike Daly could be playing elsewhere next season, which means Hamilton might be in the market for some Canadian talent. Two players who would look very nice in black and gold next year are offensive lineman Chris Van Zeyl and receiver Shamawd Chambers.
Van Zeyl grew up in Fonthill, which is not far from Hamilton, and played his college ball at McMaster, so signing with the Ticats would be a homecoming of sorts. The biggest thing he would add is his ability to play tackle at an all-CFL level. The Ticats could then start four Canadians along the offensive line, which would give them some ratio flexibility and not force them to find a replacement for a player (Andy Fantuz) that simply does not exist.
But if the Ticats do try to replace Fantuz’s production with a Canadian in the receiving corps, they could do worse than Chambers. The speedy Wilfrid Laurier product was a player who many (including myself) thought would be in Hamilton last year, but he opted to sign in Saskatchewan instead. Chambers had a forgettable year in Regina, catching just 25 passes for 269 yards in 2016, and could be looking for another change of scenery. With Fantuz out and no one on the roster really ready to step into his role, Chambers could be a player the Ticats target.
Long-shot studs
What is the fun of making a list like this without reaching for the stars on a couple of players? There are plenty of big names — Solomon Elimimian, Charleston Hughes, Bryan Burnham, to name a few — that could test the waters but a couple that could really shore up some weak spots for the Ticats would be kicker Justin Medlock and offensive tackle Derek Dennis.
Medlock, who left Hamilton for Winnipeg last winter, restructured his two-year deal during the season and is now a free agent. The talk is that he has a handshake agreement in place to return to Winnipeg, but those and $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Tim Hortons. If he’s available, the Ticats should pounce. Brett Maher did not have a terrible season by any stretch, but Medlock is the best kicker this league has seen in a long time (maybe ever) and his reliability is something you cannot really put a price tag on.
Dennis anchored a Calgary line that gave up an just 15 sacks on the season and was rightfully named the league’s best offensive lineman at year’s end. Hamilton has had a revolving door at left tackle — Jake Olson, Cord Howard, Joel Figueroa, Brian Simmons, Terrence Campbell and Xavier Fulton have all started there over the last two seasons — and a player like Dennis could really solidify that side of the line. The Ticats need to protect Zach Collaros better, and going out and getting the league’s best offensive lineman in 2016 would be a great way to do that.
So that’s my list; who’s on yours?
