When it comes to building a winning roster, CFL teams are being careful not to emulate the blueprint used in the former City of Champions. That’s bad news for the league’s highest-profile remaining free agent.
Former CFL general manager and current TSN panellist Jim Barker joined The Rod Pedersen Show to weigh in on the status of all-star receiver Tim White. The 29-year-old is still unsigned days after hitting the open market, largely because one of the league’s basement dwellers has scared teams off his high price tag.
“He wants $300,000, period, and I doubt he’s going to get that. The bar for how much receivers should be paid did not get changed by the Edmonton Elks,” Barker said. “Two straight years they paid guys over $300,000 and two straight years they won four games. I think it didn’t help the receiver market to have that happen.”
Receivers have been a major priority in Edmonton since head coach and general manager Chris Jones returned to the team in 2022. He reset expectations for pass catchers everywhere when he paid $300,000 to acquire all-star Kenny Lawler in his first season. When Lawler returned to Winnipeg the next year, the Elks quickly replaced him with a whopping $320,000 deal for Eugene Lewis.
While those players remain the only two receivers in the league set to earn north of $250,000 next season, bringing them in did nothing to help the Green and Gold change their losing ways. Both were limited to 12 games due to injury in their first season, fell short of a thousand yards, and combined for eight touchdowns. Other receivers fared even worse, as White’s former Hamilton running mate Steven Dunbar Jr. also made his way to Edmonton on a $200,000 contract that ranked third in hard money last year, but found himself released this offseason and signed in the UFL.
Despite signing a deal with less in up-front assurances, White cashed some incentives to earn slightly more than Dunbar last year, walking away with $213,100. After two consecutive seasons over 1,200 yards and three straight East Division all-star nods to begin his career, he now believes himself to be worth considerably more.
“I would be surprised if he gets 300,” Barker said. “I’d guess he’ll go back to Hamilton in that 270 (range). Maybe $20,000 in (promotional money) but against the cap, he’ll go in that, I’m guessing, 270 to 275 range.”
The five-foot-10, 185-pound receiver has produced 225 receptions for 3,308 yards and 18 touchdowns over three seasons in Steeltown, earning CFL all-star selections in each of the past two years. He and the Ticats have expressed mutual interest in a reunion, but White has remained firm on what he believes he is worth.
Winnipeg’s Dalton Schoen was also seeking $300,000 on the open market after leading the league in receiving touchdowns for consecutive years but did not receive an offer that high. He chose to return to the Blue Bombers for $230,000.
Hamilton hopes that White will follow that same path home and have made no American additions to their receiving corps, simply extending number two target Terry Godwin Jr. However, even if their best offensive weapon walks, Barker believes the team has improved through free agency.
“They haven’t done anything with their receiving corps, which is a little worrisome, but they’ve done a lot to upgrade their defence,” he insisted. “Their defensive front is going to be stellar and they’ve added Jamal Peters to put at the boundary corner. Their weak-side running game will be tougher because he’s just a big body who is pretty physical, and they have Stavros (Katsantonis) already there.”
The Ticats open the 2024 regular season by visiting the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium on Friday, June 7.
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