Potential Lions 2025 free agent list

[SammyGreene]

So the Elks' made Robbie Smith the highest paid defensive player in the league — surpassing Betts' new contract.

The Edmonton Elks made Robbie Smith the highest-paid defensive player in the Canadian Football League for the 2025 season.

General manager Ed Hervey paid Smith $270,000 in hard money with a $276,000 maximum. Montreal-based agent Fred Weinrauch negotiated the two-year contract.

That includes $140,300 in base salary, a $90,000 signing bonus, $20,000 in marketing money, $14,700 for housing, and a $5,000 travel allowance. He can earn $1,000 for being named a West Division all-star, $2,000 for an All-CFL selection, and $3,000 for Most Outstanding player in any category.

Isn't Ceresna around $215,000 and Tyrell Ford $200,000?

Mark Korte is the league's 2nd highest paid o-lineman at $245,000 and not sure what David Beard agreed to after making $200,000 in Hamilton last year. Somehow Gittens Jr. didn't get the Alexander Hollins' treatment as he heads into the 2nd year of his $215,000 per season deal after 847 receiving yards in 2024.

And who are all our $200,000+ per season players again?

[Hambone]

Pretty sure I read that Ceresna turned down a bigger offer from the Argos to return to Edmonton. I don't know if that meant he got a raise despite being offered an even bigger number or if he took very similar money to his $210K hard money last year.

[don corleone]

Hearing $230,000 for Tyrell Ford as well so Elks are doing a good job resetting the market as the new owners flex some muscle. No doubt they were looking at Mathieu Betts deal when they signed Smith. I wish him well but would pick Betts between the two.

[don corleone]

Pretty sure I read that Ceresna turned down a bigger offer from the Argos to return to Edmonton. I don't know if that meant he got a raise despite being offered an even bigger number or if he took very similar money to his $210K hard money last year.

Sounds like a larger bonus taxed at a lower rate jargon with the took less to play there story imo. I don't see Ceresna playing at a discount to anyone and in particular to Robbie Smith, again imo.

[Hambone]

Pretty sure I read that Ceresna turned down a bigger offer from the Argos to return to Edmonton. I don't know if that meant he got a raise despite being offered an even bigger number or if he took very similar money to his $210K hard money last year.

Sounds like a larger bonus taxed at a lower rate jargon with the took less to play there story imo. I don't see Ceresna playing at a discount to anyone and in particular to Robbie Smith, again imo.

You might be underestimating how much Ceresna likes living and playing in Edmonton which he considers home. Dunk was on the Jason Gregor Show on 1440am in Edmonton a couple weeks ago. Dunk reported that Ceresna turned down a $240K offer from TOR and took $225K to return to EDM.

Could be a case of Ceresna's desire to play in EDM providing a willingness to play for less than offered elsewhere to come back to a place he considers home. On the flipside it may have taken a premium to lure Smith away from his Golden Horseshoe home town. Last year their stats were almost identical. Ceresna gets an All-CFL Award while Smith gets nothing, not because he played poorly but because he had the misfortune of playing the same position as Lorenzo Maudlin and Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund. They had even better years with Maudlin winning All-East and All-CFL DE Awards and IAB getting the other All-East DE spot. Smith also as a NAT and 3 years younger than Ceresna.

[Toppy Vann]

Pretty sure I read that Ceresna turned down a bigger offer from the Argos to return to Edmonton. I don't know if that meant he got a raise despite being offered an even bigger number or if he took very similar money to his $210K hard money last year.

Sounds like a larger bonus taxed at a lower rate jargon with the took less to play there story imo. I don't see Ceresna playing at a discount to anyone and in particular to Robbie Smith, again imo.

I believe I read (not this article ) that Ceresna has tight ties to Edmonton outside the team as well has tight with the team so he went back. Sounded as I reall a bit like Anti going to Calgary.

https://www.goelks.com/2025/02/14/featu ... 0Champions.

[David]

Sorry, but colour me skeptical when it comes to Ed Hervey conducting player contracts above board.

Remember the time he went behind Braley's back to do this?



DH

[Toppy Vann]

Sorry, but colour me skeptical when it comes to Ed Hervey conducting player contracts above board.

Remember the time he went behind Braley's back to do this?



DH

That was the ONE thing I thought that might have kept him from regaining a GM's chair.

Hopefully there's a structure there to prevent one man from dumb dealing.

[Hambone]

Much is being made of all the players Hervey has brought in with little acknowledgement of the departures. When CFL.ca released their FA Tracker back in early Dec the Elks had 29 players listed. So far they've only retained 6. They lost 11 to other teams and released Purifoy. They still have another 11 who remain now full free agents. In addition to that they lost All-CFL P Jake Julien and All-West DT Elliott Brown to the NFL and have also released J-Min Pelley, Dillon Mitchell and Boris Bede who were under contract. That's 27 departures including 4 of their 7 2024 All-West All-Stars and nearly half of their 2024 starters. They've signed 13 free agents from other teams as well as 2 or 3 more who weren't heading for free agency until their clubs released them.

[don corleone]

Sorry, but colour me skeptical when it comes to Ed Hervey conducting player contracts above board.

Remember the time he went behind Braley's back to do this?



DH

One thing that never gets mentioned regarding 2020 was that some players and all of CFL staff and Football Ops people were paid without having to have a special clause forcing them to sue their employer. Lions were one that chose to deal with it in the way they did. Players drew the short straw on the deal.

My whole opinion of the Lions ownership transition was a toxic situation with people looking out for their own best interests above putting the team first. Interesting to me who is left from that era. Handy that they had a couple of guys in Hervey and Claybrooks to scapegoat. Not surprising to me that Rick Lelacheur still seems to be employed by the Elks.

Moving on to Rick Campbell yielded no better results in 5 seasons.

Alternatively Winnipeg chose to pay the entire team which basically was the key to their dynasty.

As for what Edmonton is doing now I don't see that as all on Ed Hervey good or bad. There are lots of new people around the team and everyone is all positive and wanting to chip in. I see a little bit too much outside interference in the decision making right now and think it will get more real once the season gets underway. Elks start in BC, have a bye in week 2, and then have Montreal, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and BC again. They could easily start 0 -6 again imo. They have a lot of good players but can they play as a team. I have them missing the playoffs.

[don corleone]

Likely to move on from this thread soon so as good a place as any to post the big news of Nigel Romick re-signing with Ottawa for his 11th season. The big news part is he is the only person from Thunder Bay to play in the CFL maybe ever. Don't tell me you never heard of him. 21 special teams tackles in 2018 and 11 years in the league are significant achievements.

OV can be happy that he is Canadian.

[Toppy Vann]

Not a BC FA target but I'm surprised Johnny Augustine took so long to get signed.

Also this:

Hamilton Bomber-Cats: Canadian RB Johnny Augustine becomes eighth ex-Winnipeg player to sign with Ticats

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/21/hami ... th-ticats/

[SammyGreene]

Hervey’s FA spending spree:

Defensive line: Smith ($270,000), Cresena ($235,000), Barlow ($160,000), Brinkman ($160,000). Most expensive d-line in CFL history?

Secondary: Tyrell Ford ($230,000), Royce Metchie ($145,000), Kobie Williams ($120,000).

Offensive line: Dave Beard ($197,000).

Receivers: Julien-Grant ($176,500) $800 bonus for each game played included.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/25/what ... he-roster/

Rugamba signed for $103,000. No number for what Dunbar got paid after finishing 4th in the league in receiving last season.

[SammyGreene]

Wow, did the Tiger-Cats ever go on a spending spree in free agency. Not the same level as the Elks but some significant cap space spent.

Kenny Lawler $287,000
Liam Dobson $210,000
Reggie Stubblefield $150,000
Drew Wolitarsky $132,000
TyJuan Garbutt $126,000
DaShaun Amos $125,000

Still suprises me how the value of solid American DBs has diminished in recent years in the open market. Amos, an Eastern all-star halfback with the Argos, is a great pick up at that price and sure would have looked good in the Lions secondary.

On the other side. Wolitarsky's salary suggests the value of national receivers remains at a premium and why the Lions have roughly $450,000 committed to McInnis and Cottoy.

https://3downnation.com/2025/03/06/what ... he-roster/

[Toppy Vann]

When I see contract figures for sports teams I'm reminded of Sam Pollock GM of the Montreal Canadiens in the days when contracts weren't disclosed. He said something like pay your players their value as if tomorrow your files were exposed for all to see.

I can't find it for all to see but there's mention of his genius in paying players in this story.


https://www.habsworld.net/2007/08/the-g ... m-pollock/

I know that players like workers compare what others are getting and with QBs and stars getting so much I often wonder how the poorer contract players feel.

Unlike in a job where you can't see the outputs as readily equity theory has it that when people feel undervalued relative to others, they dial down performance.