February 14th is an important date on the calendar for a couple of different reasons but when it comes to the Canadian Football League it is all about free agency. Valentine’s Day marks the start of the 2017 CFL offseason and the window opens for players to sign with new teams. We took a look at the list of players that will be available and broke down who we think the best free agents on the defensive side of the football are heading in to the signing period. Here is a look at the top pending free agents on the defensive side of the football in the CFL right now.
DB: Abdul Kanneh, Ottawa Redblacks
The defending Grey Cup champion Redblacks have a lot of work to do with Ernest Jackson and Greg Ellingson set to become free agents on the offensive side of the football but they can’t forget about their defense either with Kanneh set to become a free agent. The three-year veteran played at an All-Star level in 2016 when he registered 52 tackles and three interceptions while helping to lead Ottawa to a championship. However, Kanneh will be the most highly coveted cornerback in the 2017 free agent class so there is a good chance he will be on the move on February 14th.
The Redblacks are the reigning CFL Grey Cup champions, so that makes it hard to keep their roster together but Kanneh is a key cog they should work to keep around.
DL: Michael Brooks, BC Lions
At first glance the numbers don’t show how dominant Brooks was on the interior of the Lions defensive line last season as he finished with just 18 tackles and one sack. However, Brooks was a monster on the inside as he routinely generated pressure despite facing constant double teams and was able to make the players around him that much better by blowing up opposing offensive lines. Brooks could be in for a monster 2017 season and it will be interesting to see where he signs.
DB: Emmanuel Davis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Davis will be another highly coveted defensive back after recording 55 tackles and five interceptions with BC last season. We saw a lot of wide receivers do well last season – some putting up record numbers – and Davis was still one of the best defensive backs on the job. This is a great time for him to be a free agent and he’ll be highly coveted in free agency.
DL: Micah Johnson, Calgary Stampeders
Johnson was considered one of the CFL’s most underrated defensive lineman in past years but that changes last season and he is now bound to get a substantial payday in free agency. The veteran All-Star registered seven sacks and two forced fumbles while leading one of the most dominant defenses in the CFL a year ago and he has the potential to be even better in 2017. Johnson has registered 16 sacks in his last 34 games overall and his dominance against both the run and pass make him an elite defensive tackle.
The Stampeders had a historically good defense last year as they allowed just 369 points in the regular season. To put that into perspective, no other team in the CFL allowed less than 400 and the second-best number for points allowed was 415. The Stamps would ideally keep Johnson, so that they don’t see their production slip.
LB: Khalil Bass, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The final spot on this list belongs to the top linebacker set to hit free agency in the veteran linebacker Bass. No defense forced more turnovers last season than the Blue Bombers and Bass was right in the middle of it with four sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and a touchdown with 82 tackles in 17 games. Bass is absolutely dominant in the middle of the field and he will be a major signing for whatever defense manages to land him in free agency this month.
The Blue Bombers had a fairly decent defense last season, so losing Bass will hurt. They allowed 454 points last season, which was the tied for the fourth-fewest in the CFL.
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