Veteran receivers Daniels, Rhymes among players still on CFL’s open market

Toronto Argonauts' DaVaris Daniels drinks from the Grey Cup trophy after defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to win the 111th CFL Grey Cup, in Vancouver on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

There’s still quality available more than a week after the start of CFL free agency.

Over 250 players hit the open market Feb. 10. Many signed extensions with their current teams, others moved on while some simply retired.

However, good players remain, including proven American receivers DaVaris Daniels and Dominique Rhymes.

Daniels, 33, has spent nine seasons with Calgary (2016-18), Edmonton (2019) and Toronto (2021-25). The six-foot, 203-pound Daniels is a three-time Grey Cup champion, was the CFL’s top rookie in 2016 and has 444 career catches for 6,609 yards and 43 TDs.

But the former Notre Dame star registered career lows for games played (10), catches (30) and yards (408) last season. And Daniels has cracked the 1,000-yard receiving plateau once (1,009 yards in 2023).

The six-foot-four, 215-pound Rhymes has three 1,000-yard campaigns over eight CFL seasons. Last year, he averaged a career-best 17.7-yards per reception with Calgary (50 catches, 886 yards, six TDs).

Rhymes, 32, has registered 372 career catches for 5,822 yards with 32 TDs in 110 regular-season contests with Ottawa (2017-19, 2024), B.C. (2021-23) and Calgary (2025). Rhymes, a ’22 CFL all-star, has also been durable, missing a combined nine games the last four seasons and just one the last two years.

American Steve Dunbar, 30, twice a 1,000-yard receiver over five CFL seasons, was also on the open market before retiring Tuesday.

Free-agent fullback William Langlais retired Wednesday. The six-foot-three, 233-pound Canadian spent his 11-year CFL career with Calgary.

Langlais, 35, of Hull, Que., appeared in 144 regular-season and playoff games with Calgary, winning a Grey Cup with the franchise in 2018.

William Stanback, three times a 1,000-yard rusher, is still without a CFL team. The six-foot, 201-pound American ran for 689 yards (4.7-yard average) with four TDs in 17 regular-season games last year with Ottawa while adding 36 catches for 278 yards and a touchdown.

Over seven seasons with Montreal (2018-19, 2021-23), B.C. (2024) and Ottawa (2025), Stanback, 31, has 5,589 rushing yards (5.6-yard average) and 18 TDs with 189 receptions for 1,749 yards and seven touchdowns.

Veteran Canadian centre Sean McEwen tops the list of available offensive lineman. His availability isn’t surprising because the Calgary native missed the ’25 campaign with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders due to a torn ACL.

The six-foot-one, 295-pound McEwen joined the Riders as a free agent after stints with Toronto (2016-19) and Calgary (2021-24). McEwen, 32, is a three-time CFL all-star.

Also available are fellow Canadian offensive linemen Jacob Ruby and Shane Richards.

Ruby, 33, is a 10-year veteran with Montreal (2015-17), Edmonton (2017-19, 2021) and Ottawa (2022-25). Richards, 30, drafted first overall by Toronto in 2019, has played five of his six CFL seasons with the Argos while suiting up with Edmonton in 2024.

Available linebackers include Americans Frankie Griffin -- a former starter with Ottawa -- and C.J. Avery, who spent the last two seasons with Saskatchewan. The six-foot, 205-pound Griffin played five seasons with the Redblacks but was limited to five regular-season appearances in 2025.

The six-foot, 232-pound Avery, 26, recorded 54 tackles, nine special-teams tackles, a sack, three interceptions and a forced fumble in 18 regular-season games last season with the Riders.

Also unsigned is American linebacker Adam Bighill. A decorated CFL veteran -- three times the league’s top defensive player, a six-time all-star and three-time Grey Cup champion -- Bighill, 37, played six games last season with Calgary.

Veteran American defensive backs Ciante Evans and Deandre Lamont are both available.

Evans, 33, is a 10-year veteran having played for Calgary (2015-18), Montreal (2019, 2023, 2025), Hamilton (2021-22) and B.C. (2024). Lamont, 27, spent the last three seasons with Ottawa, recording 151 tackles, eight special-teams tackles and four interceptions in 41 regular-season contests.

Free-agent American punter Richie Leone spent the last seven seasons with Ottawa after starting his CFL career with B.C. (2015-16). The 33-year-old owns a career average of 47.5 yards although last season’s 45.1-yard mark was his lowest in Canada.

Canadian kicker Brett Lauther also remains a free agent. The 35-year-old from Truro, N.S., was released Feb. 2 by Saskatchewan following eight years with the franchise.

Last season, Lauther hit 39-of-54 field goals, the 72.2 per cent success ratio being the worst of his tenure in Saskatchewan. Lauther began his CFL career with Hamilton in 2013 and had made 301-of-370 career field goals (81.4 per cent) and 210-of-225 converts (93.3 per cent) while amassing 1,113 points.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press