February 13 - Free Agency Opens

[gilthethrill]

The Argos have made the Carey signing official as well. I am content with a backfield of Adeboboye and Carey.

Carey will be rejuvenated. Playing on natural grass for 9 games (Not 8…screw you annual neutral site “Home Game), playing with the leagues best QB and O-line….he will outshine the departed AJO. I stake my reputation on it.

[gilthethrill]

Played safety for them and then some at S-OLB last season; experienced TC competition.

Could be another Cassius Vaughn type acquisition. Lions fans felt he was released in order to play Canadian Adrian Greene at S. Not a performance related release.

[Will]

Hearing that defensive lineman Shawn Oakman is returning to the @TorontoArgos. #CFL #Argos

— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) February 14, 2024

[OV Argo]

Could be another Cassius Vaughn type acquisition. Lions fans felt he was released in order to play Canadian Adrian Greene at S. Not a performance related release.

Mauger was average to more like mediocre at safety for BC, IMO; that's typical CFL bafflegab though - an import player getting shafted to make room for a Canadian starting due to the dreaded ratio problem cliche. The Lions also released another average at best American player who got handed starting time, in DT Woody Baron; these guys usually find / get other CFL shots (as Baron did after the Als got rid of him).

I hope Mauger can step-up and be a good Argo D contributor - , maybe just as a depth DB; maybe at S-OLB, but I hope he doesn't get handed the job over Adeleke.

Fraser Sopik - former U Sports D player of the year - is the more impressive signing for me - can likely play reps at either OLB spot.


Hope Carey still has plenty of gas left in the tank; he was IMO about the best back in the league a few seasons ago.

[Scooter McCray]

Hearing that defensive lineman Shawn Oakman is returning to the @TorontoArgos. #CFL #Argos

— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) February 14, 2024

There is alot to love about the Argo D Line - Smith, Orimolade, Oakman and Ceresna. All Stars at pressure and run stopping. As the Argos were up against the cap huge and there were so many players deserving of increased play time, salary. Argo management has done a masterful job keeping a strong unit in the present with an eye to the future. They are entering model franchise territory.

[Rich]

I love the Carey signing, I think they brought him in to mentor and occasionally spell Adeboboye. There will be packages where they are both on the field too. But I think #21 will be a breakout star in the league this year.

[Scooter McCray]

Model franchise on the field and player management. As long as they have a President who spends 2 weeks a year on the football team they are bottom tier in terms of sales, marketing, promotion and business planning.

[ArgoGabe22]

Shawn Oakman is re-signing according to Naylor

[bluto]

https://3downnation.com/2024/02/14/t...omas-costigan/

The Toronto Argonauts have re-signed American defensive lineman Shawn Oakman.
The six-foot-nine, 287-pound defender made 27 defensive tackles, six sacks, and one forced fumble over 15 games this past season.

The 31-year-old has spent the past three seasons with the club and recorded 90 defensive tackles, 18 sacks, and two forced fumbles over 45 regular season games, earning a CFL all-star nod in 2021.
The Argonauts have also released American defensive lineman Thomas Costigan, who recorded 17 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, six sacks, and two forced fumbles over 13 games this past season.

Over 42 CFL games with the Edmonton Elks, Montreal Alouettes, and Argonauts, the 26-year-old native of Stamford, Conn. has made 58 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles, 16 sacks, and four forced fumbles.

[Rich]

Costigan’s release a bit of a surprise since he played alongside Ceresna for coach Maxie in Edmonton. He was tied for 3rd most sacks for the Argos last year, I can only assume they only had enough cap room for either he or Oakman, not both.

[OV Argo]

Costigan’s release a bit of a surprise since he played alongside Ceresna for coach Maxie in Edmonton. He was tied for 3rd most sacks for the Argos last year, I can only assume they only had enough cap room for either he or Oakman, not both.

Costigan's release is baffling to me - guy is a quality DE, IMO; mind you, he was gotten rid of by the Als before that, so maybe some D-Line evaluators don't think that much of him.

[OV Argo]

Glad the big Oak tree stayed an Argo. Him with Ceresna, and Knight + Brinkman = should be about the best DT group in the league.

[Will]

I would've thought having Costigan around would have been all the more important given that Barlow signed with Hamilton.

[ArgoRavi]

I would've thought having Costigan around would have been all the more important given that Barlow signed with Hamilton.

I don't think that they could afford Costigan ultimately. That's my guess anyway. He played very well last season but was further down the depth chart of d-linemen as I recall and didn't play in the East Final.

[ArgoRavi]

Given what we have seen in recent years, the money for any remaining free agents, league-wide, is going to dry up by Friday. That has to make the likes of Tim White, seeking #300k per year, a little nervous.

[Shatto]

With Orimolade and Smith at DE, I wouldn't be surprised if the team feels Parish will be the 3rd player in the rotation. Great potential and a lot cheaper. Costigan is unlikely to be unemployed very long but he will probably have to settle for a lower contract.
Pity the opposing QB who has to face a pass rush from Orimolade, Ceresna, Oakman and Smith.

[Argo57]

I would've thought having Costigan around would have been all the more important given that Barlow signed with Hamilton.

Perhaps the Argos are banking on a guy like Derek Parish to step up and grab a spot on the D-Line at a lower salary.

[Will]

Perhaps the Argos are banking on a guy like Derek Parish to step up and grab a spot on the D-Line at a lower salary.

We shall see.

[Argo57]

Another DE (Ladarius Hamilton) signed today, should be an interesting training camp.

https://www.argonauts.ca/2024/02/14/...rius-hamilton/

[OV Argo]

Perhaps the Argos are banking on a guy like Derek Parish to step up and grab a spot on the D-Line at a lower salary.

Yeah, I suppose; but with Barlow jumping ship, that leaves a DE opening; I find it hard to believe Costigan had a big contract, but maybe - so they could hope to get a new guy playing DE at CFL minimum wage to save some $MS; not sure how many new American guys sign for CFL minimum wage - Parish might have ? That new signing - DE Hamilton - another nice resume.

Some need on the D-line with losses of former roster guys there also opens up the possibility of using the draft to bring in more D-line talent - and a young Canadian draft pick IS restricted to CFL minimum wage; the Argos are pretty deep in Canadian O-linemen and linebackers plus have some veteran Canadian receivers - so no pressing need to draft at those positions IMO. Like to see them draft all-Canadian DE Tyson Hergott (Waterloo).