Can we get clarification on Khalif Mitchell's and Marcus Ball's statuses?

[ArgoRavi]

By all accounts, neither Mitchell nor Ball are pending free agents and yet we heard all last year about how Mitchell would only be playing one year in Toronto and then heard in the days following the East Final that Ball may be leaving for the NFL as well. How can that be as the Argos have not released either player and they don't appear to be pending free agents? Should we expect both to be in uniform again this year? I really wish that the Toronto media kept us abreast of these matters.

[ArgoGabe22]

I think it was pure speculation that Khalif's contract was up. I believe the only ones who said that, were those who wrote about it after his trade. Not much was said afterwards. Maybe Ball's agent tried to get an NFL tryout but failed or they are just waiting for Free Agency or for the NFL season to officially end.

[Invader]

If Khalif isn't a free agent, that means he signed a 3-year CFL contract in 2012 after rejecting the Miami Dolphins offer (which reportedly included a 6-figure signing bonus.) Mitchell said he was proud to play in the CFL when he resigned. His 3-year deal should indicate his NFL aspirations were put on the back burner. C. Owens and C. Kackert also rejected recent NFL tryout offers and instead re-signed with the Argos.