Another year, another set of team previews! As per usual, this week features the four East Division teams, while next week features the five teams of the West Division. If you’d like to study up before making your picks in this year’s [DFO] CFL Pick ‘Em Pool, I highly recommending reading onwards! If you have yet to join, please click the link below in order to register. As well, info on how to download PoolTracker’s web app to your phone or desktop can be found here. I look forward to having you in the competition!

https://www.pooltracker.com/w/season/index.asp?poolid=243178

In league news this week:

• The CFL revised its rulebook late last week to allow for some steeper penalties, most notably on hits to the quarterback and on defenceless receivers; low hits (to the knee and below) are an automatic 15 yards and first down when the receiver is in the act of catching a pass and cannot protect himself (unless jumping to make the catch); hits to the head or leading with the crown of the helmet to take down a QB are now 25 yard penalties, in addition to select late hits and hits below the knee of the quarterback. Low blocks on kicking plays are also no good, including punching or kicking motions towards the head or neck. Lastly, major penalties within 15 yards of the goal line previously would typically be awarded as half the distance to the goal line; now these penalties can come as close as possible to the 1 yard line as necessary to get the full value of the penalty.
• Longtime broadcaster Matt Dunigan will not be back on TSN this season; a CFL Hall of Famer with 2 Grey Cups and 5 All-Star nods, Dunigan worked with TSN from 1999-2024 save for his one-year stint as GM and head coach of the Calgary Stampeders in 2004. I have mixed feelings about this; he wore his heart on his sleeve as a broadcaster and was a huge championship of promoting the quality of the Canadian game to the world, but it’s fair to say that he’s lost a step on screen in recent years. I clearly cannot attribute this to the numerous concussions he suffered (for which he’s been a key part of an awareness campaign since retirement), but one certainly has to wonder…
• In non-CFL news, but an important milestone in Canadian football to note on this series: Wilfrid Laurier University quarterback Taylor Elgersma became the first Canadian university quarterback to sign an NFL contract (with Green Bay) since Steve Samways joined the Bengals back in 1987. As the 2024 Hec Creighton trophy winner (the Canadian Heisman equivalent), Elgersma had a fantastic season, leading the Golden Hawks to the Vanier Cup national championship game where they unfortunately bowed out 22-17 against the Université de Laval Rouge et Or out of Quebec City. Elgersma is certainly not going to be Green Bay’s starter, but he’s clearly an incredibly talented Canadian – he’s got all the tools that coaches and scouts look for and I think he’s got a very good chance of landing himself a permanent roster spot as a #3. Considering the vast disparity in resources invested between US and Canadian college ball, I fully believe Elgersma will still have room to grow as he learns the ropes of the game at age 23.

And now, onto the main event.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Founded: 1950 (the Hamilton Tigers, est. 1869, and Hamilton Wildcats, est. 1941, merged to create the current franchise)

Home Stadium: Hamilton Stadium, Hamilton, ON (24,000)

Grey Cups: 8 (1953, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1986, 1999)

2024 Record: 7-11, fourth in East Division; missed playoffs

GM: Ted Goveia

Head Coach: Scott Milanovich

Starting QB: Bo Levi Mitchell

Famous Alumni:

• Angelo Mosca, DT (won 5 Grey Cups, was a pro wrestler in the WWF known as both King Kong Mosca and The Mighty Hercules; famously got in a fight with BC Lions QB Joe Kapp over a hit in the 1963 Grey Cup, where he hit him several times with his cane… check out the video here!)
• Matt Dunigan, QB (2-time Grey Cup champion and current studio analyst for Canadian sports network TSN)
• Bernie Faloney, QB (3-time Grey Cup champion who chose the CFL over the San Francisco 49ers in 1954 because the Canadian dollar was worth more… kind of a shocker!)
• Darren Flutie, WR (yes, he’s Doug’s brother – but he’s also a two-time Grey Cup champ, 3x All-Star, and CFL Hall of Famer!)

Fun Facts: The Ti-Cats’ stadium, formerly named Tim Hortons Field after the quintessential Canadian coffee joint which is headquartered in Hamilton, is affectionately nicknamed the Donut Box by many; for whatever reason, there seems to be a major wind tunnel effect, and the field, which replaced the ancient Ivor Wynne Stadium back in 2014, is hellish for kickers. The Ti-Cats were also formerly owned by insane Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard in the 1980s, who claimed at one point he was losing “a million dollars a year” on the team despite their on-field success. The Ti-Cats are the only CFL team to ever beat an NFL team, when they topped the Buffalo Bills on August 8, 1961. Every year, the Ti-Cats and archrival Argos play the Labour Day Classic at Hamilton’s home stadium, with the home side sporting a 36-15-1 advantage all-time in the series.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: It’s back to the drawing board for the Tiger-Cats as they look to rebound from a disappointing 2024 season. While QB Bo Levi Mitchell had a career year in his age 34 season, the rest of the team, in particular the defense, looked incredibly out of sorts and the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. GM Ed Hervey jumped ship to join the Edmonton Elks in the same role, and was replaced by Ted Goveia, former AGM of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who gets his first-ever gig in the top job. At age 35, it sure feels like it’s Grey Cup or bust for this team – and while they’ve gone ahead and gotten some serious offensive weapons this past off-season (Kenny Lawler and Drew Wolitarsky) to complement the ones they’ve already got (Tim White and Shemar Bridges), I’m still not sure they have the defense to compete with the three other East teams. There are some good pieces there – Casey Sayles, DaShaun Amos and Jamal Peters are some elite talents – but I don’t know if they have the depth, particularly on the D-line. I also need to see how the team is going to approach their run game for the season, having let former feature back James Butler walk in the offseason; he was getting overtaken on the depth chart by Greg Bell by the end of last year, and I would be curious to see if Bell is up for a full season of being the #1 rusher. Fans are getting fed up – the Ti-Cats’ Grey Cup drought reached 25 years last season (the longest in the CFL) and they’re desperate to see a title come back to the Steel City soon.

Key Additions: WR Kenny Lawler, Drew Wolitarsky (FA); DB Reggie Stubblefield (FA); OL Liam Dobson (FA); DB DaShaun Amos (FA); DL Miles Fox, TyJuan Garbett (FA)

Key Subtractions: OL David Beard (FA); DL Brandon Barlow, Nick Usher (FA) DB Richard Leonard (FA); WR Steven Dunbar Jr. (FA); RB James Butler (released)

2025 Record Prediction: 8-10

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Founded: 1996 (Original franchise 1946-1987)

Home Stadium: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, McGill University, Montreal, QC (25,012)

Grey Cups: 5 (1995 as the Baltimore Stallions, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2023) (Original franchise won 4 – 1949, 1970, 1974, 1977)

2024 Record: 12-5-1, first in East Division; lost in East Final vs. Toronto 

GM: Danny Maciocia

Head Coach: Jason Maas

Starting QB: Davis Alexander

Famous Alumni: 

• Anthony Calvillo, QB (all-time CFL passing yards leader – 79,816)
• Mike Pringle, RB (all-time CFL rushing yards leader – 16,425 on 2960 carries, averaging 5.6 YPC)
• Marv Levy (former CFL and NFL HC for KC and Buffalo, who won two Grey Cups in 1974 and ’77 for the Alouettes)
• Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, WR

Fun Facts: Percival Molson Stadium is the only one in the CFL that doesn’t contain perfectly square endzones due to a running track surrounding the field. Nobody seems to care, funny enough. The Als’ 2009 Grey Cup win against the Saskatchewan Roughriders ( which saw them win on a last-second field goal, their second attempt after Saskatchewan had successfully blocked the first one, but were penalized for too many men) is considered one of the greatest CFL championship games in the history of the league. The current franchise relocated from Baltimore in 1996, after the Stallions captured the 1995 Grey Cup, the only American team to ever do so.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: The Alouettes led the league last year and finished with the top regular-season record and a first-round bye, but came up short in their bid for a second straight Grey Cup championship when they lost to the second-seeded Argos in the East final. With starting QB Cody Fajardo on the shelf for a big chunk of last season, the Alouettes were able to see the potential that backup Davis Alexander had, and are banking on that potential this year by elevating him to the starter’s role on a permanent basis, jettisoning Fajardo and sending him to Edmonton to be the likely backup to Tre Ford. The Als have their receiving corps locked down for the next several years; Austin Mack is an absolute stud #1 receiver, and Tyson Philpot is an excellent Canadian option; the emergence of Charleston Rambo, Cole Spieker and Tyler Snead made deep threats Reggie White, Jr. and Kaion Julien-Grant expendable this past off-season. Most of the Als’ D is back save for Reggie Stubblefield and Nafees Lyon in the secondary, and Montreal took steps to address the D-line by picking up Shawn Oakman and Anthony Bennett, plus a few others. I think the Als have all the potential in the world to make another deep playoff run but the East is a meat grinder this year; if they’re going to another title, it’s going to hinge significantly on whether Davis Alexander continues to grow as a quarterback now that he’s going to be the permanent #1 guy. With McLeod Bethel-Thompson coming back the other way from Edmonton to serve as a highly-paid backup, Alexander’s leash may not be exceptionally long… but it may not matter all that much.

Key Additions: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson (trade); OL Cyrille Hogan-Saindon (FA); DL Shawn Oakman, Josh Archibald, Anthony Bennett, Trevon Mason (FA)

Key Subtractions: QB Cody Fajardo (trade); OL Kristian Matte (retired); WR Kaion Julien-Grant, Reggie White (FA); DB Reggie Stubblefield, Nafees Lyon (FA)

2025 Record Prediction: 10-8

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Founded: 2013 (Original Rough Riders franchise lasted 1876-1996; Renegades 2002-2005)

Home Stadium: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, ON (24,500)

Grey Cups: 1 (2016) (9 as the Rough Riders – 1925, 1926, 1940, 1951, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1976)

2024 Record: 9-8-1, third in East Division; lost in East semifinal to Toronto

GM: Shawn Burke

Head Coach: Bob Dyce

Starting QB: Dru Brown

Famous Alumni: 

• Russ Jackson, QB ( 3-time Most Outstanding Player, 4-time Most Outstanding Canadian, 6-time All-Star, one of the greatest QBs in the history of the game)
• Tony Gabriel, TE (scored the game-winning touchdown in the 1976 Grey Cup)
• Rohan Marley, LB (the bastard son of Bob Marley, was also married to singer Lauryn Hill)
• Dexter Manley, LB (he of the lifetime NFL ban for cocaine problems)
• Henry Burris, QB (former NFL QB for Chicago and CFL Hall of Famer; 3x Grey Cup champion, including for Ottawa in 2016)

Fun Facts: if you say the name “Glieberman” in an Ottawa sports bar, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll get punched by some pudgy, middle-aged white guy. The financial mismanagement of this father & son team killed not only the historic Rough Riders in ’96, but the 2000s expansion Renegades as well. Complete idiots. (I am still hurt by the loss of the Rough Riders.) Fans in the stands also constantly talk shit about each other – “North Side Sucks!” and “South Side Sucks!” have been staples for decades at home games. Also, the team insists on spelling REDBLACKS in all capitals, and I still have no idea why. But I respect the commitment to the bit.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: 

Key Subtractions: The REDBLACKS returned to the playoffs in the 2024 season, their first appearance since 2018. Thanks to the emergence of Dru Brown as a bonafide #1 QB, as well as a creative and exciting passing attack, Ottawa took some notable strides forward last year, though injuries – especially to the secondary – hampered that progress a fair bit in the second half of the year which culminated in them getting blown out by Toronto in the East semifinal. The team has massively revamped their roster, particularly in the run game and in the secondary; former league-leading rusher William Stanback will be the new #1 guy with Rock Armstead getting released last year and with Devonte Williams retiring in the offseason, unable to successfully rehab from a torn Achilles suffered before the start of the 2024 season. Also new this year are a wealth of defensive guys, including Robert Priester, who had a 61-yard pick-six in last year’s Grey Cup, and with numerous training camp battles happening, the secondary should be better. Finally, the REDBLACKS landed arguably the top prize in all of free agency, bringing over elite receiver Geno Lewis from Edmonton; along with Justin Hardy and explosive 2024 rookie Kalil Pimpleton, Ottawa now finds themselves with a seriously deep group of receiving talent. One hopes that injuries are not typically something that repeat themselves in a pattern – last year’s squad had a dismal second half due to so many guys being out – and if this team can stay healthy this season they can absolutely be one of the best in the league. I am super excited for summertime relaxing on the hill outside of TD Place Stadium, watching the games for free with my own cooler next to me!

Key Additions: WR Geno Lewis (FA); RB William Stanback (FA); OL Peter Godber (FA); DB Robert Priester (FA); LB Ace Eley (FA)

Key Subtractions: QB Jeremiah Masoli (released); WR Dominique Rhymes (released), Jaelon Acklin (retired); DB Damon Webb (FA)

2025 Record Prediction: 11-7

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Founded: 1873

Home Stadium: BMO Field, Toronto, ON (25,000 for Canadian football crowds)

Grey Cups: 19 (1914, 1921, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017, 2022, 2024)

2024 Record: 10-8, second in East Division; won Grey Cup vs. Winnipeg

GM: Michael “Pinball” Clemons

Head Coach: Ryan Dinwiddie

Starting QB: Chad Kelly

Famous Alumni:

• Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, RB (largest contract in CFL history and MOP of the 1991 Grey Cup, one of the most exciting ever)
• Ricky Williams, RB (scampered north when the NFL suspended him for weed in 2006. Gave no fucks about it.)
• Michael “Pinball” Clemons, RB (won 4 Grey Cups with the Argos and holds the CFL record for most all-purpose yards with 25,396; current GM of the team)
• Damon Allen, QB (retired at age 44 in 2008, holds the record for combined passing and rushing yards in the CFL, with 84,301 total yards)
• Doug Flutie, QB (6-time CFL MOP and QB for the NFL Bears, Patriots, Bills and Chargers)

Fun Facts: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall owned the Argos in the early ’90s; they also offered a CFL-record contract to Rocket Ismail ($18.2 million over four years – an absolutely unheard-of amount which has not come close to being equalled – QBs, which make the most money on average of all players in the league today, typically have contracts between $400-700,000 at the most. The Argos have won the most Grey Cups of any CFL franchise, with 19 titles in 112 seasons of existence.

The Training Camp Scuttlebutt: Last year was a season of distractions for the Argos. Starting QB Chad Kelly was suspended for half the year due to violating the league’s policy on sexual harassment, which involved an alleged incident with a female team employee. Should his contract have been terminated? Probably. At any rate, the Argos weathered the storm and rode a strong second of the year all the way to another Grey Cup championship – though Kelly, the starter, was sidelined with a broken leg for the game, and third-stringer Nick Arbuckle, a longtime CFL vet, was pressed into action, and had the game of his life to help lead the Argos to victory over the favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers. For this season, there’s been a bit of roster turnover – defensive stalwarts Jake Ceresna and Folarin Orimolade moved on, for one – but major stars in Wynton McManis and Ka’Deem Carey are back for another round.  Chad Kelly, will, unfortunately, probably be very good for the Argos once again, though he’s still recovering from that broken leg from last year’s East final; regardless of who’s under centre, they’re very likely to make another trip back to the Grey Cup once again this year.

Key Additions: DL Celestin Haba, Anthony Lanier (FA); LB Cameron Judge (FA); DB Ciante Evans (FA); RB Kevin Brown (FA); WR Hergy Mayala (FA)

Key Subtractions: DL Jake Ceresna, Folarin Orimolade, Robbie Smith (FA); OL Dejon Allen (FA); DB Da’Shaun Amos (FA); WR Makai Polk (released to NFL)

2025 Record Prediction: 11-7

That’s all for now! Thanks for reading up to this point – see you back here next week at the exact same time.