Landry: Top 7 contract extensions so far

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12/18/2024 10:00 AM

There are two sides to free agency, we all know that.

In February, it's predominantly about the excitement of signing a star who'd previously shone in another team's colours.

Prior to that, though, it's about retaining your own. The contract extensions of cornerstone players you can't bear to see go.

Let's take a look at some of the bigger moves made by CFL teams so far when it comes to player retainment.

You'll note that Vernon Adams Jr.'s re-worked deal with the Calgary Stampeders is not on this list and there's a very good reason for that.

It's not an "extension," but rather an adjustment to the financial structure that already existed. The term remains the same, which is to say, it's still two years, the way it was when Adams arrived in a trade with the BC Lions in November. Big move. Important move. But not an extension.

Now that we've got that clarified, here are my top seven contract extensions (so far) this off-season.

Alouettes’ LB Tyrice Beverette is one of Landry’s top 7 contract extensions so far (Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca)

TYRICE BEVERETTE, MTL

Beverette was already under contract for the 2025 season, so the Als were not in danger of losing the East Division's 2024 Most Outstanding Defensive Player this winter.

That they got him to sign a new deal that includes the 2026 season as well is hugely significant for both the player and the franchise, ensuring there is longer term stability when it comes to Montreal's lynchpin defensive player, which should lead to greater stability in the defensive corps. Since Beverette's extension was announced on November 20, the Als have also announced that defensive backs Najee Murray and Wesley Sutton have signed extensions, ensuring that they will not hit the market in February.

As well…

Recently extended DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund led the league in tackles-for-loss in 2024 with nine (Minas Panagiotakis/CFL.ca)

ISAAC ADEYEMI-BERGULUND, MTL

The 28-year-old native of Dartmouth, NS flew under the radar for much of the 2024 season, so it was nice to see him get his due as the year closed, being named the East Division's Most Outstanding Canadian and earning a nod as an East Division All-CFLer too.

Adeyemi-Berglund led the CFL last season with nine tackles-for-loss, with 36 total tackles on defence and seven sacks, too.

Always nice to have a Canadian crusher on the defensive line and the Alouettes made sure they'd keep theirs right where he was, with a contract extension through 2025.

Landry says LB Tony Jones was a revelation for the Bombers in 2024 (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca)

TONY JONES, WPG

What a revelation Jones was for the Blue Bombers in 2024, taking over for injured starters Adam Bighill and Kyrie Wilson at both the middle and weak side linebacker positions.

Jones emerged as a crucial defender for Winnipeg after first being released by the Edmonton Elks during training camp, joining the Blue Bombers quickly thereafter.

In 12 games, the 29-year-old totalled 49 defensive tackles and 11 more on special teams.

In signing Jones to a two-year extension, the Blue Bombers have made certain of having a very important defensive piece in place, which is a good spot to be in considering that Bighill is rehabbing a serious knee injury and Wilson is a potential free agent in February.

TRE FORD, EDM

The Elks announced on December 6 that their one-man entertainment factory had agreed to terms on a three-year extension, keeping Ford in green and gold through the 2027 season.

Had they let the 26-year-old get to the open market, who knows if they'd have been able to keep him at that point?

That it's a three-year deal speaks volumes about how Ford feels about facing the future with new head coach Mark Kilam and new general manager Ed Hervey. And volumes about how they feel about making the young pivot their offensive cornerstone after Ford spent three seasons attempting to be just that.

TREVOR HARRIS, SSK

Harris has spent two years as QB1 with the Riders and by most every account has been one of the team's top leaders if not THE top leader. I mean, his nickname is "The Sheriff."

It's true that Harris' time in Saskatchewan has been marked by extensive injury time, yes. At the age of 39 (which he’ll be when the 2025 season begins), it gets tougher and tougher to stay on the field, no matter the position.

But with his well-known quick-read, ball-out-fast style of play, and with what you have to assume is a Saskatchewan goal of fortifying the line in front of him for 2025, it's possible that Harris could have his best year in green and white in 2025.

Extending the contract of a veteran, established quarterback sends a clear signal; That the Riders feel strongly that their time is now.

RENE PAREDES, CGY

A couple of reasons why this is a big one.

One, Rene Paredes has been one of the best place kickers in CFL history over the course of his 13-year career, all with the Stamps. In 2024, he proved he's still got it, connecting on 41 of his 44 field goal attempts (two of the three misses were from 50+) and that included a 57-yarder against Edmonton on Labour Day.

Two, I think it's another sign of determination and rejuvenated energy in Calgary.

Paredes has been managing one career as a placekicker and another as a probationary firefighter for a couple of years now. At the age of 39, and with the Stamps suffering through a second straight subpar season, it would have been completely understandable that a guy might want to focus completely on what's next in life.

Instead, Paredes has agreed to a two-year extension in the hopes of being part of a Calgary turnaround.

JAVON LEAKE, EDM

Signed in 2024 to be predominantly a kick return man – a role in which he excelled in during his time in Toronto – Leake eventually got pressed into more and more backfield duty with the Elks, giving Edmonton a nasty one-two running back punch with he and Justin Rankin ripping through opposing defences.

Leake didn't have the banner kick return season that he’d enjoyed while with the Argos in 2023, but he did have 962 yards from scrimmage in 2024, far and away the best number of his CFL career.

With a two-year extension now in place, the Elks keep Leake on board, ensuring the return game is in good hands – and on fast feet – and that the ground game flexibility they enjoyed last season is in place going forward too.

*SIGNING BONUS: Stanley Bryant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

*Prior to the Javon Leake extension being made official, I had Bryant included on my list of seven and it broke my heart a little bit to take him off. So here's what I'd written about him, FYI:

Like Trevor Harris, Winnipeg tackle Stanley Bryant will be 39 years old when the 2025 season kicks off.

And for sure, there's a difference between a quarterback who's 39 and an offensive lineman who's 39.

But it's Uncle Stanley, folks. Even if he is not what he used to be –which was as dominant a left tackle as any of us have seen in our lives – being kinda, sorta like what he used to be is still pretty dang good.

As well, this is a home run of an extension when it comes to locker room culture.