2026 CFL hot stove league

[GA Russell]

Adarius Pickett has signed with the Argos.

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/16/argonauts-sign-adarius-pickett/
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/east-all-star-pickett-returns-to-argos/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/16/toronto-argonauts-sign-adarius-pickett-following-release-from-redblacks/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/16/almost-none-adarius-pickett-reveals-limited-negotiations-led-to-departure-from-ottawa-redblacks/

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Top 5 Roughriders plays
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/16/top-5-saskatchewan-roughriders-plays-from-2025/

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Nathan Rourke highlight reel
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/16/nathan-rourkes-mop-season/

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Sask free agent analysis
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-keesean-johnson/

 

[GA Russell]

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[GA Russell]

Sask free agent analysis
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-lake-korte-moore/

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Sankey is a favorite of mine.

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[GA Russell]

I learned something over the weekend regarding the US college players' getting paid under the NIL program.  I thought that a few guys were paid $30,000, with the biggest stars getting $100,000.  It's nothing like that.  They are getting millions.  Archie Manning's grandson Arch was the highest paid this year, receiving US$6,800,000.

BC's GM Ryan Rigmaiden is concerned that American kids, after receiving that kind of money in college, will have no interest in playing for what the CFL pays if they don't make it in the NFL.  Instead, they will just move on with their lives.

This might not be a bad thing, as it might increase the number of Canadians in the league, kids who grew up wanting to win the Grey Cup.

https://3downnation.com/2026/01/18/b-c-lions-gm-ryan-rigmaiden-sounds-alarm-about-nils-effect-on-future-of-cfl-qbs/

[GA Russell]

Edmonton analyses

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/free-agency-preview-elks-look-to-continue-to-add-in-hopes-of-taking-next-step/
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/18/3-reasons-why-elks-kilam-are-poised-for-successful-2026/

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Peyton Logan and Dewayne Hendrix have signed with the Argos.  The Argos have let go Branden Dozier and Darrius Bratton.

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/19/argos-sign-running-back-peyton-logan-release-defensive-back-branden-dozier/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/19/toronto-argonauts-release-three-veterans-including-darrius-bratton/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/19/toronto-argonauts-sign-recently-released-veterans-dewayne-hendrix-peyton-logan/

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Montreal analysis
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/free-agency-preview-alouettes-look-to-compliment-talented-core/

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Toronto analysis
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/free-agency-preview-can-argonauts-rebound-from-disappointing-2025-season/

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Sask analyses

https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-braydon-noll/
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-jake-maier/
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-cj-reavis/
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-january-18-2026/

 

[GA Russell]

The Scouting Bureau has released its winter report.

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/21/5-takeaways-from-the-cfl-scouting-bureau-winter-edition/
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/21/mesidor-stays-no-1-in-winter-edition-of-cfl-scouting-bureau/
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/miami-dl-mesidor-retains-top-spot-in-winter-edition-of-cfl-scouting-bureau/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/21/miami-dl-akeem-mesidor-remains-atop-2026-cfl-draft-scouting-bureau-rankings/

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Sask free agent analysis
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-shawn-bane-jr/

 

[GA Russell]

Free Agent analysis
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/22/5-under-the-radar-pending-free-agent-extensions-of-note-so-far/

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The league has considered a draft for American players, but decided against it.
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/22/it-didnt-make-a-lot-of-sense-cfl-shelves-proposal-for-american-player-draft/

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Sask free agent analysis
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-aj-ouellette/

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Winnipeg analysis
https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/bombers-signings-continue-but-more-work-to-be-done/

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[GA Russell]

Because they have signed Darnell Sankey, a favorite of mine, the Lions have let go another favorite of mine, Micah Awe.

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/23/lions-release-linebacker-micah-awe/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/23/b-c-lions-release-cfl-tackle-leader-micah-awe/

 

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Nathan Rourke highlight reel
https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/23/nathan-rourkes-mop-season/

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The Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for sharing increases in revenue with the players.  The league announced today that its revenue increased $10 million this year.  This will increase the salary cap.

https://www.cfl.ca/2026/01/23/2025-season-yields-10m-in-league-wide-revenue-growth/
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/cfl-salary-cap-increases-to-628-million/
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/23/cfl-records-10-million-in-revenue-growth-for-2025-increases-salary-cap-over-200k/

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Calgary analysis
https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/free-agency-preview-stampeders-look-to-reload-after-losing-crop-to-nfl/

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The Argos plan to use U Guelph as their home base until they can start playing their home games at BMO Field in August.
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/23/toronto-argos-plan-to-use-university-of-guelph-as-team-base-until-bmo-field-home-games-in-august/

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Chris Jones will be an assistant at Louisiana-Monroe this year.
https://3downnation.com/2026/01/23/former-cfl-head-coach-chris-jones-hired-as-assistant-at-louisiana-monroe-sources/

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Today's Sask analysis is about Andy Robustelli's grandson Joe.
https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/roughriders-free-agents-joe-robustelli/