Sports Take

With the disappointing 33-30 loss to the BC Lions on Nov. 1 in the West Semi-Final, the focus now shifts for Stampeders GM and Head Coach Dave Dickinson into offseason mode. Namely who to re-sign from the 2025 roster. John Hodge of 3DownNation.com, has compiled a list of potential free agents from the Stampeders roster.

Top of the list has to be Dedrick Mills. The Stampeders nominee for the George Reed Most Outstanding Player Award, led the league in rushing with 1,409 yards, his career best season by far and the only one where he played ever game. He will be 29 next season. The Stampeders ran the ball more than any other team and having Dedrick Mills in the backfield was a key factor in the Stampeders success. I would re-sign him just as fast as I can.

Pending Free Agents in the Receiving Core

The receiver conversation is the interesting one. With five set to become free agents, including four that were starters at points in the season, including Canadian Clark Barnes, Dominique Rhymes, Tevin Jones, and Erik Brooks. The other is one that just recently returned to practice in Malik Henry.

Malik Henry hasn’t played in a game in over two years after back to back season ending leg injuries and is set to become a free agent. He is a former 1000 yard receiver with the Stampeders and is looking to return to the football field next season, the question is whether that will be with the Stampeders or elsewhere.

Dominique Rhymes signed with the Stampeders to reunite with Vernon Adams Jr. to try and recreate the chemistry they had together with the BC Lions. For the season Rhymes was targeted 94 time with 50 catches for 886 yards. Did say in a media availability after the season that his passion for football was reignited by playing in Calgary.

Decisions on the Defensive Line

The amount of studs on the defensive line potentially heading to free agency from the Stampeders is frighting. The list include Clarence Hicks, Jaylon Hutchings and Lorenzo Mauldin IV, who joined the team late in the season in a trade with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. With Folarin Orimolade returning next season a decision needs to be made on who to keep.

Arguably Clarence Hicks and Jaylon Hutchings should be the main focus. Not to discredit Mauldin who I’m sure will find a place on any starting role in the CFL, but Hicks will be entering his third season, and Hutchings broke out big in the first half of the season that teams started to game-plan against him, opening up Hicks to make a massive impact this season. Keeping them together on that side would be a best case scenario for the Stampeders.

Hosting the Grey Cup Could Factor into Signings

With the Stampeders set to host the 113th Grey Cup in 2026, and a team that is starting to come back to life after a dismal 2024 season, the prospect of playing in that game in front of a home crowd would be appealing to many. The last time a team that was hosting the Grey Cup and participated in the game was in 2013 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who also won that game 45-23.

As usual the insanity of the CFL offseason is almost upon us all, but for now the focus is still on the CFL playoffs as the East and West Finals take place this weekend in Hamilton and Regina respectively.