Breaking Down Top Five 2024 CFL Free-Agent Quarterbacks
The most important position in football is the quarterback position. Fans have seen teams that can thrive off good quarterback play and those who crumble without a proper starter.
A perfect example is watching the Montreal Alouettes win the Grey Cup against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hanks to Cody Fajardo’s 290 yards and three-touchdown performance.
Entering the offseason, some teams may be looking for a new starting quarterback to jumpstart the franchise. It’s always a risk to bring in a new QB1, but it’s one that teams often need to take.
According to the free agent tracker on CFL.ca, there are 10 quarterbacks who will be pending free agents. One of them has been signed already, with Tommy Stevens returning to the Calgary Stampeders.
For this list, former CFL quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson will not be included as it is not a guarantee he will be returning to the league despite reports saying there is interest.
Here are the top five pending free-agent quarterbacks available to be signed.
Top Five CFL Free Agent Quarterbacks
Breaking Down Best Available QBs
5. Mason Fine (Previous Team: Saskatchewan Roughriders)
While Mason Fine hasn’t seen the field a lot in his first three seasons in the CFL, he did pick up some valuable playing time for the Saskatchewan Roughriders last year. Fine finished the 2023 season with 1,043 passing yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions. Among quarterbacks with more than 80 passing attempts, Fine was tied for third in completion percentage with 69.1. Decision making leaves something to be desired, but Fine is just 26 years old with some development still needed with potential to be a starter.
4. Dane Evans (Previous Team: BC Lions)
A more proven starter in the CFL, Dane Evans has already shown himself to be a good starting quarterback in the CFL when needed. Serving as backup in BC, Evans finished the 2023 season recording 829 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions. CFL teams can trust Evans to be a starter when needed, but he’s starting to hit his 30s which could start to play a role. He had great seasons for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for four seasons prior to last year, so don’t discredit a comeback from Evans.
3. Jake Dolegala (Previous Team: Saskatchewan Roughriders)
With the Roughriders going through a revolving door at quarterback, Jake Dolegala got his chance to play and performed well. Dolegala threw for 2,641 passing yards with 11 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Being just 27 years old, Dolegala has plenty of years ahead of him and could be someone that can jump in and compete for a starting job. He’s got the build of a prototypical quarterback at 6-foot-7, 242 pounds.
2. Matthew Shiltz (Previous Team: Hamilton Tiger-Cats)
Even at 30 years old, Matthew Shiltz has continued to show improvement at the quarterback position in his six seasons in the CFL. Statistically, Shiltz had the best season of his CFL career throwing for 1,556 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 160 rushing yards and one major in the process. Shiltz can use his legs when needed and performed well with the Tiger-Cats that had their own revolving door at quarterback. Hamilton could re-sign him, but he has a chance to start for CFL teams in 2024.
1. Dru Brown (Previous Team: Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
There is a gap between former Blue Bombers quarterback Dru Brown and the rest of the quarterbacks available, as he looks ready to start for most teams in the CFL. Brown broke a CFL record for the most touchdown passes in a season without an interception, throwing nine along with 983 yards. Winnipeg might not be able to keep Brown on their roster as there will be quarterback-needy teams calling him to be a starter right now.
Who Are Top 30 CFL Free Agents?
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.