Toronto Argonauts Reward All-Star Offensive Lineman with Lucrative Multi-Year Extension
In another example of the Toronto Argonauts' commitment to excellence beyond the 2024 season, the team has extended the contract of All-Star offensive lineman Ryan Hunter through the 2026 season.
It is believed that Hunter's multi-year extension with Toronto will make him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the CFL, as well as one of the league's highest-paid Canadian players.
Hunter made over 200k a year ago, including bonus money, which put him in the upper echelon of salaries for his position.
The complete terms of the contract are not fully available as of press time, but not including performance-based incentives, Hunter's new three-year pact will see him average 256k per season, with his base salary escalating in the final two years of the deal.
The 6-3, 315-pound linemen's versatility to play anywhere on the interior or outside at tackle at a high level makes him one of the most valuable assets on the Argos.
The extension of Hunter, coupled with that of Peter Nicastro and the re-signing of Darius Ciraco, means that Toronto has their elite interior Canadian trio locked up for the next three seasons.
We have extended Ryan Hunter. pic.twitter.com/6hkidWNreO
— Toronto Argonauts (@TorontoArgos) February 12, 2024
The Boatmen have been proactive this offseason in extending their cornerstone players a year ahead of schedule. Such was the case with Nicastro, quarterback Chad Kelly, wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, edge rusher Folarin Orimolade and now Hunter.
In Hunter's case, the club's patience after drafting him in 2018 has paid off handsomely.
The Argos waited four years for the Ontario native to make his way back home after playing in the NFL, but from the moment Hunter donned the Double Blue, he changed the equation for them.
A late-season arrival in 2022, Hunter played five games down the stretch, including the Eastern Final and the Grey Cup. He became one of just a handful of players to win both a CFL and NFL championship, accomplishing the latter as an active member of the Kansas City Chiefs when they bested the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl four years ago.
In 2023, Argos fans saw Hunter at his best. In his first full season, he earned All-Star honors, suiting up 18 games for an Argonauts offensive line that allowed a league-low 19 sacks.
The 28-year-old is in his playing prime with his best yet to come for the Argos.
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Mike Mitchell is a pro football writer/insider with decades of experience covering and following multiple leagues. He covers the New York Jets for TheJetPress.com at FanSided. He has also written for XFL Board and at Hub Publishing covering the CFL, XFL and USFL.