Hogan: A Breakdown of the Argos Roster

The 2024 season ended in the best way possible for the Toronto Argonauts, with a 19^th Grey Cup championship.

There was no time off to celebrate for the team’s football operations department. Leading up to the free-agent period, players like Wynton McManis, Janarion Grant, Damonte Coxie, and Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle were re-signed, while the club acquired Cameron Judge in a trade.

Like any championship team, free agency took its toll on the roster. Argonauts.ca thought it was a good time for an update. With a great number of questions now answered, here’s a positional breakdown of the Argos roster featuring players under contract for 2025.

QUARTERBACKS

The Argos currently have four quarterbacks under contract, including all three from last season. Chad Kelly’s name sits atop the depth chart, but he’s recovering from a broken leg suffered in the Eastern Final in Montreal. The club is optimistic that he’ll be ready for the opening of training camp.

Kelly was the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023, and after returning from a suspension last year, jump started the Argos passing game.

Also back for another season are Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle and Cameron Dukes, who started the majority of games in Kelly’s absence. It provides the Argos with tremendous talent, experience, and depth at the position.

The only other QB currently under contract is Tucker Horn, someone the team had been tracking for some time. Horn played at Trinity and was the Southern Athletic Association’s Offensive Player of the Year for three straight seasons.

RUNNING BACKS

This group is as good and as deep as any in the league.

Most fans were shocked when the team re-signed Ka’Deem Carey. Not because they weren’t thrilled to see his return to the lineup, but it appeared the club was set at that position.

Carey finished third in the league last season with 1,060 yards, led all CFL running backs with seven touchdowns, and his 30 carries of ten or more yards was second in the league.

Also back is the versatile Deonta McMahon, who showed off his skills more and more as the season progressed.

The reason for the surprise over the Carey signing is that the Argos stunned many when they inked Kevin Brown to a contract in December. The 28-year-old rushed for over 1,100 yards with Edmonton in 2023 and has averaged 6.0 yards-per-carry over his three seasons in the CFL.

The newcomers are both downhill runners, Ohio State product Miyan Williams, who once scored five touchdowns in a game for the Buckeyes, and Jyran Mitchell, who was a Walter Payton Award finalist while playing at Butler in 2023.

Bruno Labelle also signed with the Argos after starting his CFL career in Saskatchewan. The 6’4”, 250-pound University of Cincinnati product will likely fill the role of a fullback/tight end.

RECEIVERS

The re-signing of Coxie and Grant allowed Argo fans to breathe a sigh of relief. They ensure quality veteran presence at the spot, joining DaVaris Daniels, Grey Cup Most Outstanding Canadian Dejon Brissett, Dave Ungerer III, and Richie Sindani.

Newcomer Hergy Mayala adds five years of CFL experience, signing a deal with the Argos on the first day of free agency.

Two other returning players are ready to take the next step in their careers. Kevin Mital showed flashes of why he was the Argos first-round draft pick in 2024, while speedy Jake Herslow scored two touchdowns in the three games in which he played last year, including one against Ottawa in the Eastern Semi-Final.

Derek Slywka, who spent the end of the 2024 season on the team’s practice roster, is also returning.

The newcomers are Vyncint Smith, who played six seasons in the NFL, another in the UFL, three-time Honourable Mention All-Big 10 Dontay Demus, Auburn products Shane Hooks and Marquis McClain, who played in the Indoor Football League last year before signing with the Argos in November. Quarterback-turned-all-conference receiver Calvin Turner Jr. spent the last two seasons in the XFL, and former Miami Hurricane Mark Pope rounds out the list.

OFFENSIVE LINE

A veteran group led by Ryan Hunter, who was named the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman last year. He started the season at left guard before finishing the year at left tackle. His versatility gives the Argos options.

Peter Nicastro played centre last year after playing guard the year before, but where he plays is up in the air as 2023 All-CFL centre Darius Ciraco is expected to be back after missing almost all last season with an injury.

Anthony Vandal, last year’s starting right guard, returns, as do Canadians Dylan Giffen, 2024 third-round pick John Bosse, and 2021 second-round draft pick Sage Doxtater, who joined the team’s practice roster last year after playing in the States after college.

Centre Daniel Shin is a 2024 draft pick who is also under contract. He returned to the University of Alberta where he was named a Canada West All-Star for the third straight season.

American tackles Jean Delance and George Moore are also in the mix. Moore played for the Argos in the final game of 2024, while Delance is new to the CFL after stops in the NFL and USFL.

DEFENSIVE LINE

This is the group that will have an almost completely different look in 2025.

Three players who saw ample playing time last year will return, tackle Jordan Williams and ends Derek Parish and Thiadric Hansen. Tyson Hergott, a rookie last season, will also look to increase his number of snaps at end.

The early days of free agency landed the Argos some potential difference makers.

The biggest names both come from Saskatchewan. Bryan Cox Jr. is an expolosive end who finished 2024 with six sacks, just two behind the league leaders.

Anthony Lanier II is a massive human being who is exceptionally quick. The 6’5”, 285 pounder has played some end, but is far more effective at tackle, though he could play outside when the team goes lines up with three linemen.

Demarcus Christmas is an interior player who joins the team from Edmonton, while Celestin Haba is an end who comes over from Winnipeg. Both players were added through free agency.

There are several new players looking for an opportunity at tackle. Andre Carter is a dynamic 6’5”, 270-pound player from Indiana who was acquired in the Dan Adeboboye trade with Ottawa. Deshawn McCarthy is a D-II All-American who had 31 sacks in his career at East Stroudsburg. Daymond Williams is a 285-pounder who had 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in his last two seasons at the University of Buffalo, and Atlias Bell returns after spending the first half of last season on the Argos practice roster.

New players on the outside include Isaiah Chambers, who signed with the Argos last October after a couple of years in the USFL. While at McNeese State the defensive end was a two time finailst for the Buck Buchanan Award as the best defenisve player in the FCS. Jalen Green is an end who had 15.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in his final season at James Madison. He spent the last couple of months of the season on the Argos practice roster.

Da’marcus Johnson is an end who was an exceptional pass rusher at Eastern Washington. Andrew Chatfield Jr. was acquired in a recent trade with Ottawa, where he made his CFL debut last year. The end had a stint with Kansas City last year. Greg Reaves is an end who spent the last three seasons in the USFL, recording 11 sacks in the process.

Baptiste Pollier, a Global player from France, is back after spending much of last season on the Argos practice roster, while 2024 draft pick Ifenna Onyeka will again look to crack the roster. He returned to Carleton last year and led the country in sacks and tackles for loss.

LINEBACKER

This in an incredibly deep, talented group.

The presumed starters in the middle and on the weak side will be Wynton McManis and Cameron Judge, providing the Argos with arguably the CFL’s best linebacking duo.

Issac Darkangelo, Jack Cassar, and newcomer Ryder Varga, acquired in the Dejon Allen trade with BC, are talented veterans who will see time when the club replaces a lineman with an extra linebacker in certain situations.

Special teams leader Brian Harelimana returns, as does Daniel Kwamou, who spent all of last season on the injured list and will be looking to stay healthy this season.

Canadian newcomers include Laurier’s Ife Onyemenam, who was a 2024 draft pick, and Stephen Smith, the Canadian Junior Football League’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024.

Incoming Americans looking to crack the lineup are Billy Shaeffer, who was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in the FCS, Brian Holloway, an All-Sun Belt Conference player from Texas State, and Jarrett Martin, who played at the University of Rhode Island.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Including the strongside linebacker as a DB, the Argos return four players who started games for them in 2024.

The talented Tarvarus McFadden and Benjie Franklin, who emerged as one of the most dangerous corners in the league, will presumably man the corners, while SAM backer Quincy Mauger is back after an injury-laden season. Speedy Mark Milton, the team’s post-season starting boundary halfback returns, while Kenneth George Jr. is also back after joining the team from the Ticats late last year.

The Canadian content in the secondary includes impressive rookie Tyshon Blackburn, who can play either safety or halfback, and the versatile Jonathan Edouard, who is also capable of playing multiple positions. The Argos also signed Stephane East, a Toronto native who went to Queen’s and played cornerback.

As the free agency period opened, the Argos added three veterans. Ciante Evans is entering his tenth CFL season, most recently playing as the starting field corner in BC. Darrius Bratton played well for Edmonton as their boundary halfback, while Will Sunderland comes over from Hamilton, where he had played both boundary and field corner.

The American contingent of newcomers, aside from those signed recently in free agency, includes Donald Rutledge Jr., who started for Winnipeg in 2022 as their strong side linebacker before heading to the USFL. Delonte Hood most recently played corner with the UFL’s Arlington Renegades. Lawrence Johnson signed as a safety with the New Orleans Saints last year after being a First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference season with Southeast Missouri State. Last season Bryce Hampton tied for the Indoor Football League lead with 8 interceptions and was named a First Team All-Star and the league’s top defensive rookie. He signed with the Argos late last season, and cornerback Anthony Sao inked a deal with the Argos late last year after spending some time with the Atlanta Falcons.

Any position a player played previously doesn’t mean that’s where they’ll be slotted with the Argos. Training camp will go a long way in determining who plays where.

SPECIAL TEAMS

CFL Most Outstanding Special Team Player Grant re-signed just before the free agency period started. He returns, as does placekicker Limim Hajrullahu, who tied an Argo record with 55 field goals last year. Long snapper Adam Guillemette is back for a third season, as is Simon Chaves, who filled in for an injured Guillemette in Winnipeg last year.

Two players who spent last season on the Argos practice roster, punter Jeremy Edwards and placekicker Alfredo Gachuz are also back.

That’s where the club stands a couple of days after the free agency period window opened. There is still ample time to add additional players before training camp opens in Guelph in early May.