The Toronto Argonauts have signed American wide receiver Makai Polk.
iv class='code-block code-block-2' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>
Standing 6 foot 3 inches and weighing 192 pounds the 22 year old played 3 years of college ball. After two seasons with very little playing time at U Cal he transferred to Mississippi State where he had a breakout season with the Bulldogs.
In 13 games starting for the Bulldogs in 2021 Polk set school records of 105 receptions and 1,046 yards, averaging 80.5 yards per game. That season he made 9 touchdown receptions. Over three years in College he made 141 receptions for 1,524 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Polk spent time after college working with the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants. He only took the field for 3 preseason games where he made 8 receptions for 72 yards.
A Veteran Presence
Former Blue Bomber Rasheed Bailey will be suiting up in double blue in 2024. After four impressive seasons, including two Grey Cup rings, Bailey signed with Argonauts as an unrestricted free agent. Since 2019 Bailey was a constant target for Zach Collaros and Chris Streveler. Bailey has 180 career receptions for 2,072 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also has 230 rushing yards on 29 carries.
Veteran receiver DaVaris Daniels will undoubtedly be a starter this season. Last season was a breakout year for Daniels who had a career high 1,009 receiving yards on 52 receptions. Daniels is looking to repeat the championship success of 2022 in his eighth CFL season. Daniels has played 99 games in his career, bringing in 366 receptions for 5,579 yards and 38 touchdowns.
The Argonauts have kept 27 year old Damonte Coxie has played two seasons for the Argonauts. 2023 was his best season with 39 receptions for 787 yards and 5 touchdowns, averaging 20.2 yards per reception. In three games last season he broke 100 yards, including the first and last games of the season.
Dejon Brissett is entering his fourth year with the Argos. The 27 year old Canadian receiver has 57 career receptions for 827 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has taken 8 kickoffs back for 153 yards. Guelph Ontario’s own Tommy Nield remains with the team as well. Nield has played 30 games for the Argonauts since 2021. In that time, he has made 42 receptions for 575 yards and 1 touchdown.
The Argonauts also kept Canadians receivers Richie Sindani and David Ungerer III. Sindani played 3 games for Toronto making 8 catches for 90 yards. Ungerer made 41 receptions for 579 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2023.
Plenty of Newcomers
While the receiving core certainly is full the Argonauts still have quite a few rookies to test out Saturday in Montreal. Any among them might prove their way into making the roster.
The Argonauts have 7 rookies receivers fighting for what may be 1 or 2 available spots, if that. Each among them have impressive college careers but what they can do in the 3-down game remains to be seen for most. B.J. Byrd (24), Jordan Byrd (24), Changa Hodge (25), Xavier Malone (24), Justin Marshall (24), and Trea Shropshire (23) have only played stateside, 4-down football. Canadian Kevin Mital (25) may be more familiar with catching a bigger ball but he is fighting for a job like the rest of them.