The Argonauts have three All-Star running backs tentatively set to hit free agency in February. A.J. Ouellette, Javon Leake, and Andrew Harris. Depending on who returns to the Six. Bowser could be prominent in the team’s running back rotation in 2024.
Toronto has now signed two players on their 2023 Winter Negotiation List. And the signings have come almost immediately after the list was unveiled. In case you missed it, the team also added rookie WR Xavier Malone, who has seen NFL action in 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons.
It’s rare that CFL teams check off multiple names off what is a defacto wishlist. But the Boatmen’s recent success with American imports has opened eyes and minds for players to immediately make the leap to Canada. Bowser was a player most recently selected by the XFL’s Houston franchise in their off-season rookie draft. So he’s a player who is in high demand.
The two latest re-signings are WR Tommy Nield and DB Jamie Harry. Both could have critical roles in 2024.
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In the case of 24-year-old Tommy Nield. He is coming off a breakthrough campaign for Double Blue in 2023. The fourth-round draft choice by the Argos in the 2021 CFL Draft out of McMaster University had only ten receptions before last season. He played on special teams but mostly provided Canadian ratio depth behind Toronto’s national receivers.
Nield had a career year in 2023, posting 32 receptions for 384 yards in nine games. The 6’3 pass-catcher proved to be a valuable asset in the ground game as one of the league’s best run blockers.
Jamie Harry is also an original draft pick by the Argos, 5th round selection in 2019, but his road to productivity in Double Blue took a detour. The 6’2 Quebec native didn’t make the cut with Toronto and ended up playing for the B.C. Lions and Edmonton before making his way back late last season. The Argonauts signed Harry to their practice roster in August. He would eventually see action in five games, recording 12 tackles.
The
29-year-old has played mostly on special teams throughout his CFL career, but there’s uncertainty on the back end of Toronto’s defense for 2024, with the team having five key defensive backs set to hit the open market.
Change is not only coming, but it has already arrived.
Defensive backs coach Joshua Bell is edging toward joining former Argonauts defensive coordinator Corey Mace in Saskatchewan. There’s no doubt that Bell and Mace will team up to recruit prominent Argos free agents to the Riders like Robertson Daniel, Adarius Pickett, and Jamal Peters, among others.
Toro
nto is likely to go in-house for their Mace replacement. They are going to need to push to retain some of their best players.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS PENDING 2024 FREE AGENTS
Brandon Barlow | DL | Boston College
Boris Bede | K | Laval
Dar
iusz Bladek* | OL | Bethune-Cookman
Dejon Brissett* | WR | Virgina
Isiah Cage | OL | Wisconsin Eau Claire- Re-Signed 12/11/23
Mau
rice Carnell | DB | North Alabama- Re-Signed 12/8/23
Jack Cassar* | LB | Carleton
Darius Ciraco* | OL | Calgary
Dam
onte Coxie | WR | Memphis
Robertson Daniel | DB | BYU
Dylan Giffen* | OL | Western- Re-Signed 12/8/23
Bri
an Harelimana* | LB | Montréal
Andrew Harris* | RB | Nanaimo Raiders Jr.
Jamie Harry* | DB | Ottawa- *Re-Signed 12/21/23
Dew
ayne Hendrix | DL | Pittsburgh
Trevor Hoyte* | LB | Carleton
Jonathan Jones | LB | Toledo
Jav
on Leake | RB | Maryland
Benoît Marion* | DL | Montréal
Wynton McManis | LB | Memphis
Hen
oc Muamba* | LB | St. Francis Xavier
Tommy Nield* | WR | McMaster- *Re-Signed 12/21/23
Shawn Oakman | DL | Baylor
AJ
Ouellette | RB | Ohio
Jamal Peters | DB | Mississippi State
Cameron Phillips | WR | Virginia Tech
Ada
rius Pickett | LB | UCLA
Robert Priester | LB | Wyoming
Shane Richards* | OL | Oklahoma State
Tig
ie Sankoh^ | DB | London Warriors
Richard Sindani* | WR | Regina
Trevon Tate | OL | Memphis
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ARGONAUTS ADD RB ISAIAH BOWSER
TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts Football Club announced today they have signed American RB Isaiah Bowser .
Bowser , 24, most recently played with the Buffalo Bills after being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Western New York team in May. The University of Central Florida alum played two seasons for the Knights (2021-2022), recording 1,502 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns in 22 games while being named Second Team All-AAC as a Senior. Before his time at CFU, the Ohio native played at Northwestern University from 2018-2020, tallying 1,300 yards and seven majors in 23 games for the Wildcats.
ARGONAUTS RE-SIGN WR TOMMY NIELD AND DB JAMIE HARRY
ong>TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts Football Club announced today they have re-signed Canadian WR Tommy Nield and Canadian DB Jamie Harry .
Nield , 24, had a career year in 2023 after posting 32 receptions for 384 yards in nine games. The fourth-round draft choice by the Argos in the 2021 CFL Draft out of McMaster University has spent three years with the Boatmen, totaling 575 yards on 42 catches with one touchdown.
Harry , 29, played five games with the Argos last season, recording 12 tackles after being signed in August. The 6’2, 217lb defensive back was an original draft choice of the Boatmen in 2019, 38th overall, but was released and signed by B.C. that season, playing in one game for the Lions. The UOttawa alum would play ten games for B.C. in 2021 and two in 2022 before being released and signing with Edmonton, where he would get in nine games for the Elks. For his career, Harry has tallied 37 defensive tackles and two special teams tackles over four seasons.