For anyone who didn’t know, the CFL’s Free Agency Communication Window opened today, February 1st, which allows teams to openly speak with pending free agents. The window lasts until February 8th at noon, and the CFL Free Agency officially begins on February 10th at noon. It’s a chance for teams to agree to terms with players ahead of the actual signing period. But really it’s just the beginning of Free Agency.
I want to use today as a chance to take a look at some of the signings (or term agreements) and departures for the Edmonton Elks.
SIGNINGS
Malik Carney, DL: I hate to be that guy, but as a self-proclaimed and often open about it Rider fan, I think it’s safe to say no one at ElksNation has watched more Malik Carney than me. He was 3DownNation’s top-ranked pass rusher and number two overall free agent and I completely understand why. Coming off a career high eight sacks this past season he’s someone who has a lot of speed and a lot of pop coming off the edge at that defensive end position. The defensive line is a position that has been essentially brought back all the way (with the exceptions of Jake Cerensa and Jonathan Kongbo, but more on that later), so one may be surprised they’ve added another defensive lineman, but frankly he’s too good of a talent to miss out on. Another thing to note is that he knows Ed from his time in Hamilton where they both were in 2022 and 2023. An unexpected by my estimation, but very welcomed signing.
Grade: A+
Joe Robustelli, WR: I tweeted this earlier but just an incredible story. Joe stopped playing football at age 14 because he was 4’11. He didn’t start playing again until he was 26 years old (!!!!). And now he’s a pro athlete playing ball in the CFL. Just an absolute dog. That’s what the Elks got. An absolute dog. The report the Riders had in their website when they signed him covers all of it. I don’t want to plagiarise all of it, but I suggest you go read it. His stats from last season don’t jump off the page at you, but he has great size and he plays very physically. He also had an 11 catch 191 yard game this past season – very tough to do no matter how talented you are. He’s going to be a big body who can make the physical catches. Is he going to emerge as a 1000 yard receiver? Maybe not. But he’s the type of receiver you can put out there on any drive and be happy with.I asked one of my Saskatchewan Roughrider beat reporter friends how he was as a blocker and he said he was decent, and that he’s got a chance to be the first or second option in Edmonton and that his ability to make a catch and find open space is “unreal”. Not sure about the first or second option part for me personally, but still high praise. He was 3DownNation’s 28th ranked FA.
Grade: B-
Taylor Powell, QB: Did the Elks just find QB2? Well – I don’t know. His career has gone backwards in a lot of ways. His best season was 2023 where he had 2283 yards, 10 TD’s and nine INTs, and then he didn’t really play a whole lot in 2024 or 2025. 3DownNation had made a point that “he may be the only free agent passer who could be a franchise quarterback” and I’m not sure if I agree with that assessment either. So let’s ask ourselves a more pressing question since we know Cody is QB1. Is he better than Tre? Well – They’re very different. He’s probably a better thrower of the ball but 3DownNation had him ranked four spots below Tre on their FA list. Powell fits the mold of someone who can come in for Cody and better fit the offence than Tre, and there’s also a very realistic possibility he’s number three behind Cole Snyder. He’s never really popped at any level he’s played at. His best year in college was 5-3 at Eastern Michigan where he went 2,111 yards and 16 TD’s and 8 INTs. I outlined the best CFL season. Listen he was signed as a backup QB at best right? So maybe I need to temper my expectations. Just not sure if post Cody this is the Elks new franchise QB.
Grade: C
Brendan Bordner, OL: The Elks need help on the OL. Not a question about it. Did they just get it in the form of Brendan Bordner? Man, I’m not sure. Not only was he not on 3DownNation’s Top 50 FA list, which isn’t a huge knock or anything with the talent level in the CFL but he actually got benched at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. He had a good 2024 season where 3DownNation had him second team all CFL plus the Ti-Cats were high on him, but maybe not so much of the same in 2025? I tried to go back and find tape on him from this past season but really couldn’t. You can watch old Ti-Cats game recaps but it just really isn’t the same. Is he better than Martez Ivey at LT? Well Martez’s 2025 was poor but if we’re going off of 2024 like we did for Brendan, Ivey was actually fist team all CFL by 3DownNation and was a West All-Star. Time will tell on this one. I don’t really know how I feel about it.
Grade: C+
Coulter Woodmansey, OL: Now we’re talking. He was the CFL’s highest graded centre last season per PFF, but the crazy part is that he’s actually probably better as a guard. Which makes sense if the Elks want to keep David Beard at Centre and then have either Carter O’Donnell and Coulter as the guards or Coulter and Mark Korte as the guards and move Carter out to tackle. Carter is far better as a guard also, so we’ll see how it plays out but as far as a signing I love this one. He was 3DownNation’s 3rd overall FA and again – easy to see why. Another guy Ed knows from his time in Hamilton and another signing I’m very high on.
Grade: A
Jordan Murray, OL: Funnily enough this was the guy who took Brendan Bordner’s job when he got benched late in the season. He missed a lot of time in 2025 with injury AND with being a healthy scratch, but when he got the job back you have to give him his credit for how he played. He also had a 2021 season that got him an opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. He’s 6’9 and 325 pounds so he’s every offensive line coaches dream in terms of size for the position. It’s safe to say with all the time he’s missed there may be a bit of a “growth period” and he is a touch older at 28, but that size and the prospects of said size jump off the page at you. One thing I’d like to add as well is that I’d like his footwork to be a little better. He’s 3DownNation’s 29th ranked FA.
DEPARTURES
Tre Ford, QB: Tre has landed in Hamilton. He was actually the highest rated FA QB by 3DownNation. I don’t know if I ever really considered it – the offense is built around a completely different style of QB in Bo Levi Mitchell. Like everything they do schematically on offense seems to not fit Tre’s game…? I guess we can look at this as a Taylor Powell for Tre Ford trade. Bo is a great QB to learn under as is Scott as a HC and that’s something Tre will need. He’ll need to sure some things up but he’ll also need to outright change some stuff about who he is as a player. I hope he grows into a true QB1 in the league. Like I said in my tweet – Bo can’t play forever. Maybe Tre’s time is coming shortly. It’s also worth noting he was the 11th ranked FA on 3DownNation’s FA list.
Devodric Bynum, DB: I don’t want to be too hard on Devodric but this was a pretty easy player to let walk. He didn’t really hit. Didn’t initiate contact. Wasn’t very physical. He’s a ball hawk no doubt – five interceptions as a rookie is tough to do, so you have to give him a lot of credit in that regard. They say you can’t lose your job to injury but he lost his job to injury and he wasn’t getting it back. JJ Ross is better than he is. Period the end. He’s signed with Calgary so he’ll have a chance to get his getback in some big games, namely Labour Day and the rematch, but the writing was on the wall for this one.
Jake Ceresna, DL: I wasn’t as high on Jake Ceresna as my ElksNation counterparts Eddie Steele or Rick Weidemann. 16 tackles and one sack last year? Signed in Winnipeg for $235,000 in hard money in 2026 and $255,000 in hard money in 2027? Plus a $120,000 signing bonus? Did you want to pay him that as an Elks fan? Not me. And listen – the talent is obviously there. 3DownNation ranked him number six on their FA list and he probably will bounce back, but I wouldn’t be willing to ship out that money after the season he just had and after coming off an injury. I don’t look at this Elks defensive line as being marginally worse now because of Jake’s departure. Could he make it better at full health? Yeah, sure. Did he in 11 games last year? No. The best combination on the defensive line last year to my eyes didn’t involve Jake. Yes he was injured. It’s absolutely worth mentioning. Let’s also mention how he had one sack and 16 tackles in 11 games at a $235,000 price tag (third highest for defensive lineman in the league). I’m sure he’ll ball out because he is in fact that talented, but the results did not match the price point for me, and as such I’m more than fine with the departure.
Jonathan Kongbo, DL: I liked Jonathan Kongbo. Career high in sacks last year. Tied for Elks team lead actually. I actually thought the best defensive line combo they had last year was him, Jordan Williams, Jared Brinkman, and Noah Taylor. He’s kind of got a weird past including taking himself out of football for a year, some issues in BC where he said “others weren’t acting professionally” while some said he “quit on the team” and wasn’t a “culture fit”, but I always liked what he brought on the field. I was surprised the Elks didn’t make a push to extend him, but I believe he’ll find a role and see some success in Toronto.
If you’ve read this far it’s greatly appreciated. I’ll continue to update it as we get more news and more signings/departures. Have a great week everyone.
