DeAngelis top catch in CFL free agency

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats would appear to be in the market for an experienced kicker. Ditto for their archrivals down the highway in Toronto.

Montreal, too, might enter a bidding war for Sandro DeAngelis should the Alouettes lose 2009 Grey Cup hero Damon Duval to the National Football League.

DeAngelis, who has had off-season workouts in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons, is considered the most sought-after player during the Canadian Football League free-agent season, which opens at 12:01 a.m. ET Tuesday.

The 28-year-old, who hails from Niagara Falls, Ont., was unable to negotiate a new contract with the Calgary Stampeders over the weekend.

"We aren't just going to sign guys just because we can," Tiger-Cats general manager Bob O'Billovich told the Hamilton Spectator recently.

While the team reportedly has identified defensive back and kick return as possible areas of improvement, signing someone to fill the void left by 2007 CFL rookie of the year finalist Nick Setta would also make sense.

Hamilton released Setta, 28, on Jan. 29, after the Illinois native finished third in the league in kicking points last season with 166.

Jeremy Ito, cut from the Ticats' practice roster two days before the final regular-season game and then hustled back into the lineup when Setta hurt himself in practice, had three field goals in his CFL debut and at this time would be the projected starter.

Ticats head coach Marcel Bellefeuille has said the team wants more consistency from the kicker position, which makes DeAngelis an obvious choice as Setta's successor.

Last season, DeAngelis connected on 42 of his 49 field-goal attempts. The league's most outstanding special teams player in 2006, he went 5-for-5 in Calgary's 2008 Cup win over Montreal to earn top Canadian honours.

"Free agency isn't the only means to get better," said Bellefeuille, who guided Hamilton to a 9-9 season in 2009. "We'll look at possible trades, bringing in good young talent, as well as developing what we have internally.

"We will be active in pursuing players, that's for certain."

Toronto, coming off a 3-15 campaign, brought back former head coach Jim Barker last week and could be poised to take a run at DeAngelis after losing Jason Medlock to the Washington Redskins.

Argos may lose Poole, Robertson, Dorsey

Argos general manager Adam Rita might be interested in bringing back corner Byron Parker, who was traded to Edmonton last September.

The two-time CFL all-star was said to be unhappy after seeing limited playing time under former head coach Bart Andrus.

Toronto could lose defensive back Will Poole, and running backs Jamal Robertson and Dominique Dorsey to free agency.

Poole was a key part of an often-overlooked Argonauts defence last season, while Robertson rushed for 100-plus yards in each of Toronto's three wins in 2009. Dorsey, the CFL's top special teams player in 2008, missed part of last season to injury after returning to the team following a failed NFL tryout.

Other notable CFL free agents include: Steven Jyles, quarterback; Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, offensive lineman; Wes Cates, running back; Keron Williams, defensive tackle; Jason Jimenez, offensive lineman; and Markeith Knowlton, linebacker.

'We have a good nucleus and foundation in place.' —Danny Maciocia, Eskimos GM

Don't expect any of them to sign with Edmonton, which inked former B.C. Lions linebacker Javier Glatt, and acquired receivers Andre Talbot and Brad Smith in a trade with Toronto last Wednesday.

"That was our so-called version of free agency," said second-year GM Danny Maciocia. "We have a good nucleus and foundation in place, so I don't think we're going to be active [in free agency] at all."

Meanwhile, defensive ends top head coach Ken Miller's free-agent wish list in Saskatchewan after starters John Chick and Stevie Baggs bolted for the NFL with Indianapolis and Arizona, respectively.

The Roughriders, who also watched middle linebacker Rey Williams sign on with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, have no fewer than 11 potential free agents.

"I don't see a lot of free agents coming to Saskatchewan," GM Brendan Taman, who takes over from Eric Tillman, told the Regina Leader-Post. "My main job is to keep the ones we've got. We'll probably dabble in the market a little bit."