CFL free agency is less than two weeks away from starting with top talent still available to be signed. One of those premier free agents is defensive end Mathieu Betts, who will attract a lot of attention from CFL teams.
TSN’s Farhan Lalji reported Sunday that three teams are interested in Betts’ services for the 2024 season. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are at the top of the list, as well as the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The BC Lions, his team for the last two seasons, are also in the running.
Betts is coming off a career year and is widely regarded as not only the best pass rushers in the CFL, but one of the best players in the league. He finished the 2023 season with 44 total tackles, four forced fumbles and a league-leading 18 sacks. The CFL rewarded him with the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and named him a CFL All-Star.
He previously had seven sacks in the 2022 season, his first year with the Lions. Betts spent his first two seasons in the CFL with Edmonton after being selected by the team in the first round of the 2019 CFL Draft.
The NFL has been having Betts in for workouts over the last two months that included the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
There’s still a chance an NFL team could sign Betts, but there will be plenty of interest from CFL teams. Betts will be one of the most coveted free agents in the CFL when Feb. 13 rolls around.
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