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This article was published 16/11/2014 (2135 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON -- The CFL tampering season is about to begin in full force and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will be looking to make a score or two.

POSTMEDIA REGINA LEADER-POST Canadian offensive tackle Ben Heenan could be looking at a pay cut in Saskatchewan.

Player agents openly work the phones to try to figure out what teams would offer their clients before free agency officially opens. Call it doing your homework, but in almost any other professional sports league it's considered tampering and offenders are subject to sizable fines.

Certainly there are rules on the books against this but they're blissfully ignored. Phones ring, GMs answer, agents ask questions and on and on it goes.

The Free Press has obtained a pending free agent list (the CFL doesn't make this information public for some unknown reason) and there are a number of players headed to free agency the Bombers should and could take a run at.

Keeping in mind the Bombers' biggest issues are on the offensive line and with Canadian talent, we've focused our energies in these areas.

Here's our wish-list for Bombers GM Kyle Walters:

Montreal Alouettes

Bear Woods, the Alouettes middle linebacker and East Division nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player, is a heavy hitter and exactly the type of player the Bombers need to anchor the defence. The Alouettes have 17 free agents to re-sign, including veteran Chip Cox. GM Jim Popp will have some decisions to make. If he's unable to nail Woods down prior to the market opening in February, this could be a major target for the Bombers.

PAUL CHIASSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Montreal Alouettes linebacker Bear Woods (left) would look pretty good in Blue and Gold.

Toronto Argonauts

The uncertainty of ownership and the lack of investment from ownership has made the Argos an unstable place to play from a players' perspective and GM Jim Barker will have his hands full retaining players.

The Bombers need to remodel their offensive line and if they let veteran Glenn January walk they'll need to find some elite U.S. talent. Two offensive lineman in Toronto stand out, led by Canadian Tyler Holmes. Holmes is expected to draw interest from his hometown Ottawa Redblacks. Also of interest in Toronto is import tackle Sir Vincent Rogers.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Tiger-Cats don't have a lot coming free this off-season other than a number of wide receivers, and the Bombers have a lot of money already wrapped up in Nick Moore and Clarence Denmark. The most interesting name in terms of the Bombers needs is Canadian defensive lineman Marc-Antoine Fortin. A rotational player with lots of upside. Non-imports who can eat up plays along the defensive line are always a plus.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Riders are going to face a cash crunch and the biggest target will be Canadian offensive tackle Ben Heenan. Heenan is a Saskatchewan native and won't want to leave, but if a team puts $250,000 in front of him and the Riders can't get close to that number, he might be tempted. Another player the Bombers will look at is safety Tyron Brackenridge. Winnipeg starts an import at safety and Brackenridge is top shelf.

Edmonton Eskimos

Canadian offensive lineman Matt O'Donnell has made huge strides the past few seasons and at 6-11 and well over 300 pounds he's an immovable object. Getting around him is difficult and he's going to be big on every play. Again, the Bombers need help on the offensive line and O'Donnell could help solve a number of problems

Calgary Stampeders

The Stamps have done the best job in the CFL of stockpiling Canadian talent. As a result, they don't have to overpay, as there is always someone else coming up. Centre Brett Jones is among the best interior offensive lineman in the CFL and will want to be paid as such. Receiver Brad Sinopoli continues to improve and he's an intriguing prospect.

CP Calgary Stampeders Canuck receiver Brad Sinopoli gets better and better.

B.C. Lions

The Bombers coveted Canadian defensive lineman Jabar Westerman when he came up in the draft in 2012 and that likely hasn't changed. Westerman was arrested following a brawl in a nightclub and Lions GM Wally Buono had harsh words for his player following the incident. It's hard to believe Buono will be willing to match a juicy offer should Westerman get to the market.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless

Free-agent frenzy

Here's a look at pending free agents from around the CFL (players on 2013 contracts entering their option year in 2014 (expiring Feb. 15, 2015):

Montreal Alouettes

Player Pos School IMP/NIP CARTER, Duron

WR FLA. ATLANTIC I

COX, Chip LB OHIO I

DESLAURIERS, Eric WR E. MICHIGAN N

GREEN, S.J. WR S. FLORIDA I

KLASSEN, Michael DL CALGARY N

LAVARIAS, Aaron DE IDAHO I

PAXSON, Scott DL

PENN ST I

SUTTON, Tyrell RB NORTHWESTERN I

TISDALE, Geoff DB PITTSBURGH ST I

WOODS, Jonathan LB TROY

I

ZALESKI , Jerod TE/LS

SIMON FRASER N



Toronto Argonauts

Player Pos School IMP/NIP BARNES, Jason WR SACRAMENTO ST I BROWN, Ivan DL SASKATCHEWAN N CARTER, Jalil DB AKRON I CHILES, John WR TEXAS I HOLMES, Tyler OL TULSA N KING, Jarriel OL S.C. I ROGERS, Sir Vincent OL HOUSTON I STEELE, Curtis RB MEMPHIS I THOMAS, Marcus DL FLORIDA I WATT, Spencer WR SIMON FRASER N

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Player Pos School IMP/NIP BANKS, Brandon WR KANSAS ST I BOWMAN, Marcellus LB BOSTON COLLEGE I BREAUX, Delvin DB LSU I DILE, Marc OL SOUTH FLORIDA I ELLINGSON, Greg WR FLA. INTL I FORTIN, Marc-Antoine DL LAVAL N GIGUERE, Samuel WR SHERBROOKE N GRANT, Bakari WR CALIF. DAVIS I LEFEVOUR, Dan QB C. MICHIGAN I MCGEE, Stephen QB TEXAS A&M I O'NEILL, Timothy OL CALGARY N TASKER, Luke WR CORNELL I WOJT, Greg OL C. MICHIGAN N

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Player Pos School IMP/NIP ANDERSON, Zachary DT N. MICHIGAN I BROHM, Brian QB LOUISVILLE I BRYANT, Romby WR TULSA I BUCKNOR, Matt DB WINDSOR N CORNELL, Mike LB OTTAWA N DUNN, Desia DB FRESNO ST I JANUARY, Glenn OL TEXAS TECH I KELLY, Aaron WR CLEMSON I KNAPP, Dan OL ARIZONA ST I MARKETT, Marty DB S. CAROLINA I SEARS, Johnny DB E. MICHIGAN I STEPHAN, Rene LB HARDING N VOLNY, Carl RB C. MICHIGAN N WASHINGTON, Demond CB AUBURN I WILD, Ian LB MERCYHURST I WOODS, Aaron WR PORTLAND ST I

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Player Pos School IMP/NIP BARTEL, Josh K NO COLLEGE N BLACK, Tristan LB WAYNE ST N BRACKENRIDGE, Tyron DB WASH. ST I BROWN, Weldon DB LSU I CLARK, Dan OL REGINA JR N FOLEY, Ricky DL YORK N GEORGE, Tearrius DE KANSAS ST I HEENAN, Ben OL SASKATCHEWAN N HUGHES, Neal RB REGINA N HURL, Sam LB CALGARY N JACKSON, Tristan DB C. ARKANSAS I MCHENRY, Scott SB SASK. N PETERS, Brian DB NORTHWESTERN I REGIMBALD-GAGNE, K. LB SHERBROOKE N SUNSERI, Tino QB PITTSBURGH I TAYLOR, Hilee DE NORTH CAROLINA I THOMAS, Carlos DB SOUTH CAROLINA I WILLIAMS, Roderick DB ALCORN STATE I

Calgary Stampeders

Player Pos School IMP/NIP BRYANT, Stanley OT EAST CAROLINA I HARRISON, Edwin OT COLORADO I JOHNSON, Micah DE KENTUCKY I JONES, Brett OL REGINA N LEMON, Shawn DL AKRON I LEWIS, Nikolas WR S. ARKANSAS I LOVE, Glenn LB UCLA I MACDOUGALL, Keenan DB SASKATCHEWAN N SINOPOLI, Brad WR OTTAWA N SMITH, Brandon DB SACRAMENTO ST I WALTER, Matt RB CALGARY N

Edmonton Eskimos

Player Pos School IMP/NIP COLEMAN, Thaddeus OL MISS. VALLEY ST I CURRAN, Rennie LB GEORGIA I HINDS, Ryan DB NEW HAMPSHIRE N O'DONNELL, Matthew OT QUEEN'S N ORAMASIONWU, Donald DT MANITOBA N ROTTIER, Simeon OL ALBERTA N RWABUKAMBA, Chris DB DUKE N SHARUN, Corbin LB ST FRANCIS XAVIER N WASHINGTON, Tony OT ABILENE CHRISTIAN I WILLIS, Odell DL W. GEORGIA I YOUNG, Marcell DB JACKSON ST I

B.C. Lions

Player Pos School IMP/NIP ARAKGI, Jason DB MCMASTER N JACKSON, Ernest WR BUFFALO I MATECHUK, Jordan LB WINNIPEG RIFLES JR N POBLAH, Kito WR C. MICHIGAN N WESTERMAN, Jabar DL E. MICHIGAN N

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