Report: Tiger-Cats agree to terms with veteran linebacker Thurman

Jameer Thurman is on the move.

A CFL source said Wednesday the veteran linebacker has agreed to terms on a contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The six-foot, 227-pound Thurman spent the last four seasons with the Calgary Stampeders.

The source spoke on the condition of anonymity as deals reached during the window won't be formally announced until the start of free agency next Tuesday.

Thurman, a 28-year-old American, was slated to become a free agent Tuesday but pending free agents have been able to speak with teams since Sunday as per the league's negotiating window. Thurman had 73 tackles, one special-teams tackle, three interceptions and two forced fumbles last season with the Stampeders.

Over four seasons and 64 career regular-season games with Calgary, Thurman registered 269 defensive tackles, 31 special-teams tackles, six sacks and eight forced fumbles. He won a Grey Cup with the Stampeders in 2018.

The Ticats' move comes a day after veteran Jovan Santos-Knox agreed to a two-year deal with the Ottawa Redblacks. The six-foot-two, 233-pound Santos-Knox had a career-best 105 tackles last season with Hamilton.

Financial details of Thurman's deal weren't immediately known but a second CFL source said he'd turned down an offer of $140,000 to remain with the Ticats.

The B.C. Lions signed American quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to a one-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the '24 season. Adams had been eligible to become a free agent after the '23 campaign.

Adams is set to become B.C.'s starter after Canadian Nathan Rourke signed with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars this off-season.

B.C. acquired the five-foot-11, 200-pound Adams last August from the Montreal Alouettes. The move came after Rourke, who led the Lions to an 8-1 start to the season, suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his right foot that required surgery.

Rourke returned for B.C.'s regular-season finale as the Lions (12-6) finished second in the West Division. He led the team to a 30-16 conference semifinal win over Calgary before its season ended with a 28-20 division final loss to Winnipeg.

Adams won four of his six starts with B.C., completing 118-of-180 passes (65.6 per cent) for 1,504 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for 129 yards on 14 carries (9.2-yard average).

A source also added B.C. has an agreement in principle with veteran quarterback Dominique Davis, who spent last season with Montreal. The six-foot-four, 215-pound Davis completed 19-of-25 passes for 253 yards with three TDs and two interceptions but also scored 13 rushing touchdowns.

With the window opening last Sunday, players have until noon ET this Sunday to entertain offers from other clubs. Those proposals — including base salary and incentives — must be registered with the league and CFL Players’ Association. Any submissions that are made will be considered binding.

When the window closes, teams have 48 hours to negotiate exclusively with their own potential free agents. The CFL will provide clubs with registered offers that have been made to those players.

Teams will then have until 10 a.m. ET on Feb. 14 to make an offer to their own players, of which a copy must given to both the league and CFLPA.

Following the 48-hour period, the player will have two hours (10 a.m.-noon ET) on Feb. 14 to select any offer made to him. If he accepts one, the chosen team must then inform the CFL.

Should the player turn down all offers, he’ll enter free agency at 12:01 p.m. ET on Feb. 14. Any prior offers will be no longer available.

The free-agency window was introduced in 2020 to curb tampering and also allow pending free agents to explore all of their options and gauge their value before the start of the free-agent period.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2023.