CFL Free Agency Countdown: Defensive End Mathieu Betts Emerges as Top-Tier Target for Multiple Teams
With CFL free agency looming less than two weeks away, there remains a pool of top-tier talent available for signing. Among these standout free agents is defensive end Mathieu Betts, who is expected to garner significant attention from CFL teams.
According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji’s report on Sunday, three teams have expressed interest in acquiring Betts for the upcoming 2024 season. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Saskatchewan Roughriders are among the frontrunners, along with the BC Lions, Betts’ team for the past two seasons.
Among the teams with a strong interest in Matthieu Betts, the #TiCats will be near the top of the list. They’ve already reached out with an understanding of what his expectations are. #Riders are also very interested. #CFLFA @CFLonTSN pic.twitter.com/K7uu4DlGDp
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) February 4, 2024
Betts is coming off a stellar season, widely recognized not only as one of the CFL’s premier pass rushers but also as one of the league’s top players overall. In the 2023 season, he recorded 44 total tackles, four forced fumbles, and an impressive 18 sacks, leading the league in the latter category. As a result, Betts was honored with the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award and named a CFL All-Star.
In his debut season with the Lions in 2022, Betts tallied seven sacks. He initially entered the CFL with Edmonton, where he spent his first two seasons after being drafted by the team in the first round of the 2019 CFL Draft.
Despite interest from NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Buffalo Bills, who have brought Betts in for workouts over the past two months, there remains a possibility that he may opt for a CFL team. Betts is poised to be one of the most sought-after free agents in the CFL when the free agency period commences on February 13th.
