Nine league all-stars could become free agents

When the 2015 CFL free agency period begins February 10, it could be a feeding frenzy. Some notable players change teams every year, but this year is looking like a particularly strong one in terms of potential free agents. The CFL released the official list of pending free agents Tuesday, and there are nine players on there who were selected to this season's 26-member league all-star team. Here's a breakdown of each:

Brett Jones, centre, Calgary Stampeders: Jones won the league's outstanding rookie award in 2013, then went on to be named the CFL's top lineman this year. Given the challenges of recognizing defences, adjusting protection schemes and snapping the ball, centre's usually the domain of established veterans, but Jones has proven to be a dominant performer at that position. The Regina Rams' alum has been durable, too, starting every single regular-season game in his two CFL seasons so far (35 at centre, one at left guard) and proving a critical part of Calgary's line en route to the Stampeders' Grey Cup victory. Given his age (23), his Canadian citizenship and his credentials to date, there could be a bidding war for him.

Bear Woods, linebacker, Montreal Alouettes: Woods was selected as the East Division's top defensive player this year, and deservedly so. He's battled injuries throughout his career, and missed the first six games of this season with a hamstring injury, but still finished second in the CFL with 89 tackles and was crucial to the Alouettes' turnaround after a 1-7 start. The 27-year-old Troy grad shone as Montreal's middle linebacker, filling the void left by Shea Emry's offseason departure. He also was perhaps the Alouettes' most important player in their playoff win over B.C., and he could draw substantial attention on the market.

Odell Willis, defensive end, Edmonton Eskimos: Willis is already on his fourth CFL team (with a trade from Calgary, a messy exit from Winnipeg and a quick free agency departure from Saskatchewan behind him), but he's proven he can still be a dominant pass-rushing force in this league. Everyone's usually looking for edge rushers, and West Georgia product Willis is one of the best; he tied for second in the league with 13 sacks this year, and he has 62 sacks over his seven-year CFL career. He's turning 30 later this month, but that's still relatively young by CFL standards. He could be an attractive target for numerous teams.

Duron Carter, wide receiver, Montreal Alouettes: Carter lit up the CFL with 1,030 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 75 catches this season (third in the league), the second in a series of impressive back-to-back campaigns for him. He had 909 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie last year. There are some questions about him, including the bad decisions that saw him bounce from college to college and some reported complaints when he didn't get the ball as much as he wanted in Montreal, but he's a talented 23-year-old receiver who could be a valuable addition for any CFL team. Of course, he may be NFL-bound, as he's set to hold a "pro day" for 15 teams in January.

Brandon Banks, punt returner/kick returner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Banks is another guy who could be heading south, as the NFL's often loved grabbing quick punt returners and kick returners from the CFL. Banks certainly fits that description. The Kansas State product had a great regular season for the Tiger-Cats, notching 618 yards and a touchdown on 60 punt returns and adding 701 yards and a touchdown on 30 kick returns. He was even better in the playoffs, notching two crucial punt return touchdowns in the East Final against Montreal (plus a third that was called back), and he could have won the Grey Cup with another late punt return if not for a penalty on a teammate. Banks, who's turning 27 later this month, has been useful as a receiver (42 catches for 529 yards) and rusher (15 carries for 97 yards), too, so his versatility may get him further suitors. We'll see if that image of despair when his Grey Cup touchdown was called back proves to be his last moment with the Ticats.

Brandon Smith, defensive back, Calgary Stampeders: Smith has been with Calgary since signing as a free agent out of the Arena League in 2008, but he made a bigger impact than ever this season. He started all 18 regular-season games for them at halfback and flew around the field to make plays, recording 85 tackles (third-highest in the league), three tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a sack. The 30-year-old Sacramento State alum has been a key part of the Stampeders' defence for the last few years; will they be able to bring him back, or will he hit the market?

Delvin Breaux, cornerback, Hamilton Tiger-Cats: Breaux has proven to be one of the most athletic and agile lockdown corners in the CFL, and he was crucial to Hamilton's success this season. He almost didn't make it to the pros, as he broke one of the vertebrae in his neck during a high-school game in New Orleans and was never cleared to play football while at LSU, but managed to heal up enough to play first flag football, then arena football and then catch the Ticats' attention in 2013. The 25-year-old Breaux has been a big part of their defence, notching 33 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery this year while generally forcing offences to throw at other guys. He might receive some NFL interest, and he'll certainly be looked at by other CFL teams.

Stanley Bryant, left tackle, Calgary Stampeders: Bryant has been with the Stampeders for five seasons, playing first mostly at right tackle and then taking over the left tackle spot in 2013. The East Carolina product has been especially durable the last two years, starting 35 of Calgary's 36 regular-season games (and all 18 this year). He was the anchor of a Stampeders' line that allowed a league-low 26 sacks this year, and he's just 28. Teams looking to go with an import left tackle might have a lot of interest in him.

Tyron Brackenridge, safety, Saskatchewan Roughriders: The versatile Brackenridge has been a valuable part of Saskatchewan's defence for the last four years, playing multiple positions, but he really shone this season, flying around the field and recording 64 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks. The Washington State alum also proved to be an important part of the Roughriders' coverage teams, notching 10 special-teams tackles. At 30, he should have some good years left ahead of him; the question is if they'll be in Saskatchewan or elsewhere.

There are plenty of intriguing names set to hit free agency beyond just the league all-stars, of course, including receivers like Weston Dressler, S.J. Green and Sam Giguere, defensive linemen like Tearrius George, Justin Hickman and Ricky Foley, offensive linemen like Matt O'Donnell and Joe Eppele, running backs like Nic Grigsby and Hugh Charles and even a quarterback in Kevin Glenn. All around, it's going to be a fascinating free agent crop, especially considering how the salary cap has risen (keep in mind, general managers didn't know exactly how high it would go during the last free agency period thanks to ongoing CBA negotiations; now, they know exactly how much they have to spend). Still, if these nine league all-stars don't sign new deals with their current teams or head to the NFL, they might attract some of the highest interest on the market. They'll be players to watch this offseason.