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Star Canadian defensive tackle Ted Laurent elects to stay in Hamilton

Defensive tackle Ted Laurent opted to remain with Hamilton Tuesday instead of taking his talents elsewhere in free agency. (@TSNScianitti.)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats' defensive tackle Ted Laurent was widely viewed as one of the top prizes in #CFL free agency this year, and he reportedly pulled in substantial offers from several teams, but in the end, he opted to stay in Hamilton. Scott Mitchell of The Calgary Sun broke the news, with several others confirming later, and Justin Dunk got the contract details:

That's quite a big deal for a non-quarterback, and it shows just how highly Laurent was coveted. A league all-star in both 2014 and 2015, he was one of the most dominant defensive tackles out there, and his Canadian passport made him even more valuable, as starting him provides ratio flexibility. Laurent's three sacks in 2015 were a step down from the nine he recorded the year before, but he was still very valuable as a run-stopper and someone who could command double teams, opening up space for Hamilton's other pass-rushers.

The 27-year-old Laurent has had an impressive CFL career so far. A solid collegiate career at Ole Miss led to him being picked by Edmonton in the second round of the 2011 supplemental draft, and he had three good years with the Eskimos before heading to Hamilton ahead of the 2014 season. Laurent was named the East Division's top Canadian after a 2014 campaign where he racked up nine sacks, 24 tackles and an interception, and while his sack total dropped in 2015, he was still playing at a very high level. It's not surprising that he was in high demand, and it's also not surprising that the Tiger-Cats chose to pay big money to keep him around. We'll see how that decision works out for them in terms of cost and the salary cap, but they've retained a very capable player who should be a significant asset for them in 2016.