It’s hard to be a good football team when you have a bad offensive line and it’s hard to be a bad football team when you have a good offensive line. The big men up front set the tone physically and ensure playmakers have an opportunity to produce at a high level.
3DownNation will be unveiling the CFL’s highest-paid players from each position group. We’ve already covered quarterbacks and receivers, so don’t forget to check back for the rest.
“Hard money” is a CFL term that refers to any portion of a contract that is paid even if a player is hurt. This includes base salary, signing bonuses, roster bonuses, housing allowances, travel allowances, and training allowances. Marketing money, which is officially called “non-football-related services,” isn’t always guaranteed, though we’ve decided to include it in hard money for this series.
Any additional components — often referred to as “playtime” or “performance incentives” — are outlined in part or in full in the paragraph accompanying each player. These bonuses are often tied to how much a player sees the field, produces yardage, scores a touchdown, makes tackles, or whether or not they’re named an all-star.
“N” denotes National players (ie. Canadians) and “A” denotes American players.
1) Ryan Hunter, Toronto Argonauts (N)
Hard money: $270,000
Maximum value: $275,000
The six-foot-four, 324-pound native of North Bay, Ont. collected a $100,000 signing bonus earlier this offseason to extend his contract with the Argonauts through 2027. Hunter will also earn $145,300 in base salary, $14,700 in housing money, and $10,000 in marketing money this year, plus $5,000 in potential all-star and awards incentives. The 29-year-old is the CFL’s reigning Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.
2) Drew Desjarlais, Ottawa Redblacks (N)
Hard money: $260,000
Maximum value: $266,000
The University of Windsor product earned a $50,000 offseason roster bonus on Jan. 15 and will make another $20,000 when he reports to training camp and passes his physical. Desjarlais will also make $155,300 in base salary, $15,000 in marketing money, $14,700 in housing money, and a $5,000 travel bonus. The six-foot-two, 315-pound blocker has an additional $6,000 in all-star and awards incentives.
3) Mark Korte, Edmonton Elks (N)
Hard money: $225,000
Maximum value: $234,000
The 28-year-old blocker received a $30,000 offseason roster bonus on Jan. 15 and will earn another $185,000 in base salary and $10,000 in marketing money this year. The native of Spruce Grove, Alta., who played collegiately at the University of Alberta, can also earn up to $9,000 in all-star and awards incentives, including $4,000 if he’s named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Korte was named All-West Division in 2024.
4) Jermarcus Hardrick, Saskatchewan Roughriders (A)
Hard money: $213,700
Maximum value: $218,700
The ten-year veteran got a $110,000 signing bonus in January to restructure the second year of the two-year deal he signed with the Roughriders in free agency last year. Hardrick will also make $70,000 in base salary, $17,000 in marketing money, $14,700 in housing money, and a $2,000 travel allowance this year, plus $5,000 in potential all-star and awards incentives. The 34-year-old native of Batesville, Miss. is a two-time All-CFL selection at tackle.
5) Brandon Revenberg, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (N)
Hard money: $210,500
Maximum value: $221,000
The 32-year-old native of Essex, Ont. received a $25,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 and will earn another $162,700 in base salary, $13,800 in housing money, and $9,000 in marketing money this year. Revenberg will also earn $250 each time he plays more than half of Hamilton’s offensive snaps in a game and another $6,000 in potential all-star and awards incentives. The six-foot-four, 300-pound blocker is a four-time All-CFL selection and five-time All-East Division selection at guard.
6) Peter Nicastro, Toronto Argonauts (N)
Hard money: $210,000
Maximum value: $225,000
The six-foot-two, 305-pound blocker received a $40,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 to return to the team that selected him in the first round of the 2021 CFL Draft. The native of Calgary, Alta. will also make $141,200 in base salary, $13,800 in housing money, $10,000 in marketing money, a $2,500 training allowance, and a $2,500 travel allowance. Nicastro also makes an additional $555.55 each time he makes Toronto’s active roster for a game. He is the CFL’s highest-paid centre.
7) Dejon Allen, B.C. Lions (A)
Hard money: $210,000
Maximum value: $217,500
The 30-year-old blocker received a $25,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 and will make another $158,200 in base salary, $13,800 in housing money, $5,000 in marketing money, a $4,000 training allowance, and a $4,000 travel bonus in 2025. Allen can also receive $7,500 in awards incentives, including $5,000 if he’s named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, an award he won in 2023. The native of Compton, Calif. was traded to B.C. from Toronto in January.
8) Zack Williams, Calgary Stampeders (N)
Hard money: $210,000
Maximum value: $216,000
The University of Manitoba product received a $50,000 signing bonus to remain in Cowtown through 2026. In 2025, the 28-year-old native of Winnipeg, Man. will also earn $148,000 in base salary, $10,000 in marketing money, and a $2,000 travel allowance. Williams has been a starter at guard for the past four seasons in Calgary.
9) Liam Dobson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (N)
Hard money: $205,000
Maximum value: $214,000
The 27-year-old native of Ottawa, Ont. was named All-West Division last season and parlayed that success into a big-money free-agent deal in Steeltown, receiving a $35,300 signing bonus to join the Tiger-Cats. The former first-round draft pick will earn $145,000 in base salary, $14,700 in housing money, $10,000 in marketing money, plus $12,000 in playtime, all-star, and awards incentives.
10) David Beard, Edmonton Elks (N)
Hard money: $197,000
Maximum value: $203,000
The 32-year-old native of Sherwood Park, Alta. returned to his hometown team in free agency and earned a $30,000 signing bonus in the process. Beard will also receive $147,000 in base salary and $20,000 in marketing money this year along with up to $6,000 in all-star and awards incentives. The six-foot-five, 320-pound blocker was named All-CFL at centre in 2024 while playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
11) Logan Ferland, Saskatchewan Roughriders (N)
Hard money: $190,000
Maximum value: $198,000
The native of Melfort, Sask. received a $40,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 and will make another $147,000 in base salary and $3,000 in marketing money this year. Ferland was named All-West Division, All-CFL, and the West Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2024, all of which were career-firsts. The 27-year-old blocker recently signed a two-year extension with the Riders.
12) Pier-Olivier Lestage, Montreal Alouettes (N)
Hard money: $190,000
Maximum value: $196,000
The 27-year-old native of Saint-Eustache, Que. collected a $65,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 to return to his hometown Alouettes for a fourth straight season. The six-foot-three, 310-pound blocker will also earn $125,000 in base salary this year plus $6,000 in possible all-star and awards incentives. The Université de Montréal product is widely considered one of the CFL’s best guards but has yet to receive an All-East Division selection.
13) Jarell Broxton, B.C. Lions (A)
Hard money: $180,000
Maximum value: $187,000
The 32-year-old native of Olney, Md. collected a $40,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 and will earn an additional $108,000 in base salary, $14,700 in housing money, $5,300 in marketing money, and a $2,000 travel allowance. Broxton will also receive $10,000 when he reports to training camp and passes his physical plus a potential $7,000 in all-star and awards incentives. Broxton has been B.C.’s starter at left tackle since 2023.
14) Stanley Bryant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (A)
Hard money: $170,700
Maximum value: $183,700
The soon-to-be 39-year-old earned a $76,000 signing bonus to return for a tenth season in Bomberland. The six-foot-five, 315-pound blocker can also collect upwards of $13,000 in all-star and awards incentives, including $5,000 if he’s named Winnipeg’s nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Bryant has earned nine All-West Division selections, eight All-CFL selections, and four CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman awards over his long career.
15) Coulter Woodmansey, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (N)
Hard money: $170,500
Maximum value: $183,700
The University of Guelph product got a $15,000 offseason roster bonus on Feb. 1 ahead of his fifth season with the Tiger-Cats. Woodmansey will also make $131,700 in base salary, $13,800 in housing money, and $10,000 in marketing money this year, plus an additional $250 each time he plays more than half of Hamilton’s offensive snaps in a game.
Just off the list: Bryce Bell, Calgary Stampeders; Nick Callender, Montreal Alouettes; Martez Ivey, Edmonton Elks; Justin Lawrence, Montreal Alouettes
The post The CFL’s 15 highest-paid offensive linemen for the 2025 season appeared first on 3DownNation.
