Mike Reilly is expected to significantly raise the bar in the quarterback-driven open market when CFL free agency begins Tuesday.

The Edmonton Eskimos passer is regarded as the best player available in a deep talent pool thatB次元官网网址檚 top-heavy with quality starting quarterbacks. Also poised to become free agents at noon ET are Bo Levi Mitchell B次元官网网址� who led the Calgary Stampeders to last yearB次元官网网址檚 Grey Cup title B次元官网网址� and Trevor Harris of the East Division-champion Ottawa Redblacks.

The expectation is Reilly, 34, will be the first of the Big Three to sign. For weeks, the overwhelming sentiment has been that Reilly, who was the CFLB次元官网网址檚 highest-paid player last year at over $500,000, would sign a multi-year deal with the B.C. Lions worth about $700,000 annually.

REPORT: According to , the plan to sign QB Mike Reilly to a 4-year deal |

B次元官网网址� CFL (@CFL)

And with good reason. Reilly hasnB次元官网网址檛 missed a game the past three years and thrown for over 5,500 yards each season. After guiding Edmonton to a Grey Cup title in 2015, Reilly was the leagueB次元官网网址檚 outstanding player in 2017 and has thrown a combined 88 TD passes the past three campaigns.

But the six-foot-three, 230-pound Reilly is a dual threat, having rushed for a combined 1,311 yards on 319 carries (4.2-yard average) and 34 TDs the past three seasons. In 2018, Edmonton was first in CFL passing (311.14 yards per game), second in net offence (399 yards), third in offensive points (26.1 per game) and fourth in rushing (103.6 yards per game).

By comparison, the Lions were seventh in passing (220.6 yards per game) and offensive scoring (23.5 points) and eighth in both rushing (94.4 yards) and net offence (316.8 yards).

WhatB次元官网网址檚 more, Reilly is a native of Kennewick, Wash., and relocating to Vancouver would move him closer to family. And heB次元官网网址檚 certainly familiar with the Lions, spending his first two CFL seasons in B.C. before heading to Edmonton in 2013.

Earlier this month, the Eskimos gave Reilly permission to speak to other teams prior to the start of free agency.

ReillyB次元官网网址檚 departure from Edmonton would provide a second blow to the Eskimos. On Monday, the club announced president/CEO Len Rhodes wonB次元官网网址檛 be seeking another term and will be leaving the club Feb. 20.

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There was a flurry of action Monday as teams locked up pending free agents. Most notable were cornerback Delvin Breaux and linebacker Simoni Lawrence re-signing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats while receiver Bryan Burnham and Canadian offensive lineman Hunter Steward remained with B.C.

Only Hamilton (Jeremiah Masoli) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Matt Nichols) head into free agency with established starters under contract. That should leave no shortage of potential suitors for both Mitchell and Harris once Reilly goes off the open market.

Mitchell, 28, has led Calgary to four Grey Cup appearances (winning two) and captured the CFLB次元官网网址檚 outstanding player award twice (2016, B次元官网网址�18) since becoming the clubB次元官网网址檚 starter in 2014 while amassing a 69-15-2 record. The native of Katy, Texas, worked out for seven NFL teams this winter but hasnB次元官网网址檛 signed a contract and the prevailing talk is if Mitchell decides to remain in Canada heB次元官网网址檒l consider all offers.

On Monday, Calgary president/GM John Hufnagel said heB次元官网网址檚 optimistic about re-signing Mitchell. If Hufnagel does, though, the question becomes at what cost. The StampedersB次元官网网址� list of pending free agents includes stalwart defensive linemen Micah Johnson and JaB次元官网网址橤ared Davis, young receiver DaVaris Daniels and offensive lineman Spencer Wilson.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e given a lot of players what I think are fair offers,B次元官网网址� Hufnagel told reporters in Calgary on Monday. B次元官网网址淪ometimes IB次元官网网址檝e thought IB次元官网网址檝e had a deal and the player has gone AWOL.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a very confusing, stressful type of couple weeks. You just have to deal with it. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the way the game is now.B次元官网网址�

Harris is coming off his best CFL season. The 32-year-old established career highs in pass attempts (615), completions (431) and yards (5,116) while sporting an impressive 70-per-cent completion percentage.

Harris threw a CFL-record six TD passes in OttawaB次元官网网址檚 46-27 East Division final win over Hamilton. But he and the Redblacks fell short in the Grey Cup 27-16 to Calgary.

Teams missing out on Reilly, Mitchell or Harris would be left to consider a second tier of available free-agent quarterbacks. That group would include Zach Collaros (Saskatchewan), Travis Lulay and Jonathon Jennings (both B.C. Lions). Kevin Glenn, 39, is a longtime CFL starter who didnB次元官网网址檛 throw a pass last year backing up Reilly while Brandon Bridge, 26, of Mississauga, Ont., started some games the past two seasons with the Riders.

But thereB次元官网网址檚 more quality available than just quarterbacks. Derel Walker (28, two-time CFL all-star coming off knee injury) and Greg Ellingson (four 1,000-yard seasons, three straight with Ottawa) top the list of eligible receivers while the defensive lineman pool includes Willie Jefferson (28, 10 sacks last year with Saskatchewan), Shawn Lemon (30, 11 sacks last year with B.C.) and Odell Willis (34, 11 sacks with Edmonton).

Also expected to garner much attention are linebacker Larry Dean (29, 96 tackles, East DivisionB次元官网网址檚 top defensive player last year with Hamilton) and offensive linemen SirVincent Rogers (32, right tackle in Ottawa) and Sukh Chungh (26, missed just three starts in four years with Winnipeg).

THE CANADIAN PRESS