Toronto Argonauts agree to terms with star running back Andrew Harris

Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Andrew Harris (33) celebrates his touchdown against the Calgary Stampeders during first half CFL football action in Winnipeg, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods)

TORONTO -

The Toronto Argonauts landed one of the biggest free agents available Tuesday, coming to terms with Canadian running back Andrew Harris.

The 34-year-old Winnipeg native was unable to strike a deal to stay with the Blue Bombers, opening the door to Toronto.

"Respectfully, the best running back in the Canadian Football League," Argos GM Michael (Pinball) Clemons said in a statement. "Homegrown through junior football, he is not defined by his birth certificate but refined by our Canadian game. His will to win is only paralleled by his love of the game.

"Andrew is a gift, a game-changer."

Harris arrives with a bulging trophy case. He has won three Grey Cup championships (2011, '19, '21) and was named the championship games' Most Valuable Canadian twice (2011, '19) and MVP once (2019).

Named the league's Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017, he has led the league in rushing three times (2017-19) and is the CFL career leader for rushing yards by a Canadian.

Harris has accumulated 9,661 rushing yards, 576 receptions, 5,223 receiving yards and 83 total touchdowns in 176 career games.

He spent the last five seasons in Winnipeg, rushing for more than 5,000 yards and 25 touchdowns while catching 340 passes for more than 2,500 receiving yards and another 10 TDs.

The five-foot-10, 216-pounder spent the first six seasons of his CFL career with the B.C. Lions, starting in 2010.

Harris had earlier held contract talks with Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters.

"Andrew and I spoke a few days ago," Walters said. "He represents himself, which is an interesting element to all this, and we couldn't agree on a contract."

Also Tuesday, the Argonauts agreed to terms with American defensive lineman Ja'Gared Davis and Canadian offensive lineman Justin Lawrence.

The six-foot-one, 238-pound Davis had 39 tackles and six sacks in 13 regular-season games last season with Hamilton. But Davis had seven tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble in the Ticats' three playoff games, helping the club reach the Grey Cup for a second straight season.

Davis, 31, began his CFL career with Calgary (2016-18) before moving to Hamilton (2019, 2021). He has played in the Grey Cup in each of his five seasons in Canada, winning in 2018 with the Stampeders.

Davis has appeared in 75 career CFL regular-season games, recording 216 tackles, four special-teams tackles, 42 sacks, three interceptions and 10 forced fumbles.

Lawrence, 25, joins the Argos following three seasons with the Stampeders. The six-foot-one, 300-pound lineman started 12-of-31 games with Calgary and won a Grey Cup with the club in 2018.

Toronto also signed American linebacker Wynton McManis on Tuesday.

McManis, 27, appeared in one game last season with the New Orleans Saints before finishing the year on the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

The six-foot-one, 225-pound linebacker spent three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders (2017-2019), registering 104 tackles, 41 special-teams tackles, four sacks, and two forced fumbles in 43 career regular-season games. He had a CFL-best 25 special-teams tackles in 2018, helping the Stamps win the Grey Cup that year.

McManis began his pro career in 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers after signing with the NFL club as an undrafted free agent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2022.