Free agency is now just hours away and there are a number of pending free agents soon to be available to the highest bidder.

A few contract extensions could still be reached before free agency later today, but the current pool of pending free agent talent will largely be the same one that becomes available league wide at noon et.

Stay with TSN.ca throughout the day for all the latest news, signings, and rumours.

This year’s crop of free agents is heavy on the defensive side of the ball, with a number of impact players available at all three position groups.

Up front, national defensive tackle Ted Laurent, who TSN’s Dave Naylor reported will test free agency, is expected to be heavily sought after. The 30-year-old, who spent the past four years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, is a four-time Division All-Star and two-time CFL All-Star. Laurent missed six games with a lower-body injury last season but is just one year removed from his 26-tackle, eight-sack campaign in 2016.

Laurent isn’t the only national that could garner attention Tuesday, with Jamaal Westerman and Ese Mrabure also likely to be available as starting options for teams.

Westerman will be 33 at the start of next season, but has shown a capability of getting to the quarterback in his three seasons in the CFL. The Rutgers product had just seven sacks in 11 games in an injury-shortened 2017, but had eight sacks the year before and 17 in his rookie campaign in 2015.

Evans doesn’t have the production history of a Laurent or Westerman, but is younger at 27-years-old and has been consistent performer for the Ottawa Redblacks, totalling 18 sacks and missing just one game over the past three seasons.

There are a couple American talents to consider along the defensive line as well, led by AC Leonard and Euclid Cummings. Leonard, coming off 33 tackles and five sacks with the Saskatchewan Roughriders last season, has had NFL workouts and might not sign a CFL deal anytime soon. Cummings,

Other names to keep an eye on include national Ese Mrabure and internationals Craig Roh and Alex Bazzie.

At linebacker there are some notable names in internationals Larry Dean and Bear Woods, and national Adam Konar.

Dean has had a productive two seasons with the Tiger-Cats and was named an East Division All-Star last year after finishing with 96 tackles and three sacks.

Woods didn’t match his 2016 production with the Montreal Alouettes that earned him the East Division Nominee for Most Outstanding Defensive Player, but was still solid in his first season with the Toronto Argonauts, notching 90 tackles and two sacks.

Konar would bring similar production, alongside a Canadian passport, if he could stay healthy. The 24-year-old Vancouver native finished with 59 tackles and a sack in 12 games after missing time with a leg injury.

Other linebackers that could be on the move include internationals Taylor Reed and Deron Mayo, and national Sam Hurl.

Free agent talent in the secondary is abundant as well. CFL All-Star TJ Heath leads the way but other big names include Tommie Campbell, Mitchell White, and Chandler Fenner, who played cover linebacker for the BC Lions last season.

The 30-year-old Heath finished last season with career-highs in tackles (64), and interceptions (five).

Campbell, also 30, didn’t quite match his 2016 production which earned him a CFL All-Star nod, but still finished with 37 tackles and two interceptions.

White only played six games with the Argos last season, racking up 11 tackles and three interceptions, but is only one year removed from an East Division All-Star nod when he was with the Ottawa Redblacks.

And Fenner had a breakout season with the Lions playing the all-important cover linebacker position. The 27-year-old finished with 76 tackles and an interception.

Another Lions defensive back, Ronnie Yell, could also be on the move early in free agency.

Talent is not as abundant on the offensive side of the ball but there are still some good finds to be had.

Calgary Stampeders running back Jerome Messam is probably the biggest name that will hit the market and even at 32-years-old is still a ratio buster in the backfield. Messam rushed for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns on 215 carries for the Stamps last year. After taking over for Jon Cornish and filling in admirably the past two seasons, Messam isn’t expected back with the team.

A couple other running backs could be on the move in internationals John White and Travon Van. White is one of the league’s best when he’s healthy, but unfortunately that hasn’t been the case often lately. White has played just 26 games since 2013 but is still just 26 and rushed for 1,850 yards and 11 touchdowns in those 26 games.

Van, another talented but injured Edmonton Eskimos running back, finished with 283 yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries in six games last year. Van too is just 26-years-old.

And while he’s more of a special teamer than a running back, Roy Finch would be a nice get for any CFL team if he doesn’t first sign south of the border. Finch, 26, had 1,200 punt return yards and 696 kick return yards, and three return touchdowns for the Stampeders last season.

Two names to keep an eye on along the offensive line are Bruce Campbell and Dan Clark. Campbell, an international, solidified the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ offensive line from the left tackle position while Clark, a Canadian, was also an integral part of the Roughriders’ unit from the centre position.