• Ottawa checks in at No. 4: The Redblacks' defensive line has earned a 77.7 PFF overall grade (fourth), a 76.0 run-defense grade (third) and a 73.7 pass-rush (tied for fourth).
• Toronto continues to easily lead the pack: The Argonauts rank first in all three grading categories: 89.8 overall, 84.5 in run defense and 85.7 in pass rush.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
1. Toronto Argonauts (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Folarin Orimolade
Field DI: Jake Ceresna
Boundary DI: Ralph Holley
Boundary EDGE: Robbie Smith
• The Argonauts are the clear-cut top defensive line in the CFL. They rank first in all three grading categories: 89.8 overall, 84.5 in run defense and 85.7 in pass rush.
• Jared Brinkman, currently on the injured list, is the Argonauts' top defensive lineman of the first half of the season. He has earned grades of 87.7 overall, 91.3 in run defense and 73.4 in. pass rush.
• Brinkman and edge defender Folarin Orimolade would make my CFL East All-Star team. Orimolade has earned grades of 83.0 overall, 68.8 in run defense and 79.0 in pass rush.
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Bryan Cox Jr.
Field DI: Miles Brown
Boundary DI: Micah Johnson
Boundary EDGE: Malik Carney
• The Roughriders' defensive line has had a marvelous first half of the season. They rank second in overall defensive grade (80.8) and run-defense grade (78.5), and third in pass-rush grade (77.6).
• Edge defender Malik Carney has been the team's top defensive lineman of the first half of the season. Carney has earned grades of 80.4 overall, 78.4 in run defense and 80.0 in pass rush.
• Carney and defensive interior Anthony Lanier II would be on my CFL West All-Star team. Lanier has graded out at 77.2 overall, 83.4 in run defense and 70.0 in pass rush.
3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Nick Usher
Field DI: Casey Sayles
Boundary DI: Dewayne Hendrix
Boundary EDGE: Brandon Barlow
• Hamilton’s defensive line ranks third in overall defensive grade (78.3), second in pass-rush grade (82.8) and fourth in run-defense grade (67.4).
• Casey Sayles has been the team's clear-cut top defensive lineman during the first half of the season. Sayles has earned an 85.6 overall grade, a 73.5 run-defense grade and an 89.5 pass-rush grade.
• Sayles would be the other interior defender on our CFL East All-Star team.
4. Ottawa Redblacks (Up 1)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Bryce Carter
Field DI: Cleyon Laing
Boundary DI: Michael Wakefield
Boundary EDGE: Lorenzo Mauldin IV
• Ottawa’s defensive line has earned a 77.7 PFF overall grade (fourth), a 76.0 run-defense grade (third) and a 73.7 pass-rush (tied for fourth).
• Lorenzo Mauldin IV has been their top defensive lineman so far this season. He has posted a 78.1 overall grade, a 79.8 run-defense grade and a 72.7 pass-rush grade.
• Mauldin would also be the final member of our first-half CFL East All-Star team.
5. Calgary Stampeders (Down 1)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: James Vaughters
Field DI: Mike Rose
Boundary DI: Josiah Coatney
Boundary EDGE: Julian Howsare
• Calgary’s defensive line ranks fifth in overall grade (72.5). They are the seventh-ranked run-defense group (63.4) and the sixth-ranked pass-rush group (72.6).
• Edge defender James Vaughters has been the Stampeders' top defensive lineman this season, earning a 73.5 overall grade, a 76.9 run-defense grade and a 63.6 pass-rush grade.
6. British Columbia Lions (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Pete Robertson
Field DI: Tibo Debaillie
Boundary DI: Josh Banks
Boundary EDGE: Sione Teuhema
• British Columbia’s defensive line ranks sixth in PFF overall grade (70.8). They rank sixth in run-defense grade (65.7) and are tied for fourth in pass-rush grade (73.7).
• Sione Teuhema has been the Lions' top defensive lineman this season. He has earned a 68.5 PFF overall grade, a 74.1 run-defense grade and a 67.6 pass-rush grade.
7. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Odd Front
Field EDGE: Willie Jefferson
NT: Jake Thomas
Boundary EDGE: TyJuan Garbutt
• Winnipeg’s defensive line ranks seventh in the CFL in PFF overall grade (70.5). They rank eighth in run-defense grade (62.6) and seventh in pass-rush grade (72.3).
• Edge defender Willie Jefferson is the top defensive lineman in the group; he has earned a 77.4 overall grade, a 66.3 run-defense grade and a 79.9 pass-rush grade.
• Jefferson would be the second edge defender on our mid-season CFL West All-Star team.
8. Edmonton Elks (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Even Front
Field EDGE: Elliot Brown
Field DI: Noah Curtis
Boundary DI: Shawn Oakman
Boundary EDGE: Noah Taylor
• Edmonton's defensive line ranks ninth in the CFL in PFF overall grade (66.6), last in run-defense grade (60.3) and eighth in pass-rush grade (70.6).
• Shawn Oakman has been the Elks' top defensive lineman since joining them a few weeks into the year. Oakman has earned a 77.9 PFF overall grade, a 67.3 run-defense grade and an 82.3 pass-rush grade.
• Oakman would be the final member of our mid-season CFL West All-Star team.
9. Montreal Alouettes (No Change)
Base Defensive Set: Odd Front
Field EDGE: Avery Ellis
NT: Mustafa Johnson
Boundary EDGE: Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund
• The Alouettes rank eighth in the CFL in PFF overall grade (66.9), fifth in run-defense grade (66.8) and last in pass-rush grade (656).
• Montreal has also dropped a defensive lineman into coverage on 155 occasions, 102 more times than the next closest CFL team. This move has not positively affected the defense, as the defensive line has earned a 59.2 coverage grade this season.
• Defensive interior Mustafa Johnson has been a star for the Alouettes this season and is their top defensive lineman. Johnson has earned an 80.9 PFF overall grade, a 77.7 run-defense grade and a 77.9 pass-rush grade.
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