Friday, February 8, 2008 - 10:17PM

By Jack Bedell,
MontrealAlouettes.com

On Feb. 16, the first real event of the 2008 season kicks off – free agency.

So far this off-season, there have been a few hot-stove tidbits to keep fans involved, but the real action starts next week.

Fortunately, the Alouettes have the core of the roster locked in for 2008, and are in no danger of losing key contributors via free agency. By signing Avon Cobourne and Chip Cox to extensions last week, the Als made sure the nucleus of the team will stay in tact.

As solid as the Als' roster is, however, free agency offers a great opportunity to make the team even stronger in a hurry. And while there's no guarantee that the free agents currently available would make that much of an impact on the Als' success, or that they could even fit in with the team's chemistry and schemes, it gives us fans the chance to dream.

Heading into the free agent frenzy, my shopping list of the top 10 available players would look something like this:

1) Jojuan Armour – a tackling machine at LB
2) Tom Canada – a high-motor rush end with serious charisma
3) Tristan Clovis – a physical DB the 'Riders gave up on too quickly
4) Tay Cody – a sticky cover guy with ball skills
5) Matt Dominguez – when healthy, a game-changing receiver
6) Corey Holmes – a high-character running back with plenty left in the tank; excellent on screens and returns
7) Jerel Myers – speed kills at receiver, and he's deadly
8) Chijioke Onyenegecha – a rangy, physical defensive back with lots of upside
9) Miguel Robede – a defensive lineman who can play inside or outside; just overlooked in Calgary
10) Tony Tomkins – seems to have lost the long return ability he showed his rookie year, but is still an effective return guy