CFL FREE AGENCY DAY 2 RECAP

Head coach Khari Jones and the Montreal Alouettes learned last year CFL teams can never have enough quarterback depth.

Montreal re-signed American Trevor Harris on Wednesday, the second day of CFL free agency. He joins incumbent Vernon Adams Jr., and newcomer Dominique Davis as veteran CFL quarterbacks with the club.

Montreal acquired Harris, 35, from Edmonton last October after Adams Jr. suffered a season-ending left shoulder injury. Harris made four regular-season starts, completing 64-of-91 passes for 703 yards with eight TDs and two interceptions.

Montreal released backup Matthew Shiltz – he landed in Hamilton – after signing Davis, a six-year CFL veteran, to a one-year deal. The Alouettes also have quarterbacks Shea Patterson, Quinten Dormady and Davis Alexander on their roster.

“Trevor came on last season for us when we really needed someone,” Jones said. “I liked his work ethic and the amount of time he puts into playing quarterback.

“I felt very comfortable with re-signing him. We found out you can’t have enough good quarterbacks and that (having three CFL veterans) will help us immensely.”

Jones made it very clear Adams Jr. remains the starter.

“I still think the world of Vernon and know he’s going to do a great job for us,” said Jones.

Montreal also signed veteran American defensive tackle Almondo Sewell through the ’23 season. The six-foot-four, 288-pound Sewell, a six-time league all-star, had 19 tackles and five sacks last season after spending his first nine CFL campaigns with Edmonton (2011-19). Sewell won a Grey Cup with Edmonton in 2015.

American defensive lineman Adrian Tracy officially ended his retirement Wednesday, signing with the Toronto Argonauts. On Tuesday, all-star cornerback Delvin Breaux signed with the B.C. Lions after also calling it a career before the ’21 season.

Hamilton shored up its defensive line by signing Americans Micah Johnson and J.R. Tavai.

The Redblacks agreed to terms with defensive backs Patrick Levels and Monshadrick Hunter and signed receivers Jaelon Acklin and Shaq Johnson. Levels, Hunter and Acklin are Americans while Johnson is a Canadian.

Acklin, 26, spent his first two CFL seasons with Hamilton, recording 108 catches for 1,386 yards and seven TDs in 31 games.

In other moves it was:

– Saskatchewan signed national receiver Wesley Lewis. The six-foot-five, 218-pound Lewis appeared in 11 games over two seasons with Ottawa, registering three catches for 33 yards.

– B.C. signed Canadian linebacker Kevin Francis, quarterback Isaac Harker and offensive lineman Jamar McGloster. Harker and McGloster are Americans. Francis, 28, of Toronto had three tackles and two special-teams tackles over 12 games in 2021 with Saskatchewan. Harker spent the last two seasons as a backup with the Riders. McGloster played five games with Ottawa in 2021 and spent part of the ’19 campaign with Winnipeg.

– Calgary signed Canadian free-agent linebacker D.J. Lalama. The six-foot, 222-pound Lalama had 25 tackles, eight special-teams tackles and a sack in 11 regular-season games last year with Montreal.

(Canadian Press)