ALOUETTES SIGN ERNEST JACKSON
Montreal – The Montreal Alouettes announced on Thursday that the club has reached an agreement with All-Star international receiver Ernest Jackson. Both parties agreed on a two-year deal.
Jackson (6’2”, 220 lbs.) lands in Montreal after a season to remember and a Grey Cup victory with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. The sure-handed and physical receiver will join a revamped Alouettes offensive squad in 2017, bringing a wealth of experience and a remarkable track record. He experienced breathtaking moments in 2016 as he concluded the regular season ranked seventh among the league’s receivers, amassing 1,225 receiving yards. He was one of quarterbacks Henry Burris and Trevor Harris favorite targets with 88 catches as well as ten touchdowns. Jackson averaged a remarkable 13.9 yards per catch in 17 outings this past year. As it’s been the case throughout his career, Jackson multiplied spectacular catches all through last season and has showed what a fearsome and menacing offensive weapon he is. He showed great consistency in 2016 as he totaled five games of 100-plus receiving yard. He was named an East Division and a CFL All-Star the same year.
“The addition of Ernest brings a world of new possibilities for our new offence to perform well looking forward to next season. This signing is in line with our plan to put together a productive and spectacular offence for our supporters”, stated Alouettes General Manager Kavis Reed. “Ernest is one of the most menacing offensive threat in our League. I am confident he will be among the fan favorites soon enough”, concluded Reed.
Before joining the Alouettes, the veteran of six seasons in the Canadian Football League had 61 regular season appearances, all of them as a starter on offence for the BC Lions and the Ottawa REDBLACKS where he caught 252 passes good for 3,453 receiving yards to go along with 20 majors and while averaging 13.6 yards per catch. The Rochester, NY native had his second consecutive season of 1000-plus receiving yards in 2016. He was a key contributor in the REDBLACKS Grey Cup victory over the Calgary Stampeders with 96 receiving yards on six catches while scoring an important touchdown. He is a product of the University of Buffalo Bulls football program.
