CFL NOTEBOOK

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have re-signed defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat to a one-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.

Jeffcoat was scheduled to be a free agent in February but instead will be back for his sixth season with the Bombers.

The 32-year-old had 20 defensive tackles, four sacks, one interception and a forced fumble in 2022, despite missing six games.

He also had two sacks and a forced fumble in two post-season games as Winnipeg fell short of a third consecutive Grey Cup victory with a 24-23 loss to Toronto in the final.

Jeffcoat had a team- and career-high nine sacks along with a league-best four forced fumbles in 12 games during the 2021 season. He was named a CFL and West Division all-star for his efforts.

The six-foot-three, 243-pound lineman has 126 defensive tackles, 30 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 64 career games with the Bombers.

OTTAWA – Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has signed a contract extension with the Ottawa Reblacks.

The 34-year-old American is now under contract through the 2024 season. Masoli is entering his second season with the Redblacks after signing with the team on Feb. 7, 2022.

“Having consistency at the quarterback position is a key piece to have success as a CFL team, so we’re very happy to be able to keep Jeremiah Masoli in red and black for the foreseeable future,” said Redblacks general manager Shawn Burke. “Jeremiah has proven himself as a leader both on and off the field, and makes us better as a team when he has the ball in his hands.”

Masoli appeared in four games for Ottawa this season, completing 66.7 per cent of his passes for 1,083 yards and two touchdowns.

He also rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown, before his season was ended due to injury in Week 5.

After being on Edmonton’s roster, Masoli was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in February 2013.

He appeared in 112 games with the Ticats, completing 1,203 passes for 15,555 yards, and 82 touchdowns, also rushing for 1,507 yards and 19 touchdowns on 252 carries, helping Hamilton to a pair of Grey Cup appearances.

He was named a CFL East All-Star in 2018, and holds the league record for most consecutive completions in a game (23), set on July 23, 2016.

VANCOUVER – It’s time for veteran quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. to amp up his off-season workouts.

With Canadian Nathan Rourke signing with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the B.C. Lions will have a new starter in 2023. And Adams, who joined the club midway through last season, says he’ll be more than ready to battle for the job in training camp.”

“If Nathan was coming back, I’d still be working hard to be able to push him and make sure he could be the best he could be,” Adams said Monday. “Now that I know the spot is kind of wide open, my thing is, ‘It’s just time to step it up a notch, keep grinding hard but also grind smart.”’

B.C. acquired the five-foot-11, 200-pound Adams last August from the Montreal Alouettes. The move came after Rourke, who led the Lions to an 8-1 start to the season, suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his right foot that required surgery.

Rourke returned for B.C.’s regular-season finale as the Lions (12-6) finished second in the West Division. He threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-16 conference semifinal win over Calgary then had 300 yards passing and a touchdown with two interceptions in a 28-20 division final loss to Winnipeg.

Rourke, 24, of Victoria, completed 255-of-324 passes (league-high 78.7 per cent) for 3,349 yards with 25 TDs and 10 interceptions in 10 regular-season starts. He also ran for 304 yards and seven touchdowns in being named the CFL’s top Canadian.

Adams won four of his six starts with B.C., completing 118-of-180 passes (65.6 per cent) for 1,504 yards with six TDs and one interception. He also ran for 129 yards on 14 carries (9.2-yard average).

“Our organization is excited to move ahead with Vernon Adams Jr. as our quarterback,” Lions head coach/co-GM Rick Campbell said in a statement. “Vernon was instrumental to our success in 2022 and we look forward to building on it this season.”

Adams said having time in the Lions’ offence will definitely be a huge benefit.

“I’m just more comfortable now,” he said. “Having a full off-season to meet with our offensive co-ordinator Jordan Maksymic and get in with my guys Lucky, Hatcher and Rhymes (receivers Lucky Whitehead, Keon Hatcher and Dominique Rhymes) and getting the chemistry down with them is big.

“I’m very excited to work with these players and coaches.”

(Canadian Press)