FRIDAY CFL MOVES: ALOUETTES MOVE ON FROM BOWMAN
MONTREAL – The Montreal Alouettes are parting ways with defensive end John Bowman after 14 CFL seasons.
The team announced Friday that it will not offer the 38-year-old a contract for the 2021 campaign.
The six-foot-three, 250-pound Bowman leads the Alouettes with 134 career sacks, good for sixth all-time in the CFL.
Bowman, a nine-time CFL East all-star and two-time CFL all-star, played 230 games with the Alouettes and helped them win Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010.
The Alouettes say they will honour Bowman once fans are allowed to attend games at Percival Molson Stadium.
“It is never an easy decision to make when you move on from one of the greatest players in the history of your organization,” Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia said in a release.
“I want to thank John for everything he has done for the Montreal Alouettes and the city of Montreal.”
REDBLACKS SIGN SIX
OTTAWA – The Redblacks have re-signed defensive back De’Chavon Hayes, linebacker Christope Mulumba-Tshimanga and offensive lineman Tyler Catalina and have signed defensive lineman Davon Coleman, wide receiver Ryan Davis and defensive lineman Bryson Young.
Hayes had 22 defensive tackles and three interceptions through seven games with the Redblacks in 2019.
Mulumba-Tshimanga has 53 defensive tackles, 34 special-teams tackles, with five sacks and four forced fumbles over 43 games with Edmonton.
He originally signed with the Redblacks prior to the 2020 season that was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Catalina signed with Ottawa in February 2020 after a college career at Rhode Island and Georgia.
Over the last three CFL seasons, Coleman has recorded 127 defensive tackles, 17 sacks and three interceptions over 49 games with B.C., Hamilton and Toronto.
Davis is the all-time leader at Auburn in career receptions with 178 and 14th in career receiving yards with 1,555.
Young accumulated 73 defensive tackles and one interception over 49 games with the Oregon Ducks.
BLUE BOMBERS ADD CORNERBACK
WINNIPEG – The Blue Bombers have signed American cornerback Deatrick Nichols.
Nichols was most recently with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
He played for the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks in 2020 and led the league with three interceptions before the remainder of the season was cancelled.
EDMONTON EXTENDS PUNTER/KICKER O’NEILL
EDMONTON – The Edmonton Football Team has extended punter and kicker Hugh O’Neill through the 2022 season.
O’Neill returns for his sixth season with his hometown team.
He has a career average of 44.5 yards per punt attempt and has accumulated 13,729 net punting yards over six CFL seasons with B.C., Edmonton and Hamilton.
His career punt long is 74-yards, set during the 2018 season.
O’Neill began his CFL career with the B.C. Lions after being selected in the second round (11th overall) out of the University of Alberta in the 2011 CFL draft.
(Canadian Press/Photo: CFL.ca)
I thought this league was broke, where they getting all the money to sign players? Glad the politicians were right to see through Randy in his ask for millions of dollars from the Gov’t, how he remains a commissioner when his credibility is shot remains a mystery, they must be all in cahoots with their defrauding scheme.
Look at all the restructured contracts. There has been a suggestion some teams aren’t adhering to the floor. Maybe. BC where Reilly gets $625,000 without playing a down can’t afford Johnson or Grymes to retain Burnham. Calgary, the other team with a $700,000 readjusted QB salary is dumping a lot of big names. The 2 picking up lots of players are Edmonton & Toronto so how do they afford it? Walker @ $180,000 means Collins with a $33,000 bonus & salary goes – it’s a wash. They save on Harris’ restructure, Ellingson gets $155,000, down from $260,000. O’Donnell, one of… Read more »
Where is money coming from with no team revenues? How do these contracts work when 2021 season is canceled? No monies coming in for 2 season’s disastrous. CFl should dissolve immediately then restart under a new banner and strictly adhered operations manual.