OWENS, ALLEN, BULCKE, CAMPBELL ON THE MOVE ON DAY 3

Moments after losing Canadian defensive lineman Brian Bulcke to Toronto, Kent Austin delivered a timely counter-punch to the arch-rival Argonauts.

The Hamilton head coach/GM agreed to terms with former Argos standout Chad Owens on a one-year deal Thursday, less than an hour after Bulcke agreed to go to Toronto following three seasons with the Tiger-Cats.

Owens’ contract details weren’t available, but Toronto GM Jim Barker had said it would be financially challenging to re-sign the former CFL outstanding player.

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Barker said Thursday regarding the prospect of losing a veteran in free agency. “It’s going to happen every year.”

Toronto also lost free-agent kicker/punter Swayze Waters to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers but gained Calgary Stampeders defensive back Keon Raymond on the third day of CFL free agency.

With Bulcke gone, Hamilton re-signed Canadian free-agent defensive lineman Michael Atkinson to a two-year agreement.

For years, Owens was the face of the Argos. The five-foot-nine, 180-pound dynamo was named the CFL’s outstanding player in 2012 after registering 94 catches for 1,328 yards and six touchdowns and amassing a record 3,840 all-purpose yards.

And the 33-year-old Hawaiian capped that season off by helping Toronto win the 100th Grey Cup at Rogers Centre. He signed a lucrative contract extension in June 2013 reportedly worth $225,000 annually and last year moved his family from Hawaii to live full-time in southern Ontario.

But after missing just two games his first three years in Toronto, Owens has been sidelined for 17 regular-season games the last three seasons. In 2015, he finished with 55 catches for 570 yards and two touchdowns over 13 contests.

Owens remained Toronto’s leading punt returner – 37 returns, 12.6-yard average, one TD – but CFL rookie A.J. Jefferson (26 returns, 12.5-yard average, one touchdown) also performed admirably.

Shortly after agreeing to join the Ticats, Owens graciously thanked Argos fans for their support.

“There isn’t enough words to express the gratitude I have for the Toronto Argonauts,” Owens tweeted. “Teammates, coaches, and fans, it may seem that I’ve given you so much, but actually you’ve given my family and I so much more!

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VANCOUVER, B.C. – The B.C. Lions signed free-agent running back Anthony Allen to a one-year deal Thursday.

Allen spent the last two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He appeared in 28 regular-season games, rushing for 1,504 yards on 261 carries with eight touchdowns.

Allen also had 48 catches for 314 yards and three touchdowns.

“Anthony is another experienced running back who brings an established set of skills to our team,” Lions head coach/GM Wally Buono said in a statement. “We’re trying to create the highest level of competition for the running back position this season and Anthony helps us along the way to achieving that goal.”

Allen earned a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens and also spent time with the Buffalo Bills before heading to the CFL.

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TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts have agreed to terms with free-agent defensive lineman Brian Bulcke.

The 28-year-old native of Windsor, Ont., fills a need for Toronto, which lost American defensive lineman Euclid Cummings in free agency to Winnipeg. Also, Canadian-born tackle Cleyon Laing and international end Tristan Okpalaugo are both exploring NFL opportunities.

The six-foot-four, 285-pound Bulcke spent the last three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats but is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Bulcke also only played in eight games in 2014 before his campaign was ended prematurely by a biceps tear.

Bulcke was a dominant player in 2013, his first season with Hamilton, registering career highs in tackles (24), sacks (three) and fumble recoveries (three).

Bulcke played collegiately at Stanford.

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The Saskatchewan Roughriders acquired Canadian defensive back Tevaughn Campbell from the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday for a 2017 fourth-round pick.

Campbell appeared in five games last season, registering seven tackles, one special-teams tackle and a knockdown. The Toronto native was a third-round pick, No. 22 overall, in the 2015 CFL draft out of the University of Regina.

“We had some concerns about Tevaughn’s health and so we decided to move in a different direction,” Calgary GM John Hufnagel said in a statement. “We thank Tevaughn for his efforts during his one season with the Stampeders and wish him the best of luck in the future.”