Kelowna product, Briggs, re-signs with Blue Bombers
Linebacker inks 2-year extension with Winnipeg
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Canadian linebacker Jesse Briggs to a two-year contract on Monday.
Briggs was selected 17th overall by Winnipeg in the 2014 CFL draft and has spent the past five seasons with the Bombers.
The native of Kelowna has appeared in 87 games, tallying 56 special-teams tackles and 18 defensive tackles.
Briggs has recorded double-digit special-teams tackles in four of his five CFL seasons.
“Jesse brings many great attributes on special teams and has continued to develop in that role for us,” Blue Bombers general manager Kyle Walters said. “He works extremely hard, is a quiet player who goes about his business and does so at a very high level.”
Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Roughriders also locked up a Canadian, inking receiver Patrick Lavoie to a two-year extension.
The 31-year-old native of Saint-Flavie, Que., was traded to the Roughriders by the Montreal Alouettes in October.
In seven CFL seasons, Lavoie has collected 148 receptions for 1,343 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Roughriders also announced Monday that quarterback Drew Tate has retired after 10 seasons. Tate signed with the Roughriders late last year after the team had injury problems at quarterabck.
In another transaction announced Monday, the B.C. Lions signed American offensive tackle Joel Figueroa to a two-year contract extension. Figueroa was named the Lions’ most outstanding lineman this season.
“We are a quarterback-driven league and protecting that asset is of critical importance to our success,” said Lions GM Ed Hervey. “Signing Joel was a top priority for us and securing his consistent and dominant style of play at the left tackle position for the next two seasons cannot be understated.”
In Calgary, the Stampeders promoted Brent Monson to defensive co-ordinator.
He takes over from DeVone Claybrooks, who was announced as the new head coach of the B.C. Lions last Tuesday.
Monson has spent five of his nine seasons with the Stampeders as a linebackers coach, helping Calgary win the Grey Cup last month and in 2014. The Stamps have allowed the fewest offensive points in the CFL in all four years of Monson’s second stint as Calgary’s linebackers coach.
“Brent has been a valuable member of our coaching staff for a long time and I’m very confident that he will do an excellent job in the defensive co-ordinator’s role,” head coach Dave Dickenson said.
“Brent is a hard worker who knows our personnel very well. Just as importantly, the players know him and will play hard for him.”
Monson, a 33-year-old Hamilton native, joined the Stampeders in 2009.