BEEFING UP THE DEN
Lions bring in reinforcements
The B.C. Lions have added five players as part of the CFL’s practice roster expansion period, including offensive tackle Keavon Milton, a backup on the Seattle Seahawks team that went to Super Bowl XLIX.
Defensive lineman Joe Mathis, linebacker P.J. Davis and wide receivers Dontre Wilson and Dwayne Stanford are also newcomers on the B.C. practice roster.
The Lions (6-7-0), who had a bye last week, return to action Saturday when they host the Ottawa Redblacks (5-9-1) at B.C. Place.
Milton, 27, was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers in early September at the end of the pre-season. The six-foot-four, 320-pounder out of the University of Louisiana-Monroe spent much of last season on the Steelers’ practice roster. Along with the Seahawks and Steelers, he has also had stints with the Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns.
The Lions have allowed the second-most sacks (33) in the CFL. Only the Toronto Argonauts (36) have given up more. The Lions are eighth in quarterback pressures allowed (101), with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (111) the lone team to have permitted more.
On defence, the Lions are second from the bottom in sacks (21), just ahead of the Montreal Alouettes (20). B.C. is last in quarterback pressure (66), with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (74) next on the list.
Mathis, 22, was leading the University of Washington in sacks (five) through seven games last November when a foot injury ended his senior season. Pro Football Focus dubbed the six-foot-two, 260-pounder from Ontario, Calif., as the NCAA’s most productive edge rusher at that point in the campaign.
Davis, 22, finished his collegiate career at Georgia Tech last fall. He was a three-year starter and twice led the team in tackles, including putting up 119 in 2014. The fivefoot-11, 231-pounder from Cairo, Ga., signed a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being passed over in the NFL draft, but was cut in the pre-season.
Wilson, 22, had 27 catches for 352 yards and five TDs in his senior season at Ohio State in 2016. The five-foot-ten 195-pounder from DeSoto, Texas, also averaged 24.2 yards per kickoff return.
Stanford, 24, was limited to five games as a senior at Oregon in 2016 due to injury, and finished with 13 catches for 175 yards and one touchdown. In 45 games in his career at Oregon, the six-foot-five 205-pounder from Cincinnati recorded 97 catches for 1,383 yards and 12 touchdowns.