Eskimos bringing back DB King

The Edmonton Eskimos re-signed Canadian defensive back Neil King through the 2019 season, the club announced Wednesday.

The 29-year-old native of Sherwood Park, who played for Bev Facey high school and the Edmonton junior Wildcats before playing collegiate football at St. Mary’s, has diverted course away from free agency as of Feb. 13 in order to return to his hometown Canadian Football League team.

Heading into his third season with the Eskimos and sixth in the CFL since being drafted in the fifth round (43rd overall) by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2013, King is coming off a 2017 season where he made 27 tackles and an interception in 10 games. He is the younger brother of current Eskimos long-snapper Ryan King.

Also on Wednesday, the Eskimos announced the signing of Canadian defensive lineman Mark Mackie and American defensive back David Stevenson, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Canada West and University of Alberta all-time receptions leader Tylor Henry.

Mackie, a six-foot-one, 255pound McMaster product, returns to the club that drafted him in the eighth round (67th overall) in 2017, before playing out his final college year with 43 tackles, six sacks and a fumble recovery in 10 games for the Marauders.

Taken one spot later in the same draft, Henry is a five-foot-10, 185-pound native of Camrose, who led the Golden Bears with 43 receptions for 611 yards in 2016, and was released by the Bombers prior to the opening of training camp last year.

Stevenson, 25, is a five-foot-nine, 170-pound Fayetteville State product out of Stone Mountain, Ga., the same hometown as former Eskimos cover linebacker Kenny Ladler.

In a 2016 interview on NFLdraftdiamonds.com, Stevenson cited Johnny Manziel as the toughest player he ever faced.