B.C. Lions look to Tavai for help with pass rush

VANCOUVER — The B,.C. Lions have re-signed defensive lineman J.R. Tavai for the 2021 season.

Tavai was eligible to become a free agent in February.

The six-foot-two, 269-pound Tavai enters his third CFL season, and first with the Lions, after originally joining the squad as a free agent in February 2020.

The native of Inglewood, Calif., previously suited up in 22 games over two seasons with Ottawa and recorded a team-high seven sacks in 2019 to go along with 49 defensive tackles and three forced fumbles.

RIDERS SIGN CANADIAN LB

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed Canadian LB Blair Smith to a one-year contract.

The six-foot-two, 230-pound native of Mississauga, Ont., spent the last five seasons with Edmonton, making 57 special-teams tackles and 16 defensive tackles while adding one interception and one forced fumble over 59 games.

The Roughriders also extended the contract of quarterback James Franklin through the 2021 season.

BOMBERS ADD EX-SUN ALL-STAR

WINNIPEG — The defending Grey Cup champion Blue Bombers have signed four 2020 draft picks: DB Noah Hallett, kicker Marc Liegghio, DL Nick Dheilly and LB Tanner Cadwallader.

Dheilly, from Regina, was drafted in the fifth round by the Bombers, 46th overall. He spent three seasons with the Regina Rams before transferring to the University of Saskatchewan. He was a Canada West all-star in 2017, when he tied a Rams record with 6.5 sacks. He was also a 2018 B.C. Football Conference all-star for the Sun.

STAMPS RE-SIGN DB

The Calgary Stampeders re-signed American DB Jamar Wall on Tuesday.

The Texas Tech product will return for his ninth season with Calgary. He has won two Grey Cups while recording 411 defensive tackles, 18 interceptions, five forced fumbles and four sacks.

Wall is three tackles away from moving into the top five in franchise history.