Next task: sign Tasker
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are talking with receiver Luke Tasker about a contract extension, according to CFL sources.
The 27-year-old Tasker has played five CFL seasons, all with the Ticats, and had his best year in 2017, when he registered a teamrecord 104 catches for 1,167 yards and seven touchdowns. It was the second 1,000-yard season of his career.
Tasker, who was born in Buffalo and lives there in the off-season, is set to become a free agent come February.
But he has said in the past that he’d like to stay in Hamilton. He and his wife, Jenna, welcomed their first child earlier this month.
Tasker was one of three 1,000yard receivers on the Ticats last season. The others were Brandon Banks (who recently signed a contract extension) and first-year man Jalen Saunders, who has a year left on his rookie deal. Veteran Terrence Toliver should also be ready after tearing his ACL on the opening series last season.
That could give the Ticats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who recently signed a new deal to stay with the club, a formidable receiving corps heading into this season under head coach June Jones.
Hamilton has agreed to terms with defensive back Demond Washington, on a one-year contract extension through the 2018 season, according to 3DownNation’s Justin Dunk.
After signing with the Ticats in 2016, Washington missed the entire season with a knee injury suffered in training camp. But he returned to play seven games in 2017, making 32 tackles, one sack and forcing one fumble.
The 30-year-old Washington spent the first four seasons of his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, starting 58 games, amassing 246 tackles and six interceptions.
When healthy, the five-foot-nine, 176-pounder can be a threat as a return man, with both a punt return and a kick return touchdown in his career.
Jones says quarterback Johnny Manziel will have to beat out Jeremiah Masoli if he wants to be the Ticats’ starting quarterback.
Jones was a featured guest at the B’nai Brith Sports Celebrity Dinner in Hamilton on Monday. He addressed the Manziel situation as part of a question-and-answer session with host and Toronto Maple Leafs radio man Jim Ralph, who asked him about the Jan. 31 deadline imposed by Manziel’s agent to get a deal done.
“I don’t know that’s an official deadline, but I think everybody knows how I feel about him, he’s a very talented guy,” Jones said. “We’ll see what happens. Hopefully, he’ll figure it out that this is where he needs to be. But I feel very strongly about Jeremiah Masoli, he’ll have to beat him out. I think we can win a Grey Cup with Jeremiah.”
•With files from 3DownNation and The Canadian Press