Dominique Rhymes is officially back with the Ottawa Redblacks. Rhymes, then with the B.C. Lions, makes a reception as Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Evan Holm defends during the second half of a CFL football game, in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

OTTAWA - Dominique Rhymes is officially back with the Ottawa Redblacks.

The CFL team announced Monday it had signed Rhymes to a two-year contract. Rhymes and the B.C. Lions mutually agreed to part ways last week.

Rhymes, a 30-year-old Miami native, began his CFL career with Ottawa (2017-19), registering 102 receptions for 1,578 yards and six touchdowns in 39 career regular-season games.

He also helped the Redblacks reach the 2018 Grey Cup game.

Rhymes joined the Lions as a free agent in February 2020 but the CFL didn't play that season due to the global pandemic.

He re-signed with B.C. in December 2020, spending three seasons with the Lions (2021-23). The six-foot-four, 215-pound Rhymes registered 148 catches for 2,347 yards and 18 touchdowns in 36 career regular-season games.

Ottawa also re-signed global linebacker Tyron Vrede to a one-year contract extension. The 27-year-old from the Netherlands has spent all three of his CFL seasons thus far with the Redblacks.

The six-foot, 231-pound Vrede has appeared in 30 regular-season games, registering 23 tackles and 19 special-teams tackles.

Montreal Alouettes re-sign veterans Antwi, Ellis and Murray to extensions

MONTREAL — The Grey Cup-champion Montreal Alouettes re-signed running back Jeshrun Antwi, defensive lineman Avery Ellis and defensive back Najee Murray to one-year contract extensions Monday.

Antwi is Canadian while Ellis and Murray are both American. All three players were slated to become free agents next month.

The six-foot, 220-pound Antwi ran 39 times for 229 yards and a touchdown last season, his third with Montreal. The Alouettes selected Anti in the sixth round, No. 48 overall, in the 2019 CFL draft out of Calgary.

The six-foot-two, 250-pound Ellis is entering his seventh CFL season and third with Montreal. Ellis, 29, began his career with the Ottawa Redblacks (2017-19, 2021) and also spent time with the Edmonton Elks (2022) as well as Alouettes (2022-present).

Murray, a five-foot-eight, 194-pound defensive back, is entering his sixth CFL season, all with Montreal.

Kicker Lauther, offensive lineman Ferland remain with Saskatchewan Roughriders

REGINA — Veteran kicker Brett Lauther and offensive lineman Logan Ferland signed contract extensions with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday.

Both players are Canadian. Lauther's extension covers three years while Ferland signed for two years.

The six-foot-one, 195-pound Lauther enters his sixth season with Saskatchewan. The Truro, N.S., native has made 203-of 242 field-goal attempts (84 per cent) and 130-of-142 converts (91.5 per cent) while registering 14 special-teams tackles.

Lauther, 33, was Saskatchewan's top Canadian in 2018 as well as its outstanding special-teams nominee in 2018 and '21. In November, he received the Tom Pate Memorial Award, presented annually by the CFL Players' Association to the player who best combines sportsmanship with outstanding community service.

The six-foot-five, 306-pound Ferland started all 18 regular-season games last season at right tackle. The native of Melfort, Sask., joined the Riders as a territorial junior in 2019 before becoming a starter in 2021. He has seen action at both guard and tackles.

Stampeders sign linebacker Konar, re-sign defensive lineman Graham

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders signed Canadian linebacker Adam Konar and re-signed Canadian defensive lineman Elliot Graham on Monday.

Konar, a Vancouver native who played collegiately at the University of Calgary, was recently released by the Edmonton Elks.

The six-foot-two, 225-pound Konar has appeared in 101 career CFL regular-season games with Edmonton (2015-18, 2022-23) and B.C. (2019, 2021). He has registered 221 tackles (three for loss), 37 special-teams stops, five sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Konar has also appeared in three career playoff games.

The six-foot-three, 253-pound Graham has appeared in 25 regular-season games and one playoff with Calgary. The Stampeders took the Hamilton native in the fourth round, No. 29 overall, in the 2021 CFL draft out of the University of British Columbia.

He has registered three tackles, nine special-teams tackles and a forced fumble with the Stampeders.

Toronto Argonauts add Maxie, Picard to their coaching staff

TORONTO — Demetrious Maxie and Dominic Picard are back with the Toronto Argonauts.

The two former Argos players rejoined the CFL squad as coaches Monday. Maxie returns as defensive line coach while Picard will handled running backs

Maxie won two Grey Cups as an Argos defensive lineman during his five seasons with the club. He served as a linebackers coach and defensive line coach with the Edmonton Elks since 2016.

Picard was an offensive lineman with Toronto from 2009-11 with other CFL stints with Winnipeg, Montreal and Saskatchewan (winning a Grey Cup with the Riders in 2013). He served as the offensive co-ordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Sherbrooke last season.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats re-sign Canadian fullback Garand-Gauthier to a two-year deal

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats re-signed Canadian fullback Felix Garand-Gauthier to a two-year deal Monday.

Garand-Gauthier appeared in 18 regular-season games for Hamilton, recording six receptions for 54 yards. He also had five special-teams tackles.

The six-foot-one, 225-pound native of Mirabel, Que., has appeared in 46 games over his three seasons with Hamilton. He has recorded 15 catches for 244 yards while adding 23 total tackles.

Hamilton selected Garand-Gauthier in the fifth round, No. 37 overall, in the 2021 CFL draft out of Laval University.

Former NFL first-round draft pick signs deal with Edmonton Elks

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks signed American defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche on Monday.

Nkemdiche was selected in the first round, No. 29 overall, of the 2016 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He spent five seasons south of the border with Arizona (2016-18), Miami (2019) and Seattle (2021), registering 59 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a touchdown in 59 career games.

Nkemdiche played three seasons at Ole Miss (2013-15), where he had 41 tackles (16 for loss) and six sacks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2024.

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