Canadian defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng signed a contract extension through the 2020 season with the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday.
Boateng was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 12.
The six-foot-two, 257-pound Boateng made 16 starts last season, registering 26 tackles and nine sacks. Boateng, 23, a native of Ghana who grew up in Milton, Ont., is entering his third season with the Eskimos and has accumulated 48 tackles, 13 sacks and a forced fumble in 34 career CFL games.
BOMBERS ADD TWO
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed running back Jalen Simmons and defensive back Mykkele Thompson, both Americans.
Simmons ran for 2,618 yards and 17 TDs in 44 career games at South Carolina State. In 2016, he signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent and has also spent time with the San Diego Chargers, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals.
Thompson was a 2015 fifth-round pick of the Giants following his collegiate career at Texas. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints.
WILLIAMS BACK WITH STAMPS
The Calgary Stampeders have re-signed starting centre Ucambre Williams.
Since signing with the Stamps in 2016, Williams has appeared in 36 regular-season games and five playoff contests.
The American was part of an offensive line that tied for fewest sacks allowed in the CFL last season.
"Ucambre has been one of the cornerstones of our offensive line over the past two seasons and I’m pleased he has chosen to remain in Calgary," Stampeders president and general manager John Hufnagel said in a statement.
"His reliability has been an important part of our success on offence and his versatility allows him to be a candidate to start at centre or tackle."
REDBLACKS RE-SIGN PAIR
The Ottawa Redblacks signed Canadian offensive lineman Jason Lauzon-Seguin and American defensive lineman Avery Ellis to contract extensions. Lauzon-Seguin’s deal covers two years while Ellis’s contract is for one season.
The six-foot-four, 300-pound Lauzon-Seguin is entering his fourth season with Ottawa. The former Laval star has appeared in two Grey Cup games with the Redblacks, winning in 2016 as a rookie.
Ellis appeared in nine games last season, registering 15 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. He had 28 tackles and six sacks as a rookie in 2017.
ARGOS RE-SIGN KANNEH, SACKEY
The Toronto Argonauts have re-signed international defensive back Abdul Kanneh and Canadian offensive lineman DJ Sackey.
Toronto acquired Kanneh last off-season in a deal with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was limited to eight games because of injury. Kanneh was a CFL all-star with Ottawa in 2015 and 2016.
Sackey was the Argos’ second-round pick in the 2016 draft out of the University of Toronto. The Mississauga, Ont., native played in six games in 2016 and two last year.
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