B.C. Lions sign star defensive lineman Mathieu Betts to two-year extension
The B.C. Lions have signed star defensive lineman Mathieu Betts to a two-year contract extension, the CFL club announced Thursday. Betts sits on the bench during the second half of a CFL football game against the Calgary Stampeders, in Vancouver, on Friday, October 20, 2023. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
The B.C. Lions have signed star defensive lineman Mathieu Betts to a two-year contract extension, the CFL club announced Thursday.
Betts was eligible to become a free agent this February.
The lineman from Montreal registered 13 defensive tackles and two sacks in seven regular-season games after rejoining B.C. following a stint with the NFL's Detroit Lions.
He also scored his first career touchdown on an interception return in a victory over Calgary on Oct. 4.
Betts had a standout CFL campaign in 2023, setting a single-season record for Canadian players with a league-leading 18 sacks.
The 29-year-old was named the 2023 Outstanding Defensive Player while earning West Division and CFL all-star nods for the first time in his career.
"Mathieu is an elite player in this league who is playing at a premium position," Lions general manager Ryan Rigmaiden said in a release. "He's truly one-of-one, meaning there isn't another player like him in the CFL."
Also Thursday, the Lions announced that they have re-signed American defensive back Jordan Perryman through 2026 and added Canadian wide receiver Brayden Lenius.
Perryman registered 13 total tackles (seven defence, six special teams) in 10 regular-season games in 2024, his first campaign in the CFL.
Lenius had 83 receptions for 659 yards and five touchdowns in 26 regular-season games with Saskatchewan after being selected 15th overall by the Roughriders at the 2019 CFL draft. He also spent part of 2022 with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
The six-foot-five, 230-pound wideout from Regina was a free agent after being released by the Roughriders on June 1 after training camp.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2024.
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