The Edmonton Eskimos on Wednesday morning signed another pending free-agent in defensive back and Edmonton native Neil King, locking their starting safety up to a two-year contract extension.
“Yeah it’s a big relief,” King said. “Obviously the goal for me was to stay in the City and stay with the organization. I’m just really excited that we were able to go through the process and finally get a deal done before free-agency hit so I’m very excited and a huge relief.”
King will be entering his third season with the Eskimos. He was limited to 10 games in 2017 because of injuries and recorded 27 defensive tackles, four pass knockdowns and one interception. King spent his first three CFL seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
King says the he’s hoping the team can finally break through in the playoffs and reach the Grey Cup game which will be played in Edmonton this year.
“We’ve been one game away the last two years,” King said. “We’re getting better as a team and as an organization every single year so you’re starting to see that experience of going late into the season and into those playoff games. Being able to win playoff games is so hard to do in this league so having experience through those moments I feel like we’re building an attitude and a desire to get back to the Grey Cup next season.”
The Eskimos have also brought back national defensive lineman Mark Mackie, who was an eighth-round pick of the team in the 2017 CFL Draft. Mackie played at McMaster and was cut before the end of training camp last season.
The Eskimos also signed international defensive back David Stevenson who split time in college with the University of Connecticut and Fayetteville State University. Stevenson recorded 46 defensive tackles and two interceptions during his collegiate career.
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