Elks sign former NFL receiver Coates; trade Gibbon to Alouettes

Day 2 of CFL free agency was quieter for the Edmonton Elks but the team did make a couple of interesting moves.

First, the Elks traded Canadian offensive lineman Jesse Gibbon to the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft.

Gibbon was acquired by the Elks on Sept. 2 from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for offensive lineman David Beard. Gibbon played seven games for the Elks and started in the season-finale on Oct. 21 against the B.C. Lions. Gibbon signed a two-year contract extension with the Elks back in October.

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Head coach and general manager Chris Jones indicated on Tuesday that he will need to make moves to manage the salary cap after a busy Day 1 of CFL free-agency.

Head coach and general manager Chris Jones on what receiver Eugene Lewis will bring to the Elks offence

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The Elks on Wednesday signed American receiver Sammie Coates, who played 44 career games in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Texans.

Coates made 29 catches for 528 yards and scored two touchdowns. His best season came in 2016, when he recorded 435 yards and two touchdowns for the Steelers.

Coates was signed by the Saskatchewan RoughRiders in 2020 and spent two seasons on their suspended list but never played a game.

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