On Monday, the Atlanta Falcons signed two former CFL players to reserve/future contracts: Roughriders WR Brayden Lenius and Blue Bombers CB DeAundre Alford. Both men had great campaigns for their respective teams in 2021, and will now join forces in the NFL. 

Lenius, a Regina native, was selected in the second round of the 2019 CFL draft. Although he originally played tight end as a rookie, Lenius lost thirty pounds and moved to receiver as a sophomore. He played in all 14 regular season games, catching 37 passes for 471 yards and 4 touchdowns. Lenius played a crucial role in the West Semifinal against Calgary, catching 6 passes for 43 yards. He now returns to the United States, where he previously played college football at both Washington and New Mexico. Hopefully, he can find a spot on Atlanta’s roster in 2022. 

Alford, on the other hand, has a bit of a different background. He played at Division II Tusculum University, and since his chance of directly making the NFL was slim, he went to Canada first. This proved to be the right decision, as he became an All-Star during his rookie season in Winnipeg. Alford was a key contributor on defense, racking up 48 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 1 touchdown. The Blue Bombers’ season concluded with a second consecutive Grey Cup win, and now, Alford gets to fulfill a lifelong dream.