The Montreal Alouettes announced multiple transactions on Monday, including the extension of RB Travis Theis through the 2027 season, the signing of defensive end David Perales, and the release of wide receiver Austin Mack, who was a CFL All-Star in 2023.
RB Travis Theis – South Dakota (5’9, 208 lbs)
Theis is coming off a strong rookie season in 2025 that saw him earn the team’s Rookie of the Year honors. He rushed 70 times for 365 yards (5.21 average) and added 19 catches for 162 yards. He also returned 19 kickoffs for 364 yards (19.16 average) and 13 punts for 175 yards (13.46 average) and a touchdown.
“Travis is capable of wearing many hats on our team and he allows us to surprise our opponents on occasion,” stated Alouettes’ general manager Danny Maciocia. “We were very happy with his rookie season with us in 2025. We expect him to continue to develop, which will be more than positive for our team.”
Theis played for South Dakota from 2019 to 2024, where he appeared in 56 games, rushing 737 times for 3,666 yards (5.0 average) and 40 touchdowns. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry in his final year, which saw him rack up 1,172 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns. He caught 111 passes for 950 yards and 2 touchdowns with the program.
DE David Perales – Fresno State (6’3, 245 lbs)
David Parales began his collegiate career in JUCO in 2017 with Merced (CA) where he was named Golden Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was the All-Regional/NorCal Defensive Most Valuable Player. He recorded 64 tackles with 14 sacks and 3 forced fumbles over the season.
He transferred to Sacramento St where he played in 2018. He started in all 10 appearances with Sacramento ST in 2018, where he recorded 23 total tackles, including 7.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also had a pass defended and a forced fumble.
Perales then played for Fresno State to finish his collegiate career, where he played in 33 games with Fresno State with 31 starts, recording 120 total tackles and 22.5 sacks. He was named All-Mountain West Second Team in his first 2 seasons with the program and First Team All-Mountain West in his final year.
Pareles signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2023, where he spent time on the practice roster until he was waived from injured reserve in December 2024 following an injury sustained in early August of 2024. He played in 3 preseason games with Pittsburgh in 2023, which saw him record 2 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles.
Austin Mack – Ohio State (6’1, 208 lbs)
Austin Mack was released by Montreal on Monday, who had previously had a contract signed through the 2028 season that was agreed to in August of 2024. Mack first entered the CFL with the Alouettes in 2023 and finished 5th in receiving after racking up 1,154 yards on 78 catches with 4 touchdowns. He won a Grey Cup that season, was named a CFL All-Star, and went on to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.
Mack returned to the Alouettes midseason in 2024 and didn’t get back to the previous levels of production amid injuries and a drop in targets. He recorded 48 catches for 674 yards in 2
He suited up for 3 games in 2024, recording 10 receptions for 145 yards. In 2025, he recorded 48 catches for 674 yards and two touchdowns over 12 games. Mack totaled 136 receptions for 1,973 yards and six touchdowns with the Montreal over the last 3 seasons.
“We released Austin to accommodate him and allow him to explore his options,” stated Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia. “We appreciate the seasons he gave us in Montreal and our line of communication with him remains open.”
Mack was a key part of Montreal’s 2023 Grey Cup run, which saw him catch 13 passes for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns, including 103 yards and a score in the Grey Cup. This past postseason, he caught 5 passes for 119 yards.
Mack’s release is clearly a salary-related decision, although Maciocia’s statement implies there is a path for him to return to the team, presumably if he is willing to take a pay cut. He was scheduled to receive a $45,000 offseason roster bonus on February 1 had he not been released.
