To re-build offensive line roster depth, the Tiger-Cats have traded a 7th round 2023 draft pick to obtain offensive lineman Colin Kelly. Kelly is a 6’5″, a 298-pound offensive lineman with 76 games of CFL experience primarily at right tackle. He comes to Hamilton after playing in 50 games with the Edmonton Elks since 2017 including the first 2 games of the 2022 season.

In 2019, Kelly started all 18 games at right tackle for Edmonton, but then he missed the 2021 season with a torn pectoral muscle. On his way to Edmonton Kelly was signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, the Ottawa Redblacks from 2014-2016, and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. Kelly did play 26 games with the Redblacks. Collegiately, Kelly played for Oregon State and is originally from Longview, WA.

This move is expected to be part of an effort by the Tiger-Cats to add more offensive lineman to the mix to compensate for injuries to left guard Brandon Revenburg, centre Alex Fontana, and right tackle Chris Van Zeyl. Coming into the 2022 season the offensive lineman is an area that the Tiger-Cats need to upgrade and stabilize. In the first 3 weeks of the 2022 season, the Tiger-Cats have used 3 different offensive line combinations with varying levels of success.

It is hopeful that by adding a veteran offensive lineman, he will be able to contribute to the situation that the Tiger-Cats are facing on their offensive line. As the Tiger-Cats prepare to host the Edmonton Elks in Week 4, it will be interesting to what effect this trade has on the Tiger-Cats preparation. On a side note, the Tiger-Cats also released Global punter Joel Whitford.

Full coverage of the 2022 season on CFL News Hub.

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