TORONTO -- Lirim Hajrullahu is back in the CFL.
The veteran Canadian kicker signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Monday.
Hajrullahu, 33, spent three seasons (2020-22) in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, making four of the five field goals he tried as well as all eight converts in four regular-season NFL appearances.
This will mark Hajrullahu's second stint with Toronto, last playing with the Argos in 2016-17. The five-foot-11, 215-pound kicker began his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2014-15) and also spent time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2018-19).
Hajrullahu has made 239-of-287 field-goal tries during his CFL career (83.3 per cent) and 135-of-144 converts (93.8 per cent). He also boasts a 44-yard punting average over 72 regular-season games.
He has kicked the second-most 50-yard field goals in a CFL campaign (seven in 2018) and stands seventh all-time in field goal percentage.
The Argos also confirmed the release of veteran American kicker Boris Bede, who was slated to become a free agent Feb. 13. Two anonymous league sources said Monday the expectation is Bede will join the Edmonton Elks.
Redblacks reportedly agree to deal with LB Pickett
OTTAWA -- Adarius Pickett is on the move.
According to a CFL source, the veteran American linebacker has agreed in principle to a deal with the Ottawa Redblacks once free agency begins Feb. 13.
The source spoke on the condition of anonymity as the agreement can't be formally announced until the free-agent period officially begins at noon ET on Feb. 13.
Pickett, 27, was expected to garner much attention in free agency as one of the top available defensive players following a stellar 2023 season with the Toronto Argonauts.
The five-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker was the East Division's top defensive player after registering 105 tackles, 19 special-teams tackles, six sacks and one forced fumble en route to being named a CFL all-star.
Pickett began his CFL career with the Montreal Alouettes (2021-22). The former UCLA star has registered 201 tackles, 38 special-teams tackles, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 48 contests.
The free-agent window opened Sunday, allowing teams to talk freely with any pending free agents or their representatives. The window will remain open until noon ET on Feb. 11, during which time teams can make formal offers to any potential free agents.
Offers that are made must be registered with both the CFL and CFLPA and will be considered binding and can’t be rescinded.
Once the window closes Feb. 11, pending free agents will have a 48-hour negotiating window with the teams they remain under contract with. At any time, every CFL club will be provided any offers the pending free agents received during the week-long open window period.
Teams will have until 10 a.m. ET on Feb. 13 to make an offer to their own free agents. Copies of those proposals must again go to both the CFL office and CFLPA.
Pending free agents will then have from 10 a.m. until noon ET to accept any offer that’s been made to them. Should a player not accept any of the proposals, he’ll become a free agent at 12:01 p.m. ET on Feb. 13 and be able to sign with the team of his choosing.
So while Pickett has agreed to terms with Ottawa, he'll have to wait until the start of free agency to officially sign the deal.
Meanwhile, the Redblacks also re-signed American receiver Justin Hardy to a one-year deal.
Hardy was eligible to become a CFL free agent Feb. 13.
Hardy had 85 catches for 1,009 yards and three TDs last season, his second with Ottawa. The five-foot-10, 192-pound receiver had 44 receptions for 416 yards in seven regular-season contests with the Redblacks in 2022.
Hardy joined the Redblacks after spending five seasons with the NFL's Atlanta Falcons (2015-19). He appeared in 73 career games, recording 95 catches for 946 yards and nine touchdowns.
Ottawa also released Canadian receiver Nate Behar. The native of London, Ont., spent the last four seasons with the Redblacks, registering 39 catches for 334 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games in 2023.
Behar was selected in the first round, No. 5 overall, by Edmonton in the 2017 CFL draft and spent two seasons with the Elks.
Alouettes sign twin American defensive linemen out of Notre Dame
MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes are keeping it in the family.
The CFL club signed American twin brothers Justin and Jayson Ademilola to two-year deals. Not only are the Ademilola both defensive linemen, they also played collegiately at Notre Dame.
Justin Ademilola is a six-foot-one, 248-pound defensive end who registered 8.5 sacks, 74 tackles (9.5 for loss), three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble his final two seasons at Notre Dame, He received a minicamp invite last year from the Green Bay Packers.
Jayson Ademilola, a six-foot-three, 290-pound defensive tackle, appeared in 52 games at Notre Dame, recording 135 tackles (63 solo). He spent time last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and was drafted by the XFL's Houston Roughnecks.
Tiger-Cats re-sign Canadian kicker Liegghio, global punter Vedvik
HAMILTON -- The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed Canadian kicker Marc Liegghio and Norwegian punter Kaare Vedvik to contract extensions Monday.
Both players were eligible to become free agents next week.
Liegghio, 26, made 41-of-47 field goals (87.2 per cent) and 27-of-32 converts (84.4 per cent) last season, his first with Hamilton. The former Western Mustang began his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2021-22) and has made 78-of-94 career field goals in the CFL (83 per cent) with a long of 55 yards.
Vedvik, 29, joined the Ticats in August, 2023 after being traded by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The six-foot-three, 210-pound native of Stavanger, Norway, punted 50 times, averaging 44.2 yards with a long of 62 yards.
