Streak breakers: Edmonton Elks set roster for Sunday clash with Riders

The Edmonton Elks have set their roster for Sunday’s season opener against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

As expected it will be Taylor Cornelius under centre when the Elks’ offence takes the field. He will be joined by a pair of prized free-agent signings in receivers Eugene Lewis and Steven Dunbar Jr. Lewis came over to the Elks after spending his first five CFL seasons with the Montreal Alouettes, signing a lucrative one-year deal that made him the league’s highest-paid receiver. Dunbar signed with the Elks after two productive years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, earning a massive pay raise to move west.

Edmonton’s new receiving duo will be joined by Dillon Mitchell, who enjoyed a breakout season with the Elks in 2022. Kevin Brown will assume the lead running back duties after signing a two-year extension with the team last October following a productive end to his 2022 season.

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Defensive back Louchiez Purifoy, who signed with Edmonton in January after being released by the B.C. Lions earlier in the month, will be one of the Elks’ Designated Nationalized Americans and will start the game behind second-year player Mark McLaurin.

The Elks made receiver/returner Kyran Moore their other Designated Nationalized American, backing up Dunbar.

Veteran defensive back Aaron Grymes will miss Sunday’s game after being placed on the six-game injured list. Linebackers Wesley Appolon and Eli Mencer, defensive back Marloshawn Franklin and offensive lineman Samuel Thomassin join Grymes on the six-game injury list.

Quarterback Jarrett Doege and offensive linemen Theren Churchill, Martez Ivy and Cole Nelson have all been placed on the one-game injured list.

The Elks, who have lost 17 straight home games, are promoting Sunday night’s clash as “Guarantee Win Night.” The game kicks off at Commonwealth Stadium at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

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