B.C. Lions to start pass-catching OL Andrew Peirson at centre against Elks

The B.C. Lions have made several changes to their roster ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Edmonton Elks, most notably along the offensive line.

Starting centre Michael Couture has officially been placed on the six-game injured list after being ruled out with a hand issue. That will leave veteran backup Andrew Peirson in charge of the trenches in Commonwealth.

The 30-year-old is in his seventh season as a Lion after entering the league in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. In 73 appearances, he has made 22 starts at either centre or guard and has also caught two passes for 20 yards as a tight end.

A pair of rookies will come off the practice roster to serve as insurance along the offensive line, as Canadian seventh-round pick Alex Berwick and American Ilm Manning will both make their CFL debuts. The team will also have a new face in the backfield, as American fullback Zander Horvath (hand) has been placed on the one-game injured list and will be replaced by territorial exemption Jacob Bond, a converted linebacker from the Okanagan Sun who began practicing with the team this week after being injured in training camp.

Defensively, the Lions will still be without American defensive tackles Jonah Tavai (calf) and DeWayne Hendrix (thigh) despite both being listed as questionable this week. They also lose Canadian linebacker Adam Auclair (ankle) to the six-game injured list, Global defensive tackle Tibo Debaillie (ankle) to the one-game injured list, and defensive end Kemoko Turay to his one-game suspension for last week’s brawl in Montreal.

American defensive end Jalil Clemons will dress for the second time this season to plug the gaps up front, while veteran Global linebacker Maxime Rouyer will see his first action of the year after recording 14 special teams tackles in 2024.

B.C. has also elected to make a change at returner, as Jermaine Jackson will be a healthy scratch this week and Seven McGee draws onto the roster after recovering from a thigh injury.

The B.C. Lions (2-3) will visit the Edmonton Elks (1-3) at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday, July 13 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT. B.C. is coming off a 21-20 walk-off win over the Montreal Alouettes, while Edmonton got its first win of the season in a 39-33 home victory over the Ottawa Redblacks.

The weather forecast calls for a high of 22 degrees and a mix of sun and cloud. The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada and on CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 730 CKNW in Vancouver and 880 CHED in Edmonton.

Graphic courtesy: B.C. Lions