Smith’s new deal will keep him with the team through 2027, while Williams, who was a pending free agent, is now under contract for 2026.
Smith was already under contract for next season after signing a two-year contract with the Elks last offseason, which made him the highest-paid defensive player in the CFL. The 28-year-old struggled to meet those expectations in his first year, being limited to 10 games due to injury and recording 16 tackles without a single sack.
The Wilfrid Laurier product has racked up 143 defensive tackles, 20 sacks, one interception, and three forced fumbles in 90 career CFL games, primarily with the Toronto Argonauts. He won two Grey Cups with that franchise, blocking a field goal to win the game in 2022.
Williams joined the Elks mid-way through the 2025 season after being released by the Argos. He suited up for 14 games in 2025 split between the two clubs, registering 13 defensive tackles and scoring a defensive touchdown on a 77-yard fumble recovery against Ottawa.
As a rookie in 2024, the 26-year-old made 12 defensive tackles and two sacks in nine games, helping Toronto to a Grey Cup title.
The Edmonton Elks finished fifth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Cody Fajardo started the team’s final 13 regular-season games and went 6-7, throwing for 3,408 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Tre Ford started the first five, going 1-4, and threw for 984 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The Elks ranked ninth in net offence, ninth in net defence, and fifth with a turnover differential of plus-four. The club’s leading rusher was Justin Rankin with 1,013 yards, the leading receiver was Kaion Julien-Grant with 820 yards, and the leading tackler was Joel Dublanko with 80 tackles. Edmonton finished seventh in attendance with average crowds of 19,050, which was a 7.1 percent decrease from the previous year.
