Alouettes paying big bucks to bring in talent

Montreal took advantage of their cap space to bring in some high profile defensive players – at a high price.

Defensive end Jamaal Westerman put pen to paper on a contract that will pay him over $200,000 per season.

Westerman suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that ended his 2017 campaign prematurely. At the time he was tied for second in the CFL lead in sacks with seven. He has played in 47 CFL games making 32 sacks and forcing four fumbles. The 32-year-old spent six seasons in the NFL making 60 tackles, six sacks and one forced fumble before coming north where he was a CFL all-star in 2015, Westerman’s first year in the three-down league.

The Alouettes signed defensive backs Tommie Campbell and Mitchell White to one-year deals for over $130,000 in hard money with additional playtime and performance incentives.

Campbell has played in 35 games for the Stamps providing lockdown coverage at the boundary corner spot. He has 108 tackles and five interceptions over two seasons in Calgary. Originally drafted by Tennessee in 2011, seventh round, 251st overall, Campbell made 37 tackles, recovered one fumble and forced another and he has a 65-yard punt return touchdown to his credit. The 30-year-old’s combination of size – six-foot-three, 203 pounds – and speed (4.31-second 40-yard dash) coming out of California University of Pennsylvania are rare.

White spent two seasons with the Alouettes (2014 and 2015) playing in 28 games making 59 tackles and one interception. The Michigan State product signed with the Redblacks in 2016 and Argos in 2017, producing three picks each season and ending each year with Grey Cup championships in Ottawa and Toronto respectively. He was an East all-star in 2016 and brings reliable starting experience to the Alouettes defensive backfield.