The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed national defensive back Mike Edem to a contract extension.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound defender returns for a fifth season with the club after being acquired via trade in May 2017 from the B.C. Lions. He played in five games in 2021, tallying 11 tackles and one forced fumble, before being sidelined with a season-ending injury in Week 6.
Edem’s best season came in 2019 when he earned West Division all-star honours after making a career-high 69 tackles along with seven special teams tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.
The native of Lagos, Nigeria was selected by the Montreal Alouettes in the first round, third overall, of the 2013 CFL Draft. In his rookie season, he was named an East Division all-star after making 47 defensive tackles, five sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
Edem was acquired by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats via trade in 2015 and went on to spend the 2016 season with the B.C. Lions. Over the course of an eight-year CFL career, he has played 116 regular season games and made 250 defensive tackles, 57 special teams tackles, eight sacks, eight interceptions, and six forced fumbles.
The 32-year-old played two seasons at the University of Calgary (2011-12) and registered 91 defensive tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback sacks, and two interceptions over 16 games. As a senior, he was named the Canada West Defensive Player of the Year.
