The B.C. Lions have signed seven players, including veteran defensive tackle Steven ‘Stove’ Richardson.
The five-foot-eleven, 304-pound defender hasn’t dressed for a CFL game in two years due to a pair of Achilles injuries. He was on B.C.’s six-game injured list for the entire 2022 season and was a free agent for all of 2023.
The 27-year-old played 21 games over two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021 and made 38 tackles, six sacks, and one forced fumble, helping the team win back-to-back Grey Cup championships.
The native of Chicago, Ill. dressed for 48 collegiate games at the University of Minnesota and made 103 tackles, 28.5 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. He was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention during his last season with the Gophers and had a brief stint with the San Diego Chargers after going unselected in the 2018 NFL Draft.
B.C.’s other additions include American running back Vance McShane, American receiver Ayden Eberhardt, Canadian receiver Kieren Poissant, American offensive lineman Jacky Chen, Canadian offensive lineman Tyler Packer, and American defensive back Rico Gafford. Eberhardt and Packer finished the season on B.C.’s practice roster, making them free agents following their elimination in the West Final.
McShane carried the ball 189 times for 1,042 yards and eight touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons at Northern Iowa. He also made 11 receptions for 99 yards and one score over 20 games.
Eberhardt played two games this past season and made five receptions for 69 yards. He was previously named All-Mountain West at the University of Wyoming where he made 50 catches for 764 yards over 42 games with the Cowboys.
Poissant was a territorial exemption in training camp with the Lions in 2023 who returned to the CJFL with the Westshore Rebels. Over the last three years at Westshore, the six-foot, 175-pound target has made 146 receptions for 2,314 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Chen attended training camp with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 following a standout collegiate career at Pace University. The six-foot-six, 310-pound blocker attended the East-West Shrine Bowl last year in addition to being named first-team All-Conference.
Packer was a sixth-round pick in the 2021 CFL Draft out of the University of Calgary. He played one game as a CFL rookie in 2022 and spent the 2023 season on the practice roster. The six-foot-six, 315-pound blocker was named the Canada West Rookie of the Year in 2017 and a Canada West all-star in 2018.
Gafford went unselected in the 2018 NFL Draft but had stints with the Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Green Bay Packers. He has split time between receiver and defensive back, including his USFL stint with the Birmingham Stallions in 2023.
