The Montreal Alouettes have signed American receiver Ja’Coby Matthews to a two-year contract through the 2027 CFL season.
The five-foot-ten, 167-pound target played his final collegiate season at Alcorn State University in 2025, recording 21 receptions for 209 yards with two touchdowns. The 23-year-old also returned 10 punts for 215 yards and one score, and four kickoffs for 72 yards.
The McComb, Miss. native played at Florida International University in 2023 and 2024. In 2021 and 2022, he played at Southwest Mississippi Community College. He suited up in 13 regular-season games for the Bears, registering 29 receptions for 556 yards with five touchdowns over two seasons.
The Alouettes were relatively quiet in CFL free agency, though they still added quarterback Dustin Crum, receiver Jerreth Sterns, and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon. The team also suffered some key losses, including Austin Mack (Edmonton Elks), linebacker Darnell Sankey (B.C. Lions), defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy (retirement), and return specialist James Letcher Jr. (Saskatchewan Roughriders).
Montreal holds the eighth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on Sunday, May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday, May 22, and its first regular-season game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday, June 4.
In 2025, the Als finished second in the East Division standings with a 10-8 record and beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final before losing the 112th Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
