Korey Banks will be in a Lions uniform until at least the end of the 2013 season. Photo: BCLions.com
The BC Lions announced Wednesday the signing of defensive back Korey Banks. The extension is a two year deal which will see the popular veteran remain with the Lions until at least the end of the 2013 season. Banks was entering the option year of his contract and was not set to become a free agent, but locking him for another year is another key core signing for the team this off-season.
Banks enjoyed another all-star season with the Lions, the fourth such honour of his career. Banks will begin his ninth season in the CFL in 2012, all but two of those have been with the BC Lions after being selected in the 2006 dispersal draft of the folded Ottawa Renegades.
Reporters and media members will be happy with today’s news as Banks is known to never shy away from a microphone and provides them with great material for their newspapers and sound bites.
Here are Banks career starts, as found on BCLions.com, where you can find the official release of today’s news.
Stats via BCLions.com
The BC Lions Football Club announced today that linebacker James Yurichuk has extended with the team through the 2012 season.
Yurichuk has become a key member of the Lions special teams since arriving in 2009 after being drafted by the club in the 1st round, 4th overall.
“I’m excited to sign this extension,” said Yurichuk said in a statement. “We had a challenging year in 2010 but in the second half of the season I believe we showed all the signs of a team that can compete with the CFL’s best clubs and I can’t wait to get back on the field.”
For the official club release on the signing, head to BCLions.com
The BC Lions were able to give their fans an early gift Monday when they announced the club had extended the contract of quarterback Travis Lulay.
Official terms of the deal were not released, but it’s a two year deal including an option that will keep Lulay with the Lions through the 2012 season. It’s believed Lulay will get starters money as well, with reports indicating a $250,000 per season deal according to Sportnet’s Arash Madani on Twitter.
Lulay was thrilled with the new deal indicating the club’s commitment to him and his teammates have him brimming with confidence.
“This is the first time in my career I have felt that a team has invested in me and that is a very good feeling,” Lulay told BCLions.com. “My confidence is very high with our players our coaches and the organization as a whole; I’m excited,” he added.
Lions fans may have preferred a longer deal, but from the sound of things, Lulay doesn’t see this short deal as short stop before tryong the NFL.
“Playing in Canada is not a stepping stone for me, I want to be here, I want to win championships and I want to make my home here,” he said.
The deal gives the Lions stability heading into training camp with Lulay as the undisputed number one. Of course, the club thought they had that last season when some promising showings by Casey Printers earned him a similar extension last off-season. Despite that failure, the Lions now look to have a QB who can lead them for the next several seasons, and one that the offence can and will rally around.
For more Lulay, checkout this great peice by Andrew Bucholtz who said a lot of the things we wanted to, but beat us to the punch. It comes complete with a couple of videos showcasing Lulay’s work last season.
The essential Travis Lulay:
| Height: 6.02 | Born: Salem, OR |
| Weight: 216 | College: Montana State |
| Birthdate: September 27, 1983 | Years: 2 BC / 2 CFL |
We hinted a couple of weeks ago that the BC Lions were working on an extension for star receiver Geroy Simon after beat writer Lowell Ullrich had reported the deal was imminent. Well it appears as though that deal has been completed and the all-time club reception leader will take another step closer to retiring a Lion. Terms of the deal have not been released and no official announcement has come from the Lions.
It’s a great move for the club, as Simon is still a high quality receiver and is one of the most recognized faces of the franchise. Simon, who has made Vancouver his home, has also become a prominent fixture in the community, giving much of his time to represent the team at various charitable functions, or appearing at schools to give back to the youth of the province.
Congratulations to Geroy, and here’s to Lions fans witnessing many more superman poses! Follow Superman on Twitter: @geroysimon and check out his website: http://www.geroysimon.com.
