August 18, 2016

Argos release veteran defensive tackle Brian Bulcke

Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca

TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts have released defensive tackle Brian Bulcke, the team announced Thursday.

Bulcke, 29, signed with the Argos in February after splitting his first four CFL seasons between Calgary and Hamilton. After starting the season on the six-game injured list, Bulcke played his first game in Week 8, recording one tackle in a 34-17 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Injuries have plagued the 6-foot-4, 281-pound interior linemen over the last couple of seasons. The Windsor, Ont. native didn’t play a down in 2015 after suffering a season-ending torn ACL last June. That was after his 2014 season was cut short by a bicep injury after recording 17 defensive tackles and two sacks in 10 regular season starts.

Drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2010 CFL Draft, Bulcke, a Stanford graduate, has 69 tackles and eight sacks to his name in 50 career games played.

While Bryan Hall and 25-year-old first-year tackle Ken Bishop continue to start in the middle of the Argos’ D-line, the Boatmen are also awaiting the return of second-year defender Daryl Waud from the six-game injured list.

The Argos, 4-3 and second in the East Division, take on the Eskimos on Aug. 20 at BMO Field in Week 9.