December 9, 2016

Stamps ink kicking duo Maver, Paredes to contract extensions

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have signed national punter Rob Maver and national place-kicker Rene Paredes through the 2018 season. Both kickers were eligible to become free agents in February.

Maver has been with the Stamps since 2010 while Paredes joined the Red and White in 2011. Between them, the kickers have earned six West Division all-star berths and five CFL all-star selections.

“Rob and Rene have been one of the best kicking tandems in the CFL for a number of years and have given us great production and stability at those positions,” said Stampeders president and general manager John Hufnagel. “They’ve both been important contributors to the Stamps’ success and I’m pleased they have chosen to remain in Calgary and be part of a team that I’m confident will once again be a championship contender in 2017.”

Maver was the Stamps’ first-round pick, fifth overall, out of the University of Guelph in 2010. The 30-year-old Brampton, Ont., native has been voted a West all-star on three occasions and has twice been named a CFL all-star. He was the Stamps’ nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award in 2014.

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Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

Rene Peredes was among the top kickers in the league throughout 2016 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)

In 2016, Maver averaged a career-best 46.9 yards on 99 punts and was among the league leaders with seven punts that pinned the opposition inside its own 10-yard line.

For his career, Maver has punted 592 times for an average of 45.3 yards. He started his Stamps career as a place-kicker and in 2010 set the franchise record for most points by a rookie with 195.

Paredes signed with the Stamps as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and is a three-time division and league all-star. The Venezuelan-born, Canadian-raised kicker was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2013 and has been Calgary’s nominee for that honour four times. The 31-year-old Concordia alum holds CFL records for most consecutive field goals (39) and highest field-goal success rate in a season (94.7 in 2013).

In 2016, Paredes tied the franchise record by kicking 56 field goals and he was second in the CFL in both points (203) and kickoff average (66.4 yards).

Paredes is third on the Stampeders’ all-time scoring list with 1,055 points and is also third in field goals with 259.

Together for five years, Maver and Paredes are tied for the third-longest-running punter/kicker tandem in franchise history, trailing only Tony Martino and Mark McLoughlin (nine years from 1992-2000) and Mike McTague and J.T. Hay (six years from 1979-84).

“I look forward to again working with Rene, long snapper Pierre-Luc Caron and Coach Kilam this coming season,” said Maver. “Personally and professionally, Calgary is the perfect fit. I’m very grateful that I’m able to continue my career in this great city with the best franchise in the CFL.”

“Calgary is my family’s home year-round and with a baby boy due to arrive in March, it’s a very good feeling to know I will be staying in this city and continuing my career with the Stampeders,” said Paredes. “This is a great group of guys, we have an excellent coaching staff and I’m looking forward to a successful year in 2017.”