Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes announced on Wednesday that international slotback Nik Lewis will return with the club in 2017 as he has signed a two-year deal.
Lewis, a 5-foot-10, 240-pound slotback, continued rewriting the CFL record book in 2016, having finished first on the team with 102 receptions and 1,136 receiving yards. This marks the second time in his illustrious career that he has reached the 100-reception plateau in a single season, his total being the third highest in the CFL this past year.
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Winston Venable tackes Jeff Matthews in the regular season finale (The Canadian Press)
His 1,136 receiving yards were good for eighth best in the CFL. For his great season on the field, Lewis received his first East division All-Star nod. He had previously been elected a Western All-Star on five separate occasions while playing for the Calgary Stampeders.
“Signing Nik Lewis was a priority for our organization,” said General Manager Kavis Reed. “Nik plays a key role in both his performances on the field and his contributions as a mentor with our younger players in the locker room.
“Nik’s role in our offensive strategies has made us a better team since his arrival in Montreal. We are convinced that Nik will be an important component to our offensive success.”
Always difficult to tackle, the 34-year-old veteran stretched many short catches into long-yardage plays, as 621 of his total receiving yards came after making catches, which is the second highest total in the CFL. He also finished tied for first with 40 second-down catches that he converted into first downs.
Lewis’ remarkable season in 2016 allowed him to climb up to fourth all-time in the CFL with 977 receptions and eighth all-time with 13,129 receiving yards.
