THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL -- The Calgary Stampeders acquired receivers Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a blockbuster deal Sunday for receivers Jabari Arthur and Titus Ryan, plus defensive lineman Odell Willis.

Calgary also gets a third-round pick in 2010 and the rights to an unnamed negotiation-list player, while fourth and sixth round picks in 2010 went to Winnipeg.

The trade was announced shortly after Winnipeg was thumped 33-14 in Montreal. The defending Grey Cup champion Stampeders are also struggling as they dropped to 6-5 with a 24-17 loss to Hamilton on Friday night.

"Romby is a player we've been following for some time and we really like what he brings to the table," Stampeders head coach-GM John Hufnagel said in a release. "He has good speed, size and he has proven to be very productive in the CFL. ...

"Titus and Jabari are both good, young receivers with potential but with our situation, we need someone who can come in and play for us right away."

A trade likely became necessary for Calgary after losing veteran receiver Ryan Thelwell for the season with a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in Friday's game versus Hamilton.

Bryant, 29, is in his second CFL season and has 20 catches for 232 yards and no touchdowns through 11 games. Last season, the six-foot-one 190-pound receiver led the Bombers with 1,205 yards and nine touchdowns on 65 receptions.

Fourth-year pro Franklin, 27, has missed most of this season with an ankle injury and has five catches for 53 yards. The Toronto native had career highs of 52 catches and 620 yards in 2008.

Arthur, a Montreal native, joined the Stamps after he was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs last August and shared in Calgary's Grey Cup victory over the Alouettes at Olympic Stadium.

Willis and Ryan, both Americans, were in their first season with Calgary. The six-foot-two 265-pound Willis has six sacks.