September 11, 2018

Ticats sign Owens to practice roster; leaves first practice with injury

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Tuesday that international wide receiver Chad Owens has been added to the team’s practice roster.

In his first official workout with the team on Tuesday, Owens rolled his ankle and left the field, according to a report from TSN’s Matthew Scianitti. Scianitti also reported that head coach June Jones says he thinks the receiver will “be fine.”

Owens, 36, started three regular season games in 2017 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, posting 17 receptions for 235 yards and a touchdown, while adding four carries for 32 yards. He attended 2018 training camp with the Roughriders before being released June 9.

The Honolulu, Hawaii native has appeared in 105 career CFL games since 2009, amassing 16,698 all-purpose yards and 37 total touchdowns with the Montreal Alouettes (2009), Toronto Argonauts (2010-15), Tiger-Cats (2016) and Roughriders (2017). Owens has 521 career receptions for 6,217 yards with 27 receiving touchdowns, and 29 carries for 172 rushing yards. He has also returned 365 punts for 4,027 yards (11.0 avg.) with six touchdowns, 240 kickoffs for 5,479 yards (22.8 avg.) with one touchdown, and 19 missed field goals for 803 yards (42.3 avg.) with three touchdowns.

In 2012, Owens was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player and won a Grey Cup with Toronto after setting a league record for combined yards in a season (3,862) and leading the league in receiving yards (1,328). The 5-8, 180-pound product of the University of Hawaii is a three-time CFL All-Star and has been named an East Division All-Star five times during his seven-year career.

Owens, who was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round, 185th overall, in the 2005 NFL Draft, suited up in six games over five seasons (2005-07), returning 13 punts for 62 yards and five kickoffs for 94 yards. He also spent time in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Tiger-Cats also announced the following player has been released:
INT – QB – DeVante Kincade