January 15, 2021

REDBLACKS sign Harris, Ellis to contract extensions

Larry MacDougal/CFL.ca

OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS have signed receiver R.J. Harris and defensive lineman Avery Ellis to contract extensions, the team announced on Friday. Both were slated to become free agents in February.

After starting as a rookie on the REDBLACKS practice roster in 2017, Harris cracked Ottawa’s lineup the following year. The German-born, Maryland-raised product of the University of New Hampshire would finish the 2018 season with 49 catches for 697 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to put up numbers during a difficult 2019 campaign, finishing the year with 62 catches for 774 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.

In 2019, Ellis led all REDBLACKS with 54 tackles while tying for the team lead with seven sacks and forcing one fumble. In three seasons in the REDBLACKS uniform, Ellis has played 43 games accumulating 97 tackles, 16 sacks, two forced fumbles and scoring one defensive touchdown. During 2016 at Temple University, he earned Co-Special Teams Effort Player of the Week once and Special Teams Production Player of the Week twice.

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